This Sunday's sermon is given by The Rev. Br. Thomas Bonaventure Devlin, MGC. Fr. Devlin serves in Las Vegas and is director of San Damiano Ministries. He is also a brother in the Mercy of God Community.
Here am I Lord and I have come to do your will
For this second Sunday in Ordinary time, our church provides us with biblical texts from Isaiah, Psalm 40, Corinthians and John.
For me the tie in for all the sacred texts is the Psalm, in which the Psalmist is crying to God, and God heard him, putting a new song into his mouth, a hymn to our God.
He realizes that God does not want sacrifices or sin-offerings, but rather ears open to obedience, and a heart in which God’s law presides. For me, this is more of a heart in which God’s Spirit resides.
The Lord tells us through Isaiah that God will make Jesus (and us) a light to the nations, that God’s salvation will reach to the ends of the earth. How; by being the ears of God, and holding on tightly to God’s law and living in the Spirit. It is too little, says God, for you to be my servant… God had a lot more in store for Jesus, and for us.
Returning in this Sunday’s gospel is John the Baptizer.
When we last encountered him in Advent, he was in prison waiting patiently, and sent his friends to see if Jesus was the one. Jesus never told John’s friends he was the One. He told them to report to John that the deaf hear, the dumb speak, and the lame leap. Those are the signs and wonders.
Now, John knows that Jesus is the One. He saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain on Jesus. John did not know Jesus, when he started his mission of preparation, but the One who sent him to baptize with water told him, “On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”
John finishes by saying, “Now I have seen and testify that he is the Son of God!”
So here we are living out our lives, crying out to our God in all our needs. God hears us and will put a new song on our lips. God will let us know through signs and wonders that Jesus truly is God’s Son; thus allowing us to be obedient to the call of preparing our hearts to receive the law of our God, which can be visualized by seeing the dove of the Spirit resting on all of us.
May our Merciful God bless us all!
Amen.
Here am I Lord and I have come to do your will
For this second Sunday in Ordinary time, our church provides us with biblical texts from Isaiah, Psalm 40, Corinthians and John.
For me the tie in for all the sacred texts is the Psalm, in which the Psalmist is crying to God, and God heard him, putting a new song into his mouth, a hymn to our God.
He realizes that God does not want sacrifices or sin-offerings, but rather ears open to obedience, and a heart in which God’s law presides. For me, this is more of a heart in which God’s Spirit resides.
The Lord tells us through Isaiah that God will make Jesus (and us) a light to the nations, that God’s salvation will reach to the ends of the earth. How; by being the ears of God, and holding on tightly to God’s law and living in the Spirit. It is too little, says God, for you to be my servant… God had a lot more in store for Jesus, and for us.
Returning in this Sunday’s gospel is John the Baptizer.
When we last encountered him in Advent, he was in prison waiting patiently, and sent his friends to see if Jesus was the one. Jesus never told John’s friends he was the One. He told them to report to John that the deaf hear, the dumb speak, and the lame leap. Those are the signs and wonders.
Now, John knows that Jesus is the One. He saw the Spirit come down like a dove from heaven and remain on Jesus. John did not know Jesus, when he started his mission of preparation, but the One who sent him to baptize with water told him, “On whomever you see the Spirit come down and remain, he is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”
John finishes by saying, “Now I have seen and testify that he is the Son of God!”
So here we are living out our lives, crying out to our God in all our needs. God hears us and will put a new song on our lips. God will let us know through signs and wonders that Jesus truly is God’s Son; thus allowing us to be obedient to the call of preparing our hearts to receive the law of our God, which can be visualized by seeing the dove of the Spirit resting on all of us.
May our Merciful God bless us all!
Amen.
