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Tuesday, July 2nd
2024
The Thirteenth Week in Ordinary Time
·
Amos 3:1-8; 4:11-12
·
Psalm 5:4-8
·
Psalm 130:5
·
Matthew
8:23-27
Christians, Christ Jesus is Lord.
Yes, Christians, as Christ Jesus got into the boat, we may
realize the entirety of his ministry and not only Jesus the Lord was
stepping into that boat!
In that moment, as the Apostles were following him; yet, they were
filled with questions about this Nazarene, Jesus.
Christians, do not think that these men were so very far
removed from the men that we are today; indeed, they had their
fears, their desires, their temptations, their mysteries -- of the
unknown future; and their minds were filled with imaginations and
speculations about what was going to happen, presently, which ended
up being completely wrong: the Apostles believed that Christ Jesus
would return right away, but they did not know God the Heavenly
Father’s entire purpose.
Rather, they had the words of spirit and life and their belief of
faith to help them and comfort them through their day: moreover and
most importantly, they also had the advocate, the paraclete, the
comforter, the teacher -- whom reminded them of all the words and
teachings that Christ Jesus brought unto them and did bring unto
humankind.
Now
Christians, let us examine and observe and watch, for straight away,
we see Amos testifying to the Israelites, and he declares: first
hear this word!
Then, Amos goes on to tell us: hear the word that the Lord God the
Heavenly Father has spoken against you: the Lord pronounced these
words over the children of Israel.
Christians, it is important to understand: when Amos is
saying, the children of Israel, he is referring to the oldest to the
youngest of people, in Israel, and the designation of the word
children is a figure of speech and not written in a literal
description, which this word children is used figuratively, in many
instances, both in the Old and New Testaments but it is also used
literally, as well.
…Look, to the point of the pronouncement that God the Heavenly
Father had over the whole family, of Israel, that he did bring, with
his mighty hand, up and out of Egypt: one thing that should also be
clear; although, the Lord God the Heavenly Father was making a
pronouncement -- exposing and reproving the sins and sinfulness of
the children of Israel, their neighbors were also sinful in the
sight of the Lord.
…Truly, we should understand that all of Israels neighbors, the
individual people who occupied, God the Heavenly Father’s lands when
the Israelites came up out of Egypt and in this testimony, from the
time of Amos, were actually descendants of Noah: as were the tribes
of Jacob-Israel!
So, they were
cousins many generations removed: hundreds of years.
…In example of another people, we people of America may think
of the few hundreds of years, four hundred years, that is, when God
the Heavenly Father allowed -- not our cousins -- but our
forefathers, in America, to throw out and overcome the taxing
tyrant, king George and then also realize that the Israelites were
occupants, in Egypt, for some four hundred years; still, before the
Israelites trials and tribulations in Egypt there were some ten
generations or a thousand to twelve hundred years between Noah and
Abraham.
Nonetheless,
the people, who occupied the land of milk and honey, before, the
Israelites came up out of Egypt were distant descendants of Noah:
whereas, God the Heavenly Father caused his will to happen rewarding
the descendants of Noah rightly: Abraham, a man of faith, who
believed in God and then, those people who did not believe in God
and had given themselves over to all manner of perversions, evil and
wickedness; both, these received their due reward from God the
Heavenly Father.
Christians, this next line from Amos is, at times, misinterpreted,
as for its stated meaning of substance; it says: God the Heavenly
Father alone favored the descendants of Abraham: yes, it is true God
the Heavenly Father favored them, but God did not indulge their sin
and sinfulness.
…In
fact, God reproved them exceedingly, more than once, and still some
men preferred the darkness; still, other men such as Zadok kept
faith with God; as did Abraham!
Now … in this age of Christ Jesus, we also have some
misinterpretations of what exactly is the sacrifice, on the cross,
by the Lord Christ Jesus; first thing to know, it does not indulge
sin.
…If the sacrifice
on the cross was going to indulge sin and make sin acceptable: then
murder would be acceptable; genocide would be acceptable; simony
would be acceptable; Christ Jesus would not have said to his
disciples: it is impossible but that offences will come: but woe
unto him, through whom they come! So, yes, Christians, God the
Heavenly Father favored alone, the children of Israel, but he did
not indulge their sinful behaviors, but called them to repentance
and sacrifice: Christ Jesus being the perfect and eternal sacrifice
for are sins and, we receive the grace of this sacrifice when we
first acknowledge our sin and sinfulness and then repent of our sin
and sinfulness.
Yes, …
the Lord God the Heavenly Father pronounced over the children of
Israel a punishment for their crimes; God brought an upheaval and
did overthrow them, as God caused the overthrowing of Sodom and
Gomorrah: Amos testified that the Israelites were like a brand, a
firebrand – a people – that God had plucked from the fire, but they
were like the nine lepers who were healed, by the Lord Christ Jesus
that did not turn to give thanks nor did the Israelites return to
the Lord God.
Yes,
Christians it is true that the Israelites sinned, but their
neighbors truly were as sinful, and, in idolatry, worshiped statues
decked out with gilded gold flakes; and worship carvings made from some of
the same pieces of wood that they used to burn, to cook their food
and to keep warm.
Now
Christians, the Lord God the Heavenly Father makes this statement:
do two individuals walk together unless they have agreed?
…We should understand the commandment of Christ Jesus to love
our neighbor as we love ourselves: this commandment does not mean we
walk with our neighbor, if we are not in agreement but it does mean
that we are still commanded to love our neighbor; as well, we are to
love our enemies.
Still,
Christ Jesus tells us: bless those who curse us; do good to those
who hate you; and pray for them who despitefully use or do not treat
you as they would treat themselves: praying, also, for those who
persecute us, so that, because of this praying, then we may be the children of God the Heavenly
Father.
Yes, Christians,
for God makes the sun rise, on the evil, and on the good and sends
the rain on the just and the unjust.
Moreover, Saint Paul, Apostle testifies that he believes all
the things that are written in the law and the prophets – the
prophets testified to, and, of Christ Jesus: then, Saint Paul,
Apostle said that his hope is toward the God of Abraham and Jacob,
whose descendants, they, also, believe in the resurrection of the
dead, both the just and the unjust.
Now Christians, do not pretend that in Christ Jesus’s Gospel
we have not been warned!
For Saint John the Baptist, the prophet, testified, so as to make
the road straight for the Lord Christ Jesus: repent and believe in
the Gospel for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Moreover, Saint Paul, Apostle testified that the works of the
flesh are manifest, warning us, and he has warned us several times:
those individuals who walk in the lust of the flesh, the sins of the
flesh will in no way enter into the kingdom of heaven; therefore,
repent of your sin and sinfulness and believe and obey the Gospel of
the Lord Christ Jesus.
Now Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and
be thankful.
Amen.
Tuesday, July 14th
2024
The Fourteenth Week in Ordinary Time
·
Hosea 8:4-7 & 11-13
·
Psalms 115:3-10
·
John 10:14
·
Matthew 9:32-38
Christians, the
crowds were amazed, and so too would we be: if a person, whom all
the people knew, him, and knew that he had, for all his life, been a
mute, and then Christ Jesus, with the word of God the Heavenly
Father commanded the demon out of him and
the mute was then able to speak with a normal voice. Still,
Christians, let us remember what Christ
Jesus
said, “Beware brothers and sisters of the leaven of the Pharisees,
which is hypocrisy!” Now, if you think this warning is not in the
correct context, then think again: for although, granted, there may
have been a pretense of protecting the people from being misguided,
but, truly, the cause of the Pharisees statement is the alms at the
Temple and not the souls of the Israelites, which the rest of their
fruits of life confirmed upon them that they were rotten trees and
not true shepherds of God the Heavenly Father’s Gospel of life. Now
Christians, next, we see, from this testimony from Hosea that the
Israelites chose to copy and follow the heathens, their neighbors,
instead of following God the Heavenly Father, who, with his mighty
hand did bring them out of Egypt and then, against God the Heavenly
Father’s Will and word made kings in Israel, which we know these
kings led them into all manner of perversions, murders, lawlessness;
whereas, common decency, neighborly love, rightful decisions, and
justice were not adhered or observed. Yes, Christians let us
testify the Gospel of the Lord Christ Jesus: for Jesus teaches us;
whosoever is ashamed of him and his word, of them shall the Son of
man, Christ Jesus, be ashamed, when he comes in his glory and in his
Father’s, glory, and of the holy angels. Yes … the Israelites
followed after the heathens, in the making of idols; however, we
should realize that an idol is more than a golden calf, a graven
image, but is something that is idolatrous and against God the
Heavenly Father’s word, that is, the words and teachings that Christ
Jesus, the very refulgence of God, did bring and was sent, to bring,
by the Lord God of all creation to the Israelites and unto all
creation. Solemnly, the Lord God the Heavenly Father did warn,
through Hosea, the Israelites and as well, other prophets did also
warn, but the Israelites were a stiff-necked people and they chose
to follow, the immorality and to worship false idols liken unto
their neighbors. Consequently, God the Heavenly Father’s hand
was with the Israelites when he did bring them up and out of Egypt,
but because they chose to break the oaths of their forefathers, the
tribes of Jacob-Israel, God the Heavenly Father’s hand was not with
them when Nebuchadnezzar was allowed to destroy Israel and carry off
many Israelites to Babylon: while others were scattered; some died
of pestilence; others were killed by the sword: for God’s hand of
strength was not with them as it was with King David, the day he
killed Goliath. Yes, God the Heavenly Father said unto the
Israelites: cast away your idol calf, for his, God’s wrath was
kindled against them. Christians, truly, God will not let his
creation be deceived by falsehoods: for Adam and Eve did eat of the
fruit with which Satan tricked Eve, and then Adam did follow her,
and they did know and we do know the difference between the profane
and the holy, the clean and the unclean, the good and the
evil. Moreover, Isaiah testifies: woe unto those who call what is
evil good and call what is good evil; that put darkness for light
and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet and sweet for
bitter and God the Lord Christ Jesus tells us that the pit of
unquenchable fire awaits the chaff, that is, those who call darkness
light and these will spend eternity in their reward. Next, we see,
from the testimony from Hosea that God the Heavenly Father
prophesied unto the Israelites, saying: how long will you be able to
attain innocence in Israel! For God the Heavenly Father knew the
rot would not happen in an instant, but would be as rust is to
metal, as the dust collects, as the weeds grow, as by the erosion of
the winds and the gathering of sand, in dunes. Still, now, in this
age of Christ Jesus, the end will come in a moment, in the twinkling
of an eye, at the last trumpet’s sound, the dead will be raised
incorruptible – incorruptible meaning: the corruption of death is
destroyed.
Whereas, incorruptible in this
context does not mean the corruptions we see in government and other
places – yes, we will be as Saint John testified, although, it does
not yet appear what we shall be, but we know that, when he appears,
we shall be like him: for we shall be changed. Now, Christians, we
see from this testimony that the priests were false and did not love
and walk in the righteous faith of God the Heavenly Father, it says:
Ephraim made many altars to expiate sin, but Ephraim’s altars became
occasions of sin. Yes, Christians, we see the same thing today in
some of the churches and with some individuals: for instead of
expiating sin, they are wanting to bless sin, which is an
abomination in the sight of God the Lord Christ Jesus, Jesus being
the faithful Son of God the Father. Yes … Hosea prophesies and says
for God the Heavenly Father: even though God has written us many
ordinances; yet, the word of God is as a stranger to God’s
people. …It is true they offer sacrifice, but God the Heavenly
Father does not receive their sacrifices because they do not live
according to God’s word and their sacrifices are profane not holy;
their sacrifices are of lip service and not repentance: the turning
from sin and going and sinning no more. Yes, Christians, some
churches and false prophets try to make what is profane holy; what
is unclean as clean; some try to institute what is an abomination in
the sight of God in the sameness as with the institution of
marriage. Now Christians, God the Heavenly Father did institute
marriage, saying: a male shall leave his parents’ home and be joined
unto the female’s home, and the two shall become one flesh. Yes,
Christians, therefore, the man and the woman are no longer two but
become one flesh. Moreover, in warning, the Lord Christ Jesus says
also what God our Heavenly Father did say: what God has joined
together, no human being must separate. Christians, truly, this
also means, not only, folks from outside the marriage, trying and
wanting to separate the two that are one, but it also includes the
two who have become one: they should not try or want to separate,
but must learn to mature and grow in their love for one another,
always, growing as an individual not as two separate
individuals. Yes Christians, God the Heavenly Father said through
Hosea that he was not pleased with Israel and that he would remember
their guilt and punish their sins; confirming on them dire
circumstance: they shall return to Egypt – metaphorically, they did
return to Egypt, but this time it was named Babylon. Still,
Christians, now, in Christ Jesus the sin of the world has been taken
away, but this does not mean that we will escape eternal judgment
when Christ Jesus comes: for clearly, Jesus Christ testifies that we
will all receive our reward. For those who have lived in righteous
faith of Christ Jesus, eternal life, but to those who have chosen
sin, eternal damnation. Therefore, Christians, see and understand
that in Christ Jesus, it is more perilous and strict: for Christ
Jesus has given us his grace which enables us to overcome our sinful
flesh, if we choose to do so, but if we choose to live in sin and
prefer darkness, then we will indeed be lost eternally. Now
Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be
thankful. Amen.
Tuesday, July 15th
2024
The Fifteenth Week in Ordinary Time
·
Isaiah 7:1-9
·
Psalms 48:2-8
·
Psalms 95:8
·
Matthew 11:20-24
Now Christians, we see the Lord Christ Jesus
not only healing the lame, the leper, the possessed, the sick, and,
also causing thousands to be feed with but a few loaves of bread and
a couple of fish – multiplying both the fish and the bread through
God the Heavenly Father’s miraculous power: Christ Jesus and God the
Father being one, but we, also see the Lord Christ Jesus reproach
these towns, where most of his deeds were witnessed: for the people
of these towns did not repent and turn from their sins and
sinfulness.
Christians,
let us next consider this testimony from this Chapter, from the
Book of Isaiah; it being an introduction, through God the
Heavenly Father’s, prophet, Isaiah prophesying of the coming of the
Messiah Jesus, the Nazarene.
God communicates with Isaiah and testifies that: king Ahaz
would not believe and therefore would not be established or in other
words, Ahaz had to have faith, in God, and be firm in his faith, in
God, but Ahaz was not firm in his faith.
Truly Christians, be clear in this understanding; it was not
Ahaz’s, not, believing in himself or not having faith in himself:
rather, it was his disbelief and faithlessness towards God; whereas,
also, it is our belief or lack of belief and faith or lack of faith:
for we must be faithful in our belief towards God, the Lord Christ
Jesus.
Whereas,
believing in ourselves is determination, of a sort, but Ahaz did not
believe in God nor did he have faith in God.
Nonetheless, because, it was God’s purpose that Rezin, the
king of Aram, Aram being a nation that descended from Shem, son of
Noah, Rezin, being the king of current concern, in this testimony,
and then, also, king Pekah, Son of Remaliah – Remaliah’s father was
unknown: Pekah, the king of Israel and Rezin, king of Aram would
both fail to take or overthrow Judah even though Judah was defeated
and lost many men, women and children and many spoils were brought
to their brethren in Samaria, that is, the Capital of Israel.
Moreover, God the Heavenly
Father prophesied through Isaiah that Rezin, king of the nation Aram
and the king of Israel, Pekah, the Son of Remaliah and more
specifically that Ephraim would be crushed, in a definite number of
years, sixty-five.
Then,
as well, we remember and have the definite knowledge that Aram and
its capital, Damascus, and Rezin their king’s time did pass and
different kings of Assyria came to reign; they, who became God the
Heavenly Father’s rod and staff, uniquely, without them knowing –
but that is a different testimony.
Christians, so let us now look over this testimony, again,
from Isaiah: Ahaz was the faithless king; Rezin and Pekah on fire to
destroy Jerusalem, the Capital of Judah; the people, the king of
Jerusalem, and Judah: hearts were faint, instead of having faith in
God the Heavenly Father; their faint faithlessness likely derived
and caused because of their sinful deeds and philosophies, that is
to say, they knew they were not worthy of God the Heavenly Father’s
protecting hand, so they feared.
Then, Isaiah was sent to confer with Ahaz: Isaiah told of the
outcome that God the Heavenly Father had planned, but Ahaz’s
faithlessness allowed more damage to happen, since Ahaz would not
ask God the Heavenly Father for a witness of faith; likely, again,
because Ahaz’s heart was faint and he did not believe in the God of
his father’s Jacob and Abraham.
Again, Christians, it testifies that Pekah and Rezin were not
able to conquer, Jerusalem and Judah, but they did do damage.
Now, at a point, later on, in this testimony from Isaiah, God
the Heavenly Father tells Ahaz and Isaiah, since Ahaz would not ask
for a sign that God the Heavenly Father, himself would give a sign;
that sign is his Son, the Lord Christ Jesus whom with God is and was
well pleased.
Yes,
Christians, the Prophet Isaiah used figurative language to describe
Rezin and Pekah, saying: they were smoldering brands, two stumps.
Yes Christians, the picture is: two tall trees, trees that
the people feared and then sheepishly chose; trees that God the
Heavenly Father did cut down and burn: they becoming smoldering
stumps; trees that the people of Ephraim and Aram somewhat realized,
but, perhaps, would not acknowledge this realization, that they had
chosen these smoldering brand trees: trees that chose to do
wickedness and evil and the people, they chose these trees, because,
of their sinfulness and shame and faithlessness, which was derived
from their behaviors and deeds.
Yes, Christians, these two men Rezin and Pekah planned
against God the Heavenly Father’s word, commandments and yes,
against, God the Heavenly Father’s way, truth and life – God being
the same today, yesterday, and for all eternity.
These individuals, Pekah and Rezin planned to go up to Judah
and Jerusalem, and tear it asunder, to make it their own by force,
and then to appoint a puppet king: Tabeel was to be at their
command.
Yes,
Christians, all this came to be, because Ahaz, king of Judah, and
the Israelites would not keep God’s way, truth and life, the gospel
of spirit and life, the law, statutes and ordinances they being the
truth, love, joy, faith, goodness, kindness, patience, gentleness,
generosity and self-control that we are to recognize and come to
know in Christ Jesus’s way, truth and life, the life that God the
Heavenly Father has called us to live.
Now Christians realize what Christ Jesus said: he said that
if his Gospel and the mighty deeds thereof would have been done in
Sodom, they would have repented, but in Tyre, Sidon and Capernaum
their hearts were hardened to their preferred darkness.
Here in this testimony from Matthew, Christ Jesus uses a
figure of speech or a parable of sort, saying: it will be more
tolerable in the day of judgment in Sodom then for these who refuse
to repent; Christians, we clearly know there was nothing tolerable
in Sodom.
Moreover, let
us not be idolaters, false prophets; for we see clearly that not all
will be welcomed in Christ Jesus’s eternal kingdom nor should we
say, believe or live as if they will be, Jesus saying, the road is
narrow and straight and it is few that find it.
Now Christians, in the name
of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be thankful.
Amen.
Tuesday, July 23rd
2024
The Sixteenth Week in Ordinary Time
·
Micah 7:14-15, 18-20
·
Psalm 85:2-8
·
John 14:23
·
Matthew 12:46-50
Christians, Christ Jesus said, whoever does
the will of God our Heavenly Father is our brother and sister and
mother.
…Therefore, let
us first seek the kingdom of heaven and the Heavenly Father’s
Righteousness: this being and doing the will of God our Creator,
Almighty God, Savior, comforter, advocate and Heavenly Father.
Yes Christians, let us proceed not to the right of God’s word
nor to the left of God our Heavenly Father’s word but let us live,
behave, choose, act, and seek to live in accordance with God our Lord
Christ Jesus’s way, truth and life.
Christians, let us put on the entire armor of God: the helmet
of salvation, the breastplate of justice, the sword of
righteousness, that being, the word of God, the shield of faith – a
faith, so we will no longer be children, tossed back and forth and
carried away and about by or with every wind of doctrine, by the
cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles, and finally;
let us put on the shoes of Christ Jesus’s peace, his gospel of
spirit and life, so that we may walk forward moment by moment in
life, truth, goodness, love, joy, faith, kindness, patience,
generosity, gentleness and self-control.
Yes, Christians the men of Nineveh shall rise up in judgment
with this generation, and shall condemn it: because the Ninevites
repented at the preaching of Jonah: so too shall the queen of the
south rise up in judgment with this generation and shall condemn it:
for she came from far, to hear, the wisdom of Solomon and behold,
Christ Jesus is Lord.
Because of this, Christians, let us speak the truth in love, that
being Christ Jesus’s gospel of spirit and life.
Yes, Christians, let us seek to grow, mature, in all things,
up unto the Lord Jesus Christ: knowing that Christ Jesus is overall;
that he is the head of all; the head of the church; that he is the
savior, the Christ, and that his way, truth and life is eternal.
Now Christians, let us pray
to God, the Lord Christ Jesus and remember that our God is a
consuming fire.
Because
of this Christians, let us shepherd in accordance with Christ
Jesus’s way, truth and life, the Gospel of spirit and life.
Christians, let us not be shaken by any human occurrence, but
let us repent of our sins, acknowledge our sinfulness, and first
seek the kingdom of heaven and the Heavenly Father’s Righteousness:
knowing that eternals salvation awaits those who do not faint.
For we have been forewarned of the foreboding of this world:
indeed, the powers of heaven and the earth will be shaken.
Still, let us also remember what Christ Jesus teaches: “In
this world you will have troubles, but be of good cheer for Christ
Jesus has overcome the world.”
Now Christians, let us not hold, in the complexity of the
names that are from the Old Testament nor in the complexities of the
phrasing from the Old Testament, but let us remember the practical
observation from and of these testimonies: that the Israelites did
not keep the oaths and vows of their forefathers and that they fell
to wickedness, sinfulness, and the idolatries of that their
neighbors practiced.
Indeed, as the word states: “They even became more perverted than
their neighbors whom they liken unto.”
Yes, Christians, we know from the time of Solomon, forward,
that many of the kings of Israel and Judah did what was evil in the
sight of the Lord God the Heavenly Father: in immolation, they
passed their children through fire, worshiping the false gods that
men and women had made; being idolatrous, they practice all sorts of
harlotry – harlotry in this meaning is not exclusive to a woman
practicing prostitution, but is the overall perversion of the
people; as Isaiah describes them: from the hairs of the head to the
soles of their feet, they were polluted with murder, harlotry,
prostitution, idolatry, and the falsifying of God our Heavenly
Father’s commandments in disobedience and graft.
Still, again, Christians do not think that the Israelites
were unlike their neighbors; indeed, through the Prophet Micah, God
the Heavenly Father communicates: that the inhabitants of Lachish
were the beginning of the sin to the daughter, daughter in this use
is a figure of speech, referring, to all of Israel and how they in
disobedience imitated and emulated their neighbors false gods;
instead of keeping faith with the one true living God, the God of
Abraham and Jacob-Israel.
Still Christians, God is loving; he so loved the world that
he gave his only-begotten Son for a sacrifice for our sin.
Although, God does not let the guilty go unpunished even
though he loves his creation.
For indeed, even before the Israelites were cast into
dispersion, God the Heavenly Father had made the way for them to
receive clemency: our Lord had already planned how to have
compassion on the children of Jacob-Israel and how he was going to
tread underfoot their guilt; to cast into the depths of the sea all
of their sins.
Still,
this plan was grievous and it was generational; moreover, certain
individuals, such as Daniel, did repent and acknowledge their sin,
that is the Israelites sin and sinfulness: their harlotry, their
murdering; their oppression of widows and orphans and of those they
took advantage; their disobedience to life: truth, goodness and love
of neighbor and their disobedience to God our Heavenly Father’s way,
truth and life….
Yes
Christians, God the Heavenly Father knew that they, the Israelites
in dispersion, would remember him and many and most did long for the
days when they were not shackled under hand and foot to men or women
rulers: seeking the true liberty of living in life, truth and
goodness.
Because of
this, God the Heavenly Father knew that they, the Israelites would
be faithful and show faithfulness to their forefathers Jacob-Israel
and Abraham: thus, they would walk in accordance with his way, live
in his truth and have joy and rejoice in the life that is God the
Heavenly Father.
Now
Christians, let us remember the commandment testified too, by the
Lord Christ Jesus: that we are to love the Lord God with all of our
heart, all of our mind, all of our soul and all of our strength;
moreover, let us not pretend that this love is an imaginary love but
that this love, it is a defined love.
Yes Christians, the definition of this love is that we must
keep his word.
For
Christ Jesus says: “Whoever loves me will keep my word and his,
Father will love them and they: Father, Son and Holy Spirit will
come unto them.”
Now
Christians, in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be
thankful.
Amen.
Tuesday,
July 30th
2024
The Seventeenth Week in Ordinary
Time
·
Jeremiah 14:17-22
·
Psalms 79:8-9, 11 & 13
·
Matthew 13:36-43
Christians, this first sentence of this
Gospel reading is plain enough in language, but in purpose, deed,
volume, and structure it testifies to much: the fact that the crowds
were willing to hear him and then also to go back to their homes,
when he dismissed them, testifies to the weight and impression of
his testimony; testifies to the hope that filled the crowd.
Yes, it testifies to the overall spirituality that was with
and among the people, namely, the holiness of the Lord Christ Jesus:
and it testifies to the fact that the crowd knew and understood that
it was, indeed, testimony from the God of Jacob-Israel.
Jesus the Nazarene’s testimony touched the very souls of the
individuals and like sheep without a shepherd, they thirsted: to
hear what it was he was saying by and through the word that he did
bring unto them and unto humankind.
Christians, as we look next at this reading from Jeremiah;
let us understand that the Israelites wound was incurable: God the
Heavenly Father sent unto them Prophet after Prophet warning them of
the impending consequences that were coming upon them, but they were
prideful, arrogant, non-believing, and worse believed wrongly about
the coming fate which was about to come upon them.
In a clear and plain explanation of those who were believing
wrongly, since this is such an importance; let us look at what the
brother of James says, in a reading from Jude.
Jude says: that when the people came up out of Egypt that
afterward, God the Heavenly Father destroyed them that believed not:
Christians, it is clear from this testimony that some individuals
believed wrongly – not in an atheistic manner, but falsely.
These certain individuals, as Jude describes so very well;
also, individuals that we see in the time of Jeremiah; and as well,
individuals from the time of Moses: it is not as if the Israelites
did not believe in God; when Moses, being, the mighty hand of God
the Heavenly Father, caused the ten plagues to come upon Pharaoh and
the Egyptians and the other mighty deeds that God the Heavenly
Father performed, but, after, when all was settled between Egypt and
Israel, in that circumstance of time, and the Israelites being led
by Moses and Aaron, in this circumstance of time, some of the
Israelites did not believe rightly, and challenged Moses and
complained that they did not have fresh cucumbers.
Yes, the wounds of the people were incurable; it is not that
God could not cure them but being that humans are, creatures of a
freewill and not assembled robots to perform tasks: as their owners
wish and want, God the Heavenly Father rewarded them according to
their deeds.
Christians,
it should also be understood that these individuals who were
destroyed, in the Sinai, for believing wrongly: died a death unto
death; whereas, now, in Christ Jesus being as, he destroyed death,
when our time of testing and exercising our freewill has gone so
far, in this human existence, we will either be rewarded with
eternal life in Christ Jesus or eternal torment in the pit of
Gehenna.
Yes,
Christians, the Prophet Jeremiah prayed that his eyes would stream
with tears day and night without rest, for the great destruction
that was impending upon the people of Israel.
It may be interesting to you that Christ Jesus teaches us
that we are to pray always and not to faint.
Also, Saint Paul, Apostle teaches us: see that no person
renders evil for evil; that we are to ever follow that which is
good: that we are to rejoice (in the Lord Christ Jesus) evermore:
and that we are to pray without ceasing.
Now Christians, Jeremiah asks this interesting thing: have
you cast Judah off completely?
Let us consider some obvious occurrences of God the Heavenly
Father casting off: first he cast off Lucifer, the devil for his
pride and arrogance and his lies – Satan wanting to be better than
the truth; next, we see the fall of humankind with Adam and Eve
being cast out of Eden for their disobedience; they ate the fruit of
the knowledge of good and evil and became changed, but it was not
for the change that they were cast out of Eden; it was their
disobedience; next, we see that Cain, Son of Adam was cast out of
his families lives and made to go and live with the other tribes of
the earth; and he cast off King Saul for his disobedience in favor
of the shepherd boy, King David.
Christians, Jeremiah asks God the Heavenly Father to remember
the covenant that he made with the Israelites, and because Jeremiah
and Daniel and others of the Israelites acknowledged their sins and
sinfulness and a generation had come and past: God the Heavenly
Father did remember his covenant.
Still, let us consider these words of testimony also:
Jeremiah, saying: we wait for peace, to no avail; truly, this is
akin to the parable of the three talents.
The first talent given was ten and the man worked diligently
and prospered the talents into ten times ten; next, the second
talent given was five and here again the person worked diligently
and prospered the given talent into growth; whereas, with the third
talent given, the one, this person waited and hid the talent, and
God the Lord Christ Jesus scolded him for waiting and not doing the
work of the day that must be done.
Christians, so let us consider this verse from Jeremiah
again: Jeremiah, saying: we waited for peace: Christians, waiting
for peace is a mistake.
For God has given us his words and teachings and we have the Ten
Commandments that show the truth, which is now made manifest in the
spirit, the Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth and we have our work
set before us and this work is eternal.
Remember what the Lord Christ Jesus says, “Heaven and earth
may pass away, but his word will remain forever.”
Yes, Christians, when we are welcomed into the kingdom of
heaven, God the Heavenly Father’s Righteousness will be the light by
which we see and live: God the Heavenly Father’s word, his
teachings, and his commandments will be the governing that we will
live in accordance: God’s love of truth, patience, kindness,
goodness, joy, gentleness, generosity; truly, the earth is the place
where we cast off the corruption working moment by moment to clothe
ourselves in the immortality of the Lord Christ Jesus’s eternal
Gospel of spirit and life.
Now Christians, because it is mentioned; let us do a little
time travelling for an exercise of truth: Jeremiah testifies to God
sending rain upon the land and suggest, that it is not the mere
skies themselves that cause this to happen, but it is God the
Heavenly Father that stirs up the pot, the atmospheric pot, and
causes the rain to come or to stay.
…So let us go back to the time of Elijah and his prayer to
God that the rains would stay, and they did stay for three years.
…Imagine if you will, the meteorologist of today doing their
measuring and their conjuring, and sending a message to king Ahab:
no sir: there is no rain on the horizon, the cisterns will continue
to be empty; things are looking truly dire.
Ahab replying: but surely the temperatures are changing over
the Mediterranean Sea and the winds are blowing, we see wind and the
temperatures change every day – why are the rains failing us?
Well, your majesty, maybe that prophet Elijah's prayer is
working, after all.
What! you mean to tell me: with your radar, your ability to watch
the sky and the atmosphere, we are still subject to the mere
prayers: of that old goat herder that hairy old man, girt with a
girdle of leather about his loins, is that what you are trying to
tell me!
Now Christians,
in the name of the Lord Christ Jesus let us pray and be thankful.
Amen.
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