Suffering is abounding. As is sin.
Suffering is abounding. As is sin.
Goodness is what today’s readings are all about. God brings about goodness through God’s ordering of creation.
God’s heart is bigger than ours. For our God loves not just the person executed after committing no crime; our God loves the person executed after committing a horrendous crime.
In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, he mentions, in verse 10, that the whole “city was in turmoil – stirred – shaken to its foundations.”
It is hard to recognize the lures that the devil offers. For the devil knows how to clothe temptations in lovely garments.
Usually in our New Testament readings we hear from St. Paul. But today we hear the words of St. Peter, one of the three witnesses of Jesus’ transfiguration.
Jesus say, “love your enemies.” Which is asking a lot. But Jesus goes farther than that.
St. Paul gives us positive words today: God is the one who gives the growth – no matter how hard we work, all that is good or worthwhile comes from God’s gifts, not our own. But Jesus gives us nothing but hard sayings today, one after another.
In today’s gospel, Jesus says being his follower is having a particular identity. Being salt. Being light. Jesus expects us to be a little different, as salt is different from dirt, or other objects that are granular.
But Jesus does congratulate these losers, these grievers ~ because of what God will do for them.