#daily gospel reflections

[mothermarysprotection]

Gospel Reading For Today | Gospel Reflection | Catholic Mass Readings - ...

[prettyjesusfreaks]

Not a tame lion.

Jesus was never "safe," never tame. The Son of Man went around speaking in poetry and riddles with a crowd of hand-picked misfits. He didn't just heal someone's blindness - He turned the act into a work of art with a little spit and dirt. He turned water into wine. He cast out demons. He terrified people so much they begged Him to leave their towns. He was homeless. I bet He wore black kohl around His eyes because the sun was so bright. He said Himself that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword. He even talked about setting the world on fire and wishing it was already burning. Where are people getting this washed out image of Christ? Is the real thing just too much?

[compassionmattersmost]

Title: The Heart of Faith: Believing in Jesus and Following His Teachings

Introduction In John 6:40, Jesus provides a profound insight into the will of God: “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.” This verse is a cornerstone of Christian faith, underscoring the importance of recognizing and believing in Jesus. Yet, this belief is not merely about acknowledging…

[catholicdailyreflections]

Becoming an Evangelist

Gospel passage for Wednesday, January 25, 2023 - Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle: “Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 9:17

Prayer: Lord, I do love You and desire to be used by You in the way that You choose. Help me to convert my heart more fully to You so that I can be led by Your gentle and powerful hand. I accept whatever mission You give to me and pray that my life will give You true glory and further Your glorious Kingdom on earth. Jesus, I trust in You.

You can read the Gospel reflection today at: https://catholic-daily-reflections.com/2023/01/24/becoming-an-evangelist-2/

[rabbits-of-negative-euphoria]

genuinely I think one of the most pressing calls for Christians (namely Protestant Christians) today is to stop underestimating the power of beauty

visual beauty, beauty in word, beauty in sound, beauty in story

we have ceded beauty for the past 70 years to the atheistic world and people of all beliefs are realizing that world has failed to carry that standard. people are realizing their daily lives are starved of beauty--especially natural beauty--so they are turning to the entities which recognize its power. entities like paganism, witchcraft, ancestor worship, the New Age. if they are drawn to Christianity (not necessarily believing it), they are more likely to attend a Roman Catholic or Eastern Orthodox mass.

humans need beauty because humans need God, and beauty belongs to God. which means the church should be the standard-bearer of beauty in this world.

if a church can afford it, they should prioritize building a beautiful church, even if that means it will be smaller or less trendy.

if a church has skilled musicians in their midst, they should prioritize using those musicians in worship, even if it means the style of the music changes.

the church should always prioritize hymns and spiritual songs which exemplify goodness, truth, and beauty in their composition and lyrics, even if it means newcomers don't understand every line yet.

all these forms of beauty should reflect the beauty of the story of the Gospel.

[lunii-tunes]

Baby Steps to Big Steps

I just set my phone aside, reclined on my bed, and guess what? I was surrounded by screens – the TV stood right before me, my tablet mounted to the left, and my laptop perched on a stand to the right.

I put my phone down because the moment I logged onto TikTok, I encountered a video addressing lukewarm or carnal Christians. It explained that one cannot wield God's power to fend off the enemy if they are lukewarm in their faith. This made me reflect, "Wow, she's right. I had resolved to read the Bible and immerse myself in God's word, yet here I am, just two days later, having completely forgotten about it."

As I continued to scroll, I encountered a post about a man who devoted his life to Christ in 2005. He shared a story of praying with his wife and daughter before tucking his daughter into bed. Since his wife had already gone to sleep, he retreated to the living room to browse through Instagram and relax following a lengthy and tiring day. He came across an ad featuring a half-naked female and instantly had to avert his eyes and set his phone aside, yet the image lingered in his mind for those few seconds. He was deeply troubled by the unexpected appearance of such content during his browsing. The next day the Holy Spirit delivered a message to him while he was at the gym. He discussed our tendency to become engrossed in worldly matters, neglecting to make time for building a closer relationship with God, yet finding time for TV shows, social media scrolling, and the like. It's a hard truth that, as much as we may not want to acknowledge or accept it, holds validity.

About a month ago, I made the tough decision to deactivate my Facebook and Instagram accounts. Now, I use Tumblr for journaling and TikTok to express how God has influenced my journey. Yet, I'm still captivated by Asian dramas, and sometimes, explicit scenes tempt me towards old habits I've fought off with prayer. I believe that investing more time in Bible study could help me avoid these temptations.

It goes without saying that I still have much work to do to be fully right with God. I prayed before starting this post, and after finishing, I will turn to the Bible and delve into the gospel. For those on the same path, I understand it's a daily struggle. Yet, as long as we pray and act, darkness will not prevail, and we can all achieve eternal life with the Almighty who never lets us down.

1 John 2:15-17

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever."

[walkswithmyfather]

Matthew 9:35-38 (AMP). “Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages [in Galilee], teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the good news (gospel) of the kingdom, and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness [His words and His works reflecting His Messiahship]. When He saw the crowds, He was moved with compassion and pity for them, because they were dispirited and distressed, like sheep without a shepherd. Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest is [indeed] plentiful, but the workers are few. So pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.”

Matthew 6:9-13 (AMP). “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come, Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors [letting go of both the wrong and the resentment]. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.]’”

“Lord, Teach Us to Pray” By In Touch ministries:

“Keep talking to the Lord—He always welcomes you, just as you are.”

“When it comes to prayer, there are two common pitfalls to be aware of. First, when it’s unclear what to pray, some people choose not to pray at all. And second, many believers settle into a lifeless form of praying that leaves them feeling hollow and disconnected from God. Both situations lead to discontentment and frustration.

As Christians, we know that we should pray, even if doing so seems daunting. But far more than any sense of obligation we may feel, it’s wise to recognize that God intended prayer as a blessing for His children: Communing with Him is a fundamental way of experiencing His fullness. We have much to gain by praying—including peace, comfort, wisdom, and God’s very presence. So it would be tragic to give up on trying.

And remember, when we communicate with God, there’s no measuring stick or scorecard. A fumbling yet heartfelt attempt pleases Him far more than a well-worded litany that lacks sincerity. And keep in mind that formal prayers—such as the one Jesus taught His disciples (Matthew 6:9-13)—can help us find a path back into the practice when we’re lost.

Start with the Lord’s Prayer today and return to it as often as needed. You may eventually find your own words flowing freely as a result. But if not, don’t give up. Just keep talking to the Lord.”

[Photo from Artem Kovalev at Unsplash]

[frmartinshomiliesandreflections]

16th June >> Fr. Martin's Homilies / Reflections on Today's Mass Readings for the Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (B) (Inc. Mark 4:26-34): ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like?’

Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (B)

Gospel (Except USA)

Mark 4:26-34 The kingdom of God is a mustard seed growing into the biggest shrub of all.

Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like. A man throws seed on the land. Night and day, while he sleeps, when he is awake, the seed is sprouting and growing; how, he does not know. Of its own accord the land produces first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the crop is ready, he loses no time: he starts to reap because the harvest has come.’ He also said, ‘What can we say the kingdom of God is like? What parable can we find for it? It is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing in the soil is the smallest of all the seeds on earth; yet once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all and puts out big branches so that the birds of the air can shelter in its shade.’ Using many parables like these, he spoke the word to them, so far as they were capable of understanding it. He would not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything to his disciples when they were alone.

Gospel (USA) Mark 4:26–34 It is the smallest of all seeds, and becomes the largest of plants.

Jesus said to the crowds: “This is how it is with the kingdom of God; it is as if a man were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, he knows not how. Of its own accord the land yields fruit, first the blade, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear. And when the grain is ripe, he wields the sickle at once, for the harvest has come.” He said, “To what shall we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable can we use for it? It is like a mustard seed that, when it is sown in the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on the earth. But once it is sown, it springs up and becomes the largest of plants and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the sky can dwell in its shade.” With many such parables he spoke the word to them as they were able to understand it. Without parables he did not speak to them, but to his own disciples he explained everything in private.

Homilies (4)

(i) Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

We have access to information today that wasn’t so easily available to us in the past. If we want to know more about something, we don’t have to go to the library or purchase a book, we can ‘Google it’, as they say. The internet has given us access to lots of information just by pressing a few keys on our computer or our tablet or our smart phones. Yet, what we know is always far less than what we don’t know. There is so much about our universe that even the greatest scientists are still struggling to understand. We have to be humble about what we know, recognizing that there is so much that is still beyond our grasp.

It is said in the first of Jesus’ two parables in today’s gospel reading that when the farmer sows the seed on the land, the seed sprouts and grows, night and day, while he sleeps and when he is awake, but how this happens he does not know. Having sown the seed, the farmer can only step back and allow the seed to work away invisibly but powerfully beneath the surface of the earth. He can really do nothing at this point except wait patiently for the earth to work on the seed until the crop is ready for harvesting. There is something wonderful happening that is invisible to him and that he has very little knowledge of. Jesus was saying that the kingdom or reign of God is like that. God is often at work in our own personal lives, and in the life of our communities, in ways that we do not fully understand. There is often something hidden and invisible to God’s way of working. God can be working in life-giving ways as we go about our daily lives, while we sleep, while we are awake, in the language of the parable. When it comes to God’s relationship with us and our relationship with God, there is always much more going on than meets the eye. At the beginning of one of his letters, Saint Paul says, ‘I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ’. God began God’s good work in our lives at the moment of our conception and then again at our baptism. God’s good work continues throughout our lives. God is always at work within us and among us helping us to grow as human beings, enabling us to become the fully mature person, the Christ-like person, God desires us to be. There is work for us to do as well, just as the farmer had to sow the seed at the beginning and then bring in the harvest at the end. However, our work consists in allowing God to do God’s work in our lives. We try to create an opening in our lives for God and his Son, our risen Lord, to bring to completion the good work they have begun in and among us. We may not always be aware of God’s good work within us, especially in those times when our failings are very clear to us. Yet, even when we do not see God’s good work within us, it is always ongoing. As Saint Paul reminds us in today’s second reading, when it comes to God, we go by faith and not by sight and, because we go by faith, we are always full of confidence,

The second parable in our gospel reading, the parable of the mustard seed, also has something to say about the ways that God is at work in our lives. The mustard seed was considered to be the smallest seed of all, and, yet, it produces a very vigorous shrub that spreads quickly and provides shelter for birds. There is a striking contrast between the smallness of the mustard seed and the large, vigorous, shrub it produces. Jesus is saying that not only is God always at work in a good way in our lives, but that God can be working powerfully through our smallest gestures of goodness, kindness and love. God can do great things in and through our ordinary, everyday actions that can seem very insignificant to us and to others. If we scatter the mustard seeds of the Lord’s love through our small, daily choices, we are making an opening for God to work creatively through us in ways that will often surprise us. We need to appreciate our own small gestures of loving kindness because through them God will work to bring God’s kingdom to earth. We cannot build the kingdom of God on earth, only God can do that, but God needs us to sow mustard seeds of love and hope so that he can work powerfully through our seemingly small and insignificant actions. On one occasion in the gospels, Jesus highlighted the value of giving a cup of cold water to ‘one of these little ones’. On another occasion he drew his disciples attention to the widow who put two small copper coins into the Temple treasury. God is continuously at work through all those small acts of self-giving service that are plentiful in every parish community and often go unnoticed. Today’s parables encourage us to be hopeful because of all the good work that God is doing within us and among us.

And/Or

(ii) Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

Children are great for asking questions. They ask one question and, having received an answer, they ask another. As children grow into adolescence, they begin to ask more probing questions, questions that look for some kind of light to be cast on the deeper issues of life. In time, they may come to realize that clear answers are not always to be found to life’s more profound questions. As adults we often have to reconcile ourselves to living with many unanswered questions. We discover that all our searching will never exhaust the many mysteries of life. We continue to take delight in making fresh discoveries, but we also realize that coming to terms with ‘not knowing’ is an important part of life’s journey.

In this morning’s gospel reading, Jesus speaks a parable which acknowledges the mystery that is at the heart of the most everyday experiences of life. A farmer scatters seed on the good soil of Galilee. Having done the sowing, all he can do is to go about his other business, while the seed takes over and does its own work, producing first the shoot, then the ear, then the full grain in the ear, until the crop is ready for harvest. In the parable it is said of the farmer that ‘he does not know’ how all this happens. Between his actions of sowing the seed and harvesting the crop, a great deal of activity goes on, which is invisible to him and which he does not fully understand. There is a great deal in our world which we do not fully understand, in spite of the great expertise that has developed over the centuries on all aspects of our universe.

Jesus begins the parable with the statement, ‘This is what the kingdom of God is like’. Jesus seems to be saying that if the farmer does not know the ways of the humble seed, how can any of us fully know the ways of God? If natural growth is mysterious, how much more mysterious must be the growth of God’s kingdom? The author of the book of Qoheleth in the Jewish Scriptures expressed it well, ‘Just as you do not know how the breath comes to the bones in the mother’s womb, so you do not know the work of God, who makes everything’. With this parable of the seed growing secretly Jesus appears to be saying that the kingdom of God can be growing among us in ways that we do not fully understand, just as the seed the farmer sows in the ground grows towards harvest in ways he does not understand. There is a reassuring, hopeful message here for all of us who may be tempted to discouragement by the slow progress that the ways of God appear to be making in the world. The spreading of God’s reign is ultimately God’s work and that work is always under way, even when we do not see it or understand it. We have a part to play in the coming of God’s way of doing things among us, just as the farmer has a role to play in the coming of the final harvest. However, that first parable in the gospel reading warns us against overestimating our role. St Paul expresses this perspective well in his first letter to the Corinthians, ‘Neither the one who plants, nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth’.

The second of the two parables that Jesus speaks in today’s gospel reading reminds us that God can be at work in situations and in places that seem very unpromising to us. There is a stark contrast between the tiny mustard seed, ‘the smallest of all the seeds on earth’, and the large shrub whose branches become homes for the birds of the air. Insignificant beginnings can lead to a wonderful result. Jesus says that the kingdom of God is like that; it often finds expression initially in what is small and seemingly insignificant. We can feel at times that our own faith is insignificant, as small as a mustard seed. The parable assures us that the Lord is working in and through such faith. Our hope can appear to diminish to the size of a mustard seed. The parable assures us that such hope is enough for the Lord to work with. Our various worthwhile endeavours can appear to bearing very insignificant results. The parable assures us that the Lord will see to it that the final harvest from those endeavours will be abundant.

Sometimes we have to learn to be content with the small seeds that we can sow, trusting that they can bear fruit in ways that will surprise us. The kingdom of God is something very humble and modest in its origins. We need to learn to appreciate little things and small gestures. We may not feel called to be heroes or martyrs every day, but we are called to put a little dignity into each corner of our little world. There are little seeds of the kingdom that all of us can sow, a friendly gesture towards someone in trouble, a welcoming smile for someone who is alone, a sign of closeness for someone who is in despair, a little ray of joy for a heart full of distress. God’s reign comes in power through the seemingly insignificant actions of each of one us.

And/Or

(iii) Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

We are exposed to bad news a lot of the time. The media can overwhelm us with reports of wars, famines, violence, big and small scandals. The incredible speed with which news spreads can add to the sense we feel of being overwhelmed by suffering and evil in its various forms. We can feel helpless and discouraged before it all. All of this bad news, of course, is an accurate picture of what is going on in our world. We cannot simply pretend it does not exist. We need to acknowledge all of this negativity and to name it. The media provides an important service in helping us to do just that. Yet, there is more going on in our world of a much more wholesome nature which does not always get the same publicity.

This is part of the message that comes through to us in this morning’s gospel reading. Jesus tells two parables to express the reality of the kingdom of God. We can be tempted to think of the kingdom of God as a place beyond this life. Yet, that is not what Jesus primarily meant by the term ‘kingdom of God’. The ‘kingdom of God’ is more a way of life than a place. Whenever we live as God wants us to live, there the kingdom of God is present. Jesus was the person who fully lived in the way God wants us to live. God was pleased with everything that Jesus said and did. That is why everywhere Jesus went the kingdom of God was present. The first thing Jesus said when he started his mission was, ‘the kingdom of God is here’. Whenever we live like Jesus, the kingdom of God is present. Jesus taught us to pray, ‘Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven’. Whenever we do God’s will, whenever we speak and act as God would want us to do, there the kingdom of God is at hand. Whenever we live out of the mindset of Jesus, there the kingdom of God is among us. Whenever, we allow our lives to be shaped by the Holy Spirit, the kingdom of God is present.

In that first parable, Jesus compares the kingdom of God to a farmer who throws seed on the ground and, having done so, has to step back and let nature takes his course. As he goes about his business, sleeping, waking, the seed is growing. Only when what was sown is ripe for harvest can the farmer really get to work again. In all of this process, the farmer has a role to play, but nature has its own work to do in its own time. Jesus is saying that the kingdom of God, living in a way that is in keeping with God’s will for our lives, is a bit like that. Yes, we have our work to do if that is to happen, just as the farmer had to sow the seed and then reap the harvest. However, there is something more going on all the time, apart from our work. The Lord himself is at work in our lives. It is not all down to us, just as it is not all down to the farmer. In his letter to the church in Philippi, Paul expresses his confidence that God who began a good work among them would bring it to completion. The work of growing into Christ, living out of the mind-set of Christ, was primarily God’s good work in their lives. The coming of the kingdom is God’s good work in our lives. Our work consists primarily in co-operating with the work of God which is ongoing in our lives. Even in the midst of all the bad news that is around us, the good work of God continues in the lives of all those who are in any way open to that work of God within us and among us.

Jesus then uses a second seed parable to speak of the kingdom of God. He says it is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all the seeds, which once sown becomes a huge shrub putting out big branches. Jesus is saying that the kingdom of God is as present in the mustard seed as in the large shrub. Doing God’s will, living as God wants us to live, following in the way of Jesus, is not necessarily about doing big things but rather doing small things that are worthwhile. If we manage to sow little seeds of the kingdom, the Lord can work powerfully through those small seeds until they grow into something wonderful. We need to learn to appreciate the little efforts we make, a friendly gesture towards someone in trouble, a welcoming smile for someone who feels excluded, a sign of closeness for someone who is alone. In all of these small ways, the mustard seed of the kingdom of God is at hand and it can grow into something wonderful. Faithful, everyday choices to scatter the seed of the Lord’s love will unleash a power that can transform the world.

And/Or

(iv) Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time

I came across a saying of Saint Francis Xavier recently that caught my attention, ‘Be big in little things’. It is one of those sayings that invites reflection. One of the ways of hearing that saying is that we are to do the small, ordinary, tasks of life with a loving and generous heart. This was very much the spirituality of Saint Therese of Lisieux, her ‘little way’ as she referred to it. She died very young and lived most of her short life in a Carmelite convent. Yet, she did her tasks there with an extraordinary love for the Lord in her heart. She gave herself generously and lovingly to her little, daily, tasks. Even though her world was in some ways very small, her little way had a tremendous impact for good on generations of believers throughout the world.

Today’s gospel reading reminded me of that saying of Saint Francis Xavier, ‘Be big in small things’. Jesus speaks two parables which reveal something of the mystery of the kingdom of God. When we hear the term ‘kingdom of God’, we instinctively think of the ‘kingdom of heaven’, life beyond this earthly life. Indeed, Jesus often speaks about entering the kingdom of God beyond this earthly life. Yet, for Jesus, the kingdom of God was also a present reality. As he began his public ministry, he declared, ‘the kingdom of God is at hand’. Jesus was declaring that the kingdom of God was coming into this earthly world in and through his ministry. The kingdom of God was present when Jesus healed the sick, forgave sinners, shared table with the excluded, proclaimed the good news of God’s unconditional love for all, gathered a new kind of community about himself that would later become the church. Jesus intended that the kingdom of God would continue to come into our world through the community of believers that he began to gather during his earthly life. That is why Jesus taught us to pray in the Lord’s Prayer, ‘thy kingdom come’. We are asking God to help us to live in such a way that God’s kingdom will come into our world through us. The petition ‘thy kingdom come’ is followed immediately by the petition ‘thy will be done’. Whenever, in the power of the Holy Spirit, we live as God wills, whenever we relate to one another in the same loving way that God relates to us, then the kingdom of God is present in our world through our lives.

What does Jesus mean then when he says that the kingdom of God is like a mustard seed which at the time of its sowing is the smallest of all the seeds and, yet, once it is sown it grows into the biggest shrub of them all? He seems to be saying that ‘little things’, as little as a mustard seed, have the potential to be a gateway through which the kingdom of God comes into our world. Jesus is suggesting that we can all sow little seeds of God’s kingdom. Just as the sowing of a small mustard seed grows into a large, vigorous, plant that spreads far and wide providing shelter for birds, so our own sowing of tiny sees of love and hope can have unforeseen effects for good. Faithful, every day, choices to scatter the seed of the Lord’s love unleashes a power that can transform the world. Jesus is encouraging us to appreciate the value of our own small gestures of generosity and loving kindness. He often drew attention to the significance of small gestures, of the mustard seeds of love. He said on one occasion that if anyone gives a cup of cold water to a thirsty person they will not lose their reward. On another occasion he drew his disciples’ attention to a poor widow putting in two small copper coins into the Temple treasury. In the parable of the good Samaritan, the Samaritan traveller was making present the kingdom of God to the broken Jesus by the simple loving gestures of bandaging his wounds, pouring oil and wine on them, putting him on his animal, and bringing him to an inn,

Jesus is assuring us in that parable that the kingdom of God is present in the good and loving choices we make, in our small acts of self-giving service of others. What about the first parable in today’s gospel reading, often called the parable of the seed growing secretly? What is it saying about the presence of the kingdom of God in our world? Jesus seems to be saying that God can be working quietly, mysteriously, and yet powerfully, at the heart of the familiar. The farmer sows the seed and then does nothing for months, and, yet, there is a wonderful process of growth going on all the time, until he is ready to reap the harvest. Jesus is saying that when we sow seeds of hope and love, more is always happening than we realize; God is at work there. The coming of God’s kingdom into the world is primarily God’s work. We have a role to play; we have to sow the seed. If we do that, if we are big in small things, God will exploit that opening in ways beyond all our imagining. God will be working away powerfully through our efforts, small as they may seem to us.

Fr. Martin Hogan.

[faithfulreflections]

Aaron's Benediction

Blessing one another is not just a ritual but a deeply personal and significant part of our spiritual journey. It is not a mere practice but a thread that connects us to the rich heritage of biblical tradition. In Numbers 6:24-26, we find a blessing commanded by God, a divine act intended to bestow His love, protection, and peace upon His people. This blessing, given through Aaron and his sons, was not just words but a divine conduit of God's grace and favor. As we read in Deuteronomy 28:1-6, God's blessings are recurring promises that He actively fulfills through His faithful servants. These blessings are not just historical; they have real implications and applications in our lives today through the grace of the Trinity (2 Corinthians 13:14).  The transition from the Old to the New Covenant, marked by Jesus' ultimate sacrifice, is a profound shift in our relationship with God. It moves us from a mediated relationship to a direct one, enabling us to approach Him personally (1 Timothy 2:5). This transformation enhances our understanding of the Aaronic blessing and underscores the continuity of God's love and grace in our lives. As modern-day priests (1 Peter 2:9), we are called to intercede for others and spread God's blessings.  "May the LORD bless you and keep you." This prayer is not merely a wish but an active invocation of God's favor. As a faith community, we are not just passive recipients of this blessing but are called to actively embody it. Let us not just pray for one another but speak blessings into each other's lives and demonstrate love, grace, and peace in our daily interactions (Matthew 5:16).  Together, let us be channels of God's love and peace, reflecting the heart of the Gospel and fulfilling our calling as a kingdom of priests. Let's understand the transformative power of the Aaronic blessing and actively share it, making a meaningful impact in our lives. This is our mission and purpose and source of immense joy and inspiration.  P.S. Please look at the links below for a detailed discussion of the blog post.

Detailed Blog Post

[mothermarysprotection]

Catholic Readings and Reflection for Today | Mass Readings for Today | C...

[childofchrist1983]

The first thing Andrew did after meeting Jesus Christ was to tell his brother Simon Peter the good news. Were you as excited as Andrew to tell others when you first came to know Jesus? How about now? Sometimes, we lose that excitement over time. But with every answered prayer, every new beginning, God gives us an opportunity to reclaim - and proclaim - our excitement all over again. It is a joy to know Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ. When we look back on our first meeting, we remember how we were so amazed and overwhelmed with joy by Him. Thank Him for continuing to show up in our hearts and our lives. May He use these moments to give us fresh eyes and a restored spirit, so that we may continue to be amazed by Him and His Holy Word and Spirit, and continue to share His Gospel Truth with others without hesitation.

May He empower us by His Holy Word and Spirit to live in the light of His Truth, love grace. May our healing and transformation glorify His name and Kingdom of Heaven and reveal who He truly is to others. May He help us to keep close to Him, so that we may endure until He fully sets us free and brings us to our true home in His Kingdom of Heaven. Thank Him for His Holy Word and Spirit. Thank Him for revealing the Truth of Him and His holiness. May He help us to hold close to Him just as He holds close to us, so that we may live in humble and faithful obedience. If we stray from Him and His path, may He use His Holy Word and Spirit to bring us close to Him once again. May He help us daily to trust fully in Him and His love, provision and care. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for making us anew! May He complete His renewing work in us, ridding us of the sinful words, thoughts and actions that aren’t from Him, so that we may reflect only His love and light and presence in us to this dark and fallen world and the lost souls within it.

God is our Heavenly Father, our Creator and our guide. And Jesus Christ is our LORD and Savior and King. As Christians, we trust Him wholeheartedly and we submit our heart and our lives into His skilled hands. May He shape us according to His design and plan for us, so that we may stand strong in the firing furnace and emerge revealing His craftsmanship as He prepares us serve Him on Earth and in His Kingdom of Heaven according to His Holy Word and will. May He give us the peace and endurance we need each day, and may He use this time to help us grow in His wisdom and strength and to grow in our walk and relationship with Him. May He make us more into the person that He not only created us to us to be, but called us to be from the very beginning.

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for securing a place for all true Christian believers as followers of Christ and spiritually reborn children of God in His eternal Kingdom. Each day, the sun rises and its light and warmth, and the Holy Bible gives us a glimpse of the promised eternity to come. May we continue to walk in the love and light of Christ with our heads held high and our eyes on the finish line. May we lead others to His Gospel Truth and to His light as well throughout this journey with Him. Let us all humble ourselves before God daily, asking Him to forgive us and to strength and teach us to view life through the lens of God and His promises. May He guard our hearts against Satan and the temptations of this world and our flesh. May He give us the peace to find full satisfaction in God and His peace and promises, so that we may live our lives daily in ways that honor and pleases Him. As we seek Him daily, may He reveal Himself to us through the words He has provided and use it to conform the desires of our heart to Him and His love and compassion and grace.

As true and spiritually reborn Christians, we love, trust and believe in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ. We choose to keep Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ first in our hearts and lives and all other worldly desires behind us. He extends salvation to everyone, and we want to show the world the freedom, hope and peace they can have in accepting and following Him. We must ask Him to help us grow spiritually in our relationship with Him and strengthen us and the bonds of love that He has given us, so that our unity may glorify and testify to His power and goodness. Thank Him for calling us to faith and imparting us with salvation and righteousness. May He empower us to live in His will and righteousness, so that we may testify to His soul-saving power as our faith carries us past all doubt, fear, and failure. May He grant us the grace to forgive others who have wronged us, and the humility to seek forgiveness where we have caused strife. May we follow and serve God daily with love, trust, awe and wonder. May Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ strengthen our faith, lift our spirits, protect our hearts, and show us opportunities to help bring others to Him and His Gospel Truth daily. May we do this duty boldly, humbly and faithfully. Seek, follow and trust in the LORD God Almighty always! To God be all the honor and praise and glory!

We must come to Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ with sincere hearts to ask forgiveness and follow Him and His Holy Word and Spirit always. We praise Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the mercy He bestows upon us and we are grateful for His grace and mercy and infinite blessings. By surrendering our hearts and our lives to His will, we see all the blessings He has bestowed upon us. God our refuge and our salvation and our constant provider. We lift our voices to Him in praise for His steadfast love, mercy and understanding. May Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ open our minds and hearts more and more to perceive and embrace Him and His truths. May He help us to find time to pray and read and study the Holy Bible daily and to find power in prayer, praying according to His Holy Word and will. May He help us to come to Him in true repentance and with faith in Him and His grace and merciful nature. May He give us the grace, courage and strength we need to walk with Him and do His will daily. May He teach us to watch our words when we pray to Him and to speak reverently and rightly. May we continually ask God to transform our hearts and make us faithful and humble as we walk with Him daily. We must come to Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ with honest, humble and repentant hearts. We must seek Him and His will and choose to follow Him all the days of our lives. May He help transform our hearts, help us to seek and live for Him above all else and to grow spiritually and build our faith and relationship with Him with each passing day. May He forgive our sinful nature and help us always make Him and our relationship with Him top priority.

As true and born-again Christians, we choose to walk in His righteous path and lead a life that is pleasing to Him. We desire Him and His will above anything else. We desire to walk in accordance with the love and light He has shown to us through His Holy Word and Spirit. We long for a deeper relationship with Him and a deeper fellowship with our brothers and sisters in Christ as well. When we fall into temptation and sin, we must turn to Him for forgiveness, strength and guidance. When believers learn to walk in accordance with God's Holy Word and Spirit, they have deeper fellowship with both God and one another. And the sin that could threaten to destroy that fellowship, if confessed (1 John 1:9), is covered in the blood of Jesus Christ and no longer a barrier between us and God. May we ask Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ to forgive us for any sins we have sinned this day or in days past. May we be faithful to Him and His Holy Word always. May He help us to walk more consistently in the light and to not neglect long to confess and forsake any sins that hinder our walk with Him. May He lead us in the direction He wants us to go so that we may seek and serve Him faithfully. God is holy and almighty and deserving of all praise honor and glory. We rejoice in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, knowing He is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). He is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1:8). May our hearts always be filled with thanksgiving and rejoicing. May He help us to praise Him freely and honestly like all believers who came before us. May we live a life that showcases our love and trust in Him and His Holy Word and Spirit as He uses us draw others to Him and His soul-saving Gospel Truth daily. May He continue guide, correct and protect us, so that we continue to grow in Him and not weaken and stray. May we all remain faithful to Him and to this duty and purpose He has called us to. Seek and put your faith and trust in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ and let Him do the rest. May He humble our hearts and help us focus on following and serving Him daily and helping others with joy and happiness. We lift our voices in praise to Him for His love, mercy, peace, faithfulness and grace - For EVERYTHING!

It is vital that we remain rooted in Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit and that we live and walk as a beacon of His light and love and share and spread the Gospel Truth daily, so that the lost souls in this world can come to know Him and be saved. The more we focus on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ, growing spiritually by building our relationship with Him, leaning on Him and His Holy Word and Spirit, the better off we will be. Thanks to this and our faith in Him, we know that everything will be alright. And we will forever be grateful to Him. As true and born-again Christians, we believe in Him and His Holy Word and we strive daily to walk in His Holy Spirit. We know though our mortal bodies should die, He will raise us up and into new and glorious bodies (The Rapture). We who are truly His and alive at His second coming will never die, and our bodies will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and so shall we ever be with Him in His Kingdom of Heaven forevermore (1 Corinthians 15:51-52, 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17). This is one of many promises given to us by God Himself. Thank God for His strength and guidance when we are faced with sin and temptation. Thank Him for His mercy and grace. Through Bible study and prayer, God reveals His wisdom and guides us to see opportunities to grow closer to Him and grow spiritually. He gives us direction to live our lives daily according to His will.

Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to Heaven (John 3:5, 14:6), the ONLY way to salvation (Acts 4:12, Ephesians 2:8-9) and He is the resurrection and the life (John 11:25-26). Jesus Christ the LORD of lords, the KING of kings, the GOD of gods (Deuteronomy 10:17, 1 Timothy 6:15, Revelation 17:14, Revelation 19:16) - He is the Living, Almighty and Everlasting God (Isaiah 9:6, Revelation 1:8, John 3:16, John 3:36, Jeremiah 10:10). There is no other God besides Him (Isaiah 45:5). We MUST humble ourselves before Him, turning our backs on false teachers, false gods and idols and our sinful ways. We MUST repent and turn back to God and recognize who He is and love Him in return for His great love for us. We MUST make God top priority everyday! May we be motivated to spread God's Holy Word and Gospel Truth to all the Earth, knowing that it is the only hope of all those lost in their sins. Let us not hold out a false hope for men to be saved without the Gospel, but instead, strive to do our part to get the Gospel out to a lost and dying world.

Leaning on Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ through prayer and His Holy Word and Spirit strengthens us and our knowledge and wisdom about God and His Gospel Truth, exposing these imposters. May God help us to seek and lean on Him daily to gain the strength, wisdom and spiritual discernment needed to expose Satan and his imposters who seek to destroy us and God's ultimate Truth. Everyday, we must remember to share Jesus Christ's Gospel Truth with the world and to thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for the grace that He poured out for us on the cross at Calvary. He has freed us from the burdens of sin and from the eternal damnation of Hell. In all we say and do, may all praise, honor and glory always be given to Him and His Kingdom of Heaven.

With renewed minds, hearts and wills, let us serve Him humbly and faithfully out of pure love and grateful rejoicing. May He remind us of His presence and to remain at peace, fully knowing that all will be well because He is always with us. Let us seek Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ today and everyday with all our heart and being, looking for His love, light and will for our lives with each step we take. Let us seek to please Him with our thoughts, words, and deeds and seek to advance His Kingdom of Heaven and His glory with our lives. Let us seek Him from a pure and humble heart, and when we so seek, we believe Him and His promise that we will find. May He help us all to be more sensitive to the teaching ministry of His Holy Word and Spirit, relying on Him and allowing Him to speak to us and guide us every step of our Christian journey.

God gave us the Holy Bible - His living and Holy Word - to let us know of Him and His abiding love and care as well as guide and prepare us for all our lives. May He help us encourage one another as we continue our walk with Him and our duty to Him daily. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for being present for all our new beginnings and all our lives. May He redirect any anxiety we feel as He provides countless opportunities for growth and change. May we humble ourselves before God always, asking Him to forgive our sins and make our hearts and lives anew through His Holy Word and Spirit. May He help us make Him and His Holy Word top priority, so we can grow spiritually and grow in our relationship with Him as we apply it to our daily lives. Thank God that we can focus on Him and everything about Him, for that is what keeps us sane and at peace. May our words and actions always be a reflection of Him and His Holy Word and Spirit and will.

May He help us to always walk in His grace and Holy Spirit, not by our own measure. May He give us the humble humility to know that our freedom and eternal salvation is found only in Him, so that His grace may sustain us, and we may never lose sight of His love and light and mercy. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for calling us to Him and to serve Him. May He equip us to do all that He has called us to do so that as He works through us, He may use us to produce fruit, to reach others, and to encourage all brothers and sisters in Christ. May He work all of these things in us and through us for His Kingdom and His glory. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all His creation, for His miraculous ways and for everything He does and has done for us! Keep the faith and keep moving forward in your walk with Jesus! He loves us and He knows what is best for us. Seek, follow and trust in Him - Always!

Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Word and for sending His Holy Spirit so that we might have His grace, not only to awaken us and transform our hearts in our spiritual rebirth and guarantee our eternity with Him, but to also call upon Him whenever we are in need. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for all the reminders of His love and mercy and faithfulness within His Holy Word. He is bigger than any challenge or circumstance in our lives. Knowing this within our minds and our hearts, nothing can deter our faith in Him and His Truth. May we all accept Him and His eternal gift of salvation and ask that He would transform our hearts and lives according to His will and ways. Thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His Holy Spirit who saves, seals and leads us. May we always thank Father God Almighty and the LORD Jesus Christ for His almighty power and saving grace. For He is our strength, and He alone is able to save us, forgive our sins and gift us eternal salvation and entry into His Kingdom of Heaven.

May we make sure that we give our hearts and lives to God and take time to seek and praise Him and share His Truth with the world daily. May the LORD our God and Father in Heaven help us to stay diligent and obedient and help us to guard our hearts in Him and His Holy Word daily. May He help us to remain faithful and full of excitement to do our duty to Him and for His glorious return and our reunion in Heaven as well as all that awaits us there. May we never forget to thank the LORD our God and our Creator and Father in Heaven for all this and everything He does and has done for us! May we never forget who He is, nor forget who we are in Christ and that God is always with us! What a mighty God we serve! What a Savior this is! What a wonderful LORD, God, Savior and King we have in Jesus Christ! What a loving Father we have found in Almighty God! What a wonderful God we serve! His will be done!

Thanks and glory be to God! Blessed be the name of the LORD! Hallelujah and Amen!

[misspjsuperior]

Some have thought my Vulva Mary to be some crazy absurd thing, some comically, others seriously with accusations of new age blasphemy. Others revere her but too often alongside anti trans rhetoric. But mystic Christian vulva art goes back centuries and also was more popular in the past in association rather to Jesus Christ which therefore naturally then creates trans undertones to the body of Christ. With the consideration of parthenogenesis in which the self conceived offspring is always born female I can feel a trans masc essence to Jesus Christ, bolstered by medieval art in reverence of the Side Wound.

I am by far not the only or first:

“ -this tradition reflects the mystical notion that the body of Jesus is “the body of all bodies” and that it therefore encompasses both traditionally masculine and feminine characteristics.

…

I can understand how, to people who aren’t historians of medieval religion or art, the suggestion that medieval Christians in western Europe frequently imagined and depicted Jesus’s side wound as looking like a vulva might sound bizarre and ridiculous. Nonetheless, this is something that they incontrovertibly did. To understand why they did this, we must first take a look at their historical and cultural context.

The Gospel of John 19:32–37 describes Jesus’s side wound as follows, as translated in the New Revised Standard Version Updated Edition (NRSVUE):

Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth, so that you also may continue to believe.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another passage of scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’

It is not very difficult to see how medieval Christians might have perceived an opening in a person’s body that bleeds, secretes a clear liquid, and is penetrated as in some sense analogous to a vagina—especially when you consider the fact the Latin word vulnus, meaning “wound,” sounds very similar phonetically to the word vulva, meaning “vagina.”

On top of all this, in the twelfth and thirteenth centuries CE, the metaphorical idea of Jesus as a mother became extremely popular and influential among western European Christians, especially among those who were more mystically inclined. Female mystic writers seem to have found this idea particularly appealing.”

[theprinceofpeacesposts]

Your life should reflect Christ

Above all else, you must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ. Then, whether I visit you or not, I will hear that all of you think alike. I will know that you are working together and are struggling side by side to get others to believe the good news. Philippians 1:27 CEV

The Holy Spirit is reminding us today to live in a way we reflect Christ in our daily lives. The word of God today is a call to unity and steadfastness in living out the gospel message.

So Let me break down what God is saying in his word today:

1. "You must live in a way that brings honor to the good news about Christ": Here, we are reminded of the importance of living in a manner that reflects the teachings and values of the gospel. It is not about you professing belief in Christ, but also you must demonstrate your faith through your actions and your conduct.

2. "So that whether I come and see you or am absent": Paul was telling Philippians whether he is with them or not, their conduct should remain consistent. This underscores the idea that their commitment to the gospel should not waver based on external circumstances or the presence of particular leaders.

3. "I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel": Paul desired to hear reports of the Philippians' unity and dedication to the faith. Because one of the main reflection of Christ in us is unity. If we live and work in unity, we are portraying the love of Christ in us to the world. This way the world will know we are children of the Most High.

Overall, the word of God today serves as a reminder to us to live lives that reflect the transformative power of the gospel, to remain steadfast in our faith regardless of circumstances, and to prioritize unity and cooperation in our efforts to spread the message of Christ.

Regardless of the cultural context, we are called to exemplify Christ in all aspects of our lives, transforming the world around us for the glory of God.

Now; here are the affirmations of Christ's character and image, along with the renunciation of conformity to worldly things:

1. Affirmation of Christ's Character: "I affirm that Christ's character is my model and example in all things. I strive to emulate his love, kindness, and compassion in every aspect of my life." (Phil 2:5-8)

2. Renunciation of Conformity to Worldly Things: "I renounce conformity to the values and patterns of this world. Instead, I choose to be transformed by the renewing of my mind, aligning myself with the will of God and rejecting anything that contradicts his truth." (Rom 12:2)

3. Affirmation of Reflecting Christ's Light: "I affirm that I am called to be a light in the world, shining brightly with the virtues of Christ—love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. I strive to reflect Christ's light in all that I do, bringing glory to God in every circumstance." (Mt 5:14-16)

4. Renunciation of Dishonorable Conduct: "I renounce dishonorable conduct and resolve to keep my behavior honorable among others. Even in the face of opposition or criticism, I will maintain integrity and righteousness, knowing that my actions speak volumes about the character of Christ within me." (1Pet 2:12)

5. Affirmation of Living in Christ's Name: "I affirm that everything I do, whether in word or deed, is to be done in the name of the Lord Jesus. I give thanks to God the Father through him, acknowledging his lordship over my life and seeking to glorify him in all things." (Col 3:17)

AMEN!

[catholicdailyreflections]

Reflection 21: You Are Loved. Believe it.

Being accepted by Christ and living within His merciful Heart will lead you to discover how much He loves you. He does love you more than you can imagine. Let yourself begin to discover that love. Savor it, believe it, understand it and seek it all the more (See Diary #16).

Spend time today pondering one simple fact. You are loved. You are loved by our Divine Lord Jesus with a greater intensity than you could ever imagine. Sometimes we fail to recognize this fact and, as a result, fail to let His love enter in. Ponder His love for you today and let it begin to sink in more deeply.

Lord, I know that You love me but I also know that I do not understand the full extent of Your perfect love. Lord, help me to see Your love more clearly and to allow that love to sink into the depth of my soul. Jesus, I love You. Jesus, I trust in You.

[anamericangirl]

The amount of antisemitic filth spewed by Christians daily is beyond nauseating. Only with Christians could I be called a christ killer, be accused of drinking the blood of babies, be told I'm somehow secretly a lizard person and be implicated in an absurd number of conspiracy theories all in the span of a single sentence.

Doesn't matter what sect or branch or denomination or whatever of Christian you are. Western Christianity by design and virtue is antisemitic. Martin Luther called for the mass execution of Jews who refused to convert and was directly cited by Adolf Hitler. The Catholic Church was complicit in the Holocaust. Baptist Preacher Steven Anderson recently released a documentary called 'Marching to Zion, where he makes some very bold claims like having scrip­tural evi­dence that the Jews are no longer God’s cho­sen peo­ple” to claim­ing that “Judaism’s Mes­siah” is the Antichrist to the “blas­phe­mous teach­ings of the Tal­mud and Kabbalah.”

And the list goes on. Christians cannot remove themselves from their antisemitic history. I am a jew. I am proud of being a jew. I will not be gaslit into ignoring how Christians wish to harm Jews.

First I’m sorry it took me so long to get to this - trying to get my older asks responded to.

And I’m sorry for any negative experiences you’ve had with Christians but I have to say the things you mentioned in the first paragraph is not something that can be independently verified but i can assure I have myself seen some similar things espoused by people who are certainly not Christians. And also, even if some Christians have said such things, it is not fair to judge Christianity or all Christians by such things because those are certainly not the feelings shared by the majority of Christians and does not reflect christian values at all.

Western Christianity is not anti-Semitic by design and virtue. You have a very narrow and misguided understanding of Christianity. And if you want to use Martin Luther as an example then it’s only fair, as well as important, to understand the historical context. Martin Luther actually started off as very sympathetic towards the Jews and condemned those who degraded and disparaged them. He was very optimistic in his views towards them and hoped to see a massive conversion of them to Christianity after attempts to bring the gospel to them. Much later on he became disheartened and pessimistic in his views when this conversion wasn’t happening. And back in the Middle Ages, which cannot be judged through the lens of today, there were very different ideas on the roles of church and state. Luther’s adversion to Jews was not racial, it was theological and he believed, as was already the norm in practice, it was the role of the state to deal with blasphemy. And Luther believed the teachings of Jews were blasphemous and was calling for the state to deal with it. He was not encouraging Christians to wage war against their Jewish neighbors. And he did not, as you incorrectly stated, call for their mass extinction.

And, I’m sorry, but I’m so over this “Hitler cited them therefore they are a bad person” rhetoric that so many people cling to. Hitler was a bad person. And he did very evil things but people should not be judged based on whether or not they were cited by Hitler hundreds of years after their death. They should be judged on their own merit. We all know Hitler was wrong on a great many things so why, when we look at who Hitler cites, is there no room for the idea that maybe Hitler was misusing someone’s quote to his own advantage or interpreted someone. else’s ideas incorrectly? Why is how Hitler decided to use the ideas of someone else (often incorrectly) the ultimate judge of whether or not that person is good or bad? Why can’t you open your mind to the possibility that maybe Hitler misinterpreted or misused these quotes?

And furthermore Christianity does not follow Martin Luther. We follow Christ. Yes, he plays an important role in church history but no branch of Christianity views him as a perfect person who had the right ideas about everything. Modern Christianity, including the Lutheran church, has explicitly rejected Luther’s later comments about Jews in writing.

Your third example is someone who is very bluntly stating things that surmount to theological differences. And yea, surprise, Christianity has some pretty significant theological differences with Judaism that we do think need to be called out. Like for example yes Jews initially were God’s chosen people but now we are all His chosen people. And also citing one pastor hardly makes a case against Christianity as a whole.

It’s not gaslighting. It’s adding context and explanation to things you have gravely misunderstood or used to unfairly judge us as a whole. Christians do not wish to harm Jews. Quite the opposite, actually.

[buggie-hagen]

Books I've read in 2023:

On First Principles by Origen. Translated by John Behr.

Low Anthropology: The Unlikely Key to a Gracious View of Others (and Yourself) by David Zahl

Luther's Outlaw God, vol. 1: Hiddenness, Evil, and Predestination by Steven Paulson

Luther's Works, vol. 23: Sermons on the Gospel of St. John, Chapters 6-8

Boys and Oil: Growing Up Gay in a Fractured Land by Taylor Brorby

Theology is for Proclamation by Gerhard O. Forde

Luther's Outlaw God, vol. 2: Hidden in the Cross by Steven Paulson

The Annotated Luther, vol. 4: Pastoral Writings ed. by Mary Jane Haemig

Call Me By Your Name by André Aciman

Atomic Habits: An Easy and Proven Way to Build Good Habits and to Break Bad Ones by James Clear

Who is the Church?: An Ecclesiology for the Twenth-first Century by Cheryl M. Peterson

Messianic Exegesis: Christological Interpretation of the Old Testament in Early Christianity by Donald Juel

Luther's Outlaw God, vol. 3: Sacraments and God's Attack on the Promise by Steven Paulson

Ragged: Spiritual Disciplines for the Spiritually Exhausted by Gretchen Ronnevik

The Early Versions of the New Testament: their origin, transmission, and limitations by Bruce Metzger

The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

Confessing Jesus: The Heart of Being a Lutheran by Molly Lackey

Adamantius: Dialogue on the True Faith in God translated by Robert A. Pretty

The Annotated Luther, vol. 5: Christian Life in the World, edited by Hans Hillerbrand

The End is Music: A Companion to Robert W. Jenson's Theology by Chris E. W. Green

Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melodie Beattie

The Church Unknown: Reflections of a Millenial Pastor by Seth Green

Reading While Black: African American Biblical Interpretation as an Exercise in Hope by Esau McCaulley

A Guide to Pentecostal Movements for Lutherans by Sarah Hinlicky Wilson

Daily Grace: The Mockingbird Devotional, vol. 2

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Not listed are some books that I chose not to finish and some books that I have yet to finish.