Small but mighty
Like a ship's rudder or a spark that starts a bushfire, the tongue has immense power to influence and to destroy, but also to bless.
Living faith
God produces faith in us by His Holy Spirit through the specific means of Word and the sacraments. That faith, just like anything that is living, needs to be sustained and kept alive. Thankfully for us, the same Spirit that produces faith also sustains it.
Labour pains
When St Paul describes what it means to be a Christian person, He imagines that we are in a time of patient waiting. We find ourselves in the most peaceful, clean, quiet place you can think of—a birthing suite.
Stick to His plan
All the apostles wanted was a quick fix—a political saviour who would restore Israel to its former glory. We aren't so different when we hope for instant solutions in the Church or in our personal lives. Christ calls His apostles (along with us) to a different way—a way of faith and witnessing.
Why do you believe in Jesus?
Belief in Jesus is no longer a given. Why do we believe in Jesus? This is a foundational question that each of us should be able to answer. Our gospel reading provides some direction as we consider this simple, yet challenging question.
Gather, grow, go
The disciples get a sneak peek before the rest of the believers receive the Spirit with tongues of fire fifty days later. It is that same Spirit whom we believe “calls, gathers, and enlightens the whole Christian church on earth,” even today.
Love and obedience
Our world makes people obey the rules out of fear of what the consequences might be of breaking them. Jesus speaks about rules in a radically different way—He puts them in a context of love.
Born again
Nicodemus’ encounter with Jesus is one of several in-depth conversations recorded in John’s gospel, and it is a very important one.
Healing division (Ep. 1:15–23)
The Christians in Ephesus had their own problems, the main one being division. Sound familiar? Despite our learnings and improvements, we still get tripped up by the same problems.