St. John the Evangelist Church Podcast

Here's a spiritual principle at work throughout the Bible that we must learn: God uses the unexpected to save us. Today's first reading from the prophet Isaiah is about Cyrus, the Persian king the Lord used to set his people free from captivity. He's just one example of so many times in the Old and New Testament when the Lord uses unexpected people, situations, and even failures, to save us. Why does the Lord seem to prefer saving us in unexpected ways? So that when it's all said and done, there can be no doubt that it was God alone who saved: "So that toward the rising and the setting of the sun people may know that there is none besides me. I am the Lord, there is no other." (Isaiah 45:6) He chooses unexpected things so that our human pride is unable to take credit for it. What are the unexpected situations, people, and even failures, he's working through in your life right now?

Fr. Ponton's homily garnered applause and "Amen!" from some of the parishioners at the 9a.m. Mass today, and not because it was only four minutes long. Did you hear it? Be sure to listen to Fr. Ponton's powerful homily!