The BreadCast

(Heb.2:5-12; Ps.8:2,5-9; Mk.1:21-28) "A completely new teaching in a spirit of authority!" Thus do the people exclaim at the power of the word which issues forth from the mouth of Christ, into whose hands "all things" have been subjected. The devils see Him and shriek: "I know who you are – the holy one of God!" They know Him and they fear Him, for He has indeed "come to destroy" them and whatever...

(Heb.1:1-6; Ps.97:1-2,6-7,9; Mk.1:14-20) "This is the time of fulfillment." Brothers and sisters, no longer does God speak to us "in fragmentary and varied ways"; this is "the final age," in which "He has spoken to us through His Son, whom He has made heir of all things and through whom He first created the universe." With full voice does He make Himself known now, for "this Son is the reflection...

(Is.40:1-5,9-11; Ps.104:1-4,24-25,27-30; Ti.2:11-14,3:4-7; Lk.3:15-16,21-22) "Heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove." "Beloved: The grace of God has appeared." Here we see its clear evidence in the Baptism of our Lord. Here He who "baptize[s] [us] with the Holy Spirit and fire" has the Spirit descend upon Himself. In our stead He places Himself (as He...

(1Jn.3:7-10; Ps.98:1,3,7-9; Jn.1:35-42) "When Jesus turned around and noticed them following Him, He asked them, 'What are you looking for?'" Brothers and sisters, what Jesus asks the first two disciples He asks each of us who follow in their wake. What do we seek? Why are we following Him? What is it we hope to find at the place where He stays? David makes clear in our psalm that the Son of God,...

(1Sm.1:1:20-22,24-28; Ps.84:2-3,5-6,9-10; 1Jn.3:1-2,21-24; Lk.2:41-52) "Did you not know that I must be in my Father's house?" If Hannah says of Samuel, "As long as he lives, he shall be dedicated to the Lord" even as she leaves her son with Eli in the temple, should not Jesus be equally dedicated to God, being His true Son? If as John rightfully says of all those who live in God's love and follow...

O innocent martyrs of the Christ who gave your lives from the cradle for Him who carries the Cross, who suffered and died in His place even before His crucifixion, even as His martyrs would do after His death on the Tree – let our hearts cry not for the evil that has wrought your violent death; pray we not fear the dark wrath of this world's king but set our hearts on the joy of our Lord's kingdom...

(1Jn.1:5-2:2; Ps.124:2-5,7-8; Mt.2:13-18) "The blood of His Son Jesus cleanses us from all sin." And as martyrs of the Church, these innocent children slaughtered by Herod participate in the pouring forth of the blood of Christ. "Out of Egypt I have called my son." What does the prophet mean but that by the only Son all shall be redeemed of their sins – that out of sin all are called, all are draw...

(Mi.5:1-4a; Ps.80:2-4,15-16,18-19; Heb.10:5-10; Lk.1:39-45) "Blessed is the fruit of your womb." From the womb of Bethlehem-Ephrathah, from the womb of Judah, has come forth "one who is to be ruler in Israel; whose origin is from of old, from ancient times." Now "she who is to give birth has borne"; now has our Savior come. Though He has existed from time's beginning, it is now He is made flesh in...

(Sgs.2:8-14 or Zep.3:14-18; Ps.33:1-3,11-12,20-21; Lk.1:39-45) "Let me see you, let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet, and you are lovely." "Who am I that the mother of my Lord should come to me?" – she who comes bearing the Christ child, she whose very voice magnifies the presence of the Lord. Listen to the witness of Elizabeth: "The moment your greeting sounded in my ears, the baby sti...

(Zep.3:14-18a; Is.12:2-6; Phil.4:4-7; Lk.3:10-18) "Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: Rejoice!" "Shout for joy, O daughter Zion! Sing joyfully, O Israel! Be glad and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem!" Zephaniah exclaims. "Shout with exultation, O city of Zion"! Isaiah urges. And Paul is overwhelmed with the spirit of rejoicing. Why such joy? Whence such celebration? "...

(Is.48:17-19; Ps.1:1-4,6,Jn.8:12; Mt.11:16-19) "Time will prove where wisdom lies." No doubt it lies with God. It lies with the Son of Man, come for our salvation. "I, the Lord, your God, teach you what is for your good, and lead you on the way you should go." Is it not our essential call to obey His Word, to listen for His voice and follow in His way? Are they not happy who hear the Word of God a...

(Bar.5:1-9; Ps.126:1-6; Phil.1:4-6,8-11; Lk.3:1-6) "All flesh shall see the salvation of God." Yes, at a particular point in time, in the year delineated so precisely by Luke in our gospel, "the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the desert." The Holy Spirit whispered in his ear, set his heart on fire, and so called him to cry out the coming of the Lord upon the nation. And "John wen...

(Jer.33:14-16; Ps.25:4-5,8-10,14; 1Thes.3:12-4:2; Lk.21:25-28,34-36) "You are God my savior, and for you I wait all the day." So does David sing of the "just shoot" that will be raised up after him; so does he anticipate the coming of Jesus into our midst. But, though the Messiah has been born, though He has come among us now, yet the Lord will not "fulfill the promise [He] made to the house of Is...

(Rm.10:9-18; Ps.19:2-5; Mt.4:18-22) "How beautiful are the feet of those who announce good news!" Alleluia! We must have "faith in the heart" and "confess with [our] lips that Jesus is Lord"; but how can we believe in Him and call on Him if we have not heard of Him? "And how can [we] hear unless there is someone to preach? And how can men preach unless they are sent?" Thank the Lord that He has se...

(Rv.20:1-4,11-21:2; Ps.84:3-6,8,Rv.21:3; Lk.21:29-33) "The heavens and the earth will pass away, but my words will not pass." Indeed John tells us of his vision that once "the former heavens and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer," he saw "new heavens and a new earth," which are, of course, founded on the Word of God, given life by the breath of His mouth alone. Yes, in th...

(Rv.18:1-2,21-23,19:1-3,9; Ps.100:2-5; Lk.21:20-28) "These indeed will be days of retribution, when all that is written must be fulfilled." The destruction of the world and the coming of the kingdom is our clear theme today. It is what is written. It is what must be fulfilled. "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great!" that "dwelling place for demons," cries out an angel by whose authority and glory "...

(Rv.15:1-4; Ps.98:1-3,7-9,Rv.15:13; Lk.21:12-19) "By patient endurance you will save your lives." Jesus tells His disciples bluntly: "People will manhandle and persecute you." Some will be "put to death" as they are "brought to give witness on account of" His name – "All will hate you because of me." Yet in their witness He promises to provide "words and a wisdom" to serve as an impenetrable defen...

(Rv.14:14-19; Ps.96:10-13; Lk.21:5-11) "Use your sickle and cut down the harvest, for now is the time to reap." Brothers and sisters, you will "hear of wars and insurrections," and "there will be great earthquakes, plagues, and famines in various places, and in the sky fearful omens and great signs." "These things are bound to happen first, but the end does not follow immediately." The end does no...

(Rv.14:1-5; Ps.24:1-6; Lk.21:1-4) "They are pure and follow the Lamb wherever He goes." Here is answered most definitively the question David sings: "Who can ascend the mountain of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?" In John's vision, the Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God "was standing on Mount Zion, and with Him were the hundred and forty-four thousand who had His name and the name of His Fa...

(Dn.7:13-14; Ps.93:1-2,5; Rv.1:5-8; Jn.18:33b-37) "My kingdom does not belong to this world." "The Lord is King, in splendor robed," our psalmist cries. "King" is our word for our great Lord; it is the best our imperfect thoughts and pale vocabulary can utter. But much more than king is our Lord Jesus Christ, for kings do come and go but "His kingship shall not be destroyed"; His "throne stands fi...

(Rv.11:4-12; Ps.144:1,2,9-10; Lk.20:27-40) "After three and a half days, the breath of life which comes from God returned to them." And these his two witnesses "went up in a cloud as their enemies looked on" "in sheer terror." For it seemed they had "conquer[ed] and kill[ed]" the Lord's prophets. Their corpses had lain "in the streets of the great city, which has the symbolic name 'Sodom' or 'Egyp...

(Rv.10:8-11; Ps.119:14,24,72,103,111,131; Lk.19:45-48) "I gasp with open mouth in my yearning for your commands." In our first reading, John is told to "take the open scroll from the hand of the angel" and to "eat it." In his mouth "it tasted as sweet as honey." And now he who has eaten of the blessed word of God "must prophesy," must speak the words upon the scroll, despite the sour stomach, the...

(Rv.5:1-10; Ps.149:1-6,9,Rv.5:10; Lk.19:41-44) "Do not weep. The Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has won the right by His victory to open the scroll with its seven seals." "Jesus wept over" Jerusalem "because [she] failed to recognize the time of [her] visitation"; and so she will be destroyed, and so her enemies will "leave not a stone on a stone within" her walls. And John "wept b...

(Rv.4:1-11; Ps.150:1-6,Rv.4:8; Lk.19:11-28) "O Lord our God, you are worthy to receive glory and honor and power." "A man of noble birth went to a faraway country to become its king." And of this faraway country and of its king, whom "everything that has breath" should praise, John has vision today. "Above me there was an open door to heaven"; and a "trumpetlike voice" called the great Evangelist,...

(Rv.3:1-6,14-22; Ps.15:2-5,Rv.3:21; Lk.19:1-10) "Today salvation has come to this house." To two of His houses, two of His seven churches, does the Lord speak today, calling them both to repentance, that they might know the salvation Zacchaeus has found. In no uncertain terms does the Lord call the churches in Sardis and Laodicea, chastising both dearly, telling the first: "I know the reputation y...