Sunday June 11, 2017

This day is also one of two All Saints Days’ in the year.

Epistle: Galatians 6: 8-14

Gospel: Matthew 16: 24-27

Psalm 147/148

Friends,

We reap what we sow! If we sow to the flesh we will also reap to the flesh. Therefore we have made no heavenly or spiritual gain. If we want heavenly or spiritual gain we must not sow to the flesh, we must become followers of Jesus; deny ourselves and take up our cross.

If we sow to the flesh in order to gain the whole world and in this we lose our own life, how have we made profit? We must lose our life in the flesh in order to gain our life in the heavenly realm. This is the basic teaching of today’s readings.

Praise the Lord; in all things give glory to God through our Lord and savior Jesus the Christ. All of creation praises the Lord. Man who has a mind and free will has chosen to not praise the Lord but to seek power and glory for himself and to lord himself over all that he is able to lord himself over.

These are the ones who are sowing to the flesh. They seek riches at the expense of others. They care nothing for the struggles of anyone else. Some even say; I can do good all by myself I do not need a god to tell me to help others. Look and see how much I give to the many foundations. I am a good person, I need no one to tell me and I answer to no one.

We must be different than this, love God first with all of your heart, with all of your mind, with all of your soul, with all of your strength. Then love your neighbor as yourself. Then we will be sowing to the spiritual things. Do this in the name of our Lord and savior Jesus. Give up yourself when needed to help someone in need. Do what you are able to do, we all do not have money but we may have bread, we may have a bed, sometimes we may only be able to just simply be there for someone who is in pain whether physical, emotional, or spiritual.

If you are married then give up yourself to care for your family, this means also to instruct them in the ways of the Lord and not to neglect their proper upbringing. Work to support them, love them. If you are single then you must be celibate, you will then have even more time to help others who are not within your family.

Pray always, do not chase after entertainment at the expense of time with the Lord. We will become what we begin and strive for here. If we choose to neglect God then we have taken ourselves away from Him today and in the new world we will be separated from Him because we have separated ourselves from Him here today.

Strive for the true prize that awaits us with patience, faith, perseverance, and diligence. Do not neglect the time here today, it will determine the time tomorrow.

Remember; if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just, to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all iniquity.

In Christ!