Are You a Wicked Guest? Matthew 22:1-14

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Are You a Wicked Guest? Matthew 22.1-14

The wedding feast of the king’s son is ready! All who were invited are to come! Yet, they rejected the final invitation and the king destroyed them and brought in others to celebrate. Amongst them was one without proper wedding attire and he was cast out.

What does this all mean? It reminds us that we are to make ourselves ready in light of the invitation of the King to the final wedding feast of the bridegroom, when all is made right and we are renewed. We know that it is coming and we are to be making preparations for that final call, depending upon the Father’s work in us through the Holy Spirit.

Image: Brunswick Monogrammist, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The Rejected Tenants, Matthew 21:33-44, Isaiah 5:1-7

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran The Rejected Tenants, Matthew 21.33-44, Isaiah 5

Image: Jean-François Millet, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Which Son are You? Matthew 21:28-32, Ezekiel 18, Philippians 2:1-13

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Which Son are You_ Matthew 21.28-32, Ezekiel 18, Philippians 2.1-13

What is the difference between the two sons in Jesus’ parable? The way each responds to his father’s will reveals the difference. It also reminds us that even though one eventually responds, we need another perfect Son to make a way for mercy to be received for our failure to act, whether we said no and went or said yes and didn’t go.

Image: Parable of the Two Sons, Andrei Mironov, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Do You Do Well to be Angry? Jonah 4, Matthew 20:1-16

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Do You Do Well to be Angry_ Jonah 4, Matthew 20.1-16

When the early workers saw that the Master of the vineyard was paying them the same as the last hour workers, they were angry and jealous of the Master. When Jonah saw that God would relent because of the repentance of the Ninevites, he was angry. In both cases, anger was expressed because of generosity and mercy. Does your anger get the better of you when you see others get grace and mercy? Do you realize that if God didn’t extend grace and mercy to others, he would not extend it to you? Father Jeremiah explains this today and encourages us all to be thankful and rejoice at God’s grace and mercy in Jesus Christ for us all.

Image: Jonah Under His Gourd, Maarten van Heemskerck, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Forgiving through Receiving Forgiveness, Matthew 18:21-35

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Forgiving through Receiving Forgivness, Matthew 18.21-35

When St. Peter asked Jesus how much he should forgive his brother who sins against him, Jesus told him that forgiveness must be unlimited because we have been forgiven more by the Father in heaven than any amount of sin that can be done against us by our brother.

Image: The Unmerciful Servant, John Everett Millais, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Reconciled to Reconcile, Matthew 18:15-20

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Reconciled to Reconcile, Matthew 18.15-20

When Jesus teaches the one must go to a brother who has sinned against him, we must realized what underlies such a command. The purpose of such going is to bring about reconciliation and the reason one would seek reconciliation with another is because Jesus has reconciled his people to himself and the Father. We don’t confront another to lord over them, but out of a heart of brotherly love seeking the other’s repentance not merely to us, but before God himself.

Image: The Embrace of Saint Peter and Saint Paul, Harvard Art Museums, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Jesus' Cross, My Cross, Matthew 16:21-27

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Jesus' Cross, My Cross, Matthew 16.21-27

Though St. Peter confessed rightly that Jesus is the Messiah, when Jesus begins teaching what the Messiah must do, St. Peter takes him aside and rebukes him. Why does he do this? How do we do this in our own lives? And what must we do to avoid doing this in our lives always?

Image: Take Up Your Cross, picture by LawrenceOP, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/50285634921/in/photostream/

St. Peter's Confession, Blessing, and Calling, Matthew 16:13-20

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran St. Peter's Confession, Blessing, and Calling Matthew 16.13-20

Image: Christ Handing the Keys to St. PeterPietro Perugino, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Crumbs that Truly Satisfy, Matthew 15:21-28

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Crumbs that Truly Satisfy, Matthew 15.21-28

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The Canaanite woman wasn’t afraid to approach Jesus because she knew what kind of savior he was going to be. He wasn’t only for the Jews, but was the promised seed of Abraham who would bring blessing to the world. Therefore, she had faith that she could receive his words and turn them back to him to remind him that even dogs get crumbs. And she discovers that even crumbs can be transformed into a whole meal.

Image:The Canaanite Woman, Condé Museum, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Little to Give, Greatly to be Used, Matthew 14:13-21

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Little to Give, Greatly to be Used, Matthew 14.13-21

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After Jesus has spent all day healing and teaching a multitude, the disciples point out that they people should be sent away to find food. But Jesus tells them to feed the crowds. The disciples only have 5 loaves and 2 fish. What will happen? Jesus takes their little and makes it a great amount to bless and satisfy the hungry crowds!

In our lives, the little that we have from ourselves can be taken by Jesus and be made a blessing for many others beyond what we think can happen.

Image: Christ Feeding the Multitude, from Treasures of the Bible by Henry Davenport Northrop, pg 404, published in 1894. Public Domain. (cropped from original page, scanned by Google) Book found here: https://www.google.com/books/edition/Treasures_of_the_Bible/9qDEBKKqj68C

Valued through Christ Alone, Matthew 13:31-33, 44-50

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Valued Through Christ Alone, Matthew 13.31-33, 44-50

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What happens when we discover that our value isn’t something that we create, but is given to us by God himself? What happens when we realize that all our strivings to get God’s attention aren’t needed, but that he is searching for us and will claim us as his own through the faith he gives by the presence of the Holy Spirit? Jesus’ parables remind us that it is God who is at work to make us his own. We respond to the one who has already come to us and we are received because he is ready to receive us. All of that enables us to live the life he calls us to through the power of the Spirit working in us.

Image: from Christ's Object Lessons by Ellen Gould Harmon White, published 1900, page 109, https://archive.org/details/christsobjectles00whitrich, public domain. Image Location: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Buried_treasure.jpg

Wheat Amongst the Weeds, Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Wheat Amongst the Weeds, Matthew 13.24-30, 36-43

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What are we to do when we find tares amongst the wheat? What are we to do when we discover tares affecting us as wheat? How are we to endure? Jesus calls us toward patience regarding these tares because he himself will take care of them in the end. And besides that, we aren’t able to always identify the tares from the wheat with our limited perspective, so we must wait for Christ.

Image: Christ's Object Lessons by Ellen Gould Harmon White, page 73 (https://archive.org/details/christsobjectles00whitrich), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.

Seed and Soil, Word and Hearts, Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Seed and Soil, Word and Heart, Matthew 13.1-9. 18-23

When Jesus finished speaking his parable of the sower, he said, “He who has ears, let him hear.” How does this little phrase help us in understanding the parables? It reminds us that we must always ask and pray for understanding and that the power that causes the seeds to grow in our hearts is not our hearts, but in the seed themselves because seeds are the word of God planted in us by others.

Image: Parable of the Sower, taken by Lawrence OP, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/50103753667/

Swords and Crosses, Matthew 10:34-42

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Swords and Crosses, Matthew 10.34-42

Jesus tells us that we must face swords and crosses as his disciples. He didn’t come to bring peace, but a sword that would divide his people from those who aren’t his people. In that, we must take up a cross that means self-denial, for without taking up that cross we are unworthy of Jesus.

Image: Take up Your Cross, photo by Lawrence OP, licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 (no changes made). Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/paullew/12672788743/in/photostream/

Of More Value than Sparrows, Matthew 10:16-33

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Of More Value than Sparrows, Matthew 10.16-33, Romans 5.15-19

In light of being sent by Jesus out to proclaim the kingdom, Jesus warns his apostles of the difficulties they will face amongst the people they go to. This warning extends far beyond the immediate mission they are going on, but expands to include all of church history. There is persecution and mockery faced Christians of all ages. Why does this happen? How are we to respond to these hardships? Jesus reminds us that even in the midst of persecution, we are more valuable than the sparrows and hairs upon our heads, things which God the Father does care about, yet not as much as he cares for us.

Image: Sparrows, photo taken by hedera_baltica, license CC BY-SA 2.0. No changes made. Image location: https://www.flickr.com/photos/hedera_baltica/23727592494/in/photostream/

Tripping Upon Grace in Order to Stand Up, Matthew 9:35-10:15, Romans 5:1-11

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Tripping upon Grace in order to Stand Up, Matthew 9.35-10.15, Romans 5.1-11

Jesus tells his disciples to pray for laborers to go out bring a harvest of salvation. He then sends them out in light of their prayers. But they go with grace, they go as sinners saved by the very grace that they put forward to their hearers. We too go out with grace that overcomes all our sinfulness before the Father because our going out is on account of Jesus laying down his life for us. And so, we trip upon grace as believers, falling down due to our sinfulness, but there is grace that we trip upon to bring us healing and strength to stand back up and go forward with the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Image: Wheat Field with Crows, Vincent van Gogh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Sinners in Need of Healing, Matthew 9:9-13

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Sinners in Need of Healing, Matthew 9.9-13

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When Jesus called Matthew to be his disciples, the Pharisees were upset that the was a great feast in the aftermath. All kinds of various sinners they didn’t care for were having a meal with Jesus. Jesus’ response is one we all know so well, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.” All those at the feast knew they were sinners and Jesus’ presence is one that can begin their healing. We, too, as sinners need healing from Jesus outwardly and inwardly. May we have eyes to see that we are in great need and have no righteousness or health on our own.

Image: Christ Healing the Sick, anonymous icon, rights unknown. Image found here (see “about” tab for devotional )and here (about 2/3s of the way down).

Do You Know the Trinity? Matthew 28:16-20, 2 Corinthians 13:5-14

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Do you know the Trinity_ Matthew 28.16-20, 2 Corinthians 13.5-14

What’s so important about the doctrine of the Trinity? Is it really necessary for salvation? Can’t we know God without knowing anything about the Trinity? Through the witness of Scripture, we are confronted with the reality that the one true God is three persons: The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. These three persons are one God. And salvation is dependent upon the true nature of God as three in one and one in three because each person acts for us in our salvation and if any one is not truly God, then salvation falls apart becoming dependent, not upon God alone, but upon creatures as well as God.

Image: Sir Harris Nicolas or hired artist working under Sir Harris Nicolas's direction, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Ongoing Pentecost, Acts 2:1-21, 1 Corinthians 12:4-13

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran Ongoing Pentecost, Acts 2.1-21, 1 Corinthians 12.4-13

What happens when we see that the coming of the Holy Spirit isn’t a one time event in our lives, but an ongoing reality? It’s like the children going to Narnia and breathing the air and finding themselves strengthened for whatever they have been called to do. Likewise, we are called to have an ongoing Pentecost in our lives, asking for the Spirit to act in us to empower us daily.

Image: Lucas Franchoys, "The Descent of the Holy Spirit in Sint-Janskerk , Mechelen, Belgium. On sidepanels: the preaching of Peter and Paul. Photo © Ad Meskens / Wikimedia Commons. License: CC BY-SA 4.0

As with Christ, So with Us, 1 Peter 4:12-19

Fr. Jeremiah Caughran As with Christ, So with Us, 1 Peter 4.12-19

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As we finish our time in 1 Peter, he tells that there will be fiery trials that happen to us for our testing and that we will be mocked for our faith and tempted to turn away. Yet, St. Peter tells us how to respond to all of this. We are to rejoice in suffering with Christ and find blessing in that union with our Savior. We should strive for faithfulness as Christians and not be ashamed of who we are in Christ. We should also know that we can rest in the work of Christ and the work we have to do because God is a faithful Creator who has accomplished salvation for us.

image: Titian, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons