Saint Paul says that we can be eloquent, we can be eloquent to the point of the angelic, we can see the mysteries, we can expound upon them, we can enlighten those around us. We can do miracles. We can give all that we possess, and be great altruists. We can suffer in our body for God and for others. But Saint Paul says that if we do these things without Love, then all of these things that we might do are meaningless. Without love, all these works, and amendments, and satisfactions, turn to dust.

When we hear Christ speak of the one with the noble, good heart (and how does He describe this person? The one who clings to the word), there is a seriousness about it. The Word of God in Christ is not for silly, lazy people. The demons are going to steal it, or, you know, it's not going to last. it won't take root. If we are going to last, if we are going to be saved, we have to bury it deep. So the demons can't get at it. So the love of the world can't choke it out. And burying the word in our heart, as the psalmist says, requires something of us.

Jesus spoke in parables. Is Jesus still speaking in parables? The obvious answer is, we just read the parables this morning, and we take the reading of scripture in the context of liturgy as Jesus directly speaking to us, so we have to say yes, He is still speaking in parables. But beyond and past the Holy Writ, is he speaking to you in parables, in your life? Is he speaking to the world in parables? Or has he given up parables? Maybe he's given up parables and gone on to more straightforward means of communication in your life. That shouldn't be too difficult of a question to answer. If he does still speak to us in parables, do we get what he's trying to say to us? Or are we left scratching our heads? Does the seed of the word of christ penetrate the soil of our heart? Does it take root? Or does it get swept away by the wind, snatched up by the birds? Do we get additional information from Christ? Well, if we're left in the dark, which we so often are, there's a reason for it.

Since we have been redeemed by the Blood of Christ we live for Him now, there is a kingdom coming down out of heaven of which we are citizens, he has delivered us from the power of darkness and transferred us to the Kingdom of the Son. Our loyalty lies with the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, his body the Church.

The letter itself testifies that the events being described show us an example of martyrdom which is conformable to the Gospel- which is to say we are going to describe for you the exemplary death of a great and holy man who died in the same holy way that our Lord and the Apostles died.

The Epistle of the Smyrneans which describes Polycarp’s death is the Proto-Martyrology- the first work of its kind in the Church. It is notable not just because it is the first- it really set’s the tone for all subsequent martyrologies- it is Polycarp after Jesus and the Apostles of course, but it is Polycarp who teaches us how to die- and there is little in this world more beautiful than a holy death.

Episode Notes

Leviticus 14:1 begins: “The Lord spoke to Moses….” What follows in chapter 14 are the complex instructions for what to do when a person thinks they have been cleansed from leprosy. These detailed instructions are given to Moses directly from the Lord.

As we look at Leviticus chapter 14 and read the story of Jesus healing the Leper and then instructing him to go now and follow these very requirements, we should keep in mind just who the Lord is who gave Moses these very instructions.

The Lord who, several thousand years ago gave Moses detailed instructions for a cleansed leper is the very same person telling this leper to go and fulfill these requirements. The Lord in Leviticus is Jesus Himself now standing before this recently cleansed man and referring him back to his original directive.

The things of greatest significance in this life have something to do with birth, death or conjugation. The arch of a life is defined on both ends by baptism and a funeral and marriage at the center holds equal place of import. The very creation and fullness of the human, male and female is summed up in marriage. Likewise the new creation is fulfilled as Christ and His bride the Church.

Episode Notes

Not many of us are from noble stock or the aristocracy- (is anyone here from the aristocracy?) we should relish this story which draws attention to the simple poor rustic shepherds who were lowly esteemed laborers in their day. And it is even more impressive that Luke devotes so much space to them. They who were invisible and lowly esteemed by society have been highly esteemed by the Evangelist who goes on and on about them, they were highly esteemed by the angels who put on quite a show for them, they were most highly esteemed by God Himself who arranged all of this and has had it recorded for all the ages to delight in.

Episode Notes

Tonight, the Lord of Hosts, Judge of Nations and terror of the wicked- is a small, helpless, vulnerable baby who is crying and wants his mother. The Man of War is a crying baby, and his mother coddles him, wraps him tightly in strips of cloth and holds him close and nurses him. This is the man of war, a plump little baby crying for his mother.

We must feel some tenderness knowing the holy baby Jesus. Tenderness that His mother feels for him. For all the talk of war, and enemies, and hard brutality and destruction- On this night, this festival reveals our God, our man of war as He also is to us, a tender precious, gentle, weak, vulnerable baby.

This sentiment is every bit as central to our faith as that of war and the destruction of the Devils works- more so, because the war will end but the tenderness will only grow and the sweet fragrance that we enjoy in this festival of Christmas will wash away all the residue of the ugly and hard battle of our punishment.

Episode Notes

We are often befuddled by the Jews rejection of Jesus. Even with all the physical evidence staring them in the face, the astonishing undeniable miracles- I mean they tried to kill Jesus after he raised Lazarus from the dead- It is bewildering to us to conceive of their rejection of Jesus after all he did. But we are told in the Gospels repeatedly the reason they rejected Jesus- they rejected him because their hearts were hardened. Ok… That’s no reason to crucify Him.  Well this is only bewildering because we do not understand what a hardened heart can do to a person- it makes them insane, incapable of seeing clearly, of making wise decisions, of knowing what’s what. It takes away their reason and makes them beasts. That’s the reality of someone who’s heart has become truly hardened. Now who wants to be a foaming pet on a demon’s leash?  Good news is we know how to avoid such a condition. Repentance- that is the cure and preventative medicine for a hardened heart.