…or do the rich reject God? Luke 1:46–55 (The Magnificat) My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,my spirit rejoices in God my Savior;for he has looked with favor on his lowly servant.From this day all generations will call me blessed:the Almighty has done great things for me, and holy is his Name.He has mercy […]

Matthew 3:1-12 In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, “The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 
‘Prepare the way of the Lord, 
make his paths

Romans 15:4–13 — Paul’s Movement of Thought Paul’s argument, God is the God of Hope, unfolds in a perfectly shaped arc: You can almost see Paul thinking pastorally: “Scripture → steadfastness → encouragement → hope → harmony → unity → shared praise → overflowing hope.” Now let’s connect each piece to the passage. “Whatever was

Matthew 24:36–44 Jesus gives us two images to help us understand His return: the days of Noah and a thief breaking in during the night. One is a historical event woven deeply into Israel’s memory; the other is an everyday reality. One came with warnings and time to get ready. The other is unexpected, disruptive,

The Prayer Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious

If you grew up watching Snow White, you probably remember it as a simple fairytale: a beautiful princess, a jealous queen, seven quirky dwarfs, and a magical kiss that brings everything back to life. But if you sit with it long enough, Snow White starts sounding more like an ancient parable disguised as a children’s

Hope, Restoration, and the Promise of God (Isaiah 65:17–25 Reflection) “For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth…”— Isaiah 65:17–25 The Passage Isaiah speaks these words to a weary people: For I am about to create new heavensand a new earth;the former things shall not be rememberedor come to mind. But

Some Sadducees, those who say there is no resurrection, came to Jesus and asked him a question, “Teacher, Moses wrote for us that if a man’s brother dies, leaving a wife but no children, the man shall marry the widow and raise up children for his brother. Now there were seven brothers; the first married,

Reflections on Joel 2:23–32 26 You will have plenty to eat, until you are full,    and you will praise the name of the Lord your God,    who has worked wonders for you;never again will my people be put to shame.27 Then you will know that I am in Israel,    that I am the Lord your God,    and that there is no

Hope and a Future of Formation and Letting Go We love to quote Jeremiah’s familiar line: “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 People say it’s their favorite verse. We see