Today our readings cover God’s covenant of rescue through Moses, particularly the Ten Commandments. May we all learn to love God and neighbor by obeying the moral commandments of God as an expression of gratitude for Christ’s saving work in our lives.
Our readings today point us in the direction of God’s covenants with Abraham. And we are reminded that we are true children of Abraham when we have a living faith in Jesus Christ. (Please forgive my voice, as I am recovering from the flu in this recording.)
This Lent, the lectionary bring’s us through God’s covenants in our OT lessons – beginning with Noah. We are reminded that though he doesn’t need us, our Lord loves us and will make sure sin doesn’t destroy his good creation. That’s why he make covenants with us. (Our catechism reminds us of this, too.)
The prophet Joel warns us the beginning of Lent that facing sin can be a veritable battle, nevertheless God’s invitation to repent remains.
As we wrap the season after the Epiphany, our Gospel lesson places us on the holy mountain of Christ’s Transfiguration. And while it is easy to remember how this event mirrors the experience of Moses and Elijah, may we also never forget how this event recaptures what it means to have God walk with his people, in our closeness to him, and his closeness to us by the indwelling Spirit.
In our lesson from St Mark today, we find the healing and preaching mission of Jesus expand from a single healing to regional fame. May we all find Christ to be our healer both spiritually and physically, and may we all avail ourselves to bring his healing touch to others.
Our lesson from St Mark’s Gospel reveals Jesus as Teacher and Deliverer, ultimately pointing us to the fact that he is the Son of God. May we all discover both the preparatory and the timely message of Word made flesh more than enough to reveal his saving love for us!
Today in our Gospel lesson, as Jesus implores St Peter and St Andrew to follow him and become fishers of men and women, we are reminded that asking us to share the message and love of Christ is asking no more than what he himself did when he walked among us. If evangelism is your goal, then receive this blessing from the Compleat Angler, “Let the blessing of St. Peter’s Master be…upon all that are lovers of virtue, and dare trust in his Providence, and be quiet and go a-angling.”
The lectionary takes us to John 1 where the broader context unveils many names ascribed to and appropriated by Jesus. As we reflect on them we discover more who Jesus is and deepen our love for him.
Country Parson at Large 