"Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted."Matthew 5:3 There is no mistaking that 2020 has been a truly unusual year. The year started with one disaster after another, leading into a global coronavirus pandemic that so far has lasted for five months in the United States, and as long as eight months in China, where it all began. During this time reported … [Read more...] about The Mourning of the Kingdom
Matthew
The Poverty of the Kingdom
Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, and when he sat down, his disciples came to him. And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 5:1-3 The crowds gathered around from all over. From as far away as Damascus, a wealthy trading post along the Fertile Crescent, outside of … [Read more...] about The Poverty of the Kingdom
The Gospel of the Kingdom
"And He went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people. So His fame spread throughout all Syria, and they brought Him all the sick, those afflicted with various diseases and pains, those oppressed by demons, those having seizures, and paralytics, and He healed … [Read more...] about The Gospel of the Kingdom
The Reward of Repentance
"I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork in in His hand, and He will clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat into the barn, but the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire." (Matthew 3:11-12) I grew up in … [Read more...] about The Reward of Repentance
The Fruit of Repentance
"But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father," for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid … [Read more...] about The Fruit of Repentance