Tagged: Bible Reading & Meditation

“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” –Matthew 4:17 Jesus began His public ministry by preaching a message of repentance for the sake of entering into the kingdom of God. As basic as this message is, it must always sink deeply into our hearts, as if we are hearing it for the first time. What does “repent” mean? Certainly it means to confess our sins to the Lord and make a good Confession in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Repentance also involves a turning away from all that leads us away from the Lord, as well as a turning...

“No one who denies the Son has the Father, but whoever confesses the Son has the Father as well.” —1 John 2:23 When John the Baptist was asked: “Who are you?” (Jn 1:19), he identified himself according to his relationship to Christ (see Jn 1:23ff). We too are frequently questioned concerning our identity. People say or at least think: “Who do you think you are?” or “Who are you to tell me what to do?” Like John, we should identify ourselves according to our relationship to Christ. We should see ourselves first of all as “Christians,” disciples of the Lord...

“When the eighth day arrived for His circumcision, the name Jesus was given the Child, the name the angel had given Him before He was conceived.” —Luke 2:21 When we become Christians, we start out as babies, “infants in Christ” (1 Cor 3:1). Just as babies must be taught to talk, walk, eat, clothe themselves, etc., so also baby Christians must be taught to talk, walk, think, feel, and act like Christ. We don’t know how to live, or even to start the day or the year. We must be taught every little thing. The world has programmed us to...

“Children, it is the final hour.” –1 John 2:18 On this last day of the year, you may look back on 2020 and see that many antichrists have appeared (1 Jn 2:18). It may have been a very difficult year. However, tough years need not be bad years. Even the most “impossible” year can be good. Even the most sinful year can be turned to the good by repentance, forgiveness, and total commitment to Jesus. “All’s well that ends well.” End this year by accepting God’s grace. Even if you have endured such a year as Job had, you have...

“Bring gifts, and enter His courts; worship the Lord.” –Psalm 96:8-9 We can have two kinds of Christmases — one real and the other fake. Anna the prophetess had a real Christmas. This eighty-four year old widow “was constantly in the temple, worshiping day and night in fasting and prayer” (Lk 2:37). “She gave thanks to God and talked about the Child” (Lk 2:38). Anna met and loved Christ. Her Christmas and life were Christ-centered. The fake Christmas is described as “carnal allurements, enticements for the eye, the life of empty show” (1 Jn 2:16). This fake Christmas passes away....