“And at the end of eight days, when He was circumcised, He was called Jesus” (Luke 2:21). A Christian celebration of New Year’s would endeavor to include three things: 1. The ongoing celebration of Christmas (December 25-January 5) 2. The circumcision and naming of Jesus (Luke 2:21) 3. Prayer at the start of a new […]
“…the baby lying in a manger” (Luke 2:16). The manger is mentioned three times in the Christmas Gospel. It must be significant. manger, n. A trough or open box in which fodder is placed for horses or cattle. Have you ever heard the expression, “You can’t put God in a box”? Maybe you’ve even used […]
“In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses” (Eph. 1:7). The blood of Christ is at the heart of the Christian faith. There are, medically speaking, eight different types of blood: O+, O-, A+, A-, B+, B-, AB+, and AB-. Which one do you have? What about the Savior? I […]
“And Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him…” (Mark 10:21). The episode of the rich young man can be found in Matthew, Mark, and Luke. However, only Mark writes that “Jesus, looking at him, loved him.” That tender detail leads to the possibility that the rich young man was Mark himself. We […]
“…He saw a man called Matthew” (Matt. 9:9). The Dutch painter Terbrugghen has provided deep insight into the calling of St. Matthew. The painting shows Jesus pointing at Matthew from close range. We can almost hear the words, “Follow Me” (Matt. 9:9). Matthew is shown pointing at himself. Clearly he is thinking, “Who, me? You […]
“And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, ‘His name is John'” (Luke 1:63). “And his head was brought on a platter” (Matt. 14:11). John the Baptist was six months older than the Christ whose way John prepared (Luke 1:36). So on June 24, six months until Christmas, we celebrated the birthday of […]