Category: Sunday
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Palm Sunday
Readings: Zechariah 9:9-12 | Philippians 2:5-11 | Matthew 26-27 Text: John 12:12-19 (Procession Gospel) In St. John’s account of Palm Sunday, we find out that the crowd was composed of two main groups, both of whom knew that Jesus had raised Lazarus from the dead. The verses immediately before what we heard in the procession…
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Fifth Sunday in Lent
~ Judica ~ Readings: Genesis 22:1-14 | Hebrews 9:11-15 | John 8:46-59 Text: Genesis 22:1-14 “God, what in the world are You doing? I can’t handle this! I just got done with the last wrench You threw in the works!” There are times like this, where honestly, we have no idea what our God is…
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Fourth Sunday in Lent
~ Lætare ~ Readings: Exodus 16:2-21 | Galatians 4:21-31 | John 6:1-15 Text: Exodus 16:2-21 In 1 Corinthians 10, St. Paul makes the point that the journeys of Israel in the wilderness were written for our learning, specifically “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,…
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Third Sunday in Lent
~ Oculi ~ Readings: Exodus 8:16-24 | Ephesians 5:1-9 | Luke 1:14-28 Text: Luke 11:14-28 Jesus’ teachings in today’s Gospel readings go from difficult to startling. It’s one thing to say that, in broad theological terms, that Jesus is the strong man who binds the devil, and leads captivity captive, while we are brought by…
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Second Sunday in Lent
~ Reminiscere ~ Readings: Genesis 32:22-32 | 1 Thessalonians 4:1-7 | Matthew 15:21-28 Text: Genesis 32:22-32 A few weeks ago, we heard the Parable of the Sower, where our Lord says: 13The ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy. But these have no root; they believe…
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First Sunday in Lent
~ Invocabit ~ Readings: Genesis 3:1-21 | 2 Corinthians 6:1-10 | Matthew 4:1-11 Text: Matthew 4:1-11 In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. The Father honored the Son. He didn’t just identify him as his Son when He spoke from heaven at His baptism. He claimed him. He called Him His beloved, expressing His love…
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The Baptism of Our Lord
Readings: Isaiah 42:1-7 | 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 | Matthew 3:13-17 Text: Matthew 3:13-17 What sort of God do we have? If you look at just general revelation, you will conclude that God is great and powerful, but unmoved by the needs of puny people like us. Only those who are a cut above catch the…
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First Sunday after Christmas
Readings: Isaiah 11:1-5 | Galatians 4:1-7 | Luke 2:22-40 Text: Galatians 4:1-7 What’s the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament? It’s not a difference where one is Law and the other is Gospel. Both are God’s Word and together make a complete picture of God’s work, so that some educated people call…
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Fourth Sunday in Advent
~ Rorate Coeli ~ Readings: Deuteronomy 18:15-19 | Philippians 4:4-7 | Luke 1:39-56 Text: Philippians 4:4-7 No doubt this week, we will be hearing the phrase, “Merry Christmas.” Take a moment to think about it: Is this a statement or a command? I mean, what should you do when there’s nothing to be merry about? When…
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Third Sunday in Advent
~ Gaudete ~ Readings: Isaiah 40:1-11 | 1 Corinthians 4:1-5 | Matthew 11:2-11 Text: Isaiah 40:1-8 It’s important to understand that Isaiah was not preaching at a time of peace in Israel. Not many chapters (chapters 36-37) before this, Isaiah has the job of announcing to the starving, besieged inhabitants of Jerusalem that the Assyrian…