Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 5: Year 2
Morning, Psalm [70], 71; Evening, Psalm 74;
Ecclesiastes 11:1-8; Galatians 5:16-24; Matthew 16:13-20
“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, ‘Who do people say that the Son of Man is?’ And they said, ‘Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.’ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16: 13 to 15)
All of the people who were asked who Jesus was, brought up people from their own historical past, either known or were taught about. Not one of them left room for a New Person, One they had not seen or heard of, but was indeed prophesied about.
Today we have a taught (and teaching) Jesus who existed in the flesh in our past. But our Lord Jesus also lives with us today in the Holy Spirit. So, who do you say our Lord Jesus is? He is the living Holy Spirit that dwells in each of us and in our Church. We then, are the fruits of His Spirit. Paul tells us about the fruit of the Spirit in our New Testament lessen for today from Galatians. He says, “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.” (Galatians 5: 22 – 24)
Who do we say Jesus is? More importantly, how do we say who Jesus is? We say it by our behavior and kindness, by our compassion and caring. Through our deeds we say who our leader is because we model ourselves after him.
In so following Jesus we must speak out against the crimes perpetrated against Ukraine by Russian forces. The Jesus we know wants us to say who he is by following His Commandments. His Commandments are to love God and to love one another as He loves us. We know Jesus as One who heals, teaches, and restores. This is what Ukraine needs so much right now, restoration. Let us today say who Jesus is. Jesus is not one of the prophets of old, but rather, He is the one whom the those prophets prophesied about. We proclaim that we know our Lord Jesus through our love and actions.
As we listen to what the Spirit is saying to us, let us live to love, to serve, and to teach, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John
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