The BreadCast

(Zec.2:5-9,14-15; Jer.31:10-13; Lk.9:43-45) "They shall come streaming to the Lord's blessings." The Kingdom is being prepared. And as bleak as things may seem upon this earth, the glory of the Lord awaits us all. This is the message of Jeremiah in our psalm and the message given Zechariah by the angel in our first reading. "I will turn their mourning into joy, I will console and gladden them after their sorrows," is the word which sustains us. Zechariah prophesies at the time the Israelites have returned from exile few in number to a rather desolate, broken-down Jerusalem. But in his vision presented today he sees an angel measuring the great city of peace, apparently for its restoration. And to this prophet at this difficult time in which hope is hard to hold on to is delivered this reassurance: "People will live in Jerusalem as though in an open country, because of the multitude of men and beasts in her midst." The Lord promises to be "the glory in her midst" and an "encircling wall of fire": "Many nations shall join themselves to the Lord on that day." Jeremiah's message is the same. "He who scattered Israel now gathers them together, He guards them as a shepherd His flock." Yes, even in the darkest moments of our exile here on this fallen earth, there is hope. For ultimately the Lord's love will conquer all; in the end we shall "mount the heights of Zion" – our salvation will be fulfilled. Jesus tries to convey to the apostles the same message. By telling them, "The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men," He seeks to have them understand – even "in the midst of the disciples' amazement at all that Jesus was doing" in teaching and healing the people – that when the time of mourning is brought to bear in their lives, when they see Him offered up for crucifixion… when darkness falls upon the land, then they should be assured that the glorious works they find wrought in their midst by the glorious hand of God shall not be dead at all, but only coming to fulfillment. Our solace is in our sorrow. Happy are we who mourn. For the passing things we are robbed of here, we know will become eternal blessings in heaven. Taste the pain, my brothers and sisters, the blood at the corners of your mouth, and lift your head to see the nations come streaming to His eternal kingdom. ******* O LORD, into the hands of men Jesus must be delivered that He might gather them from far-off lands into the kingdom of Heaven. YHWH, your people have been scattered to the four corners of the earth, but from there you gather them together as one in your holy City. From mourning you deliver your children that they might come in joy into your eternal presence. O may the nations indeed come streaming to your blessings! May all be surrounded by your wall of protection, with you at our very center. The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of men. This sacrifice is necessary to fulfill man's redemption. O LORD, we could not be saved except by His suffering, for blind we were even to our sin until He mounted the wood of the Cross. But now, dear LORD, what was so concealed from us has been revealed by His blood. Let us follow closely His message and His way, that we might be found celebrating within the length and breadth of your kingdom.

(Hg.1:15-2:9; Ps.43:1-5; Lk.9:18-22) "Greater will be the future glory of this house than the former, says the Lord of hosts." "Take courage… and work! For I am with you," the Lord says through the prophet Haggai to the remnant of the people returned from exile as they prepare to rebuild the temple. "My spirit continues in your midst; do not fear!" Of course, we know these words of encouragement are eternal, even as we know that "the future glory" of the temple prophesied by Haggai refers ultimately to the Kingdom Christ now builds for us with His Father in heaven, and in whose construction we participate to this day. For Jesus is the Temple not made by human hands, and we are His Body here on earth, raising the walls of this holy place. "And in this place I will give peace, says the Lord of hosts!" In the former temple, that which relied upon human hands for its construction and could thus be destroyed also by human hands, the peace was necessarily passing. Though the Lord remained present to His people, the temple in which they dwelt, in which they worshiped, was only temporary. The future Temple which holds the glory of God come to fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ, to which He leads us and which is, in fact, the Lord Himself – to this Temple there is no end, and its peace is everlasting. There we shall worship eternally. And this Temple is present to us now; Jesus is in our midst this day, in His Church, in His Sacraments, with His Spirit, in the Word. And we learn from the Lord in our gospel today the way that leads to its realization. Yes, the apostles, in the person of Peter, recognize that Jesus is "the Messiah of God"; but not yet is it to be declared. There are first "many sufferings" He must endure. Indeed, He must "be put to death" before being "raised up on the third day." In the same manner we have much to endure in this world, filling up what is lacking of His suffering, before we come into the eternal glory of His resurrection. We shall "go in to the altar of God" and give Him "thanks upon the harp." He shall receive our song of joy, as in measure He does this day. In fullness we shall know Him. And so, here as we travel toward Him, as we pass through our time of mourning, let us pray with our psalmist: "Send forth your light and your fidelity; they shall lead me on And bring me to your holy mountain, to your dwelling place…" (where His glory shall be great). ******* O LORD, you are the Most High God – let us enter your House with praise! YHWH, you are with us, always with us, dearest LORD, and you call us to be with you; you promise us peace in your holy Temple. And your Temple has come into our midst. He has suffered and died for our sakes and been raised on the third day. Now we must suffer with Him, we must do His work in this world, the work of building up His Temple… and soon we will come to dwell with Him in your eternal presence in your dwelling place. O LORD, take away our mourning for what we do not have, for the lack of your glory among us. Let us remember that Jesus is the Messiah, that though we be surrounded by darkness this day, His light is with us leading us forth to your kingdom, which even now is indeed being built up in your Church, in all those who work in His Name. To greater glory bring us each day till your promise is fulfilled and we dwell in your presence forever.

(Hg.1:1-8; Ps.149:1-6,9; Lk.9:7-9) "He who earned wages earned them for a bag with holes in it." "Bring timber, and build the house that I may take pleasure in it and receive my glory." Rebuild the house of God, the temple of the Holy Spirit you are. Shore up the breaches in its walls and solidify its foundation, that you might "sing to the Lord a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful," that you might be as those who are "glad in their maker… For the Lord loves His people, and He adorns the lowly with victory." Humble yourself before Him, take care to observe the words of His mouth – turn from your selfish ways and your blindness to His presence, and you shall again sing with delight in a house of blessings. Are you, too, like Herod, perplexed at the identity of Jesus? Do you, too, question: "Who is this man about whom I hear all these reports?" Be more than "curious to see Him," my brothers and sisters; lay down your lives before Him and His teaching and His redemptive sacrifice, and you shall come to know that He is the Son of God – you shall find Him who is the salvation of your soul, which wanders now far from the safety of the walls of His temple. In His flesh alone will you find your home. Your vain curiosity is not enough to bring you there. Your doubts about His glory must be faced and seen for the emptiness they hold – or you risk beheading yourself in the refusal to bow to Him who is Truth and holds all that matters in His redeeming hands. "Let the high praises of God be in their throats," our psalmist sings. To such blessing of fulfillment he exhorts our souls. This indeed is "the glory of all His faithful"; for to have our souls filled to overflowing with the praises of our Lord and our God, who loves us to overflowing and desires only for us to know His love in its being lived out in all our days and with all our being… in this we find our home in His blessed hands. All else but God is vain, and its emptiness will rise to your eyes in a time you do not anticipate. See now that you repair the holes in your very soul, that you might become a temple of His Spirit and find the grace to praise His Name worthily in the assembly of all His chosen ones. ******* O LORD, in your House let us make our home and to us you will be known. YHWH, may you receive due glory from all souls, we pray. May all bless your holy NAME with songs of praise in your Temple. May all recognize that you are the God of all and that Jesus is your only Son, and so may all rebuild their broken souls by the grace that comes through Him. O let us all put you first in our lives! as you deserve. It is our joy to praise you, LORD, to recognize your glory in our midst and so join in that glory you offer through your Christ. Without you, what are our lives worth? We remain hungry despite the food on our tables; we remain naked despite the clothing on our backs – we remain empty and poor despite the riches we gather if we remain apart from you in our paneled houses. O let us set our hearts on serving you, on humbly coming before you as your sons, dear God, and we shall exult in glory.

(Ezra 9:5-9; Tb.13:1-4,6-8; Lk.9:1-6) "Turn back, you sinners! do the right before Him: perhaps He may look with favor upon you, and show you mercy." As the Word of the Lord comes to our villages and enters our houses, we must treasure it and heed its warning to turn from our sins. If we harden our hearts against its grace and mercy, if we fail to recognize our sin in the blessed light it brings, the Word shall leave, shaking the dust from its feet, and we shall be left alone in despair. But if we turn toward the light it brings and turn from our sins, we shall be saved – we shall be healed of all our afflictions. How wonderfully Ezra humbles himself before the Lord our God, pouring out his soul and the sins of the people of Israel: "Our wicked deeds are heaped up above our heads and our guilt reaches up to heaven." For so often have the people sinned, so often have they turned from Him who chose them as His own… and even here, now that they have been returned from exile by the miraculous grace of God working through Persian kings, now that the Lord has given them "new life to raise again the house of [their] God and restore its ruins," even now they have sinned again. It is only the love of Jesus, brothers and sisters, and the grace that pours forth through His apostles, which will bring us to the "reign of God." Only He can heal our souls and only He can lift us from the mire of this world – only in His kingdom will we find perfection with God our Father. This alone must we seek. This certainly we must accept with open arms when it comes to us by the grace of our Lord. For, indeed, we know that though we have fallen into "the great abyss," though He may have cast us "down to the depths of the netherworld" for our sins, "He has shown [us] His greatness" and lifted our heads up to look upon His face – He has redeemed our race. So let us rejoice this day "in the King of heaven" and "speak of His majesty," for in our guilt the Lord visits us, He sends forth His Word to heal us. He has given the Twelve and their successors "power and authority to overcome all demons and to cure diseases," so let us welcome their touch and turn from our sins to receive the favor upon us, to find His mercy at work in our midst. ******* O LORD, lead me forth in the peace of your presence – restore our ruined house; heal all our disease. YHWH, you grant mercy to our souls. Though we be cast down to the nether world for all our sins, you send forth your apostles to overcome all demons and cure us of our diseases; you raise our heads to look upon your face. And so, what should we do but praise you with full voice? Continually we falter, LORD; repeatedly your people fall back into sin. But ever you call us to turn from our wickedness that we might find your favor again. In your Son you make this mercy complete, and we find it now at work in your Church. Let us receive well the Word that comes to us and so approach your kingdom. What have you not done for us, O LORD. Even the hearts of the kings of this earth you have turned to our cause to assist us in rebuilding your Temple. All is in your hands, Almighty God! Redeem us from captivity to walk in freedom with you at our side.

(Ezra 6:7-8,12,14-20; Ps.122:1-5; Lk.8:19-21) "The elders of the Jews continued to make progress in the building, supported by the message of the prophets." And so, returning from exile and with the permission and indeed the financial support of the Gentile king, Darius, the Jews completed the rebuilding of the temple at Jerusalem. And so, the prophecy of the return to the Lord from their sins is in a measure fulfilled here in this act and in the worship which once again transpires in "that house of God." But we know that this is not the fulfillment of the new covenant; this is not the realization of God's promise through Isaiah to write His Name upon the hearts of His people and to be with them forever. Though a sign of its coming, we know that such blessing cannot be fulfilled in buildings and on an earth so corrupted by sin – it can only be realized in heaven. And so in our gospel His mother and kinsmen come to the Lord, who is the new Temple, the New Jerusalem Himself. They come but do not find easy access for the crowd that has gathered to Jesus to worship at His feet. And this is to show that it is not in our bloodline that we find salvation, but by faith in Him who is the ultimate sacrifice. Indeed, all may come now to this holy sacrifice, all may enter the gates of this Temple… all may rejoice as they set foot within the gates of this New Jerusalem, if all but follow the Word of Truth which issues from His lips. Returning to Jerusalem and having rebuilt the temple, the Levites offered sacrifice "for the rest of the exiles, for their brethren the priests, and for themselves"; but Jesus' one sacrifice is offered daily now for all who would come to the altar, to all who would sup at His table. "I rejoiced because they said to me, 'We will go up to the house of the Lord.'" How blessed are these words to the ears of the Jew returning from exile, and how blessed now to the peoples of every nation are their fulfillment in our hearing. Brothers and sisters of the Lord, let us hasten our steps toward His presence. Let us long to worship before Him. And let us continue to make progress in the upbuilding of the Church, His Temple, by our daily labor for the God who blesses all our endeavors with His providential care. May His Word be fulfilled in us and in all His people. ******* O LORD, the temple of our souls we must rebuild, according to your Word, that we might be His brothers and sisters, that we might enter His House. YHWH, let us go up to your House; let us enter its gates in joy, giving thanks to you who have made us as your Temple, built into the Body of your Son, as His brothers and sisters who do your will in this world. He is the New Jerusalem and we desire to come to Him and make our home in Him. Bless our efforts in building ourselves into your holy Temple, the Church. Help us as we return from exile, as from sin we turn away and come back to you, O LORD our God. We shall need your assistance in rebuilding lives which have gone so astray, in restoring the walls that keep us from harm, from the dangers all about our souls, and that found us in you and in the Word of your Son. O let us hear your Word calling us into your presence! and let us act upon that Word and give glory to you, LORD, with our every breath, with every sacrifice we make in your NAME.

(Ezra 1:1-6; Ps.126:1-6; Lk.8:16-18) "Those that sow in tears shall reap rejoicing." The Israelites toiled in tears for four hundred years under the yoke of the Egyptians, then rejoiced to finally enter the Promised Land (after wandering forty years in the desert). For seventy years Judah had been exiled to Babylon, but rejoiced when, remarkably, the king of Persia called them to return to Jerusalem and, with his blessing, to rebuild the temple of the Lord. And now we wait in exile for our Lord to return. But sadness should not overwhelm us in this land of exile. Indeed our lights must shine; for in the shining of these lamps of holiness is the coming of our Lord to this earth. And the more we shine forth His light to this earth, the more we grow in that light, and so the closer the Lord comes to both us and the universe. Tears do tend to be our lot here in this world; such is the way of the cross. We cannot help but mourn the lack of His love and the failure of hearts to come to His peace. Here where hatred and violence so often enter in by the ignorance of man's soul to the Word of God and His presence in our midst, what can we do but cry? But we are not without hope; and it is this hope our readings speak of this day. For if the Gentiles could return the chosen people to their land of promise with such rich and generous gifts, how can we not take hope that the Lord shall "restore our fortunes" as well? And so as we ascend the steps to the temple of our Lord in the highest heaven, may the nations say of us, too, "The Lord has done great things for them," as they look upon our wisdom and grace even in this land where darkness reigns. "There is nothing hidden that will not be exposed, nothing concealed that will not be known and brought to light." And so we take promise in the fact that that which we cherish now in our souls, the Word and the Bread of the Lord which nourishes us on this journey, shall come to their fulfillment in the joy of the kingdom of heaven. But do not hide that light growing within you, brothers and sisters; shine it forth unashamedly for all to see, and the tears you sow in hope for the salvation of the world shall serve to cleanse your vision to behold the Lord in all His glory. ******* O LORD, you will repay the faithful soul; you will repay him to the full – the lamp you light in us will never dim. YHWH, bring us into the New Jerusalem; return us to our true home with you. In Heaven let us dwell this day, blessed with all the gifts and graces come from your hands. Then we shall rejoice. Then we shall laugh and sing. Then our tears will be washed away as we join ourselves to you. How impossible it seems as we sit here in this dark world, and yet how very likely. For even here you are present to us as we speak your NAME. Even now we know your light shining in our minds and hearts. Yes, LORD, even now we come to Heaven. You are with your people even in their exile, and you call even those who are strangers to help them along their way to you. All the nations know your greatness and shall enter your Church, O LORD. Let us build your Temple this day.

(Amos 8:4-7; Ps.113:1-2,4-8; 1Tm.2:1-8; Lk.16:1-13) "If you are not trustworthy with what belongs to another, who will give you what is yours?" This world and the things of it are not our own; we are children of heaven. Yet we are here amongst these things which are foreign to us. And so, what should we do? With all the Lord puts in our hands as we pass through this generation we must honor God. Though in the world of mammon, we must use it to serve our God in heaven. Thus we shall prove ourselves worthy to enter into that kingdom which is above, which is our true home. This call is stated simply in the Lord's Prayer when we say, "On earth as it is in heaven" – we must bring the kingdom of God to bear in this place we find ourselves. In our first reading, Amos makes clear what our attitude should not be with regard to the riches or power we may find at our disposal. We must never "trample upon the needy and destroy the poor of the land." We must never reflect the greed of these merchants who cannot wait for the sabbath, the Lord's Day, to end, that they might satiate their thirst for wealth, and this by dishonest means. The Lord will condemn such pride and avarice. In our second reading, Paul gives a clearer idea the manner in which power should be employed in his exhortation to prayer for those in position of authority. God "wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth," and if our kings seek to maintain peace in the world, they will save not only themselves, but provide ground for others to come to God. Again, all that is given us, be it riches, power, wisdom or strength, must be given over to service of the Lord. We must be as He "who gave Himself as ransom for all" in His teaching, in His healing, indeed, in the laying down of His very life. And so, if we ourselves are teachers, we must be as Paul and do so "in faith and truth," without any deceit. And when we offer prayers, we must always lift up "holy hands, without anger or argument." In our prayer should always be forgiveness of others. In our gospel parable Jesus illustrates and commends not deceitful dealings with others' wealth, but to be wise in what is given us, to turn the riches of this world against the prince of this world (Satan), and use them for the good of the kingdom. Even in these things which are the devil's we must work to serve our Master in heaven. And so we feed the hungry, we clothe the naked, we pray for those in power, that the Lord who is "high above all nations" and whose glory is "above the heavens" might stoop down to us and through us fulfill the mission of Christ; for "He raises the lowly from the dust, from the dunghill He lifts the poor." And we must do the same to find our place with Him in heaven. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Asylum Paradox" from Thoroughfare, seventh album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, let us serve you alone with all that is at our hands. YHWH, help us to be trustworthy in the very small matters of this dishonest world, with the wealth that passes so quickly away. This is not our world, but your world we must reveal to this place; if we do not reflect your glory now, how can we be called children of your light? And so we pray for all souls, that they will turn from the oppression wrought by their greedy hands and acknowledge you as God Most High and your Son as their Redeemer. We desire no man to be trampled underfoot but for everyone to be saved and come to knowledge of the truth; and so with hands held aloft we call down your mercy, dear LORD. With the things you place in our hands here upon this dying earth, let us be faithful, let us be true – let us produce fruit unto the kingdom of Heaven. Heaven is our only home, and so with all our strength let us seek to raise souls to dwell there with all your angels and saints.

(1Tm.6:13-16; Ps.100:2-5; Lk.8:4-15) "Keep God's command without blame or reproach until our Lord Jesus shall appear." The Lord's "kindness endures forever, and His faithfulness, to all generations," and we must endure with Him, ever showing forth His kindness and faithfulness to the world, until we come to dwell with Him eternally "in inapproachable light." When God brings His appearance "to pass at His chosen time" will we stand ready? Will we persevere in service of truth until that day of which we know not? Brothers and sisters, "Let everyone who has ears attend to what he has heard." Let us not "fall away in time of temptation." Let us not have our progress "stifled by the cares and riches and pleasures of life." Let us mature. Let us remain faithful in all adversity. Let us always grow in His Word. Let us "hear the word in a spirit of openness, retain it, and bear fruit through perseverance." Then we shall "yield grain a hundredfold"; then we shall know the "joyful song" that reverberates eternally in His "everlasting rule." Patience. We must have patience. And wisdom. We must know and remember that "the Lord is God; He made us, His we are, His people, the flock He tends." Always we must take refuge in Him, living the "noble profession" to which He calls us as His blessed children to whom "the mysteries of the reign of God have been confided." And knowing this, knowing Him, how can we turn to anything else? What can distract or destroy the heart set on God? It is not possible that anything can overcome us if we stand fast as seed planted by the hand of God and allow His Spirit to perpetually nourish our growth. We must be as plants which bend ever to His light; the cleansing water of His Word must be cherished and preserved by holy souls. And we shall grow. "Enter His gates with thanksgiving, His courts with praise." This is our destiny; and this is the blessing we find even now as we make continual progress in His Name and rejoice at the gifts and graces He bears us as we struggle ever to bear witness to His glory working in our lives. Stand fast, brothers and sisters, and persevere till the end. May His Word remain in you, His Bread nourish you daily, and you will be kept beyond reproach. ******* O LORD, let us keep well your Word and grow in Jesus' light, until He returns and gathers us into His arms. YHWH, you dwell in unapproachable light; no one has seen you or can see you. Yet you call us into your presence, you desire us to enter your gates singing praise. Let us not be deaf to your blessed call but cherish the Word your Son brings us, the Word and Bread He is for us, and so grow always unto your kingdom, until He appears and unites us with you forever. How empty our hearts can be, O LORD, empty of you and distracted by the world. There are so many things which take our attention from the glory of your presence here among us this day. And so, how easily we die, how easily we wither for want of your Word. Why should we concern ourselves with the passing things of this vain world when your Son stands before us and calls us into your kingdom? Let us rather give thanks to Him for such kindness; let us rather bless your holy NAME, that we might endure until His coming and bear fruit worthy of Heaven.

(1Tm.6:2-12; Ps.49:6-10,17-20,Mt.5:3; Lk.8:1-3) "Those who want to be rich are falling into temptation, and a trap." Today we hear Paul's famous words: "The love of money is the root of all evil." They are oft-quoted, but how well are they understood and practiced in the avoidance of excessive possessions and inflated bank accounts. Paul tells us, verifiably so, that men "have come to grief amid great pain" because of their passion for money. And the pain is so much the greater if they had been men of faith, which stands so much in opposition to the things of this world. One must be "content with a sufficiency," Paul teaches us. "If we have food and clothing we have all that we need." But how many are satisfied, grateful to God, for having their needs met? And how many rather thirst for ever-increasing wealth, in which they foolishly believe they shall find peace and comfort? Indeed, it is as an addiction, and blinds us to the providential hand of God and the humility we should have in His presence. Our psalm speaks pointedly and graphically of the vanity of those for whom "the abundance of their riches is their boast," but who, when they die, "shall take none of it": "He shall join the circle of his forebears, who shall never more see light." Indeed, such trust in wealth leads invariably to hell. "Then what should we do?" you may well ask. Let us turn to our gospel. It is brief and seemingly of little significance, but gives a concise picture of the life of the Lord and those who followed him. In it we hear that Jesus and the Twelve did what Paul exhorts his disciple Timothy to do (in his letter): "Preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God." This must be our concern. This must be our desire – to fulfill the will and the word of God in our lives. We must "fight the good fight of faith," setting aside all preoccupation with the riches of this earth. And we shall be cared for even as the women who accompanied Jesus and His apostles "were assisting them out of their means." They saw that the Lord and His disciples were clothed and fed. They cared out of love for their basic needs. And God will provide such as these to care for the needs of all who devote themselves to His work. Let us never fall into the devil's trap and temptation, as he attempts to distract us from the spiritual necessities God demands. Such a fall is mighty indeed. Trust in God's hand and be satisfied with His call. ******* O LORD, you are the Most High God – let us enter your House with praise! YHWH, you are with us, always with us, dearest LORD, and you call us to be with you; you promise us peace in your holy Temple. And your Temple has come into our midst. He has suffered and died for our sakes and been raised on the third day. Now we must suffer with Him, we must do His work in this world, the work of building up His Temple… and soon we will come to dwell with Him in your eternal presence in your dwelling place. O LORD, take away our mourning for what we do not have, for the lack of your glory among us. Let us remember that Jesus is the Messiah, that though we be surrounded by darkness this day, His light is with us leading us forth to your kingdom, which even now is indeed being built up in your Church, in all those who work in His Name. To greater glory bring us each day till your promise is fulfilled and we dwell in your presence forever.

(1Tm.4:12-16; Ps.111:2,7-10; Lk.7:36-50) "Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; prudent are all who live by it." If "the works of His hands are faithful and just," as His children living in His Word and as His image, we must "be a continuing example of love, faith, and purity." If we do not attend to this duty, "so that everyone may see [our] progress," how shall we "bring to salvation [ourselves] and all who hear [us]"? Our love of Him must shine forth in all we do. And what is the fear of the Lord spoken of in our psalm but the love shown by the woman in our gospel? As she stands behind Jesus, what is she but fearful, what is she but filled with love? This passage teaches us what fear of the Lord truly is, and what it isn't. Certainly she is struck to the heart. Certainly in the presence of such purity she is convicted of her lust; certainly in the presence of such faith she is convicted of her lack thereof. But if she were fearful as the world understands the word, would she presume to touch Him? If she thought He might strike her to the ground, would she wipe His feet "with her hair, kissing them and perfuming them with oil"? No, she would die where she stands. But as it is her tears are sweet, for she knows the forgiveness He holds for her in His sacred hands. This is the fear of the Lord we all must have; it is this which is the beginning of wisdom. We must be convicted of our sins, yes; but at the same moment we must be filled with the overwhelming love of our God. The two go hand in hand, and it is the practice of this fear of God in love of Him and neighbor that is the fulfillment of our duty before Him, that will keep us as a holy example of His presence in the world. The Pharisee in our gospel lacks this holy fear. First of all, he does not see his sin, and so he is not moved to love. Failing to view himself in the light of the One present before him, he fails to find the grace that is the knowledge of our sins – and so he is not moved to love, and so he does not find forgiveness. Let us not love little, brothers and sisters, for this would not be wise. Failing to live in holy fear of the Lord, we shorten His hand's working in our lives. May we ever, by His grace, be convicted of our sins, and so turn to Him in love to find forgiveness. We will do this only if we remain ever in His presence, bowed at His sacred feet. Amen. ******* O LORD, in your House let us make our home and to us you will be known. YHWH, may you receive due glory from all souls, we pray. May all bless your holy NAME with songs of praise in your Temple. May all recognize that you are the God of all and that Jesus is your only Son, and so may all rebuild their broken souls by the grace that comes through Him. O let us all put you first in our lives! as you deserve. It is our joy to praise you, LORD, to recognize your glory in our midst and so join in that glory you offer through your Christ. Without you, what are our lives worth? We remain hungry despite the food on our tables; we remain naked despite the clothing on our backs – we remain empty and poor despite the riches we gather if we remain apart from you in our paneled houses. O let us set our hearts on serving you, on humbly coming before you as your sons, dear God, and we shall exult in glory.