Bloghardt's Reflector

St. Matthew 20:1-16 - Septuagesema 2012

2012-02-07T01:31:39-05:00

St. Matthew 20:1-16 - Septuagesema 2012
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
February 4-5, 2012
Watch Here

In the name of Jesus. Amen. Salvation. It is given away. Just given away. By the Father through the Son.

It’s completely unfair in our estimation. Jesus takes all your sins, all the punishment that you could possibly deserve, and He bears it all upon Himself.

He endures the heat of God’s wraith. He bears it all from the sixth to the ninth hour on the Cross. He takes it upon Himself and it dies with Him.

You get life. Given to you as a gift. Splashed on you at the font where the Rock that Moses struck sprays forgiven upon you. Put into your ears in the words “I forgive you all your sins.” Tasted in the Body and Blood of Christ delivered to you at the altar.

Unfair. Jesus gets your punishment. You get His life. You get GIVEN his life. Freely given. Unfairly given by the Father who excels at being unfair when it comes to you.

Now, that’s totally alien to us. We are hardwired to what we believe to be fair for us. When I was a young pup, I didn’t need a measuring cup or a ruler when it came to my brothers. I knew exactly what my older brother was getting. I knew how of a brownie or cookie her got. I knew how much soda he drank. I had to have exactly the same.

My sons inherited the my sense of fairness. Children are experts at what’s “fair” for them. If I had a dollar for every time that I heard the sentence, “my brother got” or “you gave him one,” I’d be richer than rich. My sons know, they know what one gets. Even Sophia has to everything that her brother’s have.

But our sense of fairness when it comes to God is completely self centered. That’s what original, ingrown, sin is - it’s “turned inwardness.” We have a self-centered view of what is fair and what’s not. Our view, our scale, is sided always to us.

Sin is why we don’t give people the benefit of the doubt, we don’t put a positive spin on what we do. Their accomplishments weigh less than ours, their work not as good, their opinion not as valued.

We’re more deserving of jobs, promotions. We shouldn’t get sick. We don’t deserve it. Bad things shouldn’t happen to us. They should happen to others. God should cut us slack.

That’s how we deal with others - with the scales tipped in our failure. We set ourselves up for success and them for failure. Even when they do what we want them to do, they don’t do it right or for the right reason. And in lessening what they do, we push ourselves forward. It tips the scale in our favor as their scales go down.

Which makes this parable make NO sense to us. The master and the way he pays is totally alien to us. He hires these workers to work in his vineyard. They agree to be paid one denarius which is one days pay in the ancient world.

Then, later, at like 9am, the master he hires more people. He says He’ll pay them what is right. He does the same at the sixth hour and the ninth hour. That’s noon and 3pm our time. Then, at the eleventh hour, one hour before quitting time, the master goes out again and grabs more workers.

So, the evening comes and it’s time for payday. The Master goes to the folks at the eleventh hour and gives them not an hour worth of pay. He doesn’t give them half a day’s work. He doesn’t even give them a fourth of a day’s pay. No, He gives them the whole day’s work.

He gives the people who worked from the third, sixth, and ninth hours the same amount. They all were given a full day’s pay for the few hours that they worked..

Then the master comes to the guys who had worked the whole day and gives them a single day’s work - a denarius.

They expected more. Go figure. Wouldn’t you? If the guys that had worked an hour or half a day got a full day’s wages, it only seemed fair that they would get more. If they don’t want more pay, they are sure wishing they had been an eleventh hour guy!

“You made them equal to us who have borne the burdened of the day! I worked harder. I did more! I deserved more! They worked less and got paid the same. Their hourly wage greater than mine. They’re cookie is bigger than mine!”

But, the Lord Jesus, He glories in being utterly unfair by our standards. “Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me on day’s wage? Take what belongs to you and go.”

The Gospel it is gloriously unfair. Jesus unfair. God unfair. Freely unfair. “I choose to give to this last worker as I give to you.”

Remember, the parable begins, “The kingdom of God is like.” The Kingdom of God is not about working. It’s not about getting what you deserve.

Given. The Kingdom of God is given away. Like an undeserved present. The salary the worker’s received - it wasn’t earned. It wasn’t deserved. Not by anyone. It was given by the Lord who starts the parable hiring people.

Repent of what you think is fair. Turn from wanting God giving you what you deserve.

Then, Hold fast to Jesus. His forgiveness. The Father’s unfairness to Him.

For your salvation isn’t earned by you. It’s not deserved. You know it’s not. It can’t be. For if it is, how could anyone be saved, let alone you and me with all our sins.

Christ. His holy life and suffering death in your place. He paid the price. He worked. And between the sixth and ninth hour,

He suffered the punishment do you. The death of Jesus is the satisfaction for your sins and the sins of the whole world.

The Cross. The death of Christ. Here’s the fairness of God. Here’s the salvation of you, me, and the whole world. Won by Jesus. Delivered to you in His gifts. Freely given. Freely received by faith.

And having been given, as a gift, heaven, salvation, the kingdom of God given to you, how much more can you give life to others. Not giving to them what they deserve, not judging them, not scaling what they have done as what is fair in your eyes, but freely giving to them the fairness that has God has given to you.

God has taken your sins and crucified His Son with them. He’s given you salvation. Give it to others in how you treat them as God in Christ has treated you.

Tilted the scales in the favor. Give them not what you think they deserve but mercy. Enliven them by building them up, speaking well of them, loving them as God in Christ has loved you. Take the same cross-weighted scales and use them on your neighbor, use them on your family, your coworkers, and your church.

For Salvation - it is given away. To workers who don’t deserve it. To you and me, with all our faults and sins. Salvation is just given to us by the Father through the Son.

That’s gloriously unfair to us and what we deserve. But, Jesus, He wouldn’t have it any other way. Your sins are forgiven. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

St. Matthew 17:1-9 – The Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ - 2012

2012-01-31T00:28:43-05:00

St. Matthew 17:1-9 – The Transfiguration of our Lord Jesus Christ - 2012
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
January 28-29, 2012
Watch Here

In the name of Jesus. Amen. Bright shining glory of God Epiphany. Brighter than bright. Shining like the sun. Clothes white as light.

Jesus transfigured - He changed form. He showed His glory. He lit up brighter than any light bulb.

Hide His Light under a bushel? Oh no! Never. Even if we wanted to, we couldn’t. For Jesus shines today with all the glory of the Lord God Himself. The majesty of the God of the Old Testament is in the flesh and blood of the Man, Jesus.

And St. Peter and St. James and St. John saw it all. They saw Him. And talking with Jesus, they saw Moses and Elijah. Moses - the Law. Elijah - the Prophets. The whole Old Testament, The Law and the Prophets, right there having a discussion with the Lord. They saw Him in all His majesty. Now that’s an Epiphany!

“Lord, it’s good that we are here. If you will, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.”

Perfect! Who would want this to end? Just you and Jesus on mountain. Him shining all God-ish and you there right there with Him.

There would be no reason to live the way you live any more - No reason to doubt the Lord at all or despair of His love for you. No reason to worry or fret when you don’t feel good or when things don’t go your way.

No reason to find fault with those around you. No reason to rip them up behind their backs or hurt them. No reason to grasp hold of things and hold on to them as if you’d have no life apart from them. No reason to put unreasonable expectations on those around you, while you don’t live up to them yourself. No reason to guilt ourselves into doing things that God doesn’t need us or force us to do. For God would be there with you. Shining heavenly. You there.

That’s the religion we want - God the way we want Him. God in a way that we would not have to believe in Him at all. God on our terms. God on our mountain being the God that we want Him to be.

But, remember Moses in our Old Testament lesson. When He would talk to God on Sinai, His face would shine with other-worldly glow. A glow so holy and strange that the children of Israel told him to cover it up. Hide it up under a bushel, Moses! For there is too much God on your face and on the mountain.

And while St. Peter was still rambling our religion, in rolled the cloud. The cloud of the Glory and Majesty of the God who cannot be controlled or manipulated. The God who comes on His terms, who demands utter perfection - perfect holiness, perfect belief, and perfect trust, whose holiness completely overwhelms and destroys all sin and all sinners.

“This is my Beloved Son with whom I am well please. Hear Him.”

“Stop your talking about what you want and think about God to do for you. Stop running your mouth about what you have done for God, what you will do for God, or what you God to do for you. Stop rambling about your religion and listen to Jesus.”

Hear Him. Listen to Him. Listen to Jesus and what He says. He is how God is for you - not in cloud, not in shining bright majesty.

For God does not need to have some retreat on a mountain top with you. He doesn’t have to brighten your world by shining like lighting. That sort of God will send you ducking for cover, cowering and afraid that God was going to give to you what you know you deserve.

He has come to you this day in His gifts. His Word is what the Father desires you to hear. It’s what He wants you listen to today.

No, He came to Peter and James. He touched them. “Rise and have no fear.”

And when they looked up there was no cloud, no voice, no bright shiny. There was only Jesus.

Only Jesus - His cross alone saves. Only Jesus delivered to you in the waters of your Baptism. Only Jesus put into your mouth in his Body and Blood. Only Jesus spoken into your ears in the external Word of the Gospel.

Rise. Have no fear. That’s the word that the Lord wishes you to hear today, dear friends in Christ. Don’t be afraid of God. Don’t cower from Him. He will not destroy you. He will not do you in.

Don’t fear about your life. How things will turn out. Don’t fear about your love ones. Don’t fear about the future.

Not because everything is going to go they way you want it to or because it is going to be okay, but because Christ died for all your sins and rose again from the dead for you. Only Christ will save you no matter what happens to you in this life.

And one day soon, as He shines, you’ll shine too. On the Last Day, with Him, before His glorious throne.

And today too.. in Him, in Christ, you are brighter than bright. Never hiding under any bushel ever as you shine for others. In His Faith, loving them, serving them, cutting them slack, forgiving them, and having mercy on them as the Lord who makes you shine has had mercy upon you.

For the greatest glory and epiphany today is not in cloud or majesty or stunning white clothes, but in the Father directing you to His Son’s Words.

“Fear not.” They looked up and there was only Jesus before them. Jesus for them. Jesus for you. Jesus whose glory is in His cross which saves you.

You are forgiven because of the Cross of Christ. Believe it for Jesus’ sake. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

St. Matthew 3:13-17 - The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus - 2012

2012-01-20T17:55:49-05:00

St. Matthew 3:13-17 - The Baptism of Our Lord Jesus - 2012
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
January 14-15, 2012
Watch Here

In the name of Jesus, who is coming. Amen. St. Matthew says that Jerusalem, and all of Judea, and all the region about the Jordan were going to John to be baptized. Confessing their sins, they were baptized in the Jordan River.

Like bath water that gets dirty from dirty people, that water must have been teaming with the filth of all those sinners. The idolatry, materialism, finding comfort in the things we possess, the despising of God’s Name and His preaching, disobedience of parents, hate, murder, harming others, lust, adultery, porn, lude comments, unspeakable sins that after we do them and then can only say, “did that really happen?”

Stealing, cheating, cutting corners with unfair measurements, gossip, tearing people up, ripping them up behind their backs leaving only the tire tracks of our rolling over them on their backs.

Grumpy. It’s the rat poison of the Jordan. We’re not happy in our world, so no one else gets to be. Not content. No happy. They were better before.

Coveting. Coveting a better life, more, that one thing or someone that God hasn’t given us that if He would only give to us everything would be okay.

And the only people who weren’t in the water were the Pharisees. They didn’t think they had sins. They were gawking at the dirtiness of the water - the people going in.

Hypocrisy. Their hypocrisy in the water too. The deadly virus of doing evil things, living in them, while condemning others for doing the very same things. For when they do it, it’s worse.

Then comes Jesus to the Jordan River to be baptized. As He approaches the water, you can hear the Baptist...

“Stay out of the water, Jesus. Cousin, don’t go there! This water is dirty and filthy with sin. It’s overflowing with all that is fallen with God’s creation. You get in that water, Jesus, it’ll kill you!”

John the Baptist is right. Jesus doesn’t need to be baptized. He has no sins. John and you and me would do well to be baptized by Jesus not the other way around.

But in the water with you is where Jesus wants to be. He is there to fulfill all righteousness - all that God requires of you and that all that God would punish for you not doing.

He is where you are, in solidarity with you, on your team as you lose, numbered with the transgressors - with you and me.

Christ wants your sins, your failures, and your death. He wants all that you are that isn’t of God. He wants all that you want that is against God.

To redeem all that you are and all that you have done against God on the Cross. To buy you back “from your sins, from death, and the power of the devil, not with gold or silver but with his holy precious blood and innocent suffering and death.”

You are baptized. You are washed. You have made clean in His blood. The blood which cleanse you from all your transgressions.

You are given forgiveness. Your sins are taken away. Cleansed. Left in the waters of your baptism.

He takes them upon Himself at His Baptism. He carries them to the Cross. All your sins and the sins of the world die with Him.

You live. You are raised to new life. Life no longer in your sins, but life in His righteousness.

Die to your sins, dear friends. Leave them with Jesus in the water. Leave the poison of how you used to live behind. Leave them with Jesus.

Raise to new life. No longer finding fault with others but living each day in the confession that Jesus took on your sins and the sins of your neighbor too.

For the Father is overjoyed with Jesus today. Well pleased. He announces to the world, “This is my Son, whom I love, with whom I am well pleased.”

He’s excited because you are saved. You are forgiven. You are His. Those around you are too.

He’s well pleased that His Son is in the water with you taking the death of your sin upon Himself “so that you would be His own and live under Him in His kingdom and serve Him in everlasting righteousness, innocence and blessedness. Just as He is risen from the dead, lives, and reigns to all eternity.”

Then comes Jesus to the Jordan River to be baptized. As He approaches the water...

Get in the water, Jesus. Take upon my sins. Let it be so in order to fulfill all righteousness. In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

St. Matthew 2:1-11 - Epiphany 2012

2012-01-18T01:21:01-05:00

St. Matthew 2:1-11 - Epiphany 2012
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
January 7-8, 2012
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In the Name of Jesus. Amen. Epiphany! Wise Men. A Baby King. A star. Gold, Frankincense. Myrrh. It must be Epiphany!

And if you are looking for the King of the Jews, you go to Jerusalem. That’s the City of the King. King David’s Royal City. So, that’s where the Wise Guys went.

They arrived, not just three guys on camels - nice banners though. No, they probably arrived with a caravan. You can tell because they didn’t just slip into town. No, their arrival was tweeted about and covered by all the major Jerusalem news services.

And they come right up to the Herod the King and asked the question that has rocked the world ever since! “Where is He born King of the Jews, we’ve seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.”

They ask the King where the King of the Jews is. They ask the “King” where the King is. Oh yes.. that’ll make a buzz on the ‘net.

And you can tell it really upset Herod, because St. Matthew repeats: And Herod the King was disturbed and all Jerusalem with Him.

You see, Herod didn’t want to share His power. He was the king. There is no other. No other with glory. No other in the spot light.

Isn’t that like us? We are kings of our own world. It’s our way or the highway. Everything is okay as long as we are getting our way.

It can be the right thing to do, we can like it, but when they don’t check with us. Then, it’s completely wrong. You see, we are most important. Our opinion matters most.

And if we don’t get our way, we’ll force our way on someone else. And don’t get on in our way because we’ll put you in your place. In the ground, where you belong.

That’s what Herod did to the children in Bethlehem that were the age of the child born King of the Jews. That’s what we will do to our neighbor, if we could get away with it.

Crass. Overstating. Ask those who you’ve wronged. Or are you not on speaking terms with them. Hatred is murder and murderers don’t see the kingdom of God.

Into this world is born the King of the Jews - star and all. The true King. King who will rule not for Himself or for His own personal gain, but born King to die for His people. He will not push His way. No, He’s servant to all, giving up His life as a ransom for many.

And you see that with the gifts - gold, frankincense and myrrh. Gold for a king. Our finest for the King. Nothing held back.

Frankincense because Christ is the High Priest. He’s the priestly King come to save us. For the priests and high priests of the Herod’s day had failed to do what was given to them by God. They knew where the Christ was born - Bethlehem of Judea, but they don’t go. Only the Gentile Wise Men go...

Check that with the preachers of this day, friends... who have everything but Jesus’ sacrifice to point you to when your life falls apart or when it seems like it’s going your way. You need Jesus both times - especially when things are going well.

Christ. He will go into the most holy place. The holiest place where the sacrifice is made and He will offer a sacrifice for the sins of the world. One sacrifice that will end all sacrifices.

Myrrh. Gruesome gift. Burial spice. That’s like giving a baby a funeral card. The One born king of the Jews is going to die on Good Friday. He’s going to be buried - for you, for me, for all.

Christ is the sweet smelling aroma that makes you right with God, covers your evil. He offers the sacrifice of Himself on the altar of the Cross to save you, me, and all people.

All people - that’s Gentiles too. The Magi aren’t children of God. They are Gentile sinners like you me. Ones born outside of family of God, who have no hope, no salvation, but in the One born king of the Jews.

Today, Christ comes to you. You find Him not in a star in the sky, but in His gifts. His gifts deliver His Epiphany to you. The Bread is the Body of Christ. The cup is the Blood of Christ, shed for you for the forgiveness of all your sins.

Epiphany means “He shows Himself.” Jesus is going to show Himself to us, manifest His glory to us this whole month of January.

Today to Eastern Sages, Gentiles, Magi, Wise Guys, He shows Himself as God. And to you and me too - He’s our King and Good too. A blessed Epiphany to y’all! In the Name of Jesus. Amen.

St. Luke 2:1-20 - Christmas Eve Candlelight - 2011

2011-12-26T16:22:20-05:00

St. Luke 2:1-20 - Christmas Eve Candlelight - 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church - Dec. 25, 2011
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Merry Christmas! In the name of Jesus. Amen. Merry Christmas! Say it. Sing it! Say to each other again. Come on, you can do it! Say it to me too! Merry Christmas! YES!

Smile at the person next to you. Kiss your loved ones. Call your family tomorrow morning. Tell them what God has done for you. Or tell your neighbor, or the person that you see on Monday. Christ has come. No more sadness.

Christ has come to save you. To take away your gloom and your tears. He has come to bring you presents that won’t end up on the curb tomorrow. He has come to bring your forgiveness of your sins!

For.. Once in Royal David’s city stood a lowly cattle shed, where a mother laid her baby in a manger for His bed; Mary was that mother mild, Jesus Christ was her little child.” (376, 1)

The Gospel is in the Word - the Word made flesh placed in your ears and mouth this evening. Set aside the joy you get from presents and reindeer, and hear again the Gospel:

Caesar Augustus wanted money, so he had a tax - that’s why you have a census in the ancient world. And Quirinius? St. Luke tells us these guy’s names so we’d know when Jesus was born! You can google it: “When Quirinius was governor in Syria,” that’s around the time when Jesus came.

Then the Gospel takes our eyes off Rome and the big wigs there, and plants them on a nowhere place called Bethlehem, to a man named Joseph taking his betrothed pregnant wife to be registered.

She was pregnant with child by the Holy Spirit. She, a Virgin, had conceived by the Word of God of an angel.

Now did Mary walk beside Joseph all the way from Nazareth to Bethlehem? I hope not. What we know for sure is that there was no parade, no chariot. The Church has always hoped that she rode into town - even if only on a donkey. But, the Gospel doesn’t say!

Place to place they go. Sorry, we have no room for you. Nope, all booked up. Not a single room for God. No room in Bethlehem as the silent stars go by...

“Yet, in thy dark street shineth the everlasting Light. The hopes and fears of all the years are met in Thee tonight.” (361, 1)

If we had known, would we have built a temple? Maybe cameras and a press conference. Or helicopters overhead and Geraldo at the manger giving a blow by blow, push by push account.

But, that’s not God's way. That’s the way we do things. He comes and finds no place in our world.

A stable or cave. That’s what Joseph and the Blessed Virgin found. And she brought forth her firstborn Son.... “How silently, how silently, the wondrous gift is given! So God imparts to human hearts, the blessings of heaven.”

The Virgin has no attendees. She has no doctor, no epidural, no anesthetic. Not even a midwife. She gives birth with only her husband there. God comes the way you came into this world – He is born.

She wrapped Him in whatever she could find, swaddling cloths, and laid him in a food trough. Not purple fit for a king, not a crown.

No, God’s Son gets none of that on Christmas. No, He gets swaddling clothes and a trough where animals eat.

I hope she put some straw in there. The Gospels don’t say. There’s no doubt that she prepared it as best she could for her Son.

God in a manger. God in the Flesh. Not on a throne. Not attended by angels. But, cold...lying where animals eat.

“Away in a manger, no crib for a bed, the little Lord Jesus laid down His sweet head. The stars in the sky looked down where He lay, the Little Lord Jesus asleep on the hay.” (364, 1)

On Good Friday, He’ll get His purple robe and crown of thorns. On that day, the One who was placed in a wooden trough on Christmas will be nailed to a wooden cross.

This is what God does to save you. He doesn’t condemn you. He doesn’t pick you up with fingers pinching His nose like we would when pick up a dirty diaper.

No, He takes on your flesh and comes right into this world where you are at with all your dirty sins to save you from your sins. To fill your songs with joy. To lift you up out of your sins and your death. To show you His mercy in Christ.

Dear Friends, come out of your sins. Come out of your sadness. Leave your gloom, your scheming, your lust, and your impatience behind. Turn from the evil and hatred you have for others.

On this most holy day when we should be so patient and kind with each other, we are the most Bah Humbuggity. We fight. We tussle. We scream at each other. How dare that person do this, how dare they say that, on Christmas! We’ll put them in their place! Then, they’ll have a Merry Christmas!

Repent of all those sins – and receive today His gifts. Turn not because of the threat of hell. No, turn because the goodness of God sending His Son into your flesh to save you!

Why lies He in such mean estate, where ox and ass are feeding? Good Christians, fear: for sinners here the silent Word is pleading: Nails, spear shall pierce Him through, the Cross be born for me, for you. Hail Hail the Word made flesh, the Babe, the Son of Mary.” (370, 2)

He has come. Repent of your negativity, sadness, leave behind your pain, your grudges, your blaming others for what you have done.

Stop thinking that they need to change or repent. No this Christmas, you need to repent. Be the one sings “Come Let us Adore Him” with their life as you join the shepherds beholding the Baby Jesus...

Shepherds. Those guys. Can’t forget about them. Can’t get any lower than the shepherds watching their flocks by night. To them goes the proclamation from an angel standing on the earth. Standing - because God is on the earth now for you. On the Earth to save you.

“Don’t fear any more. I’ve got good news. Unto you is born in the city of David, in Bethlehem, a Savior, Christ the Lord. You’ll see this strange sight of a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.”

Hark the herald angels sing, “Glory to new born king. Peace on earth and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!” Joyful all ye nations rise, join the triumph of the skies; with the angelic host proclaim, “Christ is born in Bethlehem!” Hark the herald angels sing, glory to the newborn king. (380)

Those shepherds found that Baby just like those angels said and then they made that Gospel known widely to all around the area.

They leave the Virgin Mary, quietly rocking her Son treasuring all that God had done for her, and for you through her Son.

“No more sin and sorrow reign. Nor thorns infest the ground; He comes to make His blessings flow. Far as the curse is found, far as the curse is found, far as, far as, the curse is found!”

Christ has come. Even to you – not in a manger or on the Cross, but in the Supper tomorrow where He gives you His Body born of Mary to eat and His blood to drink for the remissions of all your sins. Be forgiven. Be at peace with one another.

Christ is born. Sing it with the angels, say it, proclaim it on the roof tops of your homes and lives. He has come. God and sinners are tight again. No more separating God from you and His creation.

Gloria. Gloria. in excelsis Deo. Glory ... Glory to God in the highest! Gloria in excelsis Deo!

Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas! In the name of Jesus. Amen.

St. John 1:1-14 (15-18) – Christmas Day 2011

2011-12-25T20:21:23-05:00

St. John 1:1-14 (15-18) – Christmas Day 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
December 25. 2011
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Merry Christmas! In the Name of Jesus. Amen. God used to dwell in a tent. A tent! You know...as in outside. We heard about it in the Old Testament lesson this morning - The Tabernacle

And when God first showed up to dwell with Israel, He came up in cloud and glory. No matter where the children of Israel went, there was the cloud of the glory of God by day and the fire of the glory of God at night.

Moses couldn’t even go into the Tabernacle, after God showed up because God’s glory was there. Too much pop. Too much holy glory. Too much God. Thus, there was a veil and cover over the ark. God and sinful men just don’t mix.

Then, Christmas! That same God, the eternal Word that was begotten, not made. Very God of Very God. True God begotten of His Father before all worlds. He is veiled no longer, but in our flesh.

The Word has become flesh. The eternal Word has tabernacled among us. He has pitched His tent with us – with people like you and me.

People who sin, daily and much. People who can’t even keep from sinning on this holy day. Even you and me!

God. The eternal Big Guy. The great and glorious God. Unapproachable in all His bright, holy, way-up-there-ness. The God who made the universe not with a bang but with a Word. The God of the Old Testament, the Lord Yahweh, Jehovah, who wipes out armies of His enemies before breakfast. The only God there is, has become flesh! He dwells with men!

Eyes? God has two of them. Ears? Two too! Fingers and little piggies? Ten and ten! All that you are, He is, to redeem all you are. The infinite God now encompasses the finite body of a man to save you.

God doesn’t float or hover His creation. He walks to get where He wants to go.

But, not on Christmas. He simply is wrapped in swaddling clothes until He has the strength to crawl and then walk!

God eats with His mouth like you eat. He drinks milk, then grows up to water and wine. He gets tired and sleeps like you sleep. Punch God and He bruises. Whip Him and He bleeds. Crucify Him and He dies.

The Law came through Moses. The endless list of commandments that you and I say that we will do and then don’t do.

But if you want to see the grace and truth of God, St. John points to the Word made flesh, who pitched His tent amongst us.

That can’t be God. God can’t be like that – with eyes, fingers, toes. Like you. Like me. God, if He even really exists, certainly can’t be grasped. He can’t be comprehended.

So we seized Him. Beat Him. We have no room for Him in the inns of our lives or even in our world.

It’s that way still today! We don’t even have room for Jesus if His Christ-mass falls on a Sunday. Check USA Today as there was an article pondering whether churches should have services on Christmas Day when it falls on Sunday. We wouldn’t want Christ’s birthday to wreck your family celebrations and present-openings, you know.

Yes, we did our best to snuff Him out on Good Friday. We beat His strength out of Him. He couldn’t even walk and needed help to carry His cross that day. Then, we drove nails into the hands and feet of God. We lifted Him up above the earth, mocked Him until He breathed His last. Then, we pierced His side to make sure He was dead. Blood and water flowed.

But God can't die. That’s in the definition of God. Except when the Son of God, the Word made flesh, born this day, is nailed to a tree, He does just that. He dies. For you, for me, to save you and me, God the Son dies.

This is what took to save you: the Word became flesh and dwelt amongst us. There is no other way to redeem you, no other way to save you.

That’s such good news. There’s no other way to save you!Christmas means that even people the likes of you and me, even sinners like us, must be saved.

For what Christ has taken on, your flesh, He has redeemed! He has bought it back from sin, from death, even from the power of the devil. The proof is in the empty tomb on Easter morning where the One born of Mary, the eternal Son of God, rose from the dead.

Leave your sins behind. Leave them in the manger with Jesus. Leave them with Him on the Cross and the tomb.

Rise to new life and live today for others. Your family, your in-laws, your kids, need you to be a Christian. Afterall, it’s Christmas!

To strengthen your faith, receive Christ this Christmas not in the sky or on a rumbling mountain, but in His Body and Blood. Take and eat, the very Body of the Word made flesh. Drink His Blood. The infinite really is contained in bread and wine.

After all, today is Christmas. His Divine Service for us. All creation beholds the glory of God today in the One born of Mary. Even on a Sunday!

No more tent for God. No, the Lord God has set aside cloud and thunder and fire and takes on our hands, fingers, toes, and even has a belly button.

God has flesh! We’ve seen Him. We’ve touched Him. We’ve beheld His glory – the glory of cloud and fire – in the flesh of the One born of Virgin.

Death is done for. Sin is vanquished. Satan’s time is numbered. For in the arms of the Virgin on Christmas is the Word made Flesh.

Where you are, there God is. What you have done, He has taken on Himself. What He takes on, He redeems. So even people like you and me are saved.

“The Word became flesh and pitched His tent among us! We have beheld His glory, the glory of the Only Begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth!”

Merry Christmas! In the name of Jesus. Amen.

St. Matthew 28:18-19 - “Something about Baptism”

2011-11-21T16:11:27-05:00

St. Matthew 28:18-19 - “Something about Baptism”
Higher Things Retreat 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church, McHenry, IL
Nov. 11, 2011
Listen Here

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. You can’t learn everything about Baptism in a weekend. You can’t learn everything about Baptism in your whole life. But, in a weekend, you can learn “Something about Baptism.”

Probably good to start at the beginning: your Lord Jesus. He lived the life that you should live perfectly before God. Every commandment, He kept. Every law, He fulfilled. For you, each one, checking them off as if you had done them.

Then, for you, for your salvation, Jesus paid the penalty and took the punishment for all your sins. All the wraith and anger that God could have for you, Jesus bore on the Cross. And after three days, this same Jesus who died for you rose again from the dead.

That is salvation’s achievement - Jesus’s holy life and bitter sufferings and death. To make that salvation yours and deliver it to you, Jesus sends His eleven disciples after His resurrection to deliver His salvation to you.

He comes to them - they don’t meet Him. He sets the place - on a mountain. Mountains are where God does business. He gave the Law on a mountain. Tonight, we hear that He’s sending His men to deliver His salvation to you and me.

“All authority on Heaven and earth has been given to me.” He says. The authority of the Father comes to Him as a gift. Then, He uses it not for Himself. No, He uses this power to save you and me.

“As you are going, make disciples of all nations.” Make students of all nations.

“All” means “all.” All means every last one. All is babies. All is old people. There’s no height requirement in the all. You can’t be too short, too small, too chubby, too baby-ish, for Jesus’ all. You are all. I am all. We are all together.

Nations - that’s us too. We are Gentile sinners. We are those who like to sin, spread rumors, hate and harm others, treat there parents like they are idiots.

We are those who just act so... naughty! That’s the best translation of the word concupiscence that I heard from a young child. “We do naughty things.”

And Mom and Dad didn’t teach us our naughtyness. We inherited it - you know - Adam, Eve, eating that fruit not given to them. We’re born into their sins. Born dead to God. Enemies of God. Born living like there is no God.

Yeah. You live that way. I do too. Don’t deny it. I mean really - would you do what you do, live the way you live, if you actually believed there is a God who is going to damn you for what you do?

That’s us. We’re the “all nations.” Born naughty. Living Naughty. And if we had our way - we’d die naughty too.

But, Jesus takes all that He did for you and puts it on you, washes it down your forehead, in the waters of Holy Baptism. He marks you, seals you, names you. And you are His.

Not because you are lovable or worthy. You are the nations - remember. Naughty Sinners.

But, Jesus sent His men, His eleven, to baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is how Jesus delivers His Cross- won salvation. It’s how He marks us with His name.

You put your name on things that are yours. He puts His name on the things that are His too.

You are His. He’s marked you with His Name - the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. He marked you with water.

That’s why the Font is where it is at Zion. Did you see it when you walked in? Seemed strange back there, didn’t it? Sorta blocking your way. You kinda have to walk around it.

But, you don’t walk around the Baptismal Font. You walk through it. For there’s no becoming a disciple of Jesus apart from Holy Baptism. No entering the church without going through the Font. To come into the Christian Church, you have to come through the waters of Holy Baptism.

For at the Baptismal font, you were been named by Jesus. You were forgiven. Named. Salvation-ed. Heaven-ed.

Not just past tense, but present tense - in that Font, You are forgiven. You are washed. You are saved. Heaven is yours today. Right now. Because of Holy Baptism. And Jesus will be with you, with His Name, each day, always, until the very end of the age.

It’s good to start at the beginning - baptize and teach - our Lord’s mandate and institution of Holy Baptism. That’s how Jesus makes disciples! That’s where He begins with you.

He will spend the rest of your life making you a disciple - washing you in your baptism and teaching you everything He has commanded.

But, this weekend, we can’t teach you everything. We’ll just teach you something... Something about Holy Baptism. In the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

St. Matthew 6:24-34 - Trinity 15 - 2011

2011-11-21T15:53:43-05:00

St. Matthew 6:24-34 - Trinity 15 - 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church
Oct. 1-2, 2010
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In the name of Jesus. Amen. Beloved in the Lord, in Christ Jesus you are a child of God, heaven is yours, even if you have lost everything. No matter what else seems true about you, right now today yours is the kingdom of God.

Don’t worry. Don’t fret. Don’t fear. Don’t worry about what you will eat. Don’t fret about what you will drink. Don’t be concerned about you wear. Don’t worry about what will happen to you.

When our eyes are lifted toward the heavens wondering what bad thing might happen to us next, He directs us to His gifts – down to earth and every day – look at the birds of the air… consider the lilies of the field.

Don’t worry, the Father loves you in the cross of Christ. Don’t be afraid, He has not abandoned you. Don’t be uneasy or nervous, for the Son of God has taken upon Himself all that you have ever done and He has died in your place.

He hasn’t left you; He won’t – not after He put His name on you with the water and the Word. Don’t be anxious, for He has fed you salvation in His Body and Blood given for you to eat and drink for the remission of all your sins.

Today.. today our Lord directs us away from the economy, away from worrying, away from fear, to fix our gaze upon the birds of air and the lilies of the field.

Consider how the birds, who don’t sow, reap, or work, they don’t store stuff in barns or houses, but yet the Father feeds them. Are you not more valuable than they?

Of course you are. But, not in the way you think. You and I tend to think that there is something valuable inside of us – whether it be what we do, what we feel, what we say, or even just simply who we are. “I’m a Lutheran, after all. Been one my whole life!”

We find our certainty before God based upon how things look around us. When things are going well, we think that it shows that God loves us. Someone has something go well and we say, “God must love them.” When things are going poorly, God must not.

But, does God actually care for me? The evidence around me is mixed. If He is caring for me, He certainly sometimes doesn’t seem to be caring for me in the way I think I want to be cared for.

That is our own idolatry, which centers around our circumstances – our job, our family, our money, our house, and the stuff we have. Happiness and certainty is then determined by what stuff – what mammon - is around us.

This is simple idolatry. We look to the stuff around us for our certainty. Lots of money, good day. Not, well.

Worry stems from forgetting that He has given us all that we have – even heaven itself in Christ. We doubt that He gives and gives like He did to the widow in our Old Testament lesson. The flour in the bin and joy of oil just kept giving forth more gifts. That “He richly and daily provides me with all that I need to support this body and life.”

That’s the way He is toward us in Christ Jesus – an eternal fountain that just gushes forth more gifts to us! And the Father would have us receive them – good and bad – as gift from His hand. Not just good, but good and what we think is not good. All gift from the Lord.

Consider the lilies of the field, they neither toil nor reap, but Solomon in all his glory isn’t dressed up like one of these. If He so clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is tossed into the oven, how much more will he tend to you?

Faith believes that He’s already tended to me with the Cross. The Son of God has taken on my flesh. Jesus alone lived the truth that no hair, no bird, falls without the care of our Father in Heaven.

No storm occurs, no snow fall, no recession, no sickness, no loss for my favorite team, no unemployment, happens apart from Your Heavenly Father’s caring for you in Christ Jesus.

Nothing happens to you apart from your baptism – that is apart from the Father giving up His Son for you. Nothing happens to the grass of the field either apart from God - which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven.

Jesus too – for you and for all. What you have suffered, He suffered more. The pain you feel, He felt more. He has taken upon Himself all your bad and your good – your suffering, your pain, even your death—and taken it away. It died with Him.

The absolute worst thing that could happen to you – death – has already happen to you in the waters of your baptism. He drowned you – under the Word and the water. That’s a happy flood which washes you unto eternal life!

The Son of God clothed you with His righteousness in Holy Baptism and gave you new life in Him. You have been raised to newness of life. He will raise you on the Last Day, but He has raised you now, today, right now.

There simply is no reason for you to live in worry anymore for Christ has died for you. No more anxiety because all things are yours in Him. No more fear for the Son of God took on your flesh and died in your place.

Nothing will happen to you apart from the care of your Heavenly Father, who loved you in the giving up His Son.

Eternal life is yours on the Last Day. It’s also yours TODAY – despite what’s going on around you. Salvation is yours right now at His Supper.

Beloved in the Lord, take your eyes off the world today. Look at the birds of the air. Consider the lilies of the field. He tends to you more than the grass of the field and the birds of the air. He tends with the Cross of Christ.

And you? Well, all things are yours. Lord, I believe, help now mine unbelief. In the name of Jesus. Amen.

St. Luke 17:11-19 - Trinity 14 - 2011

2011-11-21T15:46:19-05:00

St. Luke 17:11-19 - Trinity 14 - 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church
September 25, 2011
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In the name of Jesus. Amen. Happy Thanksgiving! Yes, Thanksgiving. This is the Gospel for Thanksgiving Day. Obviously! It’s all about thankfulness! Who could miss that!

Well, the other nine lepers missed it. The crowd, the disciples, they probably missed it too. You and me? We’ll get to that in a bit.

“Jesus, Master, Have mercy on us!” The Lord Jesus had come to the ten lepers. Sinners don’t come to God, He comes to sinners.

They called out to him from a distance. Ten Lepers. Unclean. Outcasts. Their lives filled with death and their bodies living pictures of the decay of our sinful world.

Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem, the Cross, salvation, eternal life - for all. For all means for them, for you, and even for me! Happy Thanksgiving!

“As you go, show yourselves to the priests.” They knew what that meant. They had dreamed of this moment. Moses had commanded that a leper who was cleansed needed to show himself to the priest.

This was their way back to their families, to their wives, their loved ones, to living. It was the winning the lottery ticket - like getting the job after being unemployed. It was their it’s-a-wonderful-life-moment and God-bless-us-all-everyone moment.

They were cleansed. Each of them. Their lives were lost. Then, they were found. So, they all went, top speed, back to life. Not a care in the world...

Then, one of out them, seeing that he was healed, with a great voice, glorified God and fell on his face at the feet of Jesus giving thanks to Him. He worshiped Him, right there, as God Himself. Only God could save Him. Only God.

“Weren’t there ten cleansed? Where’s the other nine? Was no one found returning to give glory to God except this foreigner?”

Foreigner. Oh by the way, this guy, the one who stopped, and praised God, was a Samaritan. Half-Jew at best, certainly a non-Jew. Not one of God’s people. A Sinner. Other side-of-the-tracks kinda person. You know, a bad reminder of that whole exile to Babylon business.

It wasn’t a pious Jew that stopped. It wasn’t a levite, priest, or a Pharisee. He stopped. He returned to worship Jesus as God. Before he passed GO and collected his $200, the Samaritan thanked God for saving Him.

A sinner - like you and me. Except, would we thank God for saving us? On Thanksgiving, we’re full of thanks. Right after we wake up from surgery and our family is there, we give glory to God for having saved us.

But, most times. Most times thanksgiving isn’t one of to-do list. At least you can’t tell by how we treat those around us. If we truly believed that Jesus had rescued us from our sins, would we slander people behind their back, would we bite their head off, would we find fault in them, if we were thankful, joyful, that Jesus has taken upon Himself all our crimes.

And consider how we deal with God. Back in the day, you couldn’t leave the supper table without giving thanks, “Oh give thanks unto the Lord for He is good and His mercy endures forever.” Now, we are lucky even to pray before we eat to thank God for what He gives us.

It even effects our view heaven. How many people get a bit disappointed that they would spend eternity thanking and worshiping God in heaven. Can’t we do something fun? Is it all just worship? What about Cubs winning the world series or the Bears? Or .. Just ...fun.

We don’t even want to spend too much time in heaven thanking God for saving us! Are we really supposed to believe that we would have turned after being given our life back to thank God with the Samaritan leper?

Jesus. This week’s Gospel isn’t about a Samaritan Leper or the other nine. It’s about the Lord Jesus who cleanses them on His way to Jerusalem.

He’s going to the Cross - for the nine who don’t thank Him and for the one who does. He’s going for the Jews and the Samaritan sinners. He’s even going for the likes of you and me.

His perfect life. Thank God for it. It is substituted for our sinful lives. His sufferings. Thank for it. It is the answer for our crimes. Jesus dies - in Jerusalem. We receive salvation.

He comes to us today. He forgives our sins. He cleanses us of our guilt. Washes our sins away.

He doesn’t wait for us to call upon Him. He comes to us - in the Word, in the water, in His Body and Blood given for us to eat and drink.

And our world is changed - from death and decay to life. From tears, to tears wiped away. From sickness and pain to new life. From just another Sunday in September to Thanksgiving!

For right now, God has had mercy on you. Mercy - even you. He has changed your world, your life, the lives of your family, your friends. He has acted - given up His life to cleanse you.

Thank Him. Thank Him today by showing some mercy on those around you. Change their world, their life, the lives of their family and friends. Act, as He has acted for you.

For the best moments of your life, the best that you can dream of, like the kiss from your sweetheart after you’ve been gone for a long time. The moment after heart surgery when you open your eyes and see your family. The doctor calling you and saying that you don’t have cancer. Thanksgiving Dinner with all the fixings and all the family.

All those moments - the sum of all are nothing compared to the glory that is waiting for you. Seriously. Glory which is true right now. Yours this moment, by faith.

Faith - that’s the best way to thank God, btw... Faith which grasps hold of the word. Faith that receives from Jesus His forgiveness.

And when the time that we believe is the worst part of life comes - when we close our eyes and don’t wake up here. It’ll be ok, cause we’ll wake up with Him. For the Feast that goes on forever and ever.

His Feast, His Thanksgiving Feast is His Eucharist. Eucharist is a word that came to be used for the Lord’s Supper. It is the Greek word for Thanksgiving For there’s no better way to thank God than to receive His Supper, His Feast, His Thanksgiving Dinner.

And you don’t need to wait - not even for November. Take eat His Body given for you. Faith says, “Amen.” Take drink His Body given and shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Faith says, “Amen.”

Happy Thanksgiving! Yes, Thanksgiving in September. Today is all about thankfulness! Who could miss that?

You didn’t. Not today. And Jesus said to Him, “Rise and go your way, your faith has saved you.” In the name of Jesus. Amen.

St. Luke 10:23-37 - Trinity 13 - 2011

2011-11-21T15:40:19-05:00

St. Luke 10:23-37 - Trinity 13 - 2011
Zion Ev. Lutheran Church
Sept. 17-18, 2011
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In the Name of Jesus. The Law of God was never given so that you and I could justify ourselves. God spoke His laws and threats and thunderings to men so that, at a minimum, men would fear to run wild and butcher each other; and even now and then do a little of good for the next man in need.

But Sinai shook and burned and scared Israel out of her wits, to make her plead with Moses to go up in their place to speak with God! God laid down the Law, that those who would live would know that they must be all about the true God all the time and treat their neighbors as well as they treat themselves—so that men would beg God to speak something else to them, something different, some other message other than more threats.

Adore the mercy of our Father in heaven. He did not only SPEAK a different message to us—different from the Old Covenant, the contract you had to fulfill or die - “Do this and live!” No, He MADE HIMSELF totally different, by making the mystery of the un-containable Son of God contained in the One born of Mary, and sending heaven’s chief herald to tell the world, “Fear not!”

Kings and prophets wished to see this day – where the One who took on flesh did and said what He did and said. Where He revealed His Father to the likes of people like you and me. God will not damn you, He has come to save you.

The inheritance to the children of Abraham comes to you as gift – freely given and freely received. It is not earned. It is not worked for. It is given – won by the death of the Son of God in your place and delivered in the promise of the Gospel. Rejoice, it is given to you.

"Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" The Lawyer stood up to trap Him. He probably took the joy right out of the room.

The Lawyer knew the Law – probably better than we do. Both tables, all the commandments summed up. God... love Him with all your heart. Man... love him more than you are in love with yourself.

“Do this and live.” But when God in the flesh turned the Law on the Lawyer, the lawyer attempted to dodge it – to justify himself. “Who.. who is my neighbor?”

But there's no dodging the Law – it's commands, it's requirements, it's punishments. So Jesus told the somewhat famous story about the Samaritan who had compassion. Popularly called ‘the good Samaritan,’

Now, it is clear that men miss the whole point with their glib label. This parable wasn't given for you to feel guilty when you don't stop on the side of the read to help someone. Or to make Good Samaritan awards or laws...

No, Jesus tried His best to crush that Moses-expert so that he would beg Jesus for another story. For there is a God, all-seeing, all-knowing. Jesus is that God, Who saw the poor man beaten and left half-dead in the ditch.

This God, Whose presence we ignore at our peril, saw the best that religious Israel had to offer: priest and Levite, maker of sacrifice at the temple and the man who made the rest of the temple hum. He saw them, Jesus did—saw them SEE this man helpless and dying; and He saw them both do nothing.

They were so consumed with themselves that they would have stepped over God Himself to get where they were going!

‘Hey, I didn’t STEP on the guy; figured someone would come by and help. I guess it all depends on what you mean by neighbor. And, who’s to say I even SAW this man you’re talking about? No one was around.”

Except God. But God is the easiest matter for most men, they dream. You aren't wrong if you get away with it. It's not a penalty if the refs don't call it. And can you imagine how angry God must be with such men?

Or with you who attempt to get as close as you can to God's commandments as if you can play on the edge of them and not get burned.

You know how angry you make Him. His Son, Who cannot die, died, because you make Him so mad, or because I pretend He can’t see me when I do wrong.

The sorta half-Jew, not-quite-right, bad reminder of the Exile in Babylon and that whole mess—the Samaritan!—this man keeps the Law of Moses better than those closest to God’s ark, temple, and throne. The man who ‘happened, by chance,’ to be there—this Samaritan knew that there are no chances, only God.

Jesus was teaching an expert in the law who wanted to take into his own hands life that does not end. By this story, Jesus took it away. A man that good Israelites figure is MOST questionable before God can, in one day, outshine those who see themselves the best.

The best - you know the pastors, or district presidents, important people, <insert your title here>. I've been here all my life. In all my years here... I've been a Lutheran ever since there were Lutherans. That one – you – can be outshined before God by the lowest of the low. And if that can happen, who are you to stand before God?

My dear friends: the Law of God is good and wise, makes us wiser than those who are lost. The Law is holy and right and the Almighty’s revealed will. But it can’t give you life.

Nothing wrong with the law and good deeds and living for God and others. It’s just that any man can outshine you and me, on any given day. And then, what is our boast before God?

We’ve got one. Jesus. Boast in Him. Make HIM your life—not your buying and selling and hoarding and pleasures and entertainment.

Your life! Your bold headlock on God each morning, as you tell Him that, according to Moses, according to God Himself, heaven has made a terrible mistake by baptizing someone like you.

But that’s God’s mistake—not yours! And today, the God we pretend daily and much is not there has no choice but to be not only GOD for you today, but a dear, kind, merciful Father.

My God. My Father. Mine. All mine. And I will not let you go, God, until you tell me the good news again.. about How you flung the punish due me at Jesus. How He died in my place. How He lives now and how I live in Him.

But if you want that other message, if you must have it. If you stomp and stamp your feet about how important you are. If you tell people what their problem is. If you test them. If you've got the answers for how it's their fault and if they were just gone things would be better. Then Jesus has only the Law for you – “Do this and live.”

I don't care if you are as important as a priest or as pious as a levite, or if you simply sit in the pew, if you know your bible from cover to cover or can't tell the different between 1 John and the Gospel of John.

If you wanna justify yourself at the expense of someone else. If you wish to stand before God by what you have done, how you have lived, or how you are not like someone else, you have no eternal life. Only death.

‘What must I do to inherit eternal life?’ Well, first, never ask that question again!

Instead, beg God to give you life, to give you the Man He has already given you, His only-born Son. He’ll give Him to us again, from the realms up there somewhere on the Last Day.

But now, He gives Him to us, in the simple word of repentance and the forgiveness of sins.

And, for the sake of others, please take my advice: take the Law of Moses into your heart and try to live by it, honoring God and protecting your neighbor’s honor, life, marriage, possessions and good name.

This won’t make you a Christian or give you eternal life. But it might just help the next guy.

For eternal life, beg God today, with me, at the Supper of the Lord. Beg God to speak to you, not in thunder and threat, but in mercy, in kind words, in the Gospel.

Let us, together, inform God that we have no desire to justify ourselves before Him. Let us beg Him to renew our hearts, that we would start to show some sort of compassion towards those around us and especially to those in need.

But let us demand that He give us life today, life that does not end: pardon for our neglect, the Body and Blood of Jesus to heal us, His Holy Spirit to raise us up to live as neighbors, with compassion; so that all men will know what God is really like.

That, my dear ones, is eternal life. Right here and now, in the name of Jesus. Amen.