Trinity XVIII- Matthew 22:34-46

The Gospel for the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity is from St. Matthew 22: 34-46. This selection contains two short conversations between Jesus and the Pharisees. Both conversations show ways in which Christ both continues and transcends the Old Testament. In Matthew 22:34-40, we see the basic principles of the Law. Jesus, like some other teachers, finds the purpose of the Law in two great commandments: to love God above all and to love one's neighbor. These two commandments summarize the principles of the Hebrew Scriptures, and Jesus embodies both kinds of love in His person. His public ministry manifests His application of these basic principles in various situations. 

In the second part of the Gospel selection, Matthew 22:41-46, Jesus points to His fulfillment of the Old Testament. He applies rabbinic methods of interpretation to Psalm 110. Jesus implies that He is the Messiah (or the Christ). He points out that the Messiah is unique. He is far greater than His ancestor David. In fact, this interpretation implies that Christ shares divine majesty. This powerful claim will continue to be developed in the rest of Christ's earthly ministry and throughout the New Testament. Jesus is both a great teacher and the greatest descendant of King David. Yet, He is much more: He is God the Son incarnate, the unique mediator and redeemer!

Trinity XVI- Luke 7:11-17

 The Gospel for the Sixteenth Sunday after Trinity is from St. Luke 7:11-17. This selection contains a miracle that exemplifies our Lord's compassionate work. Jesus restores the son of a widow from the village of Nain to life. Of course, there is compassion for the young man whose life has been cut short. However, in this case, Christ's compassion seems to be focused on the woman. Her situation is especially desperate. The young man is her only son, and she is already a widow. In first-century society, her situation is especially vulnerable. A widow's loss of her son means that she is being left alone, without livelihood or protection. In compassion, our Lord uses His divine power to raise the young man and restore him to his mother. 

We should also notice the crowd's reaction to this impressive miracle. Their first reaction is fear because they sense that overwhelming divine power is at work in Jesus. They merely call Him a prophet, but they sense His uniqueness. Then, they glorify God for Christ's work. Thus, although Christ's compassion is important in itself, Jesus' act of mercy points beyond itself to divine power and rule. He can even conquer death. (In this and other Gospel miracles raising the dead, the victory over death is only for a time; later, Jesus' own resurrection will be an eternal victory.)

In Jesus of Nazareth, the kingdom of God comes into the world in powerful new ways. As we notice the mercy and compassion of God in Christ, let us also notice the presence of divine power. Jesus Christ is unique. He conquers sin, death, and evil, and His divine work calls for appropriate responses. God's power and presence in Jesus Christ call for awe and praise. The divine work of Jesus Christ should lead us to gratitude and faith.

The Transfiguration of Christ- 6 August- Luke 9:35

The feast of the Transfiguration is based on an occurrence in the Gospels (Matthew 17:1-9, Mark 9:2-10, Luke  9:28-36). This event is a striking manifestation of Jesus' divinity. Our Lord takes Peter, John, and James up onto a mountain where He has a shining appearance as He prays. Moses and Elijah appear and converse with Jesus, and a heavenly voice proclaims, "This is my beloved Son; hear him" (Luke 9:35).

Despite its clear biblical basis, this commemoration has not always been emphasized. The Latin Church did not begin to observe the Transfiguration as a universal feast on August 6 until 1457. In liturgical simplifications during the Reformation, the Feast of the Transfiguration was removed from many calendars, including the calendar of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer. It was restored as a minor commemoration or "black-letter day" on the Elizabethan calendar of 1561. The celebration was finally provided with "propers" as a feast of our Lord in the 1928 American BCP. (Some recent Anglican calendars have adopted the Lutheran custom of observing the Transfiguration on the Last Sunday after the Epiphany.)

Although often overlooked, the Transfiguration of Christ is a significant Christian observance. It illustrates the continuity between Christ's Gospel and the Law and the Prophets. Furthermore, it indicates that Christ's authority remains after Moses and Elijah have faded from view. It manifests our Lord's great inner glory and approval by God the Father. It is also a reminder that the Son of Man must suffer before His glory is more fully revealed (Matthew 17:12).

Epiphany II- Mark 1:1-11

 For some reason, the Sarum rite and historic English Books of Common Prayer omitted the Baptism of our Lord from the communion lectionary. The 1928 American BCP reintroduced this ancient Epiphany theme and inserted it for the Second Sunday after the Epiphany (Mark 1:1-11).  Jesus came to be baptized by John in order to fulfill all righteousness. He was personally sinless, but our incarnate Lord identified with the human need for spiritual cleansing. In His human nature, He also received a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit as He began His public ministry. Finally, the heavenly voice proclaimed Jesus to be the Son of God. Christ's Baptism manifests the Holy Trinity. 

This event in Jesus' life is a unique manifestation or epiphany of the divine glory in Christ. It reveals who He is,  and it anticipates His whole public ministry and work for human salvation. He is the Son of God who brings redemption to sinful humanity.

Epiphany I- Luke 2:52

 One of the liturgical/lectionary idiosyncrasies of traditional Anglicanism is evident on the First Sunday after Epiphany. On this Sunday, many calendars and lectionaries, ancient and modern, commemorate the manifestation of Christ at His Baptism. However, Books of Common Prayer from 1549 through 1928 and 1962 focus on the visit of the Holy Family, including twelve-year-old Jesus, to the Temple. The 1928 American BCP provides for the Baptism on Epiphany II, and the 1962 Canadian BCP provides for the Baptism with optional propers to be used on Epiphany or later.

The epiphany or manifestation of the youthful Jesus in St. Luke 2:41-52 shows forth both His true humanity and His divine Sonship. The reality of His human development is summarized in Luke 2:52, "And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man."

Throughout His life on earth, our Lord Jesus Christ was both unique and ordinary. He sensed His unique relationship with God the heavenly Father, and He knew that He was called to live as a real but perfect human being. Unlike fallen humans, He always put the Father first. He grew and developed without sin. Although we are sinners who repeatedly fall short of Christ's perfection, His example should elicit our humble and faithful response. As Christians, we affirm the unique manifestation of God in Christ while we also seek the grace to follow Him and grow in wisdom and holiness. 

Epiphany- 6 January- Matthew 2

 Epiphany on January 6 is probably the oldest Christian feast besides Easter and Pentecost. In the early Greek-speaking Church, the day was about several of Christ's manifestations- His birth, His Baptism, and the beginning of His public ministry. Later, especially in the Latin churches, the day of Epiphany itself became associated with the coming of the Magi. In modern times, although Epiphany remains on church calendars, it is often neglected. For many Christians, even many Anglicans, it is anticipated, postponed, or ignored. In many cases, all that remains of the traditional observance may be wise men in a pre-Christmas children's December pageant, a carol, or a reading from Matthew 2 in a service of lessons.

However, Epiphany deserves our attention because it embodies significant Christian themes. The Wise Men or Magi represent the coming of the Gentiles or nations to Christ. Their natural human search for wisdom led them to respond to God's sign in nature and follow the star. Yet, before they could complete their journey, they also needed the guidance of Holy Scripture. Finally, they came to the Holy Child, and they did what every person should do. They fell down in adoration or worship, and they offered Him precious gifts.

At Epiphany, let us still seek Christ and follow the guidance of Scripture. Let us worship Him and offer Him our best gifts. Now that the worldly Yule and New Year have passed, Epiphany is an opportunity for Christians to pursue quieter and deeper devotion. So let us reflect on the coming of our Savior to save all nations!

Advent III- Matthew 11:2-15

 The Gospel for the Third Sunday in Advent is from Matthew 11:2-15. In this selection, John the Baptist is in prison awaiting Herod Antipas' judgment. John sends two of his followers to meet Jesus. They ask if Jesus is the expected Messiah. 

Jesus replies to them with a two-fold proclamation. First, He points to the miraculous and redemptive acts taking place in His own ministry. These works fulfill the Messianic prophecies. Secondly, Jesus points to the purpose and value of John the Baptist's ministry. John is the prophetic forerunner of the messianic Redeemer. Finally, Jesus concludes with an exhortation. Those who have ears should hear; that means that they should be perceptive about the contemporary religious circumstances. They should realize what God is doing in the ministry of John the Baptist and in the ministry of Jesus. Jesus is the Christ who fulfills the ministry of John and all the biblical prophets. 

During Advent, we focus on the prophecies about the coming of the Christ. Among the Hebrew prophets, John the Baptist has a special role. We should honor him, but we should also look beyond him. We should look to Jesus, who gives meaning to the work of all the prophets. May we be sensitive and perceptive regarding God's redemptive work in the past and in our own lives!

Sunday next before Advent- Jeremiah 23:5-8; John 6:14- Endings and Beginnings

This Sunday is the last Sunday of the church year, and there have been various ways of dealing with it. Sometimes it has not received special attention. Since the 1970s, some modern calendars have inserted new observances such as the feast of Christ the King. Certainly, we should always be aware that Christ is our King, but the 1928 Book of Common Prayer followed a different approach to include this theme. The 1928 revisers looked back to the Sarum tradition for the name of the day and for the collect and lessons.  

The collect and epistle point to the need for a new beginning. In the liturgical epistle, which is actually a selection from the prophet Jeremiah. Jeremiah 23:5-8 looks to the day when the Lord God will raise up a Branch from the Davidic line. This new king will lead His people in justice and righteousness. His acts of redemption will overshadow the Exodus from Egypt, God's great act of redemption from the past.

The Gospel also points to a new beginning and makes a similar point. The crowd is impressed by the miracle of the loaves and fish. Despite their lack of true appreciation, in John 6:14, they call Jesus "that prophet who should come into the world." They are referring to Moses' prophecy in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. In his prediction, Moses implied that a new prophet, like Moses but greater, would come to speak more directly from God. Christians see this prophecy fulfilled in Jesus (see Hebrews 3:1-6).

As long as this world endures, human beings will always undergo endings and new beginnings. Christ is our King and the greatest Prophet. He is also our great high Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15). In all our beginnings and endings, especially in spiritual, devotional, and moral matters, we depend on Him to lead us into greater righteousness. We need His grace to renew us through all the changing times and circumstances of life.

Trinity XVIII- Matthew 22:34-46

The traditional Gospel for the Eighteenth Sunday after Trinity is from St. Matthew 22: 34-46, This selection consists of two brief dialogues between Jesus and the Pharisees. In the first part, Jesus shows affirms His continuity with the Old Testament. With many other teachers, He asserts the primacy of two great commandments: to love God above all and to love one's neighbor. These two commandments summarize the principles of the Hebrew Scriptures, and Jesus' public ministry is about applying these principles in different situations. 

In the second part of today's Gospel selection, Jesus points to His unique identity. Applying rabbinic methods of interpretation to Psalm 110, Jesus implies that He is the Messiah (or the Christ). He points out that the Christ is far greater than His ancestor David. Indeed, the implication is that Christ shares divine majesty. This powerful claim will continue to be developed in the rest of Christ's earthly ministry and throughout the New Testament. Jesus is both a great teacher and King David's greatest descendent, but He is much more. He is God the Son incarnate, the unique mediator and redeemer!

Sunday next before Easter, commonly called Palm Sunday- Phil. 2

Many people know this Sunday as Palm Sunday from the Gospel accounts of Jesus entering Jerusalem on this day.  Many also expect the long account of Christ's Passion from Matthew 27. Although the events are distinctive, these two readings from the Gospel tell us what happened this week. Jesus our Lord was glorified and then rejected and horribly killed.  As human beings, we may have some difficulty keeping these two aspects of Holy Week together in our thoughts.  Yet, they belong together, and in the Epistle from Philippians 2, the Apostle Paul ties the themes together in a beautiful way. 

Philippians 2: 5 -11 reads: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

This passage from Philippians may be an early Christian creedal hymn, and the words can be applied to many commemorations of the Christian faith. As we look at them on Palm Sunday, the words are very appropriate at the beginning of Holy Week. Their devotional significance is to draw us closer to the "mind" or attitude of Christ (2:5). The divine and unique Son of God deserves praise as the King of Israel and the King of all creation. Yet, He comes in humility in order to redeem human beings.

We see this humble acceptance of the human condition at His birth and throughout His earthly ministry, but it culminates in Holy Week and Good Friday: "He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross" (2:8). These words summarize the details of the Passion Gospels. Christ voluntarily humbled Himself. The divine Son became the servant so that He could accomplish the ultimate obedience to holy principles, obedience unto death which had no rightful dominion over Him. Furthermore, the death He accepted was not just any death but death upon the cross. He accepted crucifixion, one of the most degrading and horrifying means of torture and execution devised by cruel men.

The Cross of Christ should always be at the center of Christian preaching, doctrine, and devotion. It is at the heart of Christ's earthly ministry, and it is a basic element in understanding the profound meaning of divine love. Nevertheless, as central as the Cross is to our Christian faith and life, the words of Philippians 2:9-11 also teach us that believers should look beyond the Cross. The Cross is necessary and central to our faith, but Jesus Christ transforms the Cross. He suffers as a human being, but He is also God the Son who cannot be conquered in the end. His perfect obedience and sacrifice are accepted, and He is exalted. He receives "a name which is above every name."

This means that as believers, we see a deeper reality. The way of the Cross is the path toward Resurrection and true Life. So like our Lord, we walk the way of the Cross both figuratively and in the real trials of human existence because we trust that God uses the Cross for our redemption and true life.

Lent V- John 8:58

On some traditional Western liturgical calendars (including the 1928 BCP), the Fifth Sunday in Lent has been called Passion Sunday. The original meaning of the word passion is suffering, and we know that there are many aspects of Christ’s suffering.  There had been social, political, and religious opposition to Jesus since early in His ministry. Nevertheless, as His ministry approaches the end, the conflicts intensify. Something about Him makes His opponents even more determined to destroy Him.

Today’s Gospel from John 8 reflects this deeper conflict. The central issue is Jesus' identity and His character. He makes claims that some of His opponents find outrageous. He crosses the boundaries of acceptable eccentricity. Some of His sayings even frighten potential sympathizers. In  John 8, Christ implies that no one can convict Him of sin. He says that He can conquer death, and He implies that He is greater than the patriarch Abraham. Even more bluntly He says, “Before Abraham was, I am” (Jn. 8:58). In the Jewish context of Exodus 3:14, “I am” is a title for God that Jesus alludes to several times in John's Gospel. So Jesus implies that He shares the divine nature, and His listeners sense His claim.

This claim to share the divine nature is earth-shattering for first-century Jews. Christ’s Judean listeners confront a clear and radical choice regarding His identity. They can no longer ignore Jesus as a simple religious teacher from the backwoods of Galilee. This choice is what C.S. Lewis calls “the Shocking Alternative.” Either Jesus is telling the truth about His relationship with God the Father or He is a liar. There are three possibilities. Either Jesus shares the divine nature, or He is dangerously crazy, or He is a blasphemer who despises all that was sacred. Many of His hearers made a choice. They decided that He was guilty of blasphemy, the worst of sins. And given their assumptions, they felt bound to seek His death.

Most people in our time, whether Christian or non-Christian, fail to recognize the radical choice that Jesus Christ demands. Many contemporaries merely view religion as an expression of ethics. And they just think of Jesus as a nice guy who did some good deeds. So people in our time fail to see what He means.

However, Jesus knows what He is saying, and so do many of His opponents. Jesus asks for a radical choice- accept Him or reject Him: lukewarm admiration is not a real option. The biblical message still confronts each of us with the same choice. Jesus Christ asks us to have faith in Him as our divine Savior. The central point is whether people believe Christ’s claims.  If Jesus is who He says He is, then we are talking about the most basic human choice- to accept or reject God Himself. Every human soul that hears Jesus' claims must choose. We need to be in prayerful contemplation. We need to ask ourselves whether we have accepted Jesus in sincere faith. And if by grace we do have faith in Jesus Christ, we need to repent of our shortcomings each day and seek to grow in grace.

 

Epiphany II- Mark 1:1-11

Usually, the 1928 Book of Common Prayer uses the same sequence of propers as the 1662  BCP.  However, the medieval English Sarum liturgy which influenced Prayer Books omitted Christ's Baptism. In recognition of the ancient tradition connecting Christ's Baptism with Epiphany, the 1928 revisers placed a Gospel about the Baptism of our Lord (St. Mark 1:1-11) on this Sunday in the Epiphany season. This means that the sequence of readings for the Second through the Fourth Sundays after Epiphany are in a different order in the 1928 BCP. (The Sarum/1662 Gospel from Matthew 8:23 ff is omitted in the 1928 communion cycle although it and the synoptic parallels are read three times as daily office lessons.)

It is certainly appropriate that we should reflect upon our Lord's Baptism during Epiphany. Although Jesus of Nazareth did not need to be cleansed from any sin, He underwent this ritual of cleansing to give His followers an example and to dedicate Himself publicly to His mission. And as He did so, the Holy Spirit blessed Christ and His ministry while the heavenly Father proclaimed His approval of His only Son. 

Christ's Baptism is unique because Jesus Christ is unique. Yet, His Baptism does prefigure later Christian Baptism. Jesus provided a model for His followers. Every Christian Baptism is a uniting with Christ the only begotten Son, a blessing by the Holy Spirit, and an adoption as a child of God the Father.

Christmas

Merry Christmas! "And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger" (Luke 2:7). Christmas is about the Birth of Jesus. The appropriate reaction to His Birth is briefly but admirably summarized in the antiphon for Morning Prayer from the 1928 Book of Common Prayer:

 Alleluia. Unto us a child is born; * O come, let us adore him. Alleluia.

May the Christ Child (the eternal Word of God become flesh- John 1:14)) always be at the center of our Christmas celebrations! He has come to us and He keeps coming to us to be our Savior. A blessed Feast of the Nativity to all!

St. Thomas the Apostle- 21 December

The traditional feast of St. Thomas the Apostle is the 21st of December. Because Thomas had doubts about the Resurrection of Jesus (John 20), we often associate St. Thomas with the Easter season, but he is also an appropriate example for contemplating Christ's Incarnation. Despite his initial doubts, Thomas encounters the risen Christ, and he makes a powerful confession of faith. In John 20:28, Thomas affirms his faith that Jesus the Christ is "my Lord and my God."  In other words, Thomas confesses that Jesus is God incarnate. 

So as Advent draws toward a close, let us focus on the truth of the Incarnation proclaimed by Thomas. The holy Child born in Bethlehem is our Lord and God, Immanuel, God the eternal Son and Word, come to us in human flesh. Thanks be to God for Thomas and his faith in Jesus Christ!

Friday in Easter Week- Revelation 1

The New Testament reading for Morning Prayer in the 1928 American BCP (1945 lectionary) is from Revelation 1:4-18. This selection provides a meaningful way for us to look back at the last week. On Good Friday, it is appropriate for us to focus on the details of our Lord's Passion and Death. On Easter, it is appropriate to emphasize the power, mystery, awe, and joy of Jesus' Resurrection. Now it is easier to see His Death and Resurrection together. As Revelation 1:5 indicates, we recognize Jesus Christ as "the first begotten of the dead." Jesus' Resurrection is unique. His return to life is more than a temporary restoration of an ordinary person; His Resurrection is a lasting victory with eternal significance. This is made even clearer in Revelation 1:18, "And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." This is a forceful proclamation of Christ's role as the crucified and risen Saviour. And it shows that Jesus Christ is not merely some historical hero. He is the everliving Lord over life, death, and life beyond death! He is Lord of our lives now and evermore! Alleluia!

Easter Tuesday- Resurrection and Incarnation- Luke 24: 36-48

 Traditional Books of Common Prayer provide propers for the Tuesday after Easter. This observance may have been intended to give more opportunity for Easter Communions. Aside from referring to the initial fear of the disciples, the Gospel from Luke 24:36-48  highlights two points: 1) the physicality of Jesus' resurrection, and 2) His resurrection as the fulfillment of all Scripture.

First, many people in the first century and since have not appreciated the unique character of Jesus' resurrection. Many people have merely viewed Christ's resurrection as a vague affirmation of spiritual survival. Some have viewed it as a dream, a vision, or even as some sort of ghost story. However, the New Testament accounts deny such bland understandings of the Resurrection. Although Jesus' physical nature has certainly been transformed (for example, space and time no longer limit His movements like before), the risen Jesus still has a tangible body. He walks and talks. He bears marks of the crucifixion. He can be touched. He can eat and drink. During the 40 days till the Ascension, Christ is physically present with His followers in real ways. His Resurrection is both a transformation of and a continuation of His Incarnation!

Secondly, as mentioned in yesterday's post, Jesus uses the days of Easter to complete the instruction of His followers in the meaning of Scripture. He re-emphasizes some of the teachings that the disciples never seemed to understand before. He equips them for lasting faith and mission. In particular, Jesus interprets the whole biblical message in light of His life, death, and resurrection. The risen Christ helps His followers see that He is the eternal Word at the heart of all Holy Scripture. He is the One whose death and resurrection gives all divine revelation its ultimate and abiding significance! He is the Gospel, the Good News, personified!

Epiphany III- John 2

 As noted previously, the 1928 American Book of Common Prayer made changes in the traditional English Gospel selections during the Epiphany season in order to include a passage on Christ's Baptism for the Second Sunday after Epiphany. Thus, for the Third Sunday after Epiphany, the 1928 BCP has the Gospel that the English and Canadian Prayer Books have on Epiphany II- the miracle of the water into wine (St. John 2:1-11).

This miracle story has several meanings. One approach is to focus on the divergent responses to this manifestation of Christ's power. 1) The majority of people at the wedding in Cana were oblivious to the miracle. Although they enjoyed the wine, they did not notice that divine power was at work in Jesus. 2) The servants of the host saw what Jesus did and were merely amazed. The miracle was just a little surprise during their daily work, a surprise that was not really meaningful to them. 3) Christ's disciples saw what He did, "and His disciples believed on Him" (John 2:11). Their faith in Jesus would slowly develop over time, but faith was already growing.

To this day, these three basic human responses to God's work in Jesus Christ continue. Most people benefit from God's gifts without noticing anything. A few, like the servants at the wedding, have moments of amazement, but they do not come to faith. Only the few who follow Jesus and believe in Him grow in faith. Even though disciples have limited insight, they respond in faith and grow in understanding. May the same be true for all of us!

Epiphany I- Luke 2:41-52

 Historically, the First Sunday after Epiphany has had several associations. At some points in church history, it has simply been the Sunday within the octave (ecclesiastical week) of Epiphany and repeated the collect and lessons of that ancient festival. From early times, it was also associated with Christ's Baptism. (In the 1928 American BCP, the commemoration of Christ's Baptism is for Epiphany II). In traditional Books of Common Prayer, the Gospel for this Sunday continues Luke's Christmas-Epiphany sequence with the one recorded episode from Christ's later childhood: the episode of the twelve-year-old Jesus in the temple (St. Luke 2:41-52).

This Gospel shows how Jesus continued to fulfill all righteousness in His human nature. As a pious Jew, He was concerned with studying and applying the Scriptures. In His case, there was a special awareness that He was about His "Father's business" (Luke 2:49). Along with this awareness, He remained the ideal son who at that age was subject to His earthly parents' authority.

On the one hand, the episode shows something unique about Jesus. It is a manifestation or epiphany of God the Son incarnate as the perfect young human being. At the same time, it is also a call to us to follow Jesus' example. As sinners, we never follow His example perfectly, but aided by His grace, we are called to be about our heavenly Father's business and to seek to grow in service.

Sunday next before Advent/Trinity XXV- John 6: 5-14

In the 1928 American BCP, the last Sunday of the church year is "the Sunday next before Advent." The Collect, the "liturgical Epistle" from Jeremiah , and the Gospel from St. John are those assigned for Trinity XXV in the 1662 Prayer Book. All three contain themes appropriate to anticipate Advent, but let us focus on the Gospel.

The Gospel (John 6:5-14 ) is the story of feeding the 5000. Although this familiar story has several themes or applications, on this Sunday, we notice that it reminds us of the expectations and hopes that Jesus fulfilled. When the people see His miracle with the small loaves and fish, they affirm that He is "that prophet that should come into the world" (St. John 6: 14 ). He is the one who was to come. He is the prophet like Moses predicted in Deuteronomy 18:15,18.  Indeed, Jesus is much greater than Moses. Not only is He divine, but He also establishes a covenant greater than the one established through the work of Moses (Hebrews 8:6). 

Certainly, Christian believers think that Jesus is much more than a prophet, but we still affirm that He is a prophet. In fact, Christian theology has often used prophet as one of the three functions (along with priest and king) that describe the work of Christ. Jesus is the long-expected prophet who is the culmination of  Hebrew prophecy. He completes and finishes God's revelation. He completes the work of redemption that begins with Adam, continues through Noah to Abraham, and is present in the ministry of Moses and subsequent Hebrew prophets. 

In conclusion as we end a Christian year on this Sunday, we look to Jesus Christ, greater than all the prophets. He was and is the One to come, the One greater than even Moses. Everything that precedes and follows Jesus finds its ultimate meaning in Him. 

Trinity XVI- Luke 7:11ff

The Gospel for the Sixteenth Sunday is from St. Luke 7:11ff. It recounts the story of Jesus raising the son of the widow from the village Nain. In this brief account, we see two very important points. First, we see Jesus' compassion. Of course, He is merciful to the young man, but even more, His compassion is for the mother. She is a widow left alone, and our Lord cares for her. Secondly, this account shows who Jesus is and the powers He has. Jesus is more than a country rabbi. He is the divine Christ who can conquer death. For those with eyes and hearts to see and understand, this miracle is a testimony to Christ's divine mission and nature.

Reflecting upon this miracle, let us be aware of Jesus' compassion toward all who are in need, and let us seek to follow Him in showing mercy. Let us also understand and have faith in the person of Jesus Christ. He is a compassionate man, but He is also very much more. He is God the Son come among us. And He embodies divine power over death and all destructive forces. On many occasions, He has restored physical life, and beyond that, He remains the source of eternal spiritual life!