4th Sunday of Great
Lent!
Greetings in Christ Jesus,
Sunday March 26th 2017
Zechariah 8:
19 Thus says the Lord of hosts: The fast of the
fourth month, and the fast of the fifth, and the fast of the seventh, and the
fast of the tenth shall be to the house of Juda, joy, and gladness, and great
solemnities: only love truth and peace. 20 Thus says the Lord of
hosts, until people come, and dwell in many cities, 21 And the
inhabitants go one to another, saying: Let us go, and entreat the face of the
Lord, and let us seek the Lord of hosts: I also will go. 22 And
many peoples, and strong nations shall come to seek the Lord of hosts in
Jerusalem, and to entreat the face of the Lord. 23 Thus says the
Lord of hosts: In those days, wherein ten men of all languages of the Gentiles shall
take hold, and shall hold fast the skirt of one that is a Jew, saying: We will
go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.
Galatians 1:
3 Grace be to you, and peace from God the
Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 Who gave himself for our
sins, that he might deliver us from this present wicked world, according to the
will of God and our Father: 5 To whom is glory forever and ever.
Amen.
6 I
wonder that you are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of
Christ, unto another gospel. 7 Which is not another, only there are
some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. 8 But
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach a gospel to you besides that which
we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we said before,
so now I say again: If any one preach to you a gospel, besides that which you
have received, let him be accursed.
Gospel of John 1:
1 After these things Jesus walked in Galilee;
for he would not walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill him. 2 Now
the Jews' feast of tabernacles was at hand. 3 And his brethren said
to him: Pass from here, and go into Judea; that Your disciples also may see Your
works which You do. 4 For there is no man that does anything in
secret, and he himself seeks to be known openly. If You do these things,
manifest Yourself to the world. 5 For neither did his brethren
believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said to them: My time is not yet come;
but your time is always ready. 7 The world cannot hate you; but me
it hates: because I give testimony of it, that the works thereof are evil. 8 Go
you up to this festival day, but I go not up to this festival day: because my time
is not accomplished. 9 When he had said these things, he himself
stayed in Galilee.
10 But
after his brethren were gone up, then he also went up to the feast, not openly,
but, as it were, in secret. 11 The Jews therefore sought him on the
festival day, and said: Where is he? 12 And there was much
murmuring among the multitude concerning him. For some said: He is a good man.
And others said: No, but he seduces the people. 13 Yet no man spoke
openly of him, for fear of the Jews.
14 Now
about the midst of the feast, Jesus went up into the temple, and taught. 15 And
the Jews wondered, saying: How does this man know letters, having never
learned? 16 Jesus answered them, and said: My doctrine is not mine,
but his that sent me. 17 If any man do the will of him; he shall
know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. 18 He
that speaks of himself, seeks his own glory: but he that seeks the glory of him
that sent him, he is true, and there is no injustice in him. 19 Did
Moses not give you the law, and yet none of you keeps the law? 20 Why
seek you to kill me? The multitude answered, and said: You have a devil; who seeks
to kill You? 21 Jesus answered, and said to them: One work I have
done; and you all wonder: 22 Therefore, Moses gave you
circumcision, (not because it is of Moses, but of the fathers;) and on the
sabbath day you circumcise a man. 23 If a man receive circumcision
on the sabbath day, that the law of Moses may not be broken; are you angry at
me because I have healed the whole man on the sabbath day? 24 Judge
not according to the appearance, but judge just judgment.
25 Some
therefore of Jerusalem said: Is not this he whom they seek to kill? 26 And
behold, he speaks openly, and they say nothing to him. Have the rulers known
for a truth, that this is the Christ? 27 But we know this man,
whence he is: but when the Christ comes, no man knoweth whence he is. 28 Jesus
therefore cried out in the temple, teaching, and saying: You both know me, and
you know whence I am: and I am not come of myself; but he that sent me, is
true, whom you know not. 29 I know him, because I am from him, and
he has sent me. 30 They sought therefore to apprehend him: and no
man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.
Psalm 45 (46)
1 Unto the end, for the sons of Core, for the
hidden. 2 Our God is our refuge and strength: a helper in troubles,
which have found us exceedingly. 3 Therefore we will not fear, when
the earth shall be troubled; and the mountains shall be removed into the heart
of the sea. 4 Their waters roared and were troubled: the mountains
were troubled with his strength. 5 The stream of the river makes
the city of God joyful: the most High has sanctified his own tabernacle. 6 God
is in the midst thereof, it shall not be moved: God will help it in the morning
early. 7 Nations were troubled, and kingdoms were bowed down: he
uttered his voice, the earth trembled. 8 The Lord of armies is with
us: the God of Jacob is our protector. 9 Come and behold the works
of the Lord: what wonders he has done upon earth, 10 making wars to
cease even to the end of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, and break the
weapons: and the shield he shall burn in the fire. 11 Be still and
see that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, and I will be exalted
in the earth. 12 The Lord of armies is with us: the God of Jacob is
our protector.
My Friends,
We often fall so far short in our own sight or vision that
we simply cannot see the love of God that completely surrounds us. In our first
reading this morning from the prophet, we see the understanding is found in Jesus
the Christ, ‘in those days’ of course are words speaking to the days of our
Lord which we are in. Regardless of any denial of who Jesus the Christ is or is
not in any nation, people from all the nations have come to know something and
many have sought and are now seeking Him. There are many who are seeking truth
and do not yet know that truth is Jesus
the Christ. Are we praying for these people?
The world today is not less wicked than in the days in which
these words today were originally preached or written down. The love of God demands that we pray for one
another and for the salvation of all people hoping that we all will indeed come
to the fullness of truth. Truth is not selfish; it shares itself through us,
through our actions. Our fasts become joyful feasts as the prophet says here in
the beginning of today’s readings.
The Lord of the Armies or the Hosts of the Heavens is with
those who choose to follow the Lord. The days are wicked and evil upon the
earth, this is indeed a combat arena, we fight against principalities and power
(evil and malicious spirits), against the rulers of the world of this darkness,
against the spirits of wickedness in the high places. Therefore take unto you
the armour of God, that you may be able to resist in the evil day, and to stand
in all things perfect. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with
truth, and having on the breastplate of justice, and your feet shod with the
preparation of the gospel of peace: In all things taking the shield of faith,
wherewith you may be able to extinguish all the fiery darts of the most wicked
one. And take unto you the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit
(which is the word of God). By all prayer and supplication praying at all times
in the spirit; and in the same watching with all instance and supplication for
all the saints:
Continue this time of repentance and renewal, let us
strengthen ourselves in spirit.
Blessings
Web Page; http://www.monkmichael.com
Many Blessings!
+William
