Readings – Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13 I can remember as a child sitting next to my father in our 1951 gray Plymouth two-door and cruising the neighborhood gas stations looking for $0.23 gas. Some of you can probably remember even buying lower-priced gas. I don’t think those prices for…
The Fifth Gospel The book of Isaiah has been called by Christians “The Fifth Gospel” because of the amazing prophecies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ found in four prophecies called the “Servant Songs”. Yet Judaism interprets these passages differently. In this Bible study, we will examine the four servant songs and compare Judaism’s and…
Readings – Revelation 7:9-17; Psalm 34:1-10,22; I John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12 Tuesday is Election Day here in Central Pennsylvania. I expect all of us will cast votes, maybe some already have through mail in voting. We will be voting for township officials, county officials, district attorneys, judges. Not too long ago we called all those…
Readings – Deuteronomy 34:1-2; Psalm 90:1-6,13-17; I Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46 Scholars write that St. Paul’s letters to the congregation at Thessalonica may be the earliest of his letters, being written at 50 CE when St. Paul was in Corinth. He may have written earlier letters, but these are the first letters we still have. …
John 12:1-10: Jesus Anointed at Bethany 12 Six days before the Passover celebration began, Jesus arrived in Bethany, the home of Lazarus—the man he had raised from the dead. 2 A dinner was prepared in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, and Lazarus was among those who ate[a] with him. 3 Then Mary took a twelve-ounce jar[b]…
Readings – Exodus 20:1-4,7-9,12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46 St. Paul, before he was so named, was called Saul, a well-respected rabbi. As Saul he presided over the stoning death of St. Stephen, stoned because he declared that Jesus, the crucified one, had risen from the dead and was the long-awaited Messiah. According the Acts…
Readings – Jeremiah 22:13-16; Psalm 148:7-14; Galatians 6:14-19; Matthew 11:25-30 This morning my sermon will be an old-fashioned three-point reflection on St. Francis whom we honor today. Our entire liturgy honors him with the Beatitudes, with the post-communion prayer that is attributed to him, with the four-part blessing, and with the lessons and collect designated for…
Readings – Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6,37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20: 1-16 “It’s not supposed to be like this.” It is a familiar thought for many of us as we journey through life. “It’s not supposed to be like this”, said the ancient Hebrews after their flight from Egypt. Moses, did you bring “us out [of Egypt]…
Readings—Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18: 15-20 I think we can safely say that the first two words of our Gospel reading are not accurate – “Jesus said…”. Much more probable are these words – “St. Matthew said…”. Remember that before the reading we say, “The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according…
The Epistles of 1 John and the Johannine Community The Johannine community was one of several sects of Christianity during the First and Second centuries. It was characterized by a very high Christology, emphasis on the Holy Spirit, and a rejection of the Bishop/Presbyter form of church government beginning to emerge in Christianity. In the…