Comprehending the Advent of Hope, Isaiah 64.1-9

Isaiah prays that Yahweh would rend the heavens and come down and judge the nations. However, during this prayer he moves to a time of confession and contrition for his own and the people’s sins realizing that for Yahweh to come would mean his own judgment. What does this mean for us today?

Image: The Second Coming of Christ window at St. Matthew's Lutheran Church in Charleston, SC. Cadetgray, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Second_Coming_of_Christ_window.jpg

A Hopeful Resurrection, 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18

In chapter four of 1 Thessalonians, St. Paul helps the believers at Thessalonica to understand that the resurrection is for all who have believed in Jesus, whether they are physically alive at his return or not. The resurrection is the hope that we as believers have and there is comfort that no matter how life turns out on this earth, there is new creation to come.

Image: The Parable of the Ten Virginas, Phoebe Anna Traquair, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Celebrate the Saints, Revelation 7.9-17

All Saints’ Day is an important feast in the life of the Church. We celebrate and remember the saints who have died, those known and unknown. In our celebrations, we should especially remember those saints who have especially influenced and led us toward maturity in Christ.

Image: Fra Angelico, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Boldly Trusting, 1 Thessalonians 2.1-8

St. Paul reminds the Thessalonians of his coming into Thessalonica, having been poorly treated in Philippi. Yet, even in that poor treatment, he was undeterred in proclaiming the Gospel. Where did this boldness come from? Why was St. Paul not shy to preach despite knowing it would mean mistreatment eventually? Father Jeremiah looks at these questions and helps us to see that St. Paul was fully focused on the work of Christ and trusting in him boldly, that he might boldly step out in trust.

Image: Nheyob, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons. Stainless window of St. Paul preaching at the Areopagus.

From Idolatry to the True God, 1 Thessalonians 1

Thessalonica was a city full of idolatry. It was a leading city in the Roman Empire, after all. The Gentiles who turned to Jesus were ones who were brought out of idol worship to the true and living God. What can we learn today from them and St. Paul’s words about salvation through Jesus? How does idolatry infect each and everyone of us, even though we don’t have little statues of gods that we worship? Father Jeremiah considers these things as he begins in 1 Thessalonians.

To Rejoice and Be Content, Philippians 4.1-13

For believers, God’s commands become promises that he is going to work into us. So as St. Paul tells us to rejoice, to think well, and to learn contentment, we can trust God to work these things into us as we pray for them to become true in us. As we reflect on such a great salvation, we will see that the Holy Spirit is at work to change us into the kind of people that are God’s people.

Image: Public Domain. Location: https://pxhere.com/en/photo/1622945

Of Vines and Races, Philippians 3.12-4.1

In our passages, we encounter vineyards and racing. Father Jeremiah mixes these two metaphors to help us understand how Christ has laid hold of us and that through that we can run this race that is the Christian life. Listen now to find out more about how this all comes together.

Image: used under license CC0 1.0.

Unity and Humility IN Christ, Philippians 2.1-13

How does the church come to have unity and humility? Is it through sweat and effort, finding strength out of our own beings? Is it through depending on the Holy Spirit to create it for us? Or is unity and humility something that we already have because of who Jesus is and what he has done and we receive it and live in it through trusting him? St. Paul reveals that it is IN Christ that we already have this unity and humility! We are to have this mind, which is OURS in Christ and thus we can act on it because it is here for us.

Image: 13th Station-Jesus is taken down from the Cross, Station from the church of St Jean in Montmartre, Paris, photo taken by Lawrence OP, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/47588814022/.

A Story of Two Pastors, Jonah 4, Phillippians 1.21-27

Father Jeremiah tells us the story of two pastors who wanted to die. Why did they feel this way? Was it for the same reasons? What does this mean for us? Father Jeremiah goes through Jonah 4 and Philippians 1.21-27 to help us see what St. Paul meant when he said “For me, to live is Christ.”

Image: St.Paul preaching in Beroia, a comtemporary mosaic from Veria, photo taken by Edal Anton Lefterov. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0, image cropped. Image location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:St-Paul-in-Beroia.jpg

On the Non-Essential, Romans 14.5-12

How are we as Christians to treat one another when it comes to things that non-essential in the Church? Are we to condemn or despise one another? Or are we to recognize that there can be things that differ on and how are we to know the difference? Father Jeremiah goes through a part of Romans 14 where St. Paul addresses these issues reminding us that Christ died and rose and is thus Lord of both the dead and the living.

Image: Lord of the Living and the Dead, Stained glass window in the church of St Mary in El Centro, CA, taken by Lawrence OP, used under license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, no changes made. Image can be found here.

Let Love be Genuine, Romans 12.9-21

As we walk through the Christian life, St. Paul commands us to have genuine love for one another. This admonition is foundational to all that he then goes on to say about Christian life in this world with other believers and with non-believers. Ultimately, through genuine love, we will discover that we are not overcome by evil, but can overcome evil through that very genuine love.

Image: Persecution of Christians with scenes of martyrdom behind, engraving by  J. Wierix after M. de Vos. License: CC BY 4.0, from Wellcome Collection. Image located: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Persecution_of_Christians_with_scenes_of_martyrdom_behind._E_Wellcome_V0033268.jpg

God's Mercy, Our Sacrifice, Romans 12.1-8

St. Paul tells that in light of God’s mercy we are to be living sacrifices with our whole bodies. The difficulty with this is the a sacrifice that still lives can get up and move away from its calling. Thus, through that very mercy we to continually sacrifice ourselves in order to be raised into new life in Christ. It’s not easy, but it is what God has called us to in Christ Jesus and thus he will empower us to do so.

Image: Melchizedek offering sacrifice, mosaic from Sant'Apollinare in Classe. Photo by Lawrence OP. No Changes made. Used under license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. Image located here.

Who Shall Separate Us? Romans 8.35-39

This is Father Jeremiah’s sermon from August 9th. In it he finishes up Romans 8 and reveals to us the love of God that we cannot be separated from when we are in Jesus Christ. Draw near to Jesus that you might know the fullness of God the Father’s love in him.

Image: Loved Us to the End, by Lawrence OP. Used under license CC BY-NC-ND 2.0, No Changes Made.

Weakness in Us, Romans 8.26-34

St. Paul continues to direct us to the work of the Spirit in our passage today. Here the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness and encourages us through his work in us that for those who love God, all things will work together for their good. We are united with Christ and thus he dwells in us and we in him and through the intercession of the Spirit, we are strengthened in our prayers by his work in us. We can have assurance and comfort in this reality as believers. And this even includes our waywardness in the all things when we are drawn back by the love of Christ for us.

Image: Veni Sancte Spiritus, photo taken by Fr. Lawrence Lew, OP, used under license CC BY-NC 2.0, no changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/1103809343

Kingdom Insight, Matthew 13. 31-33, 44-50

Bishop David came to receive some into the Anglican Communion on this Sunday. He preached on Jesus’ parables from Matthew 13. The particular ones he works through remind us of the smallness, the hiddenness, and the valuableness of the Kingdom before us. We are all in places of opportunity to reveal the Kingdom to others and are given the insight to share this Kingdom today.

Image: Parable of the Hidden Treasure, by either Rembrandt or Gerrit Dou. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0. No changes made. Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Parable_of_the_hidden_treasure_Rembrandt_-_Gerard_Dou.jpg

Glory to be Revealed, Romans 8.17-25

As we continue in St. Paul’s Epistle to the Romans, Paul considers the glory that is to be revealed for us and how creation itself is yearning for this glory to be revealed. All things will be made new on account of Jesus’ work of redemption, but it is not fully experienced yet. We ourselves yearn in the hope of this transformation of all things including ourselves.

Image: The Most Beautiful Road in the World, by Trey Ratcliff. No changes made. Used under license CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

The Flesh and the Spirit, Romans 8.7-17

In Romans 8.8-17, Paul continues speaking of the conflict between the flesh and the Spirit and how the affects us. We, though we will die in the body, will live because of the Spirit of Christ who dwells in us. Thus we are made children of God by the indwelling of the Spirit that we might live. Paul’s words are an encouragement to us to push forward in this life now because of the blessings that we have received.

Image: St. Paul at Notre Dame, photo taken by Lawrence OP, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0. No changes made. Location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/9163364497

The Law, the Law, and the Spirit, Romans 7.21-8.6

What happens when the new man and the old man come into conflict? It becomes a wrestling match between the Law of Sin and the Law of God. And only through the Spirit of God can we find victory in this fight and put to death the Law of Sin in us. Listen now to find out more about this match within.

Image: John Barrymore as Dr. Jeckyll and Mr. Hyde. Dr. Jeckyll image from Motion Picture News pg 2 (Mar-Jun 1920); Mr. Hyde image from Shadowland, pg 33 (Sept 1919-Feb 1920). Both images public domain.

The Outside-Inside You Life, Romans 6.1-11

Baptism and new life go together. But how does it fit? Does new life begin inside of me or is it something that comes from the outside for me to receive and lay hold of? St. Paul directs our thoughts about this in Romans 6. Father Jeremiah explains this passage by telling us about the life that comes from the outside and enters in that we might come into an identity in Christ.

Image: “Baptism Window” at St. Mary’s Episcopal Cathedral in Memphis, TN. Public Domain. Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Stained_glass_window_depicting_Episcopal_baptism.JPG

Christ versus Adam, Romans 5:12-21

St. Paul continues his explanation of our salvation. In this passage he reveals how Adam’s sin has had affected all humanity, but then how Jesus has more than overcome that affect of Adam. To find out more, listen to Father Jeremiah’s sermon now.

Image:  Photo taken by Alberto Fernandez Fernandez, licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 (no changes made). Glory of the Newborn Christ, by Daniel Gran, ceiling painting in St. Anne’s Church, Vienna.. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Glory_of_the_New_born_Christ_-_Annakirche_Vienna.jpg