4th Sunday of Ordinary Time 2022 - Murderous Intent or Rejoicing with Truth

 How did the people of Nazareth, in the Gospel today, go from amazement and hope in Jesus’ announcement that he was the Messiah, to murderous fury? That’s certainly the big question, isn’t it? What happened? Was it something that Jesus said? Hope do you explain hope and amazement transforming into doubt and then hatred?

I thought to myself, is there anything that I could say, that could elicit such a response? If I told a bad joke, there would likely be a few groans. Like, how much does a pirate pay for corn? A buccaneer. If I gave my prediction about who will win the superbowl, there might be a few scoffs, but you wouldn’t run me out of Church. If, instead of preaching on a theological topic, I simply talked about my favorite movies from the last year and sit down, you might stare at me quizzically, but you wouldn’t come at me with murderous intent.

Things might get a little bit more heated if I, say, spent the homily sharing my incredibly niche and polarizing political opinions. I don’t know how this parish reacted, but I remember in my first assignment, when the bishop had us read his statement on the HHS mandate which was to force Catholic institutions to pay for medical procedures contrary to Church teaching, we had a few mass goers walk out during the bishop’s message.

I came across a very telling article this week, that sited a study regarding the relationship between people’s political and religious beliefs. It claimed, that for a majority people, their political opinions take a higher priority than their religious ones, and that the Church they attend coincides more with their political beliefs than if that Church is purporting to preach the truth. 

So, again, if during the homily, I got too political, well, that might elicit a response of sorts.

But what if I started preaching heresy? I starting making claims about the Nature of God, the efficacy of the Sacraments that were contrary to the ancient tradition of the Church. What if I belittled beloved devotions. Well, you should get angry, shouldn’t you. That should elicit jeers, letters to the bishop, calls for my removal as pastor. You don’t come to church to be lied to, to have the faith demeaned and disparaged. I should be removed, if I did that. 

But it wasn’t a lie that caused the people of Nazareth to drive him to the edge of town to murder him. He wasn’t simply offering a bad joke or a divisive political opinion, though some may have interpreted his words in that way. Jesus was stating the truth. He was the Messiah. 

And when his townsmen began to contemplate the implications of that truth, amazement turned to doubt and doubt turned to murderous hatred.

When we are presented with truth, truth about God, truth about ourselves, we have some choices to make, don’t we? For example, if I’m in the habit of stealing from supermarkets, and I am confronted with the truth that stealing is evil, as taught by our faith, I have a choice to make. Reject the truth outright, that I know better than the Church, I try to rationalize my sin, saying it’s not really stealing if I want it really bad, or quit stealing and confess my sin to God.

Another example, if I was under the impression that Eucharist was only a symbol of the Lord’s Body and Blood, but then I’m confronted with the unchanging truth about the Eucharist rooted in scriptures and evident in the church fathers including our own St. Ignatius, bishop of Antioch, I have a choice to make. Reject the truth, thinking I know better than 2000 years of consistent church teaching, I try to minimize the importance of the doctrine, saying to myself, it doesn’t really matter, does God really care if believe this or not?” Or, recognize I was wrong, the Church was right, Lord, help my unbelief, in the words of the man in Mark’s Gospel, wanting to believe that Jesus could cast the demon out of his possessed son.

There are a lot of reaction to Jesus in the Gospels. And those reactions are the consequences of choices, choices to believe in the truth about who Jesus says he is, or not. 

The townsfolk of Nazareth, they discredit Jesus’ claim. He’s just the son of a carpenter. He can’t be the Messiah. They allowed their personal prejudices to hinder their ability to believe. 

Then, when Jesus explains how their choice to discredit him was akin to the hardness of heart and lack of faith described in the old testament stories about Elijah and Elisha. Well, they had another choice. Recognize the pattern of their unbelief and the veracity of Jesus’ claim, or, silence him, drive him out, murder him. Rejection of the truth leads to violence. 

Why is our culture so polarized, so ready to erupt into violence? In many places, in many homes, even in many so-called Christian communities, it is no longer rooted in the Truth. But Truth leads to love and peace. “Augustine says, nothing conquers but truth, and the victory of the truth is love.”

When we are rooted in truth, we are able to truly love. Love that is patient, kind, not jealous, not pompous, not inflated, not rude, not seeking its own interests, not quick-tempered, not brooding over injury, not rejoicing over wrongdoing but rejoicing with the truth., as St. Paul explains in our second reading today. 

The townsfolk of Nazareth certainly did not rejoice with the truth, but Christians, we must. For, truth is the only firm foundation for culture. We understand this. We hate fake news because it’s the dissemination of lies. Pope Francis, this week spoke about how spreading “disinformation” about COVID-19 is a violation of human rights. He said access to accurate information, based on scientific data, is a human right that must be especially guaranteed for those who are less equipped to separate out the morass of misinformation and commentary masquerading as fact that is available online.

At the same time, Francis asked for a merciful, missionary approach to those who fall prey to such distortions so they are helped to understand the truth.

"Fake news has to be refuted, but individual persons must always be respected, for they believe it often without full awareness or responsibility," he said. "Reality is always more complex than we think and we must respect the doubts, the concerns and the questions that people raise, seeking to accompany them without ever dismissing them."

The Holy Father’s approach is consistent quite enlightened compared to the anger and vitriol you see from people on “both sides of the issue” . Seek the truth, don’t lie to people, don’t minimize people’s concerns, but also don’t overinflate your claims, don’t violate people’s consciences, but patiently help people identify misinformation. 

Not one person in Nazareth stopped and said, “let’s listen to what he has to say, let’s entertain this possibility. If he is in error or a madman or a charlatan, the truth will be revealed.” No one was calm, rational, careful, or discerning. They jumped to discredit, and when they were challenged, they defended their prejudices with murderous intent. 

May the Lord deliver us from our prejudices, those which keep us from loving God, loving our neighbor, loving the stranger, and loving ourselves, those which keep us from rejoicing always with the truth, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

January 28 2022 - St. Thomas Aquinas - Learning how to think about God

 Prior to the second Vatican Council, men being trained for the priesthood were immersed in the thought of St. Thomas Aquinas more than any other philosopher and theologian. And this is partially because St. Thomas had the gift of presenting a clear and cohesive vision of reality in which God was at the center—a reality which is not only knowable by mankind, but also capable of being expressed by Word.

Why is this sort of study important for priestly formation. Our priests are tasked with helping us understand our lives with God at the center, and they need to be able to articulate this to kindergarteners, construction workers, phDs, stay at home moms and widows. And Thomas Aquinas’ thought is so clear and cohesive, that he helps you learn how to think and learn how to think about God.

If you want to learn how to think about God, read Thomas Aquinas, especially his Summa Theologica. I know many people who like to take a little daily dose of Thomas; like taking a knife to a whetstone, a little Thomas every day keeps the mind sharp.

And keeping the mind sharp is important for all of us. Prudence, wisdom, knowledge, understanding, these are gifts that God wants to give us, spiritual fruits that God wants to grow in us, but they just don’t appear magically. You have to drink from the font of wisdom in order to obtain wisdom, you have to read in order to obtain knowledge, if you have to exert effort into understanding the meaning of things, it just doesn’t happen. 

And when we grow in wisdom and knowledge and understanding of the truth, we grow in likeness of God, who is full of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding—the source.

Pope St. John XXII, speaking about St. Thomas, said before his canonization on July 18th, 1323 that “his life was saintly and his doctrine could only be miraculous … because he enlightened the church more than all the other doctors. By the use of his works a man could profit more in one year than if he studies the doctrine of others for his whole life.”

St. Thomas helps us to put our lives in perspective, to see the things of the world and the things of God as they are, he teaches us to seek first the kingdom of God, that the highest wisdom comes from sitting at the feat of God, kneeling in front of the presence of God for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That all Church leaders will faithfully proclaim Christ’s love and truth to the world.

That our parish families and the families of all of our school children will be places where the Christian faith is believed, followed, taught, and cherished. And for the students, teachers, staff, and alumni of St. Ignatius of Antioch School and all of our Catholic Schools.

For the grace to grow in wisdom, knowledge, prudence, and understanding, and put these gifts into practice in our daily lives.

For the sick and suffering among us, for those who care for them, and for all of our beloved dead, especially X, for whom this mass is offered.

January 26 2022 - Sts. Timothy & Titus - Coworkers in the Vineyard

 Following the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul yesterday, today we commemorate two of Paul’s close co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord: Timothy and Titus.  

Sometimes, when we think of St. Paul, we think of him single-handedly converting Asia Minor and Greece, but not so. Paul had friends, coworkers, companions. 

On his second missionary journey, Paul recruited young Timothy, from his native town of Lystra in Asia Minor. Timothy accompanied Paul, and was trained by him. Paul sent Timothy on two important missions of his own, one to Thessalonica, another to Corinth. Timothy stayed with Paul in prison. Paul also mentions Timothy as cosender of six of his letters: I & II Thessolonians, II Corinthians, Philippians, Philemon, and Colossians. 

When Paul writes to Timothy, he writes as a spiritual father to a spiritual son, yes, one having superior experience and wisdom, but also as a brother and collaborator in the vineyard of the Lord.

Titus was a gentile disciple and close friend of Paul, also accompanying and assisting Paul in his missionary activity.  Titus was with Paul at the Council of Jerusalem, and when Paul was having trouble with the community at Corinth because of community division, erroneous faith and rampant immorality, Paul sent Titus bearing his letter to the Corinthians, and Titus embraced them with the love of the true pastor’s heart.  This was probably one reason, why Paul felt so assured at naming Titus bishop of Crete, which was also riddled with error. He too would be martyred—he was beheaded by his adversaries on Crete in AD 97.

As they shared in the missionary activity of the Church, Timothy and Titus now share a feast day, reminding us all that we share our work in the vineyard of the Lord. Christians are so much more effective in spreading the Gospel when we are working together. 

For, by its very nature, the life of Christian holiness involves a dynamic openness and collaboration with others. The Church exists to give glory to God and to continue Christ’s work of salvation, and this is a communal effort. 

This is one reason why livestreaming Sunday Mass from our couches can never become the norm. Not only are we deprived of the Eucharist, but from gathering together with our brothers and sisters in Christ, who are our collaborators in the vineyard. St. John Paul writes, “communion and mission are profoundly connected with each  other, they interpenetrate and  mutually imply each other to the point that communion represents both the source and the  fruit of mission: communion gives rise to mission and mission is accomplished in communion.”

We should always be open and looking for opportunities to work together for God, bringing our unique gifts to complement the gifts of others. That’s what parish is supposed to be. A place of communal worship and communal mission.

Through the holy example and heavenly intercession of Saints Timothy and Titus and the whole communion of saints, may we be faithful in working together for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our bishops in union with the Pope, may share a profound zeal for faithful preaching and teaching, stirring up the flame of faith in the life of the Church. Let us pray to the Lord.

That our parish may build up missionary disciples equipped for working together for the spread of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all hardened sinners and all persecutors of the faith and those in error, that the Lord may touch their hearts and remove the blindness from their eyes. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have suffered as a result of violence or abuse, all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

January 26 2022 - Conversion of St. Paul - Deliverance from Self-Delusion

 Today we celebrate one of the most important events in the history of the world: the conversion of Paul of Tarsus. Accepting Christ changed his life and it marked a watershed moment in the Church history. Paul, the student of the Jewish Pharisee Gamaliel, had spent years seeking to silence the Gospel, stoning Christians to death. To Paul, the Gospel was heresy, it was a perversion of truth, it was an erosion of right religion, leading souls away from the covenant with God.

In a sense, Paul’s conversion was not so much a conversion for an immoral life to a moral life. He was a zealous follower of the Mosaic Law. He wasn’t a greedy cutthroat, or a lecherous carouser.  His mission was to stomp out a heretical sect that was dividing Judaism and blasphemously claiming that a carpenter from Nazareth not only was the Messiah, but the Son of God.

But Christ broke through Paul’s errors. We are not saved by our external conformity to the prescriptions of the Mosaic Law. Rather, we are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ. His conversion came when he experienced the resurrection. The resurrected Christ victorious over the grave appeared to him. The truth of the resurrection pierced through his hardness of heart and self-delusion. Paul’s conversion in a sense, was from a false notion of a holy life, to a true notion backed by the fact of the resurrection. 

Why do we believe what we believe? Because Christ has risen. He is risen, and therefore his teachings and promises can be believed. Ressurexit, sicut dixit. He has risen, just as he said he would, therefore, what else has he said, that needs to be believed? All of it.

Like Paul prior to his conversion, there are many people who believe they are living a good life. They believe they stand for justice and goodness. But we are not saved by good intentions. For good intentions, can lead to justification of murder, as it did for Paul. 

Rather, a good life is not simply based on opinion. It can’t be based on something as fickle and prone to error as that. A good life, eternal life, is obtained not by human reasoning or even human effort. The best human effort can do is build a tower to the heavens, like in the story of Babel. But the after effects of Babel are confusion and division, two of our culture’s defining attributes.

Rather, heaven is reached through the risen one. Eternal life is obtained through the Eternal Son of God who came down from heaven, taking on human flesh, who died and rose. He is the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through Him. And we are called to so much more than division, confusion, and self-delusion.

This is why Paul, following his conversion, spent the rest of his life, even to the point of death, witnessing to Christ. “Woe to me, if I do not preach Christ”, all else is rubbish, Paul says. And it’s true. 

Sometimes, I think the modern Church has forgotten what is most central in our mission—Preaching Christ crucified and risen from the dead and the conversion of life that necessitates from that truth.

May this feast of the great conversion of Paul, bring about great conversion in our world and in ourselves to Christ risen from the grave, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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That our bishops may be graced with Saint Paul’s zeal in preaching and teaching the Word of God. Let us pray to the Lord.

That our parish may build up missionary disciples equipped for the spreading of the Gospel. Let us pray to the Lord.

For the conversion of all hardened sinners and all persecutors of the faith and those in error, that the Lord may touch their hearts and remove the blindness from their eyes. Let us pray to the Lord.

For all who have suffered as a result of violence or abuse, all of the sick and suffering, especially victims of natural disaster, poverty, and addiction, may they be comforted and supported by God’s healing love. Let us pray to the Lord.

For our departed loved ones and all of the souls in purgatory, and for N. for whom this Mass is offered. Let us pray to the Lord.

Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord

January 24 2022 (EF) - St. Timothy - Ecclesial Communion & Conviction for the Gospel

 In anticipation of the Feast of the Conversion of St. Paul tomorrow, today we commemorate one of Paul’s dearest disciple and closest co-workers in the vineyard of the Lord: St. Timothy. Biologically, Timothy was the son of a jewish mother and a pagan father. St Paul, however, calls Timothy, my beloved child, devoted to him “like a son to his father.” Paul was directly instrumental in Timothy’s conversion.  

When Paul visited the city of Lystra, Timothy, about twenty years old, joined him and went on to assist Paul in the establishment of the major Christian communities. Timothy also stayed with Paul during his first Roman imprisonment. Timothy himself was later imprisoned for spreading the Gospel, and as bishop of Ephesus was martyred, clubbed to death by a mob for preaching against the orgiastic worship of the goddess Artemis in that city.

Paul wrote two letters to Timothy while he was Bishop of Ephesus. In the first letter, Paul offers Timothy personal encouragement and advice on how to administer the great responsibility of being a bishop, with all of its challenges: “Fight the good fight” as we heard today. 

In his second epistle Paul tells Timothy to be courageous in defending his flock from false teachers who were passing on doctrines which were not supported by the apostles. 

Paul gives us a glimpse into the vocation of bishop in the early church, a vocation remains the same today.  The bishop is a visible sign that we remain connected to the true Church of Christ, and he helps us to grow in fidelity and sanctity through his teaching and governance. This parish’s patron, the bishop, St. Ignatius of Antioch, writing early in the 2nd century enjoined priests and lay faithful to be in harmony with their bishop as strings to a harp.

In light of tomorrow’s major feast, the conversion of St. Paul, we consider how we like Timothy have received the Gospel due to the faithful preaching and teaching of the apostles. We in turn pray for our modern day apostles, the bishops that they may be courageous in stirring up the flame of faith and defending the Church from error. And also pray, that we, like Timothy, may be faithful in fighting our share of the good fight. Timothy trusted Paul, and willingly left father, mother, and his possessions, to labor for the Gospel in unknown lands. May we share that same conviction for the Gospel for the glory of God and salvation of souls. 

January 24 2022 - St. Francis de Sales & the Calvinists

 St. Francis de Sales was an outstanding and highly influential bishop, spiritual director, author, and preacher whose life spans the turbulent decades following the Protestant Reformation.  He was born at Savoy in France in 1567.  He studied with the Jesuits at Paris, and finally at Padua, Italy where he obtained doctorates in both civil and canon law.  It was hoped by his father, that he would become a lawyer and follow in his footsteps as a senator; instead, Francis desired to serve the Church.  

He was ordained a priest in 1593 and dedicated himself to the re-evangelization of the many Catholics who had fallen away to Calvinism.  Between 1595 and 1598 he won many converts to the Catholic Church by his persuasive preaching but at the same time he was often in danger of his life at the hands hostile Calvinists.  

At the young age of 32 Francis was ordained a bishop and made coadjutor of the Calvinist stronghold of Geneva, and was installed as ordinary 3 years later.  For 20 years he labored zealously for the conversion of the Calvinists. You may have come across his most famous books: The Introduction to the Devout Life and Treatise on the Love of God, written primarily for lay people who were in danger of being assimilated by the calvinist culture.

In the Treatise on the Love of God he writes: “In holy Church all is by love, in love, for love and of love.”  Meaning that God, who is love, is the source of all of the Church’s activity we do and all is directed to him. 

That Christians could grow in holiness and likeness of God because God desires our sanctification; that we can in fact become more and more filled with the life of God while still here on earth by cooperating with his grace and disciplining our vices were ideas that flew in the face of the Calvinist theology at the time. And they are still profound for us today. 

To advance in holiness is to advance in love.  We see this love embodied in Jesus who makes a complete gift of himself to his Father for our salvation.  “If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love” We see this love in the saints, we seek to conform themselves to Jesus through grace, following his command at the end of the Gospel today: “This I command you, love one another”

May we take up this great adventure that St. Francis de sales, this great Doctor of the Church, the Doctor of Charity, as he is known, lays out for us.  Through the example and prayers of St. Frances de Sales may we progress in holiness and charity for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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For the holy Church of God, that the Lord may graciously watch over her, care for her, and give her strength and courage in her mission.

For the peoples of the world, that the Lord may preserve harmony among us.

For openness to the example and teachings of the holy saints.

For all who are oppressed by any kind of need, that the Lord may grant them relief and move Christians to come to the aid of the suffering.

For our beloved dead, for the poor souls in purgatory, and for X, for whom this Mass is offered.

O God, our refuge and our strength, hear the prayers of your Church, for you yourself are the source of all devotion, and grant, we pray, that what we ask in faith we may truly obtain. Through Christ our Lord.

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time 2022 - Scripture in Public Worship and Private Prayer

 
Ezra the priest, from our first reading, was a descendent of those Israelites who had been carried away into exile by the Babylonians in 587 B.C.  For over a hundred years, Jews had lived and worked in Babylon, cut off from their traditions, their history, their rituals, their stories, and their worship.  A generation of Jews was growing up without knowing about God freeing their people from slavery in Egypt, they grew up without knowing the promises God made to Abraham, without the knowledge of the ten commandments or the promised land.  They grew up only knowing the gods and practices of Babylon-- a culture which practiced child sacrifice, polygamy, and other behaviors condemned by Jewish law.

Imagine if your children or grandchildren knew nothing about their family histories, knew nothing about their heritage, in fact, they had adopted practices which were exactly opposite of the truths of their faith.  In a way, not knowing their history, not knowing their faith, you would say, that they did not know themselves.  

While in captivity, some like Ezra the priest strove to keep alive knowledge of the Jewish faith and culture—but most of his fellow Jews had become assimilated by the surrounding culture. Then around the year 458, the Babylonian King Artaxerxes allowed Ezra and Nehemiah to return to Jerusalem and what they found broke their hearts.  They found Jerusalem, the once great capital, a wreck--her walls breached and knocked down, the great temple destroyed.  Priest and Prophet wept.

But inspired by God, they endeavored to rebuild the temple and rebuild their religion.  Nehemiah was tasked with the physical construction of the Temple, while Ezra the priest labored to reeducate the people who had grown ignorant of their history and traditions, their religious rituals and practices; he labored to teach the people who they were, give them a sense of identity as a nation set apart by God, and to teach them the laws of the faith which enabled them to be the people God had chosen them to be.

So as we heard, Ezra gathered the men, women, and children, and read to them from the Torah.  He stood on a raised platform in the rebuilt Temple, and from morning until midday read the Torah from beginning to end:  Genesis, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy.  For hours and hours the men, women, and children listened to their story, their family history, the laws which God had given them. They raised their hands in the air, and proclaimed, “Amen, Amen”.  And they bowed down to the ground and wept discovering who they were for the first time: they were not captives, they were not pagan Babylonians, they were the people chosen by God to manifest his greatness.

This is certainly a fitting reading to reflect upon on this Word of God Sunday. As you might remember, in 2019, Pope Francis declared the 3rd Sunday of Ordinary Time as Sunday of the Word of God, directing us to consider how, in the life of the Church, the Scriptures are to be celebrated, studied, and shared. 

The story of Ezra and the people of Israel reconnecting with the scriptures, is a wonderful image of what the Church does every time we gather for public worship and the role of the scriptures in our private lives and our families.

Every time Christians gather for worship, at every Mass and liturgy, scripture is read. As Vatican II’s document on the liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium explains: “Sacred  scripture  is  of  the  greatest  importance in  the  celebration  of  the  liturgy.  For  it  is from  it  that  lessons  are  read  and  explained in  the  homily,  and  psalms  are  sung.  It  is  from the  scriptures  that  the  prayers,  collects,  and hymns  draw  their  inspiration  and  their  force, and  that  actions  and  signs  derive  their  meaning.” 

The Scriptures help continue to form us in the bonds of unity and charity and guide our activity out in the world.  For example, as we proclaim Gospel passages of Jesus healing the sick, we consider how Jesus heals each of us individually, how he heals the wounds of division in the human family, and how he sends us out to be bring his healing Word to the world.

So in our public worship, the scripture aids our mission and identity and opens us up to the power of the Spirit. In our private prayer lives and in our families, Scripture is meant to nurture, guide, form, challenge, and inspire us as well. A day shouldn’t go by without reading or meditating on some line of the Bible. Your day is impoverished without scripture. 

Paul instructs Timothy, “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” So we do well to study, meditate, seek to understand the scriptures as best we can so that we can be equipped for the work God has for us.

I recommend starting your day by reading the daily mass readings which can be emailed to you daily or freely read on the United States Bishops Website.  Scripture is not always easy to understand. Read it anyway. You’ll no doubt find a word or phrase that resonates with you, through which God wants to speak to you. I also recommend reading the weekend readings prior to coming to mass. Having read and reflected upon the readings yourselves, you will derive so much more, than, if you simply come to mass, cold, so to speak. 

Read through them and ask yourselves questions like: what does this scripture mean in the concrete details of my life? What does God want me to learn here? What does this passage say about God, about Jesus, about the Church, about the Christian life? God what are you inspiring me to do through this scripture? What wounds are you healing? What virtues are you strengthening? What sins are you converting? Speak, O Lord, your servant is listening.

Having meditated on the scriptures, you will discover how God will use that time of prayer to enrich your family life and your encounters with strangers—how the scriptures are fulfilled in your lives.

Joshua chapter 8 says, “Keep this Book always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” “Blessed is the one who reads aloud the words”, says the book of Revelation, “and blessed are those who hear it and take to heart what is written in it.”

May we continue our worship today thanking God for the Word which is a lamp to our feet and a light unto our path, the word which is more valuable than silver or gold, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.