Podcasts about humbly

There is something almost frightening about the stories preserved for us in the Evergetinos. They are frightening not because they portray extraordinary wickedness, but because they reveal how quietly the heart can change. The monk described by Palladios is not a beginner. He is a man of profound silence and prayer, one who has surrendered himself so completely to God that even the necessities of his bodily life have been entrusted to Providence. His life has become contemplation. Prayer is his delight. God provides for him in a miraculous manner. He has tasted something of the life of the age to come. And yet the beginning of his fall is almost imperceptible. He sleeps a little longer. His prayer becomes somewhat shorter. His attention wanders. Earthly concerns begin to occupy a little more space within him. Thoughts once immediately rejected are permitted to remain for a moment. Nothing, at first, seems catastrophic. That is precisely the warning. The Fathers understood that the great falls of the spiritual life rarely begin as great falls. They begin with small permissions. Something formerly guarded carefully is treated casually. Something that once troubled the conscience is dismissed as insignificant. A thought is entertained rather than rejected. Prayer is postponed. Vigilance relaxes. A little comfort is allowed to become necessary. The heart whispers that such things hardly matter. But they matter because the heart matters. There is something extraordinarily precious hidden within the human person: the place of communion with God. The Fathers speak of guarding the heart so insistently because they know what has been entrusted to us. Grace has entered there. The Name has been received there. Desire for God has been awakened there. A fire has been kindled that does not originate in ourselves. The spiritual life, therefore, is not primarily the anxious avoidance of infractions. It is the guarding of a treasure. This changes how we understand vigilance. We do not guard ourselves because God is waiting to punish the smallest mistake. We guard ourselves because love is delicate. Communion can be obscured. Desire can cool. The eye of the heart can become clouded. What has become luminous through prayer can gradually become opaque again. The evil one understands this very well. He does not always attempt to tear a person immediately away from God. With someone who has given himself deeply to prayer, such an assault might be too obvious. Instead, he waits. He works through what appears negligible. A little negligence. A little self-confidence. A little relaxation of watchfulness. A thought that seems harmless enough to entertain. The enemy is patient because he knows that a heart need not renounce God explicitly in order gradually to lose sight of Him. Palladios gives us an extraordinary image of this darkening in the bread. At first the monk receives heavenly bread, pure and provided by God. As his interior life becomes disordered, the bread appears grimy and gnawed. Later it is almost entirely spoiled. What is happening visibly to the bread corresponds to what is happening invisibly within the monk. The gift has not ceased to be gift, but his capacity to receive it has become corrupted. The tragedy is not simply that temptation has appeared. Temptation comes to everyone. The decisive moment comes earlier: he notices the diminishment and does not respond to it. He regards the first symptoms as trivial. This is one of the most penetrating insights in the story. The monk does not suddenly decide to abandon his vocation. He fails to take seriously the cooling of his love. The Fathers would have us become sensitive to precisely this. When prayer becomes burdensome, notice. When mercy toward another begins to disappear, notice. When resentment becomes pleasurable, notice. When the imagination begins feeding upon something we would once have rejected, notice. When silence becomes uncomfortable and distraction increasingly necessary, notice. When we begin excusing in ourselves what once brought us immediately to repentance, notice. Not because every movement of weakness is a catastrophe, but because small movements reveal the direction in which the heart is turning. The story attributed to St. Maximos makes the warning still more sobering. The young monk possesses astonishing spiritual authority. Even wild animals obey him. Those around him naturally interpret such gifts as evidence of sanctity. St. Anthony is less impressed. He sees a ship filled with precious cargo and says, in effect: Yes—but will it reach the harbor? Everything is contained in that image. Grace received is not yet grace preserved. Virtue acquired is not yet virtue safely possessed. Spiritual gifts are not guarantees. Years of asceticism are not guarantees. Miracles are not guarantees. The harbor is reached only through perseverance. This is why Maximos interprets the command to “turn away from evil, and do good” as something more than the avoidance of sin. We must fight to diminish the passions; we must labor to acquire the virtues; and then—we must remain awake in order to preserve what has been given. He connects this with Adam's vocation in Eden: to cultivate and to keep. The heart is a garden. Grace cultivates it with us. Prayer waters it. Tears soften its soil. The remembrance of God makes it fruitful. Virtue slowly becomes something beautiful and living within us. But the garden must also be kept. Perhaps this is why the Fathers can appear severe about things modern people consider insignificant. Their severity is not necessarily born from fear. At its deepest, it arises from wonder. They know what the heart can become. They have seen human beings filled with God. They have seen the mind made luminous through prayer, the passions transfigured, the hardened heart made merciful, and ordinary human beings become bearers of the Holy Spirit. Having seen such things, they cannot regard anything that gradually extinguishes that life as trivial. The treasure is too precious. And yet neither story finally teaches despair. Palladios' monk awakens. Remarkably, his awakening comes while he is teaching others. He hears himself speaking truths that he has ceased to live, and suddenly sees himself. The contradiction becomes unbearable. He runs back into the desert, casts himself upon the ground, and repents. God receives him. The angel's words are filled with mercy: “God has accepted your repentance and has had mercy on you.” Something has nevertheless changed. The miraculous bread does not return. His remaining years are marked by mourning. This is not because God refuses forgiveness. Rather, the story preserves the terrible seriousness of freedom. Forgiveness is complete, yet our choices are real. Grace is not magic, and repentance does not make our history unreal. The Fathers hold together what we so often separate: immense mercy and immense seriousness. Never despair. But never presume. Never imagine that a fall places you beyond the mercy of God. But never imagine that what darkens the heart is therefore insignificant. The Christian life is lived between these truths. Perhaps the most important question, then, is not simply, Have I committed some great sin? It may be much quieter: What is happening to my desire for God? Is the flame growing brighter or dimmer? Is prayer becoming more truthful or merely habitual? Is my heart becoming softer or harder? Am I becoming freer to love, or increasingly absorbed in myself? Have I begun calling “small” those things that slowly make me forget the One whom I love? The evil one is willing to wait. He knows that great falls can grow from tiny seeds of forgetfulness. We too must learn to wait—but differently. We remain before God. We keep the heart. We cultivate the garden. We guard the treasure. And when we discover even the smallest cooling of love, we do not panic and we do not despair. We turn again toward Christ. Immediately. Simply. Humbly. For vigilance, rightly understood, is not living in terror that we might lose God. It is living with the knowledge that nothing is more precious than having found Him. --- Text of chat during the group: 00:08:19 Fr. Charbel Abernethy: Page 61 Section C 00:14:06 Jacqulyn Dudasko: I received my books today! Even had a bit of time to start reading!

Jim Norton and Matt Serra are joined by two UFC Sacramento winners fresh off statement performances before looking ahead to this Saturday's UFC Shanghai card.First, 7th-ranked middleweight Gregory Rodrigues joins the show after collecting his fourth straight win in last Saturday's main event with a unanimous decision over hometown favorite Anthony Hernandez. Humbly aware of his reputation as a devastating striker, “RoboCop” reflects on how a fighter with jiu-jitsu roots has grown into a complete mixed martial artist under Kill Cliff head trainer Henri Hooft.A day removed from Alex Apodaca's historic upset of Bella Mir in Tuesday's DWCS main event, Jim and Matt reflect on what it takes to deliver as a massive underdog — a topic Matt Serra knows better than most.Jim and Matt are then joined by lightweight MarQuel Mederos, who assesses his own impressive showing against durable veteran Mason Jones. Now living and training in Arizona, Mederos revisits his Texas roots and how getting caught up selling weed in his younger years ultimately led him toward martial arts where he is now eyeing a Top-15 opponent next after a five-fight unbeaten start to his UFC career.Finally, Jim and Matt wrap up the show with three picks each in a preview of this weekend's fights in Shanghai.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Sudden alterations. As in the case of Job, God takes a man whom he hath blessed with choice of blessings, in the midst of a course of obedience and close walking with himself, when he expected to die in his nest, and to see good all his days;—ruins him in a moment; blasts his name, that he who was esteemed a choice saint, shall not be able to deliver himself from the common esteem of a hypocrite; slays his children; takes away his rest, health, and every thing that is desirable to him. This amazes the soul; it knows not what God is doing, nor why he pleads with it in so much bitterness. A man that either is, or may fall into such a condition, will find that he will never be able to walk with God in it, without humbling himself to the law of His providence.

Sudden alterations. As in the case of Job, God takes a man whom he hath blessed with choice of blessings, in the midst of a course of obedience and close walking with himself, when he expected to die in his nest, and to see good all his days;—ruins him in a moment; blasts his name, that he who was esteemed a choice saint, shall not be able to deliver himself from the common esteem of a hypocrite; slays his children; takes away his rest, health, and every thing that is desirable to him. This amazes the soul; it knows not what God is doing, nor why he pleads with it in so much bitterness. A man that either is, or may fall into such a condition, will find that he will never be able to walk with God in it, without humbling himself to the law of His providence.

Pursuing Humbly Unified Holiness Week 3 of the Vision Series Speaker: Drew Mathews Scripture: John 17, Ephesians 4 Download the slides for this message: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/vtefzitn86yjpiptvqztu/Vision-Week-3-PDF.pdf?rlkey=64h3uvz85hjkjrbanuxxc6ryp&st=rmowtekg&dl=0 (If using on mobile, click the icon on the top right and click direct download)

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Daily Dose of Hope July 27, 2026   Scripture: 2 Kings 19   Prayer:  Almighty God, Thank you for today and new week.  Thank you for providing for us, caring for us, and protecting us.  Over thousands upon thousands of years, you have taken care of your people.  We give you glory and praise, for who you are.  Thank you, most of all, for sending Jesus, who moved into our neighborhood so that we could begin to understand your love.  Wow.  There are no words to adequately thank you for the sacrifice that saved our lives.  Lord Jesus, we love you and we thank you.  Help us grow in holiness, continue to transform us so we can be a better reflection of you.  In Your Name, Amen.   Welcome to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan.  What a great summer in the Word it has been.  We have been working our way through 1 & 2 Kings.  There is so much substance in these books.  On the surface, you might not think so, but we learn a lot about God's intolerance for sin, but also his deep mercy for his people.  Our reading for today is 2 Kings 19.   In today's chapter, the Assyrians are just chomping at the bit to conquer Judah.  King Hezekiah and his leaders are grieving and pleading before the Lord.  They have put on ash and sackcloth.  Someone wanting to show a deeply repentant heart would often wear sackcloth, sit in ashes, and put ashes on top of his head. Sackcloth was a coarse material usually made of black goat's hair, making it quite uncomfortable to wear. The ashes signified desolation and ruin.    In an effort to seek Godly wisdom, they go to the prophet Isaiah.  Isaiah, not surprisingly, says that God will not allow the Assyrians to conquer them.  But the Assyrian king taunts them in a letter, asking how in the world they think their God can defeat the mighty Assyria.  Hezekiah's reaction is moving.  He takes the letter and lays it out before the Lord.  Humbly (key word there), Hezekiah asks the Lord to deliver them from the hands of the Assyrians.   And God answers.  God is responding to the Assyrians' letter with his own taunts.  He is quite clear that he despises the Assyrians' mockery and he will take care of them.  Judah will come out on top and it will be clear that God Almighty is the one who accomplished it.   Sure enough, an angel of the Lord ensures that 185,000 Assyrian soldiers die in their camp that night, so many that they must withdraw.  And then Sennacherib, the Assyrian king, is killed by his own sons.    Judah is the victor.  God has saved them.   There are certain things that really stand out to me in this chapter.  The first is that arrogance does not pay.  Assyria was so full of themselves that they did not and could not even conceive of anyone beating them.  Arrogance and pride will always lead to negative consequences.  Humility is difficult but this is what Jesus modeled for us.  Is there any arrogance or pride that needs to be rooted out of your life?   Second, I was so impressed and moved by how Hezekiah just laid everything out before the Lord.  He knew that Judah was weak and had no power.  But God has plenty of power.  He simply gave it to the Lord and asked for his help.  He surrendered it to God.  God hears and responds. How many of us have something we need to surrender to the Lord right now?   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

Sometimes the Lord loves to bring us to an impossible situation so that we know for sure it is Him who brings us through. Let's study 2 Chronicles 14:11. And grab study guides for the whole family here: - To get Cali's scripture study guide for adults click here: https://comefollowmestudy.com/shop/ Discount code: OMSSOr purchase on Amazon: https://a.co/d/07HMYuKo-Grab Kristen's copies of helpful PDFs and study guides here: https://shop.kristenwalkersmith.com/products/ Check out her YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/@startherestudy/shortsGet our NEW 365-day Old Testament daily devotional book on Amazon: https://a.co/d/0p3Ds0t Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Blessed Solanus Casey's path to sanctity was not marked by an extraordinary events in his life, like other saints. Rather, his life shows that sanctity is lived out in the daily, mundane acts and in the situations God places us in. Humbly recognizing our part in God's plan can help to gain sanctity in this side of life and draw others to Christ. This blogcast explores “Blessed Solanus Casey: A Modern Model of Humble Holiness" from the Ad Infinitum blog, written by Erin Donn read by Monica Thom Konschnik.I recently attended a retreat where the priest warned us against the temptation to see the saints as mere pictures on holy cards or statues that decorate our churches. These icons of the saints and, more importantly, the real example of their lives are meant to call the heavenly host to mind so that we can call on their intercession and emulate their virtue in our lives. But the temptation nonetheless remains. For myself, I have realized this is in part because the saints can feel so distant. Many of them lived centuries ago, in times and settings that are vastly different from our own, while others live out piety or charity to a degree that can just feel unattainable.This is where my blessed friend Solanus Casey comes in; he is one among many modern day saints. Born in Wisconsin in 1870, Bl. Solanus Casey grew up in a large Irish Catholic immigrant family. While technology and ways of living have changed dramatically in the 150 years since his death, Bl. Solanus Casey still rode in cars and took telephone calls. There are countless photos and even videos documenting his life as a friar. As an American, Solanus also lived and ministered in towns and cities that are familiar to us, like Detroit, Michigan, and East Harlem in New York City.The familiarity of Bl. Solanus' life reveals an example of everyday holiness that we can apply to our own lives today in the twenty-first century. He did not face the threat of martyrdom nor did he live his religious vow of poverty more radically than required. But in his life as a Capuchin Franciscan friar, he did profoundly witness to humility and poverty of spirit in the ordinary circumstances of his life. Whether in his winding and sometimes frustrating path to religious life, bearing chronic illnesses, or performing his daily duties well, Solanus showed how we can find the entirety of our lives within God's gracious providence.The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines humility as “the virtue by which a Christian acknowledges that God is the author of all good. Humility avoids inordinate ambition or pride, and provides the foundation for turning to God in prayer.” These words provide a good summary of Bl. Solanus' approach to life. He initially began his studies for the priesthood at the diocesan seminary, however four years into his studies he was asked to leave. Solanus was barely passing some of his classes, but he was doing well in others. However, he was also studying in a German-headed diocese with strong anti-Irish sentiments. Despite this disappointment, and an initial distaste for the friary, he prevailed in pursuing the priesthood and entered with the Capuchins. Even here he struggled with his studies and when he was finally ordained in 1904 it was as a “simplex priest,” which offered him fully priestly faculties but prohibited him from hearing confessions or preaching homilies for congregations. A natural reaction to these trials would be discouragement or turning back, but Fr. Solanus abandoned these things to God, maintaining his trust in God and confidence in his vocation.In many of the friaries where he was assigned, Fr. Solanus was given the job of porter, which meant greeting people and answering telephone calls at the friary. It was particularly in this role that he made up for his inability to preach homilies that he was still able to touch thousands of lives as individuals came to him for counsel and healing. As news of his miraculous prayers spread, Fr. Solanus would spend hours each day meeting with individuals seeking his assistance. It was through Solanus' obedience to this unremarkable job that God was able to do remarkable work.Throughout the ups and downs of his religious life, Fr. Solanus' journal entries often ended with the simple phrase, “Deo Gratias.” Solanus rejoiced in knowing “the richness of life which has come to [us] by the grace of God.” He was able to receive all in his life, the joys as well as the struggles, as the will of the Father. May we learn from Bl. Solanus Casey how to remain faithful to God in all circumstances, confident that the Lord is and will always work all things for our good.Further reading:Odell, Catherine M. (2017). Father Solanus Casey: Revised and updated. Our Sunday Visitor. Author:Erin Donn serves as the parish missionary at Immaculate Conception Church in Washington, DC. Resources:Listen to On Mission: Catholic Feast Days AppOn Mission: All Saints and All Souls DaysBrowse Catholic Feast Days SiteRead the Ad Infinitum blog Follow us:The Catholic Apostolate CenterThe Center's podcast websiteInstagramFacebookApple PodcastsSpotify Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C. also appears on the podcast, On Mission, which is produced by the Catholic Apostolate Center and you can also listen to his weekly Sunday Gospel reflections. Follow the Center on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube to remain up-to-date on the latest Center resources.

"Humbly Exalted" presented by Curtis Whiteley

Frederick Christian Fellowship Church is a non-denominational church where all people, regardless of where they are on their spiritual journey, are welcome to learn about God and how to have a relationship with him. As a Christ-centered, Bible-believing church, we exist to help people reach their full redemptive potential in Christ. ___ Subscribe to our channel for fresh daily content to keep you connected and inspired all week long. ____ Tap here to give: https://pushpay.com/g/fcfchurch?nt=YouTube&lang=en&src=pcgl ____ FCF Church Service Times: • Online: Sunday's at 9:15 AM and 11:15 AM ____ FOLLOW US Website: http://fcfchurch.com FCF Church Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fcfchurchfrederick FCF Church Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fcfchurch/

What is God's way of Escape? Humbly look for it and take it!

Pastor Greg Brady continues in Matthew about what weights have we been putting on ourselves, what has been motivating us, and what struggle of sin do we need to bring before Jesus.

Pastor Greg Brady continues in Matthew about what weights have we been putting on ourselves, what has been motivating us, and what struggle of sin do we need to bring before Jesus.

Psalm 6 Pray to the Lord for deliverance in your grief. 1. Humbly seeking covenant mercy. 2. Honestly sorrowing because of our sin. 3. Heartened suddenly by the Lord's faithfulness.

Pastor Greg Brady continues in Matthew about what weights have we been putting on ourselves, what has been motivating us, and what struggle of sin do we need to bring before Jesus.

Pastor Greg Brady continues in Matthew about what weights have we been putting on ourselves, what has been motivating us, and what struggle of sin do we need to bring before Jesus.

Ready for support as you learn to stop overeating, renew your mind, and walk in peace with food?

Live Humbly and Serve | Live Free Week 3 June 21, 2026 Message by Jordan Raybon [Riverdale Associate Campus Minister]   Scripture References & Sermon Points Philippians 2:1-11   • Reject Yourself • Reflect Christ  

Live Humbly and Serve | Live Free Week 3 June 21, 2026 Message by Kyle Goen [Riverdale Campus Pastor]   Scripture References & Sermon Points Philippians 2:1-11   • Live Humbly • Serve Others  

Live Humbly and Serve | Live Free Week 3 June 21, 2026 Message by RC Ford [Stewarts Creek Campus Pastor]   Scripture References & Sermon Points Philippians 2:1-11   • Live Lowly Minded • Live Lord Minded  

Our Example and Power to Humbly Put Others First - Philippians 2:5-8 1) The mindset to which we are called – v5 (cf. vv2-4) 2) The example to whom we are pointed – vv6-8 · Christ did not regard equality with God . · Christ voluntarily became a . · Christ humbly . -Describe what this passage teaches about the attitude and actions of the Son of God. What changes did God the Son experience by becoming man? -Why did Jesus subject Himself to the humiliation of the incarnation and crucifixion? How does this serve as an example to us? -Explain how Christ's finished work and ongoing ministry supplies the power for us to humbly put others first. -Why is humility vital to our relationships? In what areas is God calling you to consider the interests of others? -How does reflecting on Christ's humility move you to worship Him? -Further study: Isa 53:1-7; Mt 1:20-23; Mk 10:45; Lk 1:31-35; Jn 1:1,14; 8:29,58; 17:5; 2 Cor 8:9; Gal 2:20; Phil 2:1-4; Col 1:15-17; 2:9; 3:12-15; Heb 2:17-18; 4:14-16; Jam 3:13-4:10.

Sunday Evening Service

Humbly beginning as a yukking yokel in an audience, this lanky fellow carved out a tremendous legacy of wild slapstick and expertly timed comedy for a company mostly known for things far more cute and charming. Goofy's short subject cartoons are some of the best work the studio turned out in their heyday, and Pemmy and James take a look at four standouts among the bunch: Mickey's Service Station, The Art of Skiing, Double Dribble and Father's Day Off. It ain't nothing to hyuck with!

Rob Ellis and Mike Sielski had the honor to speak with the LEGENDARY Mr. T to talk about his career, Rocky III, The A-Team, and a lot more. Humbly, Mr. T speaks all about his life, his story, and how he made it to fame.

Apollos speaks authentically about Jesus, but he humbly accepts further instruction from Priscilla and Aquila. (Lectionary #296) May 16, 2026 - Cathedral Rectory - Superior, WI Fr. Andrew Ricci - www.studyprayserve.com  

Today, Pastor Al Dagel points us to a humble expression of praise to our great God in our Saturday in the Psalms episode of "Moments of Grace".

In Ephesians 5:19-21, the Apostle Paul gives us 3 things that characterize the lives of people who are filled with the Holy Spirit. Such a person will live a life of (1) Singing (2) Thanksgiving and (3) Humbly submitting themselves to others. Tune into this episode to hear more about the role that these 3 things play in the lives of God's people.

"7. Humbly asked Him to remove our shortcomings." — Alcoholics Anonymous, Page 59   "Only in being lived by the Tao can you be truly yourself." — Stephen Mitchell, Tao Te Ching, Verse 22   30 Tools to Stay Sober All Year Round! Here is a link to an online version of the Tao Te Ching that we use in every meeting: https://ttc.tasuki.org/display:Year:1972,1988,1996,2004/section:80 You can download a free PDF of the latest version of Powerless But Not Helpless, a Recovery Interpretation of the Tao Te Ching, at www.BuddyC.org. Feel free to share, post, and distribute this book wherever you believe it will be helpful. You can also sign up for a free daily Tao Recovery Email, access a list of podcasts, and find many other recovery resources.   Join our private Facebook group and continue the conversation! Here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaoPodcast/ or search Tao of Our understanding Podcast.   A Course in Miracles - Daily lessons from the 365-Day Course in Miracles Calendar. See the notes in each entry for a more detailed description.  Click Here to add the Course in Miracles Calendar to your Google Calendar   Daily Thought is a daily Google Calendar you can add to your  Google Calendar. It provides a daily thought that combines elements of Christian, ACIM, Tao, and AA. Click here to add the Daily Thought Calendar to your Google Calendar    Nightly 9 pm eastern Zoom A.A. Meeting www.ZoomAAMeetings.com   Would you like to receive a free daily topic email with the most popular A.A. resources, accompanied by a secret Facebook group for discussion? Go to www.DailyAAEmails.com for more information!

This week on So Brook Hills, Matt, Allison and Daniel talk about the sermon Of Peacocks, Parties, & Prophets from Mark 6:14-29.

What do you do when every voice claims to have the truth? In our current political division, social unrest, and conflicting perspectives, it’s hard to know what – or who – to trust. In this episode of Perspectives FUMCSD Pastors Podcast, Rev. Trudy Robinson and Rev. Dr. Hannah Ka turn to an unexpected voice: the prophet Micah. Though written over 2,700 years ago, Micah’s words feel strikingly relevant today. The female pastors of First UMC of San Diego explore: Why prophets spoke out against power The tension between personal and social holiness How we choose which voices to trust The danger of using faith to justify power What it truly means to walk humbly with God This conversation is based on Micah 3:4-12 and is the first of three conversations surrounding Micah’s well-known proclamation to “walk humbly, love kindness, and do justice.” Because in times of uncertainty like these, Micah’s words remind us that faith isn’t about certainty – it’s about humility, justice, and courage. Reflection Questions: Where have you seen gifts used with integrity, even when it costs you something? What does “walk humbly” look like in positions of power, influence, and leadership? What makes you realize that you must be humble before God? Continue the Discussion: There’s so much more to discuss when it comes to Micah’s concept of walking humbly with God. Join one of our groups to keep the discussion going: In-Person Convergence, in the Chapel on Sundays at 12 PM, or our Patreon Online Community. Timestamps: 00:00 When Truth Feels Impossible to Find 02:17 Micah’s Warning: Corruption, Power, and Silence 04:56 Personal vs. Social Holiness 06:03 Why Ancient Times Feel Like Today 08:20 Speaking Truth to Power (Then and Now) 11:12 The Cost Living Your Calling vs. Pleasing People 15:37 Listening to the Voices That Are Silenced 17:42 Christian Nationalism & Micah’s Warning 21:22 Power vs. Love: How Do We Discern Truth? 25:14 Closing Reflections & Discussion Questions

Hey Faith-Family! Welcome to the Beyond Sunday podcast at Calvary Bible Church – where we go beyond the Sunday sermon to explore some rabbit holes to bring Biblical truths to the surface. On this episode, we dive a little deeper into Matthew 23:1-12. If you would like to submit any questions or topics for us to consider for future episodes, please send them to podcast@cbcmj.com

A Sermon for Palm Sunday Philippians 2:1-11, St. Matthew 21:1-17, and St. Matthew 27:1-54 by William Klock One of the buildings that intrigued me the most when I studied architectural history is the Pantheon in Rome.  It's absolutely massive.  If you're not familiar with it: it's a magnificent round building covered by the world's largest unreinforced concrete dome.  It's so impressive, that until I studied the Pantheon in architectural history, I'd always assumed it had been built during the Renaissance.  But no.  It was built by the Romans in the early Second Century, a testament to their engineering capabilities.  That's what the Pantheon is known for. What doesn't get nearly as much attention is the function of that massive building.  It was a temple for all the gods of Rome, hence the name “Pantheon”, meaning “all the gods”.  It was a temple, full of altars and statues of the gods to which they were dedicated.  And, in this, it came to represent the imperial power of Caesar and his empire, backed and supported by the power and authority gods.  When I read Paul writing about the “principalities and powers” of the present wicked age, I can't help but think of the Pantheon. But in the Year of Our Lord Six-hundred-and-nine, the Christian Emperor Phocas and Boniface IV, the Bishop of Rome, ordered the by then disused Pantheon stripped of its pagan idols and pagan altars.  Twenty-eight cartloads containing the bones Christian martyrs were exhumed from the catacombs and reburied there.  A Christian altar was erected.  And the building was dedicated as a church in honour of those martyrs whom the pagan Romans had murdered in the names of their gods.  To this day, over fourteen-hundred years later, the Church of St. Mary and the Martyrs remains there, a faithful witness to the conquest of Rome by the gospel and of the lordship of Jesus the Messiah.  A testimony to the power of the cross and the blood of Jesus, not only to purify us from our sins and to make us a dwelling place fit for God's Spirit, but to wash creation itself clean from our sins as well.  There is nothing in creation—whether sinful humans or the most pagan of pagan temples—that Jesus cannot purify and redeem and set right for the glory of the living God.  But the Pantheon is also a testimony of how, of the power of gospel virtue—humility, love, grace, mercy—over the raw power and violence of empire and human endeavour. Think back to the beginning of Lent.  We listened as St. Matthew told us the story of Jesus' temptation in the wilderness.  The devil took him off to a very high mountain and showed him all the magnificent kingdoms of the world.  Off on the horizon was Rome.  “I'll give the whole lot to you,” the devil said, “if you will fall down and worship me.” To rule creation was, after all what Jesus had come for.  He was creation's true Lord.  Caesar and all the other kings were pretenders, shams, parodies of who and what Jesus really is.  All of it, from Jerusalem to Rome and beyond belongs to him.  “There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry, Mine!” to quote Abraham Kuyper.  But this was not the way.  Jesus will not reclaim his creation without also setting it to rights, without dealing with the problems of sin and death.  Without purifying it from idolatry.  without dealing with the very problems that gave us kings in the first place.  To do that requires more than raw power. And so today we hear Matthew again as he tells us of Jesus' triumphal procession into Jerusalem.  When they came near to Jerusalem, and arrived at Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of the disciples on ahead.  Go into the village over there and at once you'll find a donkey tied and a foal beside it.  Untie them and bring them to me and if anyone says anything to you, say, “The Lord needs them and he'll send them back right away.”  He sent them off at once.   Jesus was about to act out another one of his prophecies.  This time it was to show and to remind the people what sort of king the Messiah was to be.  They did want a king who would set all to rights, but in their heads, to their way of thinking, that meant leading a revolt against the Romans.  He would be like David, who defeated the Jebusites to take their city Jerusalem as his capital.  He would be like Judas Maccabeus, who defeated the Greeks and established an independent Jewish kingdom under the high priest.  The Messiah would be like that, only better, greater, more powerful, and his kingdom would last forever.  He would raise up Israel and put the gentile kings under their feet.  The day before or maybe even that same day, as Jesus came to Jerusalem from Bethphage, Caesar's governor, Pontius Pilate, was marching into the city from the opposite direction, from his base in Caesarea, at the front of a column of Roman soldiers.  They were there to represent Caesar's might and to keep the peace with threat of violence during Passover.  If Jesus was the Messiah, now was his time—or so a lot of people thought—now was Jesus' time to finally and really be the Messiah, raise up his army, and cast down Pilate and the Romans and take his throne. But violence wasn't the way to the throne any more than bowing down to the devil was.  Matthew says that Jesus did it his way to remind the people of what the Lord had said about the Messiah through the Prophet Zechariah: Tell this to Zion's daughter: Look now! Here comes your King.  He's humble, mounted on a donkey, yes, on a foal, it's young. The king they expected was going to ride into Jerusalem in a chariot or at least on a great warhorse.  But God's king is different.  A great warrior might take care of the Romans and even take his throne.  He could set things to rights in the way of earthly kings like Caesar, but the world would still be subject to sin and death.  So Jesus acted out the prophecy.  The disciples brought the donkey and Jesus humbly rode it into the city.  And the people cheered all along the way.  They spread their cloaks on the road.  Others cut branches form the trees and scattered them on the road.  The crowds who went ahead of him, and those who were following behind shouted, “Hosanna to the son of David!  Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest!”  And the whole city was gripped with excitement when they came into Jerusalem.  “Who is this!” they were saying.  And the crowds replied, “This is the prophet, Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.   The humble king, fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah.  But Jesus wasn't done with his acted-out prophecy.  Matthew says that on entering Jerusalem, Jesus went straight to the temple and when he got there he threw out the people who were buying and selling in the temple.  He upturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of the dove-sellers.  It is written, he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a brigand's lair!”  The blind and lame came to him in the temple and he healed them.  But when the chief priests and the scribes saw the remarkable things he was doing, and the children shouting, “Hosanna to the son of David!” they were very angry.   The king was fulfilling the words of the prophets.  He came in humility.  And he came announcing that he really was going to set the world to rights.  He was going to set the world to rights in a way that would make the temple obsolete.  Jesus himself would bridge the gulf between God and sinful humans.  Jesus would offer himself as the once-for-all and perfect sacrifice for sin, a sacrifice that would finally purify his people so that in the Spirit, the living God could dwell within them and make them his temple.  So that he could finally give them new hearts full of love for him and love for each other.  They didn't want to hear that.  It was his preaching about the temple that got him arrested. Our long Palm Sunday Gospel today—Matthew 27—vividly depicts the Messiah's humble way to his throne.  Betrayed by his friends, rejected by his people.  Standing humbly before the Roman governor so many people expected him to slay.  Facing trumped up charges made by lying men.  Left condemned to death as the people chose instead that Pilate should free a brutal, violent revolutionary—a man truly guilty of the trumped up charges against Jesus.  Standing humbly as the very people he came to save cried out to Pilate, “Crucify him!”  Standing humbly as he, the king, was rejected by his own people who cried out the unthinkable, “We have no king but Caesar!”  Standing humbly as Roman soldiers mocked him, beat him senseless and scourged him, ripping the skin from his body.  Humbly dragging the very cross on which he would be crucified through the city.  The king, nailed to a cross and hoisted to die between two violent thieves as his own people shouted blasphemies at him, as the chief priests and scribes mocked him shouting, “He rescued others, but he cannot rescue himself.  If he's the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross!  He trusts in God; let God deliver him now if he's really God's son!” For hours Jesus suffered: pulling on those nails driven through his wrists, pushing on the nails driven through his feet, lifting himself to gasp for breath through the pain, while the people gathered around: Jews, Romans, even the spiritual shepherds of his people who claimed to speak for God mocked him and shouted blasphemies.  And despite all that, Luke writes that Jesus prayed for them: Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.  And eventually his body could take no more and Jesus breathed his last breath.  Matthew says, the earth shook.  The great veil that guarded the holy of holies in the temple was torn in two.  And the Roman centurions standing guard, scared out of their wits, announced the very thing Jesus' own people would not: He really was the son of God!   Brothers and Sisters, there can be no Easter without Good Friday.  To set the world to rights—to really set it to rights—not just to take a throne, not just to defeat the Romans—but to defeat sin and death and to reconcile sinful men and women to God required a king willing to let evil rise up to its full height, to let evil concentrate itself all in one place, and to let it do its worst, crashing down on him all at once.  It required a king willing to throw himself into the gears of this fallen, broken, and sinful world to bring them to a stop.  It required a king willing to give his life for his own people even as they mocked and blasphemed him, so that he could rise from that humiliating death to overturn the verdict against him, rise victorious over sin and death and the absolute worst that they could do.  Only that humble king could defeat death and bring life—real and true life—back to God's creation and gather a people forgiven, cleansed by his blood, and filled with his Spirit to become a new temple, a new holy of holies where the nations would—where the nations now—enter the presence of God. It was in that humble king that those Roman centurions saw something they had never seen before.  Their Caesar called himself the son of God, but in Jesus they saw the God of Israel at work in all his glory, in all his love, in all his mercy, in all his faithfulness—like no god they'd ever known—completely unlike any god or goddess honoured in the Pantheon.  Whether they knew it or not, those centurions that first Good Friday announced the defeat of Jupiter and Mars, of Hera and Diana, of Neptune and Vesta and all the others.  And they announced the defeat of Caesar, too.  In less than three centuries, the Emperor of Rome himself would be captivated by the good news about Jesus, the son of God, the great King who was setting the world to rights. But Brothers and Sisters, the good news about Jesus, crucified and risen, didn't go out through the empire and to the nations all on its own.  It was carried, it was stewarded by a people—by a church—that, itself, took on the humility of the Saviour.  The bones of those martyrs buried in the Pantheon are a testimony to the faithful, humble, sacrificial witness of Jesus' people in those early centuries.  They didn't just proclaim a message.  They lived it out as a community—as the vanguard of God's new creation born that first Easter morning.  A people welling over with the humility of Jesus and the love of the Spirit.  In the midst of a world of darkness, of false gods and idolatry, of brutality and immorality hard for us to imagine today, they gave the pagans a glimpse of God's future.  By the way they lived, they lifted the veil and showed the world God's new creation.  It was not only the proclamation of the church, but the very life of the church that showed the world a better way, a way no one before had ever known. Here's the truth of it: The people of the humble king must be humble too or it's all for nought.  This is why Paul, writing to the Philippians, says to them, If our shared life in the king brings any comfort; if love still has the power to make you cheerful; if we really do have a partnership in the Spirit; if your hearts are at all moved with affection and sympathy—then make my joy complete!  Bring your thinking into line with one another.  In other words, if you're going to be a gospel community for all the world to see: Have this mind amongst yourselves!  Here's how to do it.  Hold on to the same love; bring your innermost lives into harmony; fix your minds on the same object.  Never act out of selfish ambition or vanity; instead, regard everyone else as your superior.  Look after each other's best interests, not your own.   And I can hear them asking Pau, “But how?  It seems impossible to be that kind of people.”  And Paul knew that, too.  And so he takes them back to the cross.  Brothers and Sisters, everything goes back to Jesus and the cross!  The cross is the only way a gospel people can be a gospel people.  He writes: This is how you should think amongst yourselves, with the mind that you have because you belong to Jesus the Messiah.  And what does that look like?  Paul quotes what looks like song lyrics—maybe a hymn they sang regularly in their churches—a hymn full of gospel truth that maybe they'd got just a little too used to over the years, truth they needed to be reminded of, to think through, to incorporate into their own lives.  Paul writes: Who, though in God's form, did not regard his equality with God as something he ought to exploit.  Instead, he emptied himself, and received the form of a slave, being born in the likeness of men.  And then, having human appearance, he humbled himself, and became obedient even to death, yes, even death on a cross.  And so God has greatly exalted him, and to him in his favour has given the name which is over all names.  That now at the name of Jesus every knee within heaven shall bow—on earth, too, and under the earth.  And every tongue shall confess that Messiah Jesus is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.   Paul reminds them of the humble king, the son of God who not only took on our flesh, but who gave his life in the most painful and humiliating way possible so that on his way to his throne he might take us with him. Brothers and Sisters, the only way we will ever be faithful in being the people Jesus has called us to be, the only way we will ever be faithful in being the new creation people the Spirit has made us, the only way will ever be faithful stewards of the gospel is to keep the cross of Jesus always before us.  There's a reason why we confess our sins before we come to the Lord's Table.  There is a reason that we repeatedly recall our unworthiness to enter the presence of God on our own merit.  There is a reason why, as we rise in the morning and as we go to bed at night, we confess our sins.  It's so that as we hear the absolution and as we come to the Table, we will remember just how gracious and merciful and loving God has been to us.  It's why we sing songs like “Amazing Grace”.  Amazing grace is such a sweet, sweet sounds, because apart from grace we are such sinful wretches.  And it is inevitable that when we forget this, when we start to think of ourselves as deserving of the gifts God has poured out on us, when we forget the sinfulness of our sin, when we forget that we are the ones who have broken his beloved creation, dear Friends, that's when we forget the true power of the gospel and the true mercy of the cross and the great depth of the love of God for sinners.  When we forget the sinfulness of our sin, we lose sight of the amazingness of God's grace.  Eventually we lose the mind of Jesus the Messiah and we cease to be the community of humble servants that he has made us.  We turn, instead, to self-righteousness, to pride, to violence, to politics, to money, to power to further the kingdom of God.  And our light grows dim.  Our witness fails. We see it happening all around us in the West.  We've stopped talking about sin and we've thought more highly of ourselves than we ought.  We preach a doctrine of cheap grace.  And our light has gone dim.  Our churches have emptied and the culture has claimed them for its own.  In some they preach false gospels of prosperity or the divinity of man or the goodness of sexual immorality.  We setup idols to politics and earthly power in them.  Some are literally gutted, becoming theatres or bars.  Others are little more than tourist attractions: testimonies to the power of the gospel in the days we proclaimed it, but now empty, dead shells.  The culture removes the cross and sets up altars to its idols.  Brothers and Sisters, before it is too late, let us kneel before the cross of Jesus and look up.  Let it fill our vision.  Let us remember that he—the sinless son of God—died the death we deserve.  And let us meditate on the depth and power of his grace that we might share the humble mind of our humble king, that we might be the people he has called us to be, the people he has given his Spirit to make us, the people who will steward his gospel of grace until every knee bows and every tongues confesses that Jesus the Messiah is Lord and gives glory to God the Father. Let's pray: Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for mankind you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility:  Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.  Amen.

Eliot Shorr-Parks admits defeat after it became clear he would not be winning Eagles insider of the year for the second consecutive year.

Istrouma Baptist Church (ASC) Mar 22, 2026 ========== March 22 - Philippians Welcome! We're glad you've joined us today for our Sunday morning worship service! For more information about Istrouma, go to istrouma.org or contact us at info@istrouma.org. We glorify God by making disciples of all nations. ========== Connection Card https://istrouma.org/myinfo Taking Ownership of Your Faith Philippians 3:12-16 ‭‭Philippians‬ ‭3‬:‭12‬-‭16‬‬ Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you. Only let us hold true to what we have attained. Grace saves, but ownership grows us. 1. Focus your life on Christ. Ownership begins with focus. "But one thing I do…I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus" (v.14). 2. Forget what's behind you. Ownership requires forward movement. 3. Fight to Grow Forward. Ownership requires effort. - Humbly admit you still need to grow. - Fully surrender your life to Christ. - Think rightly about spiritual maturity. - Train yourself spiritually.

Message from Stephen Abeshima on March 22, 2026

Read OnlineJesus addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector…” Luke 18:9–10Humility is a beautiful virtue. Even the most public sinner, like a tax collector, shines brightly with God's grace when his heart is purified by humility. On the other hand, pride is an ugly vice. When pride is present in someone's life, the soul is incapable of reflecting God's pure and beautiful light.Today's parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, who both go to the temple to pray, teaches us that true holiness comes from within. The interior virtues of the soul allow God's radiance to shine outwardly. When humility and repentance fill a person's heart, the soul reflects God's grace.We may all encounter people who seem to radiate God's grace, peace, and joy. Conversely, we may meet others who radiate judgment, self-righteousness, and condemnation. While we must avoid judging others, we cannot help but be inspired by the genuine humility of those whose lives are marked by grace. For example, even if we forget the exact words of Saint Mother Teresa's many speeches, her radiant charity, fueled by humility, is unforgettable.The Pharisees were known for their meticulous observance of the external requirements of the Law of Moses. However, their scrupulous adherence to these laws often blinded them to the deeper virtues that God desires. They became focused on appearances, missing the heart of the matter: humility and love of God.Praying in the temple is a good and pious act. Both the Pharisee and the tax collector did this. However, prayer that is distorted by self-righteousness, pride, and arrogance cannot rise to God as true prayer. Only when prayer is guided by humility and an awareness of our need for God's mercy does it become a channel of grace.The tax collector was humble because he recognized his sinfulness and his need for God's mercy. He prayed, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” The Pharisee, blinded by pride, could not see his own need for God's forgiveness and instead praised himself for his external observances. The tax collector's humility opened him to divine wisdom, while the Pharisee's pride left him in spiritual blindness. Humility is wise; pride is foolish.Reflect today on how you approach prayer. Are you wise in your prayer? Do you, like the tax collector, acknowledge your need for God's mercy? Pray the tax collector's prayer with sincerity and depth: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” If you find yourself thinking, “I'm not that bad of a sinner,” then your prayer is more like that of the Pharisee. Don't shy away from the truth. Humbly confess your weaknesses and sins before God. He is merciful. Acknowledge your complete dependence on His grace. Only then, like the tax collector, will you go home justified before God.Most merciful God, have mercy on me, a sinner. I need You. I need Your forgiveness. By Your grace, help me to see my sins clearly, confess them, and experience the joy of redemption. Fill me with humility, dear Lord, so that I may know the truth of myself and, through Your wisdom, be set free. Jesus, I trust in You.Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Most Christians either treat our sin too flippantly or live in a constant state of shame and regret. Neither of these are pleasing to Jesus! This week in Jonah 3 and 2 Corinthians 7, we learn that fasting is a great way to grieve our sin and experience God's grace and healing.⁠Practical advice and FAQs about fasting⁠ ⁠Bonus episode about a person journey with fasting⁠Got a question about this teaching or a teaching from this series? ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Submit it here!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠About Music Track: Track: Inspirational Flight Artist: AShamaluev

Read OnlineJesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples, saying, “The scribes and the Pharisees have taken their seat on the chair of Moses. Therefore, do and observe all things whatsoever they tell you, but do not follow their example. For they preach but they do not practice.” Matthew 23:1–3Why do you do what you do? Even when our actions appear good, reverent, or charitable, they can be motivated by pride. The scribes and Pharisees struggled with this very sin. They often performed their acts of piety and charity not to glorify God but to win the praise of others. They were quick to judge others while failing to practice what they preached. This hypocrisy led many to view them with disdain. Therefore, Jesus' public rebukes of the religious leaders must have consoled those who had been mistreated under their leadership. His words provided both corrections and hope for those seeking authentic faith.Jesus condemns the religious leaders more than a dozen times throughout the Gospels, making them a significant aspect of His mission. Jesus came to bring both healing and truth, and confronting hypocrisy was necessary to restore justice within the community. But why did Jesus take such a firm stance against them? Wouldn't it have been easier to seek peace and unity through kindness, avoiding conflict and division?It's important to understand that true kindness is a fruit of charity. But for kindness to be truly charitable, it must always seek the good of the other. Charity is not merely about making people feel good; it is rooted in divine truth. If Jesus had simply said, “We should be nice to the scribes and Pharisees, no matter what,” this would not have been true charity. Jesus' rebukes sought to awaken the religious leaders from their spiritual blindness and protect the people from their harmful example. True charity often requires correction.In our own lives, we must also examine our motivations. Are our acts of piety and charity truly for the glory of God, or are they done to be seen and praised by others? When we embrace the Gospel, we must accept that we might sometimes hear uncomfortable truths. Genuine love does not shy away from correction but seeks the ultimate good of the other, even when it challenges us to change. Therefore, we must see ourselves as the scribes and Pharisees, needing rebuke and correction.Additionally, there are times when God uses us to correct others out of love. Parents do this for their children, guiding them with patience and tenderness so they may grow in virtue. In the same way, teachers are called to instruct their students, imparting knowledge and forming their character with care and wisdom. Spiritual directors, priests, and confessors gently guide souls on the path to holiness, helping them to discern areas of growth and sin, always in the light of God's mercy and truth.Reflect today on Jesus' charitable words to the scribes and Pharisees. First, hear Jesus' words spoken to you. Humble yourself so you are open to such loving rebukes. Allow yourself to become more aware of your pride and self-righteousness so that you can change. Also, be open to how God might want to use you to confront others charitably. While Jesus alone is the Judge, He sometimes uses us as instruments of His judgment for those open to hearing His voice through us. Humbly consider this role, allowing God to use you as He wills. Always speak with gentleness and love, imparting the hard truth another needs to hear, never with cruelty or harshness.My just Lord, Your just judgments flow from the unfathomable charity within Your Sacred Heart. You desire all men to be saved and to turn to You. Please humble me so that I never reject Your just judgments but receive them with joy so that I may repent and grow closer to You. I also place myself at Your service as an instrument of Your justice for others in accordance with Your will. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Jesus wakes lazarus by Robert Wilhelm Ekman  Source: Free RSS feed from catholic-daily-reflections.com — Copyright © 2026 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. This content is provided solely for personal, non-commercial use. Redistribution, republication, or commercial use — including use within apps with advertising — is strictly prohibited without written permission.

Just about everyone multitasks with how busy our lives have become. But is it truly the best way to function and be productive? Today Pastor Mike talks about this unique but familiar topic.

Got a question? Let us know!Made for Mondays | STEPSStep Seven: The PetitionThis week on Made for Mondays, Joe is joined by Heather, Jamey, and Tyler for a conversation centered on Step 7 in the STEPS journey: The Petition.After some weekend catch-up (yes, Olympics enthusiasm makes an appearance

Read Online“What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He came to the first and said, ‘Son, go out and work in the vineyard today.' The son said in reply, ‘I will not,' but afterwards he changed his mind and went. The man came to the other son and gave the same order. He said in reply, ‘Yes, sir,' but did not go. Which of the two did his father's will?” Matthew 21:28–31Jesus addressed this question to the chief priests and elders of the people. As the passage continues, Jesus humbles them by saying, “Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the Kingdom of God before you.” He explains that the chief priests and elders of the people were like the second son. They gave lip service to God's commands but failed to humbly repent and obey.The fact that “tax collectors and prostitutes” were entering the Kingdom of God should give us great hope. No one is beyond God's mercy if they humbly listen to Him, repent, and begin to obey. Though neither son's response is ideal, hopefully we are more like the first son.When we hear God's Word and understand His continuously deepening call to holiness, we will find it challenging. Often, our first reaction to a deeper revelation of the Gospel is “No!” Our sinful habits are hard to break, and our fallen human nature is difficult to align with God's will. Don't be surprised if you find God's will initially challenging.As God's voice and His will become clearer, our first response must always be repentance. This should not surprise us. We must learn to build a habit of repentance if we want to grow closer to God and live His will. Initially, we often react to repentance in a negative way, but we shouldn't. Though we might be like the first son and say “no” when God calls us to obedience, if we build a habit of repentance, then we will eventually find great joy in that act. Over time, we will find that our response becomes “Yes, I will go,” and then we go, having discovered the value in obedience.Reflect today on whether you often pay lip service to God, pretending to do His will, or if you regularly experience God's call to repentance on a deepening level. Identify yourself with the repentant tax collectors and prostitutes, and imitate their humility when they were confronted with their sins. Know that repentance is the beginning of freedom and is the first step toward greater unity with God. My demanding Lord, every command You issue is a command of love. Though obedience to You is often initially challenging, help me to see the great value in it. Give me the courage and fidelity I need to hear Your voice, repent of my sin, and obey You in all things. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: Andrei Mironov, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

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