Tagged: message of the day

“The Lord forgave him his sins and exalted his strength forever.” –Sirach 47:11 Herodias hated St. John the Baptizer for pointing out that she was an adulteress (Mk 6:18-19). When she said she wanted John’s head, her daughter took her very literally, added on to her request, and asked Herod: “I want you to give me, at once, the head of John the Baptizer on a platter” (Mk 6:25). Herod granted her request. So a waiter walking around with John’s head on a platter may have been part of the “entertainment” at Herod’s birthday party. To put it mildly, Herod...

“He instructed them to take nothing on their journey.” –Mark 6:8 Jesus sends out His disciples to unknown locations. He does not allow us to bring food, luggage, money, or a change of clothes (Mk 6:8-9). Moreover, we are not to have pre-arranged accommodations. Most people react to these words of Jesus with disbelief and fear. We think: “Jesus can’t possibly mean this.” Yet what if He really does mean it? However, Jesus does not say: “Have no food or money.” Instead, He says: “Take no food or money.” It may sound like Jesus is saying that we won’t be...

“I have sinned grievously in what I have done. But now, Lord, forgive the guilt of Your servant, for I have been very foolish.” –2 Samuel 24:10 One of the biggest understatements in the Bible is: “The wages of sin is death” (Rm 6:23). That’s putting it mildly. The wages of sin is mega-death. After David committed one of his lesser sins, the prophet Gad proposed three possible wages for David’s sin: three years of famine, three months of fleeing the enemy in a war, or three days of pestilence (2 Sm 24:13). David chose the three days, not because...

“When the day came to purify them according to the law of Moses, the couple brought Him up to Jerusalem so that He could be presented to the Lord.”–Luke 2:22 This book, One Bread, One Body, is published by Presentation Ministries. We are named after the feast of Mary’s Presentation, which is celebrated November 21. However, we also have a special devotion to Jesus’ Presentation, today’s feast. In contemporary English, the word “presentation” refers to presenting a talk or concert. The word is also used to describe the conferring of an award, academic degree, or special gift. For example, medals,...