Seed and Soil, Word and Hearts, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Seed and Soil, Word and Heart, Matthew 13.1-9. 18-23

When Jesus finished speaking his parable of the sower, he said, “He who has ears, let him hear.” How does this little phrase help us in understanding the parables? It reminds us that we must always ask and pray for understanding and that the power that causes the seeds to grow in our hearts is not our hearts, but in the seed themselves because seeds are the word of God planted in us by others.

Image: Parable of the Sower, taken by Lawrence OP, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/50103753667/

Swords and Crosses, Matthew 10:34-42

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Swords and Crosses, Matthew 10.34-42

Jesus tells us that we must face swords and crosses as his disciples. He didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword that would divide his people from those who aren’t his people. In that, we must take up a cross that means self-denial, for without taking up that cross we are unworthy of Jesus.

Image: Take up Your Cross, photo by Lawrence OP, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/12672788743/in/photostream/

Of More Value than Sparrows, Matthew 10:16-33

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Of More Value than Sparrows, Matthew 10.16-33, Romans 5.15-19

In light of being sent by Jesus out to proclaim the kingdom, Jesus warns his apostles of the difficulties they will face amongst the people they go to. This warning extends far beyond the immediate mission they are going on, but expands to include all of church history. There is persecution and mockery faced Christians of all ages. Why does this happen? How are we to respond to these hardships? Jesus reminds us that even in the midst of persecution, we are more valuable than the sparrows and hairs upon our heads, things which God the Father does care about, yet not as much as he cares for us.

Image: Sparrows, photo taken by hedera_baltica, license CC BY-SA 2.0. No changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hedera_baltica/23727592494/in/photostream/

Tripping Upon Grace in Order to Stand Up, Matthew 9:35-10:15, Romans 5:1-11

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Tripping upon Grace in order to Stand Up, Matthew 9.35-10.15, Romans 5.1-11

Jesus tells his disciples to pray for laborers to go out bring a harvest of salvation. He then sends them out in light of their prayers. But they go with grace, they go as sinners saved by the very grace that they put forward to their hearers. We too go out with grace that overcomes all our sinfulness before the Father because our going out is on account of Jesus laying down his life for us. And so, we trip upon grace as believers, falling down due to our sinfulness, but there is grace that we trip upon to bring us healing and strength to stand back up and go forward with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Image: Wheat Field with Crows, Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sinners in Need of Healing, Matthew 9:9-13

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Sinners in Need of Healing, Matthew 9.9-13

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When Jesus called Matthew to be his disciples, the Pharisees were upset that the was a great feast in the aftermath. All kinds of various sinners they didn’t care for were having a meal with Jesus. Jesus’ response is one we all know so well, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” All those at the feast knew they were sinners and Jesus’ presence is one that can begin their healing. We, too, as sinners need healing from Jesus outwardly and inwardly. May we have eyes to see that we are in great need and have no righteousness or health on our own.

Image: Christ Healing the Sick, anonymous icon, rights unknown. Image found here (see “about” tab for devotional )and here (about 2/3s of the way down).

Do You Know the Trinity? Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:5-14

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Do you know the Trinity_ Matthew 28.16-20, 2 Corinthians 13.5-14

What’s so important about the doctrine of the Trinity? Is it really necessary for salvation? Can’t we know God without knowing anything about the Trinity? Through the witness of Scripture, we are confronted with the reality that the one true God is three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are one God. And salvation is dependent upon the true nature of God as three in one and one in three because each person acts for us in our salvation and if any one is not truly God, then salvation falls apart becoming dependent, not upon God alone, but upon creatures as well as God.

Image: Sir Harris Nicolas or hired artist working under Sir Harris Nicolas's direction, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Ongoing Pentecost, Acts 2:1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:4-13

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Ongoing Pentecost, Acts 2.1-21, 1 Corinthians 12.4-13

What happens when we see that the coming of the Holy Spirit isn’t a one time event in our lives, but an ongoing reality? It’s like the children going to Narnia and breathing the air and finding themselves strengthened for whatever they have been called to do. Likewise, we are called to have an ongoing Pentecost in our lives, asking for the Spirit to act in us to empower us daily.

Image: Lucas Franchoys, "The Descent of the Holy Spirit in Sint-Janskerk , Mechelen, Belgium. On sidepanels: the preaching of Peter and Paul. Photo © Ad Meskens / Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0

As with Christ, So with Us, 1 Peter 4:12-19

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran As with Christ, So with Us, 1 Peter 4.12-19

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As we finish our time in 1 Peter, he tells that there will be fiery trials that happen to us for our testing and that we will be mocked for our faith and tempted to turn away. Yet, St. Peter tells us how to respond to all of this. We are to rejoice in suffering with Christ and find blessing in that union with our Savior. We should strive for faithfulness as Christians and not be ashamed of who we are in Christ. We should also know that we can rest in the work of Christ and the work we have to do because God is a faithful Creator who has accomplished salvation for us.

image: Titian, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Blessing, Defending, Enduring As Christ Has, 1 Peter 3:8-18

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Blessing, Defending, Enduring as Christ has, 1 Peter 3.8-18

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St. Peter continues to call his readers and us today to faithful obedience. After speaking of various vocations, St. Peter returns to Christians as a whole calling upon us to bless those who would revile, to defend our hope in Christ, and to endure as Christ has already endured because Christ has done all of these deeds towards us that we might now walk in his ways.

Image: Snow Covered Cornfield, by Kevin Casper. Public Domain. Image location: https://www.publicdomainpictures.net/en/view-image.php?image=268673&picture=snow-covered-corn-field

Four Ways of Identity in Christ, 1 Peter 2:1-12

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Four Ways of Identity in Christ, 1 Peter 2.1-12

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As St. Peter writes to believers, he reminds them of their identity in Christ and how they should approach him in order to grow as the people of God. He is not teaching them to be individuals, but emphasizes the reality of the corporate nature of our identity in Christ. Through four pictures, St. Peter grounds us in the reality of our need for Jesus to be the foundation of all that we do as the body of Christ.

Image: ChurchCrawler / Badgworth, Somerset, via Wikimedia Commons. CC BY-SA 2.0

Subjected for the Good of Others, 1 Peter 2:13-25

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Subjected for the Good of Others, 1 Peter 2.13-25

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In 1 Peter 2:13-25, St. Peter reminds us that we are to be subject to various kinds of authorities, even if it means suffering because we are to follow in the footsteps of Christ who was subject to authority and thus suffered. However, there was and is a greater authority above all others in our lives and it is God the Father, to whom Jesus was ultimately subject to, thus his willingness to endure suffering. We too are ultimately under God the Father’s authority and we know that he will judge all in righteousness and thus we can trust him in the midst of suffering from other authorities over us.

Image: St. Peter preaching in the presence of St. Mark, Fra Angelico, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Past and Future Known in the Present, 1 Peter 1:13-25

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Past and Future Known in the Present, 1 Peter 1.13-25

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St. Peter tell us to consider the future and the past works of God and to understand them the word of God in the present. In many ways, Reepicheep, in Voyage of the Dawn Treader, does this very thing in his pursuit of going to Aslan’s country. We too can walk in this way by seeing God’s promises from the past and future through the word today.

Image: uploaded by Storyseeker1 at the Reepicheep WikiNarnia page. Art by Pauline Baynes, found in The Last Battle by C.S. Lewis

Born Again for the Beloved, 1 Peter 1:3-9, John 20:19-31

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Born Again for the Beloved, 1 Peter 1.3-9

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In Peter’s first epistle, he begins with exuberant praise of God the Father because he has caused us to be born again in Jesus Christ. This is baptismal language and out of that we have a foundation for all the gifts that are ours in Jesus. This foundation can enable us to endure testings and trials because we know that we belong to God the Father and can now receive these trials as ways to encourage our faith and confidence in the work of Jesus.

Image: File:Saint_Peter-Sinai_(6th_Century).jpg, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Do You See the Resurrection? Matthew 28:1-10

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Do you see the Resurrection, Matthew 28.1-10

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Jesus’ resurrection wasn’t expected by the women who went to his tomb on that first day of the week. The went to see a dead Jesus in order to complete the preparations for his body to remain in the grave. And yet, when they arrive, the tomb is empty and an angel proclaims that the crucified one is now alive. Jesus has pierced through the veil of death for us and come out of the tomb and the grave with the fullness of life to share it with us.

Image: Der Auferstandene, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

God's Perfect Will Accomplished by Jesus, John 19, Genesis 22

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran God_s Perfect Will Accomplished by Jesus, John 19, Genesis 22

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How does Jesus accomplish God’s will upon the cross? Is this really what he was called to do? It is true that Jesus going to the cross is what God desired him to do, in fact, Jesus’ act upon the cross of bearing the sin of the world is well-pleasing to the Father.

Image: Master of the Starck Triptych, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

Deep Desire that leads to a Great Gift, Luke 22:14-30

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Deep Desire that Leads to a Great Gift, Luke 22.14-30

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On the night that Jesus would be handed over and betrayed, he instituted the Communion meal. He transformed the Passover Supper into something new that would feed us with the gift of his sacrifice and new life. In fact, Jesus deeply desired to share this Passover with his disciples and through that deep desire offered this great gift of communion to them and to us.

Image: Jaume Huguet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Raised to be Unbound from Sin, John 11, Ezekiel 37:1-14

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Raised to be Unbound from Sin, John 11, Ezekiel 37.1-14

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In the raising of Lazarus from the dead, Jesus proclaims that he himself is the resurrection and the life. These things are not abstract promises, but are fully embodied in Jesus himself, which will be completely revealed to all through his death and resurrection into his glorified state. The Valley of Dry Bones becomes an emblem of this reality about Jesus for we all who have trusted in him will likewise be raised to new life from the grave. That life is hidden for now, but will also be revealed to all in the end.

Image: The Vision of the Valley of Dry Bones, Gustave Dore, Public Domain. Image location: https://www.wikiart.org/en/gustave-dore/the-vision-of-the-valley-of-dry-bones-1866

From Blindness to Seeing, John 9, Ephesians 5:1-14

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran From Blindness to Seeing, John 9, Ephesians 5.1-14

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When Jesus and his disciples encounter a man born blind, they wonder about the cause of the blindness, but Jesus wants to reveal that this someone that God can work in and he calls them to be about the work of the Father in all that they do.

Image: William Blake, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Submitting Our Desires to Christ, John 4:1-42, Exodus 17:1-17

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Submitting Our Desires to Christ, John 4.1-42

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Just after the Israelites left Egypt, they find themselves in the wilderness without water and cry out against Moses as their desire for water becomes overwhelming to them. When Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well, he merely asks for water and the conversation leads to a discussion about living water that gives new life. These two passages intersect with regard to submitting out desires to trust in God’s way and his provision. Are you able to wait on God’s mercy to give what you need?

Image: Paolo Veronese, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Christ the Foundation Places Our Focus on Him, John 3:1-16

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Christ the Foundation Places our Focus on Him, John 3.1-16

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Nicodemus went to speak with Jesus and got more than he was expecting. Jesus points Nicodemus to the reality that it is the Holy Spirit that causes faith that will be founded upon the one lifted up that our eyes might gaze upon him alone for salvation. This remains true to this day. Christ as our foundation means that we can look upon him alone for our salvation.

Image: Henry Ossawa Tanner, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons