onewhoponders

Pondering for Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday: Week of the Second Sunday after Christmas: Year 2

Psalm 103: Psalm 114, 115: Deut. 8:1-3: Col. 1:1-14: John 6:30-33,48-51

“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats of this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51)

From the Gospel of John we learn of God’s plan through Jesus is to give us eternal life through a human body which is the very Word of God. It sounds confusing.

Perhaps this fulfills the prophetic word of our Deuteronomy reading; for today where we are told, “He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.” (Deuteronomy 8:3)

So we can feed on the material food of this world to fortify our material bodies. But the material world is a transient world, not an eternal world. Jesus, born of a material woman, made manifest by the eternal Holy Spirit, makes possible our eternal life through the same. It sounds confusing, but I want it.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John

Pondering for Monday, January 6, 2020

Eucharistic Readings for the Epiphany

Isaiah 60:1-6 Psalm 72:1-7,10-14 Ephesians 3:1-12 Matthew 2:1-12

“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.”

So in these words we hear the Magi say that they are looking for a child born king of the Jews (not king of Israel). I find it interesting that this will also be the words placarded over his head on the cross, “Jesus king of the Jews.” So Jesus is king not of a specific land mass but of a One God faith – a faith that he invites all people to share – to be grafted into his very own body and blood. There is a specialness about this child.

The Magi say, “We observed his star.” Wait, What! He has a star! If a child or any person has a dedicated star, that child or person is recognized by the heavenly bodies as an entity unique in all creation. No one before, or since, has ever had a celestial body as an indicator of their presence. From outside the child’s community, the specialness of this child is made known to those who study the heavens.

It takes a certain amount of acceptance to acknowledge not being the chosen one of God and that a person from another culture has been chosen. But here is the deal, we have this blessed assurance, that whomever God picks, it is not just for that person, or group, or nation, or clan, or family only. Moses was blessed not for himself but for the liberation of Israelites. And in this particular case the Son of God is born for the salvation of all humanity.

The Magi put their own ethnicity, culture and race aside and looked at what the heavens were doing, and so should we. God’s plan is so much larger than any group of us. We too need to see the light.

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John

Pondering for Sunday, January 5, 2020

This is the Twelfth Day of Christmas

Eucharistic Readings for the Second Sunday after Christmas Day: Year A

Jeremiah 31:7-14 Psalm 84 or 84:1-8 Ephesians 1:3-6,15-19a Matthew 2:13-15,19-23 or Luke 2:41-52 or Matthew 2:1-12

“Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? For we observed his star at its rising, and have come to pay him homage.” (Matthew 2:2)

The Magi put race and ethnicity aside and looked at what the heavens were doing, and so should we. Paul says, “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people.” (Ephesians 1:18) Merry Christmas: Day 12

Let us all strive to maintain the light of Christ in the world. Merry Christmas: Day 11

Let us always listen, learn, love and lead with the mind of Christ. Merry Christmas: Day 10

I pray that you may use your God-given gifts to the best of your ability and to our well being. Merry Christmas: Day 9

May your Christened name be blessed forever. Merry Christmas; Day 8

We thank you Lord Jesus for being born like us, for us, and saving us. Merry Christmas: Day 7

If being forgiven is the greatest gift we can ever receive from someone, then it is also the greatest gift we can ever give to someone. Merry Christmas: Day 6

It is an extraordinary gift we have, to believe. All Christians need to live into what we believe. Merry Christmas: Day 5

We are never to hurt or harm children, only help them, teach them, save and love them. This is what Christmas is all about. Merry Christmas: Day 4

The testimony of John the apostle about our Lord Jesus is true; Believe. Merry Christmas: Day 3

Let us not take our hate or ill will for another with us to our mortal death. Merry Christmas: Day 2

Our being saved has as much to do with the birth of Jesus as it does his Resurrection from the dead. Merry Christmas: Day 1

Let us hear what the Spirit is saying to and through the saints of God and then ponder anew what the Almighty can do. John

Pondering for Saturday, January 4, 2020

This is the Eleventh Day of Christmas

Daily Office Readings for Saturday following the First Sunday after Christmas: Year 2

AM Psalm 85, 87; PM Psalm 136 Joshua 3:14—4:7; Eph. 5:1-20; John 9:1-12,35-38

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9: 5)

The Gospel of John opens with words explaining that Jesus, the Logos of God, is the light of the world. This light is more than just visual illumination. It is moral insight into right behavior. Ii is as the Christmas song says, being good for goodness sake.

Let us all strive to maintain the light of Christ in the world always. Merry Christmas: Day 11