January 2, 2024  – the Ninth day of Christmas —“Shout The Good News” — The Twelve Days of Christmas

“Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.” Matthew 16:13-20

When I see people acting rude and inconsiderate, I feel less of a person. There is no reason for people to act mean-spirited toward one another – whether it is because of political differences, family arguments, or religious disagreements. It is in these moments when I need to hear the good news about the love of Jesus.

Matthew 16:13-15 is just one of the many verses throughout the Bible that tell us to share and declare G-d’s love and mercy. When Jesus asks his disciples “But who do you say I am?”, he is giving them a chance to share their opinion about his ministry. There are a million different ways to share G-d’s love with our neighbors and the world. Some people share their testimony—their own personal story of how G-d has come into their lives – and yes that is hard for us Lutherans. But we need to learn to say to people what it means for us to declare that Jesus is the Messiah. It is not part of our religious experiences to declare our faith story in front of an entire congregation, but we can work out a story to share with one or two people – especially if we overhear someone being mean-spirited or rude.

Jesus has asked each one of us to share the good news, but it often will not come easily or immediately. On this ninth day of Christmas, we need to find the time to practice sharing the word and the love of G-d. The more we do it, the easier it will become.

Let us pray:

In the moments of each day Lord, help me to be present to you and your love, and help me to turn the rest over to you.

Pastor Dave

January 1, 2024 – the Seventh day of Christmas —“Find my will for you.” — The Twelve Days of Christmas

“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” 1 John 1:8-10

One of my favorite parts of our worship Mass comes in the corporate confession, absolution, and then sharing of the peace. That special time invites G-d to heal our guilty hearts and minds. But I am not so sure that we use if appropriately most of the time. Many times the sharing of the peace is a time to catch up on lunch plans, saying hello to those we have not seen in a while, and complaining how long the sermon was. However, this time is to do something about our guilt-ridden hearts and minds.

Everyone has a hard time letting go of the memories of someone hurting our feelings or treating us poorly. That is what this part of the service is supposed to be about. When we bring our difficult memories and feelings to G-d’s heart and to our minds, it should remind us to pray for forgiveness, and to offer the same to our neighbors and congregation members. We come to this time with the idea and the understanding that G-d truly and totally forgives me, and you, and encourages us to forgive ourselves and others.

Exchanging the peace after we have used the act of confession and absolution is the best opportunity we have to act out of love, with a refreshed confidence in G-d’s grace and goodness toward all of us.

What does asking for forgiveness mean to you? What do you think asking for forgiveness means to God? Is there someone you need to ask to forgive you? On this eighth day of Christmas find a way to connect with that person and do what you can to make the situation right.

Let us pray:

Lord Jesus, help me to commit to your will, to pray for the right words to speak, and to have a soft heart to listen.

Pastor Dave