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Tuesday, January 2nd
2024
Memorial of
Saints Basil, the Great
and
Gregory Nazianzen, Bishops and Doctors of the Church
·
1 John 2:22-28
·
Psalms
98:1-4
·
Hebrews 1:1-2
·
John 1:19-28
Christians, Saint John the Baptist admitted,
he was not the Christ: for apparently the priests and Levites who
were sent to question him were under the illusion that he may have
been the Messiah or perhaps, the returned Elijah: remember according
to testimony, Elijah was drawn up to heaven without suffering
death….
John, the
Baptist baptized with water and preached, to all, repent for the
kingdom of heaven is at hand: John, son of the barren Elizebeth and
Zechariah, who saw the angel in the temple that announced the birth
of the Baptist John; John, who was the man born of a woman that no
better man was ever born; yet, even the least of those in the
kingdom of heaven are greater than he….
Yes, John, the Prophet of God, the creator of heaven and the
earth; John, the Baptist is and was a voice crying in the
wilderness, the desert, make straight the way of the Lord; John who
preached baptism of repentance for the remission of sins: as it was
written in the Book of Isaiah: prepare, oh people the way of the
Lord, make his path straight….
Yes, John the Baptist, he baptized not a baptism of
inclusion, but a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin….
Yes, Christians, the Risen Lord Jesus Christ told his
disciples and Apostles that repentance should be preached; while
Saint Peter, the rock that Christ Jesus built his church upon told,
the sinners of Jerusalem, and do not delude yourselves, Christians,
for those people sinned the same sins of the flesh as we do today –
their abortion was the immolation of children, and Saint Peter said
unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of
Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and then people will receive
the gift of the Holy Ghost….
Yes, John the Baptist had no delusion about who he was, for
he tells the priests and the Levites, those sent to question him,
that there was a person among them, who they did not recognize; yes,
there was an individual that Saint John the Baptist said of himself;
I am not even worthy to untie the straps of his sandals….
Yes, Christians, all this happened some thirty years after
the birth of Christ Jesus, at Bethany, across the Jordan, where John
was baptizing…. Now
Christians, the testimony of 1 John 2:22 starts out startling, asking
the question: “Who is the liar?”
Saint John, the Apostle answers this question, by saying:
whoever denies the Heavenly Father and the Son, the Risen Savior
Jesus Christ, this is the antichrist….
So now, Christians, we realize that any person who denies
that Christ Jesus is the Messiah, that denies Jesus Christ is, the
Christ, this, then is the antichrist….
Now Christians, if this was not startling enough, Saint John,
Apostle goes on to astonish us even further – leaving the
imagination etched with the thought that some would rather call
Saint John, Apostle a liar then to live, walk, witness, and be in
agreement with him – for Saint John, Apostle says: that if we deny
the Son of God, the Lord Christ Jesus, then we do not have God the
Heavenly Father but the many are pretending and feigning that God
the Heavenly Father is still with them, but whoever confesses the
Son, the Lord Christ Jesus these also have God our Heavenly Father;
so testifies Saint John, the Apostle….
Now in this next line of this testimony from Saint John, the
Apostle we receive a rephrasing of what Christ Jesus said himself:
Jesus says that God the Heavenly Father sent him to testify on his
behalf….
Yet, you have
not heard his voice nor seen his form, and you do not have his word
remaining in you, because you do not believe in the one who
he has sent….
Moreover,
the Christ says to those who believe in him, “If you remain in his
word, you will truly be his disciples, and you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free."
So now, when we read the testimony from Saint John, Apostle
we have an idea of what he means clearly about being faithful to
what Christ Jesus testified from the beginning and what the Apostles
and disciples heard from our Lord Christ Jesus: if we remain in this
testimony then we will remain in the Son, the Lord Christ Jesus and
in God the Heavenly Father; yes, the promise that Christ Jesus gave
unto us is eternal life….
To understand this eternal life a little more, let us turn
again to what Saint John, Apostle testifies: Beloved we are now the
sons of God, we are God’s children; however, what we will be has not
yet been made manifest, it has not been made apparent: still, we
know that when he shall come again, appear, we shall be like him;
for we will see him, the Lord Christ Jesus, the Risen Savior as he
is….
Now Christians,
Saint John, the Apostle wrote these things, these words of warning,
about those individuals who would try to deceive us: Saint John
said; they went out from us, but they were not of us….
Saint John, the Apostle teaches that if they had been with
us, they would have remained in the words and teachings of the Lord
Christ Jesus; although they feign the majesty of the Church, they do
not teach repentance for the forgiveness of sin to all nations nor
do they say that Jesus Christ, the Nazarene has risen from the dead
and is seated at the right hand of God the Heavenly Father and they
do not say that Jesus is Lord!
Yes, Christians have complete confidence in Christ Jesus, for
you have been baptized in water and you may receive the baptism of
the Holy Spirit: yes, the anointing that we may receive will remain
with us, so, we do not need anyone to teach us: for the anointing
teaches us about everything and is true and not false; therefore as
Christ Jesus’s Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth teaches us, let us
remain in Christ Jesus’s words and teachings to know the truth and
to be set free….
Christ
Jesus does not testify vainly; so, when he, Jesus our Lord testifies
that the Holy Spirit will only testify to what the Lord Christ Jesus
himself testified, we know this is the truth….
And when Jesus Christ testifies that his testimony was not
his own, but was a testimony given to him by God the Heavenly
Father, the creator of heaven and the earth that sent him, then,
also, we know this is the truth….
Yes, Christians, Christ Jesus testified: repent and believe
in the Gospel, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand….
Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us
pray and be thankful….
Amen….
Tuesday, January 9th
2024
The First Week in Ordinary Time
·
1 Samuel 1:9-20
·
1 Samuel 2:1 & 4-7
·
1 Thessalonians 2:13
·
Mark 1:21-28
Christians, Christ Jesus taught a new
teaching with authority….
The Lord Christ Jesus taught this teaching in the synagogue,
in Capernaum and throughout Judah and Israel….
The people all understood that Christ Jesus was teaching with
authority, which did irate the Pharisees and the priests: for they,
the scribes and Pharisees had taken their seat on the Chair of
Moses, but they tied up individuals with heavy burdens, but
themselves, they do not lift a finger: for they do their works to be
seen and not to be pleasing to God our Heavenly Father, but to be
seen in viewed by the populace; they only served God with lip
service, but their hearts were far from being true servants of the
Lord God our Heavenly Father the creator of heaven and earth, the
God of Jacob-Israel….
Moreover,
these Pharisees and scribes widen their Phylacteries to hold verses
of scripture; although the verses of scripture are close on their
person, held inside the phylacteries and are seen by the people at
the temple, the scripture, the word of God, itself was far from
their hearts….
As well,
they lengthen their tassels for feigning obedience to God the
Heavenly Father, but their hearts were of stone and their innards
were of ash….
Yes,
Christians, the Pharisees and scribes like spoiled children coveted
attention: loving the places of honor at banquets, the seats of
honor in synagogues, the greeting in the marketplaces and the
salutation of Rabbi….
Still, Christ Jesus teaches that with his disciples, apostles and
friends, we are not to be called Rabbi; rather, Christ Jesus
testifies that we his disciples are to have only one teacher and we
are to call, that is, address one another as brothers: call no
person on earth your father for we have but one Father and that is
God the Heavenly Father….
Yes, Christians, for unto us a child is born; unto us a son
is given: Christ Jesus being Lord -- quickly understanding with fear
of the Lord: Jesus did not determine after the sight of his eyes;
neither did he reprove after the hearing of his ears; rather, with
righteousness and not the peddling for vainglory did Christ Jesus
judge the poor; he reproved with equity; and he shall smite the
earth with the rod of his mouth and with the breath of his lips he,
Christ Jesus shall slay the wicked….
Truly, Christ Jesus is Lord and Jesus is the Son of God the
Heavenly Father, the God of Abraham….
Still, the Apostles and the disciples devoted themselves and
the ministry: of the Lord Christ Jesus’s Gospel, the word of spirit
and life and because of the growth of Christ Jesus’s Apostolic
community, this royal priesthood, a holy nation, clearly, it became obvious
that some
individuals were needed to serve at table; therefore, they selected
from among this community seven reputable men, individuals filled
with the Holy Spirit and wisdom to perform the task, and then these
were appointed: thus, the body of Christ Jesus, his Church began to
grow like a mustard seed….
In all this growth, the Apostles were known as brothers and
only God the Heavenly Father was known as Father: Christ Jesus being
our Wonderful, Counseller, the mighty God, the everlasting Father,
the Prince of Peace, that is, according to Isaiah’s prophecy….
Remember, Christians, God the Father, the Son the Lord Christ
Jesus and the Holy Spirit are three in one….
There is a tale of Saint Patrick struggling, if that is the
correct adjective, with the three in one person of God, the Father,
the Son and the Holy Spirit, and because he noticed a three-leaf
clover, he realized that yes one plant can have three leaves or
branches….
Moreover,
Christ Jesus tells us that we are branches of the true vine, the
true vine being Christ Jesus, himself, and unless the branch remains
on the vine and this is many branches that we can do nothing….
It may be mistaken by us, Christians, but let us not do so:
for remaining on the vine means to remain and abide in Christ
Jesus’s Gospel of spirit and life, Jesus says: if you remain in my
word, you will truly be my disciples; you will know the truth and
the truth will set us free….
Christ Jesus is the truth; he is the way, the truth and the
life….
Christ Jesus is
the head of his Church and those who follow him are the body of
Christ, the church….
Christ Jesus is the very refulgence, the brightness of God the
Heavenly Father’s glory, the very imprint of God the Heavenly
Father’s being and there is no darkness in God our Lord Christ
Jesus, at all: only light; therefore, let us live as if our life
depends on our repentance of our sin and sinfulness; for it most
certainly does….
Now
Christians, there are many things to be learned from this testimony,
from the Book of Samuel: 1 Samuel 1:9-20….
An obvious thing that we notices is how wrong Eli the Prophet
of God was about Hannah: for he assumed that she was drunk, instead
of praying reverently and in earnest to God the Heavenly Father the
God of Jacob-Israel….
Clearly, this brings forth a couple of, other, observations: one
being, that not many people had prayed reverently and earnestly
before Eli’s notice, and it was a new experience for him; moreover,
the fact that, this Prophet of God the Heavenly Father thought she
was drunk says no good thing about people who pray in earnest and
how most do not pray with earnest hearts: being as, Eli did not
distinguish the drunk ramblings of a person and the earnest prayer
of Hannah….
Now, Hannah
was a long-suffering woman; whether, she was patient or not is a
question, of that, we only get a brief insight….
Accordingly, Hannah’s husband at one point in the testimony
about Hannah and Elkanah, from the Book of Samuel, Elkanah tries to
comfort Hannah, by asking, why she grieves: though Elkanah knew it
was because Hannah was barren and she was made fun of by Peninnah….
Elkanah asks Hannah; was not he enough for her: was a child
for her to bear truly that important….
Now Christians, let us look back at this testimony from
Samuel and try to understand how, we, now as disciples of Christ
Jesus the Lord can remain on the vine, so that we may be pleasing
friends to our Lord Christ Jesus, the everlasting Father, the Great
High Priest….
It is
clear that though Hannah was barren and her sister Peninnah had
children, Peninnah was envious of Hannah and Elkanah’s relationship,
so Peninnah chaffingly derided Hannah with the fact that she was
barren: a dried-up old stick of a woman….
Now the flesh, in self-righteousness, does look at Peninnah
and wants to chide her: for Peninnah’s self-serving behavior was
clearly mean spirited; however, even though Peninnah was wrong in
her behavior let us not be wrong, also, in our admonishment of
Peninnah….
For our love
does not come to an end toward Peninnah because she is being
mean-spirited towards Hannah; rather with love we must remember that
we are now dead to the sin of envy, for Christ Jesus has overcome
sin and has overcome the world; moreover, we are not to lord over
people, but are to expose darkness and bring all things into the
light….
Now Christians,
in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be thankful….
Amen….
Tuesday, January 16th
2024
The Second Week in Ordinary Time
·
1 Samuel 16:1-13
·
Psalms 89:20-22 & 27-28
·
Ephesians 1:17-18
·
Mark 2:23-28
Christians, the
Pharisees were looking -- for something, of -- to accuse Christ
Jesus; rather than admonishing or with care, concern and love
exposing a darkness…. In deliberation let us look at what Christ
Jesus says and also an event that happened in the Sinai desert: a
certain man decided to deliberately go against the Sabbath by
gathering firewood…. The people, perhaps were looking for
clarification or they may have been jealous or envious of this man:
for there he was out gathering wood for the next day, while all the
others were honoring the Sabbath…. So, they brought this man to
Moses, again, perhaps for clarification but perhaps envy, hate or
jealousy also had a part in bringing this certain person before
Moses…. So, Moses said that he would ask God the Heavenly Father
what should be done with this certain man on this certain occasion
because of all the variable possibilities connected with his chosen
disobedience: now, it is not about the firewood, at all, any more
than it was, about Eve eating an apple, was about the apple;
however, they were both about disobedience: choosing to deliberately
go against what God had said: for God knows, as we also know, that
humans need to take their rest…. So, with Adam and Eve, they were
expelled from paradise; whereas, the man who gathered firewood was
taken out of the camp and stoned to death; this also showing us: for
what is a man advantaged, if he gains the whole world, and lose
himself, or be cast away? Since, God the Heavenly Father is eternal
and the promise of Christ Jesus is eternal life; therefore, we
should consider that God’s idea of life and death are not what we as
human’s typically associate with life and death: heaven and earth
will pass away, but God’s word will remain forever…. It is more
important to remain in Christ Jesus’s words and teachings than it is
to try and save our life; Christ Jesus testifies: for whosoever will
save their life shall lose it; and whosoever will lose their life
for the sake of Christ Jesus shall find their life…. Now, Christ
Jesus talks with the Pharisees and ask them, “which one of you would
not work, if you had a bull -- fall into a pit on a Sabbath, to get
the bull out of the pit” and likely fill in the pit, too: Christ
Jesus testifies also, how King David ate the Priest’s show bread,
which was unlawful to eat. except for the priests…. Truly, the
Sabbath is to be kept holy and it is to be a day of rest, but the
Pharisees were looking to find something to accuse Jesus of Nazareth
of being unfaithful to the law of Moses, which of course they the
Pharisees did on a regular basis as however it suited them…. Now
Christians, Saint Paul, Apostle testifies: for the flesh lust
against the spirit and spirit against the flesh: and these are
contrary the one to the other: so that we cannot do the things that
we would…. Now Christians, in these first few lines of this
testimony, from the Book of Samuel, we may glean that God the
Heavenly Father was done with grief over Saul, the first king of
Israel, but that Samuel was not finished grieving, for
him…. Samuel’s grief was not because Saul was dead, but was because
Saul failed as king of Israel: for he did not serve God the Heavenly
Father but served his flesh and also served the way of the
Israelites, they who refused to walk in God’s truth; they were
disobedient…. One failing of Saul not walking and living in God the
Heavenly Father’s truth and word was, when Saul was commanded to
obliterate a people, for to God the Heavenly Father they were beyond
redemption and had earned God’s wrath, although, Saul did desolate
the people as he was told, but he did not also desolate all the
beast as he was commanded…. So, in an instance that occurred later,
after the fighting had ended, we see Saul bringing along two find
beasts, bulls, and it was in Saul’s mind that he would offer them up
to God the Heavenly Father as a sacrifice and therefore, not have to
lose any of his own animals, to a sacrifice, in thanks for God the
Heavenly Father’s works that he did perform…. So, realize this:
Saul was commanded to destroy all these beasts and the people, but
Saul thought he would use the bulls that he was supposed to have
destroyed, as the sacrifice instead of sacrificing some of his own
beasts, for there was not to be any spoils of war for everything was
to be destroyed: the sacrifice, from Saul's own stock, was meant to be an oblation to God
for delivering Saul and the Israelites from these people; they, who
were wanting to kill them, the Israelites…. Samuel, the Prophet of
God the Heavenly Father is standing by the road home, and he hears
the bells of the bulls ringing as they come closer and so Samuel
asks Saul: “what is this I hear? Is this not some of the beast you
were supposed to have killed.” Then, Saul most likely with a clever
grin and smirk on his face, answered, Samuel: “Yes, I thought I
would sacrifice a couple of their beast to God instead of losing
some of my own,” which was an outrage and disobedience against God
the Heavenly Father and Samuel the prophet…. Now the question
stands: “Did Saul think God the Heavenly Father could be fooled with
this false sacrifice?” Moreover, the sacrifice that Saul was to
offer up to God our Heavenly Father was to be a sacrifice of joy and
a goodness of thanks, of being delivered from their enemy and not
this act a fraud that was dirty, false, and contemptable, which in
Saul’s heart was a smirk, a delight but to God it was an
abomination…. So, now, Christians, Samuel being the ever-faithful
Prophet of God the Heavenly Father, puts aside his grief, for Saul,
and sets out as God commanded; to go to Bethlehem…. God the
Heavenly Father had chosen the next King of Israel, and my! what God
had in store for this seventh Son of Jesse…. Samuel looked at
David’s brothers, but none of them were the son that God had
chosen! At this point, we understand that God the Heavenly Father
does not judge by appearance, but rather by looking into the heart
of an individual: for there is the evidence of a person…. Now Saint
Paul, Apostle, tells us, in comparison: about the individuals of the
Church at Corinth and those who have not accepted Christ Jesus as
their personal savior…. For Paul, saint and apostle tells us that
some glory after the appearance of things and people, but that is
not the way, the truth and the life: for as Christians, we are to
glory after the heart, glory in the words and teachings, the way,
the truth and the life that is Christ Jesus’s Gospel of spirit and
life…. Now this does not mean as we see from this testimony, from
Samuel that God chose an individual who was deformed but kind;
rather, this testimony tells us that all of King David’s brothers
were fine young men, but that it was only King David that had a
heart after God the Heavenly Father’s own heart…. In one occasion
of David’s legacy: it is interesting to realize a loving thing but
more than that the right and true thing, a godly thing, and yes,
King David showing that indeed his heart was after God the Heavenly
Father’s own heart: for the former King Saul’s youngest son was not
a fine young man, but was rather not as healthy as his brother,
Jonathan; yet, King David, in remembrance of God’s anointed, First
King, Saul and David’s love for this king and for the love of Saul’s
son, Jonathan: King David brought this youngest son of Saul into his
palace and cared for him with love and goodness…. Now Christians,
in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be
thankful…. Amen….
Tuesday,
January 23rd 2024
The Third
Week in Ordinary Time
·
2 Samuel 12-15 & 17-19
·
Psalms 24:7-10
·
Matthew 11:25
·
Mark 3:31-35
Christians,
Christ Jesus loves his mother and brothers and his sisters: for of
this love, we learn clearly in the testimony from the days of his
youth, when he was but a lad of twelve but was conversing with the
temple elders and priests, and that then Christ Jesus went back to
Nazareth and was a good son: honoring both his parents, in goodness,
life and truth all his days that he had with them and even after he
struck out on his own ministry; turning water into wine at Mary’s,
his mother’s request – though his time had not yet come….
The question stands in the imagination; “Did Mary ask this of
her Son, Jesus out of motherly pride: for Jesus clearly tells us
that his hour had not yet come, but Mary’s request opened the door
to his final days.”
Whatever the absolute truth of this may be, we know Christ Jesus
loves his mother even, if, in his reply to her, Jesus admonished her
– some may say that Christ Jesus was a bit testy – it was however
that the Lord Christ Jesus knew that turning this water into wine
would announce, the arrival of his hour: as many other things also
did during these days at the Jordan, with John the Baptist, and also
with this wedding feast in Cana of Galilee….
So then, now, Christians, we have this all-important
question and it is similar to another all-important question, “Who
is my neighbor” and here the question is, “Who are my mother and
brothers and sisters?”
We may consider what Christ Jesus said about John the Baptist, Jesus
said: of men of those born of a woman, there is no better man than
John, the Baptist, but that the least in the kingdom of heaven is
greater than he, the Baptist, John….
Now Mary, the Blessed Virgin and those who were with her,
sent a message to the Lord Christ Jesus, and Jesus Christ took this
time to tell, those who were with him and also, those who would come
to believe, in him: it is those who do the Will of God who are
Christ Jesus’s mother, brothers and sisters and so too is it with
all disciples of the Lord Christ Jesus: for we are to do the Will of
God the Heavenly Father….
So yes, we are to do the will of God the Heavenly Father and
those who do God’s Will our are brothers and sisters, and part of
God’s Will is loving our neighbor as we love ourselves: Jesus
teaching us who is our neighbor through the parable of the Good
Samaritan -- summing it up with this testimony: the person who
showed and treated the person who was robbed with mercy is the
neighbor, and Christ Jesus commanded us to go and do likewise….
In manifestation, those who are of the kingdom of heaven,
Christ Jesus’s brothers and sisters – doing the Will of God the
Heavenly Father: they, these disciples, they who remain in Christ
Jesus’s word; they who will know the truth and they who will be set
free because of this truth; these brothers and sisters according to
Christ Jesus’s testimony are greater than the beloved John the
Baptist….
Now
Christians, there are many events connected with the Ark of the
Covenant, the ark of the Lord and King David….
David, the king finally is set to bring the Ark of God to
Jerusalem: in this testimony in Samuel this is not the first time
that David had sought to bring the ark of the LORD to Jerusalem, but
perhaps with the previous attempts, we may say that God was not yet
ready; that it was not yet in God’s time….
So, now, King David and company brought the Ark of God up to
Jerusalem from the house of Obed-edom, which was a temporary resting
place for the Ark of God….
So, the more that we come to know David, the king through
reading of the testimony about him: from his early shepherding days,
to his days after his anointing, to his days at the court of King
Saul, the days of his friendship with Jonathan -- one of King Saul’s
sons, to his crush on Merab -- Saul’s eldest daughter….
Then too David’s rise as a strong lad: killing Goliath with a
stone from his sling-shot and of course God the Heavenly Father’s
hand at his side; to David becoming a great warrior; to King Saul
coming to despise David and David’s great victories in winning the
hand of Merab, Saul’s eldest daughter – only for her to be given to
another to spite the young anointed man, David….
To King David fleeing for his life from King Saul and
becoming a mercenary: protecting the lands, properties, and animals
of the outlying Israeli communities from those who would plunder
them….
To King David
holding King Saul’s life in his hands, but refusing to kill God’s
first anointed King.
Yes, there are many things to get to know about King David, and when
we know him, a little, we also may glean that for David, the
Shepherd, the warrior, the King, the man of God: bringing the Ark of
the Covenant to Jerusalem was one of his greatest realized joys of
his life….
So, having
the faith the size of a mustard seed: in all this that King David
went through there were many highs and lows, fears and joys, near
death experiences and times of plenty and festivities, but all these
are of the flesh and human activities; yet, now because of Christ
Jesus and our faith in Christ Jesus and God the Heavenly Father’s
righteousness: though we have highs and lows, times of plenty and
times of famine, we are now to be new creatures in Christ Jesus:
born of both water and spirit; therefore, although we recognize our
emotions and the events In our lives: tragic and joyful – these are
not where we are to live….
For as Christ Jesus teaches: in the world you will have
trouble, but be of good cheer, for Christ Jesus overcame the world:
so now we see that yes, we have troubles in our life but that we
also have Christ Jesus; therefore, through faith we may choose to be
of good cheer, and Christ Jesus through the Holy Spirit and through
his grace will manifest this good cheer in our hearts, minds, spirit
and life regardless of our circumstances….
Whereas, Saint Paul, Apostle also teaches; who and what will
separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation or distress
or persecution or famine or nakedness or peril or sword, and Saint
Paul, Apostle, tells us no, none of these can separate us from the
love that is in Christ Jesus…. So, now Christians, God the Heavenly
Father promises David, the king that his throne will be eternal and
Christ Jesus the Lord, the Son of God sits on this eternal throne,
awaiting the time of judgement, when all will be rewarded according
to their deeds….
Now
Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be
thankful….
Amen….
Tuesday,
January 30th 2024
The
Fourth Week in Ordinary Time
·
2 Samuel 8:9-10, 14, 24-25, & 30—19:3
·
Psalms 86:1-6
·
Matthew 8:17
·
Mark 5:21-42
Christians, when
we read that much people gathered unto Christ Jesus, we may deduce
that it was most likely all the people, near and not too far, that
could possibly step away from their day: with certainty, it was
enough people that had gathered to stir the vainglory of the
Pharisees and the scribes….
Christians, do not let familiarity with this testimony
deprive you from its glory and total awesomeness, but realize it as
the way, the truth and the life; yes, realize it as Christ Jesus,
and the things he did, which none ever did nor will any true
disciple of Christ Jesus ever be: for Christ Jesus is the only
begotten Son of God the Heavenly Father, the God of Jacob-Israel,
and true disciples of Christ Jesus pray, act, behave and live in the
name of the Lord Christ Jesus – giving him, the Lord Christ Jesus
all honor and glory and praise….
Truly, Christians, the true disciple of Christ Jesus knows
their charge: that is to go forth unto all nations and in the name
of the Lord Christ Jesus, beginning at Jerusalem preach repentance
for the forgiveness of sin and sinfulness….
Now Christians, to understand this, some, about Absalom and
the testimony of him, hanging by his hair from an oak tree and the
zealous, Jo-ab running him through with three pikes – Absalom’s
heart pierced and most likely other parts of his body too, we need
to go back to, Absalom’s step brother, Amnon and the trouble between
him and Absalom’s, sister, Tamar and Absalom not approving, judging,
King David for the way that he handled Amnon raping his sister,
Tamar: a thing to consider, before the obvious is that David may
have been slow to act, and Absalom acted in his anger not the
righteousness of God our Heavenly Father….
Whereas, now, Christians, we see and may look at all these
actions, between: Absalom, Amnon, Tamar, King David and Jo-ab as
before Christ Jesus: his grace, and before the advocation of the
Holy Spirit our teacher and comforter….
Saint Paul teaches that it is alright to be angry, but do not
let your anger cause you to sin and do not let the sun set on your
anger….
Truly, it was
right for Absalom to be angry with his step brother, Amnon, but it
was not right nor just for Absalom to act in vengeance against
Amnon: Absalom commanding his servants to murder, Amnon, when he was
merry from the consumed wine….
So, now, we understand that Absalom was fleeing his misdeeds,
mounting a mule; however, in this fleeing the mule ran beneath an
oak tree and Absalom was caught-up in the branches by his hair, and
could not get free….
Because of this, Jo-ab, King David’s chief military captain did not
have the piety of a father towards a son but acted as a faithful
servant protecting the life of his King, namely, David, and Absalom
had been a threat to King David’s life and Jo-ab did not want to
deal with that anymore….
Now, if Absalom would have had the grace and the Holy Spirit too
that we now have access, Absalom could have had peace and let
justice happen towards his step brother Amnon: whereas, before
Christ Jesus and in this time of King David, the land was under the
kingdom of darkness that was brought forth because of Adam and Eve’s
sin but through Christ Jesus, God reconciled humankind to himself,
and translated us into the kingdom of light….
Absalom’s hatred, the thought of vengeance consumed him and
he, Absalom did not have the grace nor the Holy Spirit to turn to;
wherewith, to pacify this vengeance, but only had the law, which did
not bring anything into perfection….
The Law told Absalom: thou shalt not kill -- as the Law did
tell King David that Amnon was to be punished for his raping Tamar:
Absalom was full of vengeance, whereas, King David was full of
fatherly piety and was slow to act and likely non-communicative;
yet, Absalom’s vengeance was like a canker and King David’s
indulgence brought about murder, grief and injustice and
godlessness….
Still, now
with the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus’s grace, Absalom may have
turned to Christ Jesus, seeking and praying for justice, for his
sister, and praying, also, to be delivered from the spirit of
vengeance and King David may have prayed for the strength to do what
was right and just, and bring forth a worthy punishment, for Amnon
raping his step-sister, Tamar….
Now Christians, if you know the story of Absalom and his
father, King David, then you will know that Absalom rose up against
King David and tried to be, the new king of Israel….
At one point Absalom became so powerful that David, the King
had to flee for his life: across the Jordan, River….
David makes his stand against his son Absalom dividing his
forces into three fronts, led by: Joab, Abishai, and Ittai….
Though David was outnumbered the victory was his.
Yes, King David did grieve the loss of his son Absalom,
something for that Jo-ab, his commander did reproach King David....
At the death of his son Absalom, David the Shephard once
again shows us that his heart is after that of God the Heavenly
Father, for King David was shaken at the news of the death of his
son….
Yes, he won
victory, but he lost his son….
It is interesting to note here: that God the Heavenly Father
gave unto his Son, the Lord Christ Jesus the command that he had the
power to lay down his life and to pick it up again: Jesus Christ,
the Messiah is the eternal Lord; for heaven and earth may pass away,
but the word of God will remain forever: Christ Jesus is the word
made flesh….
Christians
when we read this psalm, we should clearly understand that this was,
before Christ Jesus, and was before humankind was translated into
the kingdom of light from the kingdom of darkness, which the kingdom
of darkness was brought about because of Adam and Eve’s sin of
disobedience in the Garden of Eden….
So, yes, we are afflicted but we also know that Christ Jesus
tells us, in the world you will have troubles, but be of good cheer
for Christ Jesus has overcome the world….
Truly, the Psalmist calls, prays, for God the Heavenly Father
to keep his life, because he is devoted and has trust, and confesses
that the God of Abraham is his God, but now, again, through faith
let us build our lives upon the words and teachings of Christ
Jesus’s Gospel and be of good cheer in the times of our trouble….
Clearly, this does not mean that we should be giddy in our
times of trouble, but that we should remain in Christ Jesus’s word,
remain in his peace and know that Christ Jesus’s cheer and peace and
joy is greater than any of our troubles in the world; Christ Jesus’s
grace is sufficient for us….
Again, Saint Paul, Apostle teaches: what can separate us from
the love that is in Christ Jesus? will famine, the sword, viruses or
pestilence, tribulation, distress, persecution, nakedness or peril,
and to these Saint Paul, Apostle tells us no: that there is nothing
that can separate us from the love of Christ Jesus….
Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us
pray and be thankful….
Amen….
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