Podcasts about Mount Tabor

Deborah stands out as one of the inspiring figures in biblical history. As a prophetess, a judge and courageous leader, she rose above all expectations in a society driven by patriarchal influence. Her story, recorded in Judges 4 and 5, recounts her reliance on divine wisdom, as well as her decisive leadership and unwavering faith in God's promises, as she rallied Israel to victory against their oppressors. Superior military technology At the time Deborah served as a judge, Israel as a nation was subjugated by King Jabin of Hazor whose general, Sisera, commanded an army equipped with 900 iron chariots. These chariots were intimidating because they were markedly superior to any of the weapons of warfare Israel possessed. For 20 years, King Jabin and Sisera ruthlessly oppressed Israel until the people finally cried out to God for deliverance. God would answer their cry through the faithfulness of Deborah. Deborah received divine instruction to summon Barak, a military commander, and told him to gather 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun. She assured him that God would orchestrate the battle against Sisera at the Kishon River, ensuring victory. However, Barak hesitated and insisted that Deborah accompany him into battle. Deborah agreed but foretold that the ultimate victory—defeating Sisera—would be accomplished by a woman. The battle unfolded dramatically Barak led his forces to Mount Tabor, and Sisera responded by mobilizing his army with their superior military technology. God intervened by sending a sudden, torrential rainstorm, causing the battlefield to flood. Sisera's iron chariots, once a formidable advantage, become useless in the mud. His army was thrown into panic, and Barak pursued them, wiping out all of Sisera's forces. Prophecy fulfilled Though Sisera escaped the actual battle, he was killed by a woman who was not even from Israel. This small but important detail reinforces the sovereignty of God, as His word is always fulfilled, even if it is accomplished in unexpected ways. Deborah's leadership was marked by wisdom, humility and courage. She positioned herself to be used by God, patiently serving in her role as a judge until the time came for decisive action. Her ability to inspire faith and confidence in others played a crucial role in Israel's victory! Her story clearly reflects the importance of relying on God's guidance, acting with faith and recognizing godly leadership in unexpected places.

Pastor Damaris Solis brings this week's message, “Until I ____ Arose!" Judges 4:1-10 ESV: “And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord after Ehud died. And the Lord sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. Then the people of Israel cried out to the Lord for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the Lord, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand'?” Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him.” Judges 5:7 ESV: “The villagers ceased in Israel; they ceased to be until I arose; I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.” If you enjoyed the podcast, please subscribe and share it with your friends on social media. For more information about PNEUMA Church, visit our website at mypneumachurch.org.  Connect with Us: Instagram: https://instagram.com/mypneumachurch YouTube: https://youtube.com/mypneumachurch Facebook: https://facebook.com/mypneumachurch Time Stamps: 00:00 - Introduction 00:30 - Welcome 04:18 - Judges 4:1-10 ESV 06:13 - Judges 5:17 ESV 07:08 - Until I ____ Arose!

 Father Billy speaks about the previous Sunday's reading on the Transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor.  He then talks about the second pillar of Lent which is prayer and highlights that Jesus was transfigured when He was in prayer.  He then continues on the theme of Spiritual Warfare. L'articolo RM Breakfast Show – Fr Billy Swan – the Second Pillar of Lent: Prayer – Pray better and not more proviene da Radio Maria.

What if you could recalibrate your life to hear God's voice above the noise and chaos of this world? From the 2nd Sunday of Lent, Fr. Dom dives deep into the heart of Lent, a season that's not just about giving up chocolate or coffee, but about repositioning yourself to know, love, and serve God in a way that changes everything.We start with a piece of Scripture that echoes through Lent: “If today you hear the Lord's voice, harden not your hearts.” It's a call to action, brothers, and I'm breaking it down for you—why it matters, where to find His voice, and what happens when we tune out. From Abram's 4,000-mile journey of faith 4,000 years ago to the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor, I connect the dots to show how these ancient stories aren't just history—they're blueprints for us today. You'll hear about Abram's covenant with God, a wild ritual with split animals that proves God's promises are unbreakable, and how Jesus' disfigured body on the cross leads to our glorified future.But here's where it gets real: Lent isn't just a 40-day slog through the desert. It's a chance to meet Jesus where you're at—messy, broken, or doubting—and let Him work miracles in your life. I'll walk you through the power of the Eucharist, where science meets faith (yes, every Eucharistic miracle studied points to the flesh of Jesus' wounded heart), and why submitting to God—tough as it is—unlocks a strength you didn't know you had.Your Challenge: This week, carve out 15 minutes a day to sit in silence and listen for God's voice. No phone, no distractions—just you and Him. Journal what you hear, even if it's just a whisper. Then, hit Mass and receive the Eucharist with intention, asking God to transform your heart as you consume His. It's not easy, but it's worth it. Listen now to discover how to make this Lent your turning point—because when you give your heart to the Lord, He doesn't just take it; He transfigures it. Push play and let's journey into the desert together.3 Powerful Quotes“If you want to give your heart over to the Lord, you eat his heart. Every Eucharistic miracle, when it's given to scientists, just a piece of that Eucharistic miracle that has changed into the body and blood of God, when it's dissected and studied, it's always the flesh of Jesus' heart.”  “God makes his covenants with us and he holds himself accountable. That's how much he loves us and wants to redeem us.”  “He climbs Mount Calvary and on Mount Calvary his body is not transfigured but his body is greatly disfigured. Scourged, beaten, bruised, bloodied, whipped. You can't even know who he is. And he did that for you.”Submit to God's voice daily, even when it's hard. Start by listening in silence for 15 minutes—tune out the world and trust He'll meet you there. It's not about control; it's about surrender that builds unshakable faith.Send us a text Support the showPlease prayerfully consider supporting the podcast on our Buy Me A Coffee page. to help grow the show to reach as many men as possible! Thank you for your prayers and support. Be sure to follow us on X for more great content. As always, please pray for us! We are men who strive daily to be holy, to become saints and we cannot do that without the help of the Holy Ghost! Subscribe to our YouTube page to see our manly and holy faces Check out our website Contact us at themanlycatholic@gmail.com

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!Ever wonder why the Transfiguration appears during Lent? This seemingly paradoxical pairing reveals a profound spiritual rhythm that defines the Christian journey.On this Ember Saturday of the first week of Lent, we climb Mount Tabor with Christ and his chosen apostles to witness his divine glory. The face that will soon be marred beyond recognition shines like the sun; the body that will be broken radiates majesty. But why this glorious revelation now, as we're just beginning our Lenten disciplines?The Transfiguration serves a dual purpose that speaks directly to our spiritual lives. First, it offers a glimpse of Easter glory - the resurrection brilliance that awaits beyond our fasting and prayer. Yet perhaps more importantly, this revelation prepared the apostles for the devastating shock of the Passion. As Saint Bernadette beautifully expressed, "The Christian life has not only its combats and trials, it also has its consolations. If we have to go from Tabor to Calvary, we come back from Calvary to Tabor."This pattern repeats throughout our spiritual journey. Those mountaintop moments - when prayer feels effortless and God's presence overwhelming - aren't simply divine rewards. They're strategic preparation for the valleys ahead. The consolations strengthen us for coming crosses. While we rightfully look forward to Easter joy during Lent, we must remember what stands between now and resurrection glory: Calvary.Join us in embracing both the consolations and crosses of this Lenten season. Through prayer, fasting, and almsgiving, may we follow Christ from glory to suffering and back to eternal glory again. What spiritual consolations have prepared you for difficult seasons in your life?Support the showSponsored by Recusant Cellars, an unapologetically Catholic and pro-life winery from Washington state. Use code BASED25 at checkout for 10% off! https://recusantcellars.com/Also sponsored by Quest Pipe Co. Get your St Isaac Jogues pipe here: https://questpipeco.com/discount/Amish?redirect=%2Fproducts%2Fst-isaac-jogues-limited-edition********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://shop.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssSpiritusTV: https://spiritustv.com/@avoidingbabylonRumble: https://rumble.com/c/AvoidingBabylon

The Second Sunday of Lent provides us the gospel of what happened at the summit of Mount Tabor. Our Lord is famously transfigured. This happens in the presence of His three favorite apostles: Peter, James and his brother John. Our dear Jesus sought to enkindle their faith and strengthen their hope. This is so kind of Him to give them assurances that despite His coming suffering and death on the cross, He will be glorified and triumphant in the end. Although He will be practically unrecognizable because His sacred Humanity will be destroyed, behind it all is His glory, His victory, His divinity, and power above anything that the Devil, the World and the Flesh can hurl against Him. Be of stout heart, He would be telling them. I will undergo this but rest assured I am in control. This is our unshakable hope!

Delivered by the Vocationist Sisters in Labuan Bajo and Father Peter Tukan, SDB from Salesian Don Bosco Gerak in the Diocese of Labuan Bajo, Indonesia. Genesis 15: 5-12.17-18; Rs psalm 27: 1.7-8.9abc.13-14; Philippians 3: 17 - 4: 1; Luke 9: 28b-36THE NEW APPARITION The theme for our meditation on this Second Sunday ofLent is: The New Apparition. In the era of communication that places greatemphasis on visualization and people's impression of it, a new apparition is amust. Anyone in this era who is not touched by the new or updated method orproduct, he is automatically left behind. The application programs on yourcellphone and computer, if you don't update yourself to get a new product, theprogram will no longer work and will greatly trouble your work. Personal account profiles on social media really needto be updated. The page also changes its appearance every day to make it moreattractive. Each change defines the existence or activity in media and gainsrecognition from others. In the world of advertising, new appearances tointroduce its legal products are mandatory. In the world of politics, the newapparition of the current generation will affect the face of politics as awhole. In short, the need for a new appearance related toexistence, activities and the mentality of life is a basic need in today'scommunication era. The specific feature of all these new apparitions is thatchange is constantly happening. It is like flowing water and cannot be the samewater. Our needs and desires are indeed unstoppable. Saint Augustine said thatthe desire of our hearts can only stop when it comes to God. The apparition orrevelation in glory of the Lord Jesus in Tabor really gives us confidence thatit is a stop from the journey of all our desires. The apparition representseternal glory, which is the goal of every believer and all that God loves. In line with the new appearance of this world which isour basic need, there is also a great demand for a new appearance in our soulsand faith. Together with the apparition in the Mount Tabor, receiving theteaching of Saint Paul about the transformation of our mortal bodies intoglorious bodies in Jesus Christ, and believing in the eternal covenant of theLord God with us humans, may we seek new apparitions of our spiritual buildingin this Lenten period.  The change in our spiritual apparition should increasemore and more. The goal is that the more time goes by towards the end of thislife, the closer we get to this glorious achievement. On this day, if you praypersonally for 15 minutes, tomorrow the time is added longer and the intentionis added more. Fasting, prayer and charity also need a new appearance. Such isthe multiplication of our spiritual life. Thus new apparitions occur in thelife of our faith. Let us pray. In the name of the Father... O God, may YourSpirit move us to make a real spiritual renewal. Hail Mary full of grace... In the name of the Father...

“This may not be my best day, but I know the One who makes tomorrows better,” says the Rev. Daniel Kingsley, explaining how he hopes parishioners should leave the pews after hearing the homily on Sunday. “I think when people come to our pews, they bring the virtue of faith, charity, and sometimes, it's hope that they're grasping for.” Daniel Kingsley, the pastor of Saint Clare Church and the administrator of Saint Pius X Church in Rosedale, Queens, NY, is our featured guest on “Preach” for the Second Sunday in Lent, Year C. After preaching on the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor in Luke's Gospel, Daniel shares with host Ricardo da Silva, S.J., how preachers are called to inspire their communities to understand their faith as something active, something that transforms them and moves them to action. He emphasizes how important it is for us to live out our faith beyond the pews. “May our witness to the Good News help bring healing and wholeness in everyone we encounter and every place we travel,” he says. “It would be tragic if our Sunday ritual were just a Sunday ritual.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jesus is the kingdom of God in person. And Jesus is the one who now fills all things everywhere with himself. What happened to Jesus on Mount Tabor when he was transfigured in appearance from an ordinary Galilean Jew into his true appearance as the glorious Son of God, is what will happen in the eschaton to all of God's creation.

“GOD ALWAYS WAS THE HEALER. He is the healer still, and will ever remain the Healer. Healing is for YOU. — John G. LakeEPISODE HIGHLIGHTS God's substance lives in you.  https://twitter.com/kwambach200th Celebration Live @ Mount Tabor We allow our faith to make it effortless. John G. Lake: from the Cloud of Witnesses: Hundreds of thousands of people touched by the love of God. The Significance of Mount Tabor and Angelic Encounters The spirit of a tangible substance - It's as tangible as the reservoir. Words of Knowledge, Prayer, and a divine guest “The reason for the resurrection is that the kingdom of Christ is not to be in heaven entirely. It is to be in this world. And the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ is to rule in this world. Consequently, while we live in this world we will need a body like our Lord's—capable of existence here, and capable of existence over there.” —John G. LakeINTERVIEWING JESUS SHOW NOTES - Watch Live link inside the show notes Connect with Kristen onIJP Facebook CommunityInstagram #interviewingjesuspodcast #livingspirituallybraveTwitter X LinkedinLinkTreeWebsite KristenWambach.comThank you for spending this time with me, I am honored. See you next week Kristen Music Credits  by Stockaudios from Pixabay  We're on this journey together, sharing wisdom through these episodes and videos. If they resonate with you, please like, comment, or subscribe to our channel. Your support helps us create content that speaks to your soul. Thank you for being part of our community. We are, because you are, Living Spiritually BRAVE!

The gospel today teaches us how to foster our faith by removing the obstacles to the reception of the grace of faith. A father of his possessed son asks Our dear Lord's disciples to liberate his suffering son from the mute devil within him. They find out that they could not. Our Lord arrives from the Mount Tabor excursion with His favorite apostles Peter, James, and John. He approaches the crowd forming around the distressed father. He sizes up the situation and asks the dad to fill Him in about the background of the possession of his child. The man lets out a heart-wrenching plea for Jesus to help Him. He prefaces it with a conditional that does not please Jesus. He placed a conditional clause for his faith, i.e., "If you can..." Our Lord points out to him his error. Then, the inconsolable man manifests the truth of his faith in Jesus. He does it sincerely. The truth of his dispositions consists of his belief that Our Lord can do the exorcism, but at the same time, he admits his faith is not solid. This humble acceptance of this deficiency opens his soul to accept Jesus' infusing him with more faith. He declares, "I believe but help my unbelief." With this, Jesus cures his son of the mute demon.

(Mark 9:2-13) In the final sermon of our Mountains of Meeting series (and a sneaky peek ahead for our Gospel of Mark series) Iain takes the opportunity to look at the incredible moment of Jesus revealing Himself to His disciples on Mount Tabor with the Transfiguration. Here in this beautiful moment of Jesus inviting Peter, James and John to know Him more, there is also some discomfort and uncertainty. Join us as Iain unpacks the beautiful invitation to question and discomfort as we get to know Jesus more.

Send us a textThe devotion for today, Monday, January 13, 2025 was written and narrated by Thomas Riggs.Today's Words of Inspiration come from Judges 4:6b-9“Go, take with you ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun and lead them up to Mount Tabor. I will lead Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his troops to the Kishon River and give him into your hands.”Barak said to her, “If you go with me, I will go; but if you don't go with me, I won't go.”“Certainly I will go with you,” said Deborah. “But because of the course you are taking, the honor will not be yours, for the Lord will deliver Sisera into the hands of a woman.” So Deborah went with Barak to Kedesh.  Support the show

Do we prioritize time alone with Jesus, or let the noise of life pull us away? This week, we dive into the transformative power of personal, intentional moments with God. Through the story of Jesus leading His disciples to Mount Tabor, we see that true strength for public witness starts in private surrender. Jesus calls us to set aside distractions and seek Him, allowing these private encounters to become the wellspring for our life and faith. In Matthew 17, Jesus models solitude, prayer, and a heart open to God's presence. As He chose, led, and revealed Himself to His disciples, He invites us to do the same—reflecting His glory in our lives by meeting with Him deeply and regularly. Together, we'll explore practical steps for intentional time with Jesus, recognizing that these private moments hold the power to ignite purpose and impact the world for His kingdom. Ready to go deeper in your walk with Christ? Take your next step at burnthickory.com/next.

You can send me a text if you have a comment or questionThe focus is on Nelson's great victory, but we also cover the Battle of the Pyramids, the Siege of Acre and the Battle of Mount Tabor.The strategic choice of Egypt as a way to defeat Britain, may sound crazy, but we go into French thinking.  This is Napoleon's and Tallyrand's best thinking on the subject.  It may not be that hopeful, whole lotta steps involved, but it's te best they got.  

Revelation, Session Five Christ the Savior, Anderson SC Fr. Anthony Perkins Sources: The translation of the Apocalypse is from the Orthodox Study Bible. Lawrence R. Farley, The Apocalypse of St. John: A Revelation of Love and Power, The Orthodox Bible Study Companion (Chesterton, IN: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2011), Bishop Averky, The Epistles and the Apocalypse (Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, Volume III. (Holy Trinity Seminary Press, 2018). Andrew of Caesarea, Commentary on the Apocalypse, ed. David G. Hunter, trans. Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, vol. 123, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2011). Jack Norman Sparks, The Orthodox Study Bible: Notes (Thomas Nelson, 2008), 1712. Venerable Bede, The Explanation of the Apocalypse, trans. Edward Marshall (Oxford: James Parker and Co., 1878). William C. Weinrich, ed., Revelation, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005). Review – from the Orthodox Study Bible Introduction and Blessing 1:1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. 2. Who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. [speaking of the Gospel of St. John]  3.  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. Greeting to the Seven Churches 4.  John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,  5.  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.  To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  6.  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever.  Amen. (OSB) 7.  Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.  And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.  Even so, Amen. 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord (God), who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 10.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,  11.  saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.” And, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 12-13.  Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.  And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment  down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.   New Material – from the Orthodox Study Bible 14-20.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.  I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.  Amen.  And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.  Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.  The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.   1:14. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire OSB.  Further, Christ is here described as God, His hair (v. 14) being that of Daniel's vision of God as the “Ancient of Days” (7:9; see also 1En 46:1). His eyes signify knowledge; His feet (v. 15), permanence and stability; His voice, authority or teaching; His right hand (v. 16), power; His two-edged sword, complete discernment. This imagery continues throughout Revelation to affirm the preexistence and eternal divinity of the Son of Man (see also Jn 1:1–18). Thus, in Christ man (v. 14) and God (vv. 15, 16) are united. St. Bede.  14. white. The antiquity and eternity of majesty are represented by whiteness on the head, to which all the chief ones adhere, as hairs, who, because of the sheep which are to be on the right hand are white, like wool, and because of the innumerable multitude of the white-robed and the elect, who come forth from heaven, are glistering like snow. eyes. The eyes of the Lord are preachers, who, with spiritual fire, bring light to the faithful, and to the unbelieving a consuming flame. Andrew of Caesarea. 1:14. His head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire. For even though he is recent amidst us, nonetheless he is ancient; rather, he is before time. His white hair is a symbol of this. And his eyes are as a flame of fire, on the one hand, illuminating those who are holy and, on the other hand, burning the sacrilegious. 1:15.  His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; OSB. 1:15 Dan 2:31–44 indicates this mysterious metal foundation not only provides stability but has the ability to forcibly crush all opposition as well. These images are contrasted with the feet of clay found in Dan 2:33, 43: the kingdoms of this world are not permanent, nor ultimately triumphant. St. Andrew of Caesarea.  1:15a. And his feet were like glowing brass, red-hot as in a furnace. [21] The divine Gregory also understood that the feet meant the divine condescension through the flesh. For his feet by treading on the divinity achieved our salvation. The feet are also the foundations of the Church, like glowing brass, which physicians say is a sweet-smelling incense, which they call masculine incense. Or otherwise: On the one hand, meaning the human nature by the glowing brass, and on the other hand the divine nature by the incense, through both of which is also shown the sweetness of the faith and the unconfused union . Or the fine brass signifies the beautiful melody of the gospel proclamation, and the incense is the return of the nations by which the bride is summoned. And the feet of Christ are also the apostles, who have been tested by fire in the furnace of trials in imitation of their Teacher. 1:15b. And his voice like the sound of many waters. Naturally. His voice is in common with that of the Spirit, from which “rivers of living water flowed from the belly” of the faithful, and it made a penetrating sound over all the earth.   St. Bede.   15. feet. By the “fiery feet” he means the Church of the last time, which is to be searched and proved by severe afflictions. For orichalcum is brass, which, by much fire and various ingredients, is brought to the colour of gold. Another translation, which renders it, “like orichalcum of Lebanon,” signifies that in Judæa, of which Lebanon is a mountain, the Church will be persecuted, and especially at the last. The temple also frequently received the name of Lebanon, as there is said to ito, “Open, O Lebanon, thy gates, and let the fire devour thy cedars.” voice. The voice of confession, and preaching, and praise does not resound in Judæa alone, but among many peoples. 1:16.  He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. OSB: 1:16 The Lord holds the stars that represent the seven churches (1:20), and hence, the Church. For Christ is Lord of the Church. In His just judgment, the sword He wields is the Word of God, which cuts effortlessly to the very marrow and heart of humanity (see 2:16; 18:15; Is 11:4; 49:2; WSol 18:15; Eph 6:17; 2Th 2:9; Heb 4:12). The brilliance of His face recalls the Uncreated Light John saw radiating from the Savior at the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Andrew of Caesarea. 1:16. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and coming out from his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword, and his appearance as the sun shines in its power. [22] Further down he says that the seven stars are the seven angels of the churches. The sharp, double-edged sword means his decision against the wicked, “sharper than any two-edged sword,” or the sword of the Spirit circumcising our inner man.38 Like the sun his face shines, not in a splendor to the senses, but to the intellect. For he is the “sun of righteousness,” shining with his own power and authority, not like the sensory sun, which as a created object by God-given power and divine command.   St. Bede. 16. right hand. In the right hand of Christ is the spiritual Church. “On Thy right hand,” he says, “stood the queen in a vesture of gold.” And as it stands on His right hand, He saithq, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom.” mouth. He, the Judge of all things visible and invisible, “after He has killed, has power to cast into hell fire.” countenance. Such as the Lord appeared on the Mount, will He appear after the judgment to all the saints, for at the judgment the ungodly will behold Him Whom they pierced. But all this appearance of the Son of Man belongs also to the Church, for He Himself was made the Christ in the same nature with it, and He gives to it a sacerdotal dignity and a judicial power, and to “shine as the sun in the kingdom of His Father.” 1:17-18. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.  Amen.   OSB. 1:17, 18 Mortal humanity cannot bear the revelation of divine glory, a frequent biblical theme (see Ex 19:21; 33:20; Is 6:5). Just as he fell prostrate at Mount Tabor (Mt 17:6), so also does John here, in the presence of the glorified Savior (see Ezk 1:27; Dan 10:7–9; see also 1En 14:24). Do not be afraid is a revelatory formula from the OT. As a signal for the theophany, it was carried over into the NT (see the Annunciation, Lk 1:30; Jesus walking upon the water, Mt 14:27—“Fear not, I AM”; the Transfiguration, Mt 17:7). In the OT God was called “the first and the last” (Is 44:6; 48:12), and so, too, is the Messiah. Some early heresies (e.g. Docetism) held that Jesus only seemed to die. But the Lord Himself testified, I … was dead, affirming the authenticity of His death; alive forevermore, His Resurrection—the power of which effects His lordship over death and its realm. The Orthodox icon of the resurrected Christ depicts Him with these keys (v. 18) in hand, standing triumphantly on the open gates of Hades. Fr. John Farley.  Like those receiving such theophanic appearances in Old Testament days (e.g. Ezek. 1:28; Dan. 8:17), John fell at His feet as if dead. Even though he had leaned in familiarity upon His breast at the Last Supper (John 13:23), yet such is the power of the Lord in His heavenly exaltation that even the beloved disciple is overwhelmed. The Lord restores him in preparation to write the things he has seen and will see. He tells John, “Do not be afraid,” and in this He tells all of John's churches not to fear. They need not fear death, martyrdom, or anything in all the world. Why? Because Christ has overcome the world, trampling down death by death. He became dead, but now He is alive to ages of ages. As such, He is the first and the last, sovereign over all (compare God as the Alpha and Omega in 1:8) and the Living One, the source of all life. He had authority over death and Hades by His Resurrection. Death cannot now separate us from Him, for He is Lord of both the living and the dead. St. Andrew of Caesarea.  Christ revived the Apostle himself who had suffered through the weakness of human nature like Joshua son of Nun and Daniel, by saying to him, “Do not fear, for I have not come near to kill you, since I am beginningless and endless, having become dead for your sakes.” 1:18b. And I have the keys of Hades and of death. [23] Instead , he has authority over bodily and spiritual death. St. Bede.  17.  I fell. As a man, he trembles at the spiritual vision, but his human fear is banished by the clemency of the Lord. the first. He is the first, because “by Him were all things made;” the last, because in Him are all things restoredu. 18. keys. Not only, He saith, have I conquered death by resurrection, but I have dominion also over death itself. And this He also bestowed upon the Church by breathing upon it the Holy Spirit, saying, “Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them,” and the rest. 1:19.  And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.  Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.   OSB.  John's visions have to do with both the present (things which are) and the future. Fr. John Finlay.  Then Christ gives John a command: he is to write the things which he has seen, and the things which are, and the things which are about to happen after these things and send them to the main churches under his care in Asia. (From these seven main locations, they could be sent out to other smaller church communities as well.) This gives a basic outline of the Book of Revelation as a whole: it relates what John has seen (the vision of Christ in ch. 1), the things which are (the present state of the churches, described in chs. 2–3), and the things which are about to happen in the future (the prophecies of chs. 4–22). St. Andrew of Caesarea.  [nothing] St. Bede.  Reveal to all the things which thou alone hast seen, that is, the various labours of the Church, and that the evil are to be mingled in it with the good unto the end of the world. 1:20.  The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. OSB. The angels of the seven churches have been variously interpreted as being (1) the guardian angels of the church communities; (2) the pastoral leadership of these local churches; (3) a personification of the prevailing spirit of the given congregations; or (4) simply the messengers responsible for delivering the letters. The term “angel” (heavenly or earthly messenger) is used over 60 times in Revelation. Fr. John Farley.  The introduction concludes with an explanation of the meaning of the seven stars in His hand and the seven lampstands among which He stands. The seven lampstands are the seven churches of Asia, and the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. This is a reference to what may be termed the individual corporate personality of each church community. Each local church is thus portrayed as having an angel, even as each person has his guardian angel. Just as a person's guardian angel resembles that person (see those who reacted to the announcement that Peter was standing unexpectedly at the door by suggesting that it was not Peter but his angel; Acts 12:15), so the church's angel sums up and embodies the local church. The angel of the church is an image of the strengths and weaknesses of each church. In writing to the angel of the church of Ephesus, the Lord actually speaks to the church of Ephesus in its corporate aspect. We see this today as well, in that church communities have corporate characteristics—some are loving, some judgmental, some zealous, some lax. The reference to each church's “angel” is a way of addressing each community as a community, using the language of the apocalyptic. St. Andrew of Caesarea.  Since Christ is the “true light,” because of this, those abundant in his light are lamps as they shine in the night of this present life. Naturally, the churches are called lampstands, because, as the luminaries, they “have the word of life” according to the Apostle. The lamps and lampstands are gold because of the honor and purity of the faith in them. An angel has stood guard for each of these, just as the Lord says,44 and Gregory the Theologian had understood the present chapter: he figuratively called them “stars” because of the brightness and clarity of their nature. St. Bede.   stars. That is, the rulers of the Church. For the priest, as Malachi says, is “the angel of the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 2:7.  “for the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger (malakh/angel) of the Lord Almighty.”  

Revelation, Session Four Christ the Savior, Anderson SC Fr. Anthony Perkins Sources: The translation of the Apocalypse is from the Orthodox Study Bible. Lawrence R. Farley, The Apocalypse of St. John: A Revelation of Love and Power, The Orthodox Bible Study Companion (Chesterton, IN: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2011), Bishop Averky, The Epistles and the Apocalypse (Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, Volume III. (Holy Trinity Seminary Press, 2018). Andrew of Caesarea, Commentary on the Apocalypse, ed. David G. Hunter, trans. Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, vol. 123, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2011). Jack Norman Sparks, The Orthodox Study Bible: Notes (Thomas Nelson, 2008), 1712. Venerable Bede, The Explanation of the Apocalypse, trans. Edward Marshall (Oxford: James Parker and Co., 1878). William C. Weinrich, ed., Revelation, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005). Review Introduction and Blessing 1:1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. 2. Who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. [speaking of the Gospel of St. John]  3.  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near.   Greeting to the Seven Churches 4.  John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,  5.  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.  To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  6.  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever.  Amen. (OSB) 7.  Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.  And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.  Even so, Amen. New Material 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord (God), who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” Andrew of Caesarea.  Christ is shown here both as God and as the Ruler of all things, both beginningless and at the same time endless, existing now and existing before and having no end, since he is coeternal with the Father, and on account of this he will render to each one the wages of deeds done. Ps 62(61):12; Prv 24:12; Wis 16:14; Rom 2:6; 1 Cor 5:10 St. Bede.  Who is. He had said this same thing of the Father, for God the Father came, as He also is to come, in the Son. St. Augustine.  The Lord himself said plainly in the Apocalypse, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first”—before whom is nobody—“the last”—after whom is nobody; he precedes all things and sets a term to all things. Do you want to gaze upon him as the first? “All things were made through him.”49 Do you seek him as the last? “For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified.” In order for you to live at some time or other, you had him as your creator. In order for you to live always, you have him as your redeemer. 9.  I, John, both your brother and companion in the tribulation and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. OSB.  Patmos: A small rocky island 40 miles off the western coast of modern Turkey, fifty miles south of Ephesus, to which the Romans exiled criminals.  John's preaching must have been considered a seditious threat to the public interest if he was indeed a prisoner there. Logos.  According to a tradition preserved by Irenaeus, Eusebius, Jerome and others, John, the author of Revelation, was exiled there in the 14th year of the reign of Domitian and subsequently released to Ephesus under Nerva (96 ad). St. Andrew of Caesarea.  “Inasmuch as your brother,” he says, “being also a co-participant in the tribulations on account of Christ, I naturally have acquired trustworthiness among you. Being condemned to live on the island of Patmos on account of the witness of Jesus, I will announce to you the mysteries seen by me on it.” 10.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,  OSB.  In the Spirit may mean John received the revelation in a visionary ecstasy (see Ezk 3:12 - Then the spirit took me up, and I heard behind me a voice of a great rushing, saying, Blessed be the glory of the Lord from his place.), but more probably that he was in the worship (“in Spirit and in truth”) of the Lord. The Lord's Day is the earliest reference to the Christian name for Sunday. The Didache and St. Ignatius of Antioch show this name was used very early for the day when Christians gathered to celebrate the Resurrection in the Holy Eucharist. As a fulfillment of the first day of the week of the old creation, Sunday becomes the “eighth day,” the “first day of the new creation.” The term “eighth day” is seen in 2En 33:1 (“On the eighth day I likewise appointed, so that the 8th day might be the 1st, the first-created of my week, and that it should revolve in the revolution of 7000; ⟨|so that the 8000|⟩ might be in the beginning of a time not reckoned and unending, neither years, nor months, nor weeks, nor days, nor hours ⟨like the first day of the week, so also that the eighth day of the week might return continually”⟩. and inaugurates the first day of the timeless age to come. The loud voice, as of a trumpet is a traditional, eschatological, apocalyptic introduction describing an appearance of the Lord (see Ex 19:16, 19; Mt 24:31; 1Co 15:52; 1Th 4:16). Andrew of Caesarea.  Having been possessed by the Holy Spirit and having a spiritual ear on the Lord's day, also would have been honored by him on account of the resurrection, he heard a voice that seemed like a trumpet because of the loud sound—“the sound of their voice went out to all the earth”—declaring the beginninglessness and endlessness of God signified by the Alpha and Omega. By it he was commanded to send out his visions to the seven churches, because of the aforementioned number seven applying to the Sabbath period of the future age. For this reason also the great Irenaeus had written that the seven heavens and seven angels leading the rest of them had been created by God first. 11.  saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.” And, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. OSB.  The glorified Christ introduces himself as the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, thus identifying Himself with God the Father (v. 8; 22:13). His position amidst the seven lampstands signifies His presence in the Church (see Mt 5:14) St. Bede.  Seven Churches.  The Church of Christ was not at the time in these places alone, but all fulness is comprised in the number seven. Asia, which is interpreted elevation, denotes the proud exaltation of the world in which the Church is sojourning, and, as is the method of the divine mystery, the genus is contained in the species. For the Apostle Paul also writes to seven churches, but not to the same as St. John. And although these seven churches are a sevenfold figure of the whole Church, still the things which he blames, or praises, came to pass in them one by one. Apringius of Beja (Latin Father of the 6th Century). Ephesus means “my will” or “my plan.” He wills that we know that the whole reality of our faith and the dignity of the catholic church is not to be ascribed to human merit, but they are the will of God and the disposition of the divine purpose. Smyrna means “their song.” And what else is the song of the perfect if not the celestial doctrine and the preaching of the gospel and the advance of the Christian religion, or the melodious confession of the catholic church? Pergamum means “to him who divides their horns.” This refers either to the insolence of the powers of the air, or to the arrogance of the heretics. And he teaches that the pride of the powers is always to be separated and divided from the congregation of the church, for the horns are either power or arrogance. He writes to Thyatira, that is “enlightened.” This signifies that, after the expulsion of heretical pride and after the defeat of temptations from the powers of the air, the holy church is deserving of the light of righteousness. Sardis means the “beginning of beauty.” The church is seized by the sun of righteousness and is illumined by the light of truth, so that she might have the beginning of beauty, the Lord Jesus Christ, and might always shine in perpetual light. Philadelphia means “preserving devotion to the Lord.” After possessing the sun of righteousness, after the illumination of holiness, after the comeliness of holy beauty, the church rightly is devoted to the Lord and preserves herself by an inviolable observation of devotion. Laodicea means either “a tribe beloved of the Lord,” or, as some would have it, “a birth is expected.” Both are meaningful, for she who has merited the beauty of faith and the sun of righteousness and knows that through faith the Lord cleaves to her, might also be a tribe whom the Lord loves, who is both loved by the Lord and preserved by the Lord. Furthermore, the church might well await her own birth, either the regeneration of baptism or the glory of the resurrection, whenever she preserves herself by humility and patience.  Pulpit Commentary (BibleHub).  [This] is just the order in which St. John would visit the Churches in making an apostolic circuit as metropolitan. With the exception of what is told us in these chapters, the history of the Churches of Pergamum, Thyatira, and Sardis in the apostolic or sub-apostolic age is quite unknown. 12-13.  Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.  And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment  down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. St. Bede.  Here the figure of the Church is beautifully represented, as holding forth the light of divine love in the brightness of a chaste breast, according to that which the Lord saith, “Let your loins be girt, and your lamps burning.” And he denotes its perfection within and without by the two parts of the number seven; and the individual members of it, consisting of the four qualities of the body, “love the Lord their God with all their heart, with all their soul, and with all their strength.” 13. Son of Man. He means that he is like the Son of man when He had overcome death, and had ascended into heaven. For “Although we knew Christ after the flesh, yet henceforth know we Him no more.” And it is well said, “in the midst,” for “All,” he saysl, “who are round about Him shall offer gifts.” garment. “Poderis,” which is called in Latin, “tunica talaris,” and is a sacerdotal vestment, shews the priesthood of Christ, by which He offered Himself for us, as a victim to the Father, upon the altar of the cross. girdle. By the “paps” he here means the two Testaments, with which He feeds the body of the saints in communion with Himself. For the golden girdle is the choir of saints, which cleaves to the Lord in harmonious love, and embraces the Testaments, “keeping,” as the Apostle says, “the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” Andrew of Caesarea.  That the voice was not sensory he signifies saying, I turned, not to hear it, but to see the voice, for spiritual hearing and seeing are the same. I turned, he says, and I saw seven lampstands—which he understood as representing the churches—and in their midst Christ, resembling a man—because he is also God and not a mere man—clothed in a long garment as a high priest of the things above, “according to the order of Melchizedek.” A golden belt was wrapped around him, not on the hip as other men in the era of hedonisms—the divine flesh is inaccessible to these —but on the chest by the breasts also how the boundless and righteous divine anger is restrained by love for humankind. The truth is shown in the girding of the Master's breasts, that is, the two Testaments, through which the faithful are nourished. The belt is gold on account of honor, purity, and genuineness. St. Jerome.  In the law, John had a leather girdle because the Jews thought that to sin in act was the only sin.… In the Apocalypse of John, our Lord Jesus, who is seen in the middle of the seven lampstands, also wore a girdle, a golden girdle, not about his loins but about the breasts. The law is girdled about the loins, but Christ, that is, the gospel and the fortitude of the monks, binds not only wanton passion but also mind and heart. In the gospel, one is not even supposed to think anything evil; in the law, the fornicator is accused for judgment.… “It is written,” he says, “in the law, ‘You shall not commit adultery.' ” This is the leather girdle clinging about the loins. “I say to you, anyone who even looks with lust at a woman has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” This is the golden girdle that is wrapped around the mind and heart. OSB. One like the Son of Man recalls Daniel's messianic figure (Dan 7:13—repeated by Stephen at his martyrdom, Acts 7:56). Christ called Himself Son of Man (see especially Mt 24:30ff.), for He is the fulfillment of Daniel's prophecy. Additional parallels may be seen in both the Old and New Testaments (Dan 10:6; Mt 17:2; Eph 6:17; Heb 4:12). We also see Him vested in high-priestly garments (see Ex 28:4; 29:5; Lv 16:4; WSol 18:24; Zec 3:4, 5). The gold with which He is girded is both royal (1Mc 10:89) and priestly. 14-16.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. [17a.  And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead.] OSB.  Further, Christ is here described as God, His hair (v. 14) being that of Daniel's vision of God as the “Ancient of Days” (7:9; see also 1En 46:1). His eyes signify knowledge; His feet (v. 15), permanence and stability; His voice, authority or teaching; His right hand (v. 16), power; His two-edged sword, complete discernment. This imagery continues throughout Revelation to affirm the preexistence and eternal divinity of the Son of Man (see also Jn 1:1–18). Thus, in Christ man (v. 14) and God (vv. 15, 16) are united. 1:15 Dan 2:31–44 indicates this mysterious metal foundation not only provides stability but has the ability to forcibly crush all opposition as well. These images are contrasted with the feet of clay found in Dan 2:33, 43: the kingdoms of this world are not permanent, nor ultimately triumphant. 1:16 The Lord holds the stars that represent the seven churches (1:20), and hence, the Church. For Christ is Lord of the Church. In His just judgment, the sword He wields is the Word of God, which cuts effortlessly to the very marrow and heart of humanity (see 2:16; 18:15; Is 11:4; 49:2; WSol 18:15; Eph 6:17; 2Th 2:9; Heb 4:12). The brilliance of His face recalls the Uncreated Light John saw radiating from the Savior at the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. St. Bede.  14. white. The antiquity and eternity of majesty are represented by whiteness on the head, to which all the chief ones adhere, as hairs, who, because of the sheep which are to be on the right hand are white, like wool, and because of the innumerable multitude of the white-robed and the elect, who come forth from heaven, are glistering like snow. eyes. The eyes of the Lord are preachers, who, with spiritual fire, bring light to the faithful, and to the unbelieving a consuming flame. 15. feet. By the “fiery feet” he means the Church of the last time, which is to be searched and proved by severe afflictions. For orichalcum is brass, which, by much fire and various ingredients, is brought to the colour of gold. Another translation, which renders it, “like orichalcum of Lebanon,” signifies that in Judæa, of which Lebanon is a mountain, the Church will be persecuted, and especially at the last. The temple also frequently received the name of Lebanon, as there is said to ito, “Open, O Lebanon, thy gates, and let the fire devour thy cedars.” voice. The voice of confession, and preaching, and praise does not resound in Judæa alone, but among many peoples. 16. right hand. In the right hand of Christ is the spiritual Church. “On Thy right hand,” he says, “stood the queen in a vesture of gold.” And as it stands on His right hand, He saithq, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom.” mouth. He, the Judge of all things visible and invisible, “after He has killed, has power to cast into hell fire.” countenance. Such as the Lord appeared on the Mount, will He appear after the judgment to all the saints, for at the judgment the ungodly will behold Him Whom they pierced. But all this appearance of the Son of Man belongs also to the Church, for He Himself was made the Christ in the same nature with it, and He gives to it a sacerdotal dignity and a judicial power, and to “shine as the sun in the kingdom of His Father.”   Andrew of Caesarea. 1:14. His head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire. For even though he is recent amidst us, nonetheless he is ancient; rather, he is before time. His white hair is a symbol of this. And his eyes are as a flame of fire, on the one hand, illuminating those who are holy and, on the other hand, burning the sacrilegious.   1:15a. And his feet were like glowing brass, red-hot as in a furnace. [21] The divine Gregory also understood that the feet meant the divine condescension through the flesh. For his feet by treading on the divinity achieved our salvation. The feet are also the foundations of the Church, like glowing brass, which physicians say is a sweet-smelling incense, which they call masculine incense. Or otherwise: On the one hand, meaning the human nature by the glowing brass, and on the other hand the divine nature by the incense, through both of which is also shown the sweetness of the faith and the unconfused union . Or the fine brass signifies the beautiful melody of the gospel proclamation, and the incense is the return of the nations by which the bride is summoned.33 And the feet of Christ are also the apostles, who have been tested by fire in the furnace of trials in imitation of their Teacher.35 1:15b. And his voice like the sound of many waters. Naturally. His voice is in common with that of the Spirit, from which “rivers of living water flowed from the belly” of the faithful, and it made a penetrating sound over all the earth. 1:16. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and coming out from his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword, and his appearance as the sun shines in its power. [22] Further down he says that the seven stars are the seven angels of the churches. The sharp, double-edged sword means his decision against the wicked, “sharper than any two-edged sword,” or the sword of the Spirit circumcising our inner man.38 Like the sun his face shines, not in a splendor to the senses, but to the intellect. For he is the “sun of righteousness,” shining with his own power and authority, not like the sensory sun, which as a created object by God-given power and divine command.

Today's podcast offers a brief reflection of how to incorporate our traumatic or painful experiences into our spiritual life. It also speaks to the negative beliefs of believing that somehow it means something bad about us or our relationship with God that we had these experiences. Our spiritual life is spent ascending the slopes of Mount Tabor. Having to do the healing work offers us unique gifts and tools to help us ascend more efficiently.

We are certainly in a spiritually rich time of year in the life of the Church. Having begun the fast in preparation for the Dormition of the Theotokos, we are now also anticipating the Transfiguration of the Lord, when Peter, James, and John beheld His divine glory on Mount Tabor. As with all the feasts of the Church, the point is not simply to remember what happened long ago, but instead to participate personally in the eternal truth made manifest in these celebrations. And that means nothing less than being transfigured ourselves by our Lord's gracious divine energies as we come to share more fully in His restoration and fulfillment of the human person as a living icon of God.

Friends of the Rosary, Today, August 6, we celebrate the feast of the Transfiguration of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, the revelation of the eternal glory of the Second Person of the Trinity. Lord Jesus revealed his divinity to three of his closest disciples through a miraculous and supernatural light during his earthly life. Before his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, Christ climbed to a high point on Mount Tabor with his disciples Peter, James, and John. While Jesus prayed upon the mountain, a brilliant white light shone from him and his clothing, changing his appearance. During this event, the Old Testament figures of Moses and the prophet Elijah also appeared and spoke of how Christ would suffer and die before his resurrection. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all record that the voice of God was heard, confirming Jesus as his son (Matthew 17:5, Mark 9:6, Luke 9:35). Peter and John make specific reference to the event in their writings as confirming Jesus' divinity and his status as the Messiah (2 Peter 1:17, John 1:14). Pope Benedict XVI described how the events of the transfiguration display Christ as the “full manifestation of God's light.” This light, which shines forth from Christ at the transfiguration and after his resurrection, is ultimately triumphant over “the power of the darkness of evil.” It's an opportunity to see Christ as the light of the world and experience conversion from darkness to light. "In our time, we urgently need to emerge from the darkness of evil to experience the joy of the children of light!" Pope Benedict said.Archbishop Raya wrote, "The Transfiguration is a way of life available to those who seek and accept Christ's nearness." We are invited to see Christ's transfiguration as a form of enlightenment and spiritual illumination facilitated by ascetic disciplines such as prayer, fasting, and charitable almsgiving. Ave Maria!Jesus, I Trust In You! Come, Holy Spirit, come! To Jesus through Mary! + Mikel Amigot | RosaryNetwork.com, New York • ⁠August 6, 2024, Today's Rosary on YouTube | Daily broadcast at 7:30 pm ET

Join Charlie, a non-binary sci-fi fantasy writer, and their husband Brian, as they commemorate the transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor. This episode explores the presence of Jesus alongside Moses and Elijah, the significance of this event in Christian mysticism, and its relevance to modern believers. Through thoughtful discussions on law, prophecy, justice, and the essence of divine light, Charlie and Brian encourage listeners to find personal meaning and practical wisdom in this sacred narrative. Engage in a deeper understanding of the balance between law and prophecy and the transformative power of divine illumination.Support us on: https://ko-fi.com/cedorsettBecome a patron of the arts patreon.com/cedorsettFor Educational Resource: Wisdoms Cry https://wisdomscry.comFor all of the things we are doing at The Seraphic Grove go to Creation's Paths https://www.creationspaths.com/BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.comThreads https://www.threads.net/@creationspathsInstagram https://www.instagram.com/creationspaths/Transcript:  Today as we celebrate the transfiguration of Christ and imagine the divine Christ. Between Moses and Elijah on Mount Tabor. We have a lot of questions that pop up. What does this mean for us today? Why is this such an important, and I would say almost a vital part of the story?   Blessings in light to everyone out there. Hello, my name is Charlie. I am a non-binary scifi fantasy writer. Today we are celebrating. The memorial of the transfiguration of Christ. This is a story that we can find in the new Testament and is one that has inspired mystics and visionaries throughout the history of Christianity. I think, we'll find very impactful in our own discussion today. I'm joined by my wonderful husband, Brian. Good day. This is a big, deep, meaty topic. I'm glad that it's on the calendar every year, because this entire podcast could just be about this one moment and we could do seven days a week hours and hours a day and not exhaust everything that happened. If you're not familiar with the story, It's very simple. Jesus and three of his disciples Peter, John, and Andrew go up on a mountain to pray. They wake up in the middle of the night and there's a blinding light on the top of Mount Tabor. They look over and there is the fully divine Christ sitting on the mountain, talking with Moses and Elijah. And they really don't know what to do. In fact, I believe it's Peter. Who said, should we make up tents for our guests? And Jesus is like, No. But thanks for asking. it's this moment that kind of happens and passes. It seems almost an interjection into the story. What actually happened here? What is the importance of this? On a basic level the transfiguration shows us Jesus in the line of profit and law-giver. We see him with Moses the quintessential law giver, the one to whom the Torah was given. That all of the commandments were given. And we have kind of this reenactment of the events on Mount Sinai. And we have a, Elijah the quintessential profit . A profit that walked with God so much that he does not die. A great chariot swings, low picks him up and carries him away into heaven. So again, the quintessential prophet. Just a quick little side note in here, because it kind of cracks me up. Elijah is also, very much about lessons of hospitality. It just cracks me up that the first default thought was hospitality, with proposing, do we need to build a tent or set up a tent for them? Even though. non-corporeal doesn't necessarily need a tent, but hospitality first, it just cracks me up and there's always a great lesson to take in everything, that one's default thought should be hospitality just cover your bases. We have these three very important people. People who are all attributed to these three mountain experiences, we have Jesus on Mount Tabor. We have Moses from Mount Sinai. And we have a Elijah who is very connected with Mount Carmel. in fact, it's on Mount Carmel that Elijah sees God. One of the most powerful passages in all of scripture and a story, we will be referring to a lot, forever. And should probably do a full episode on at some point. God walks by and there are three things that happen. There was a mighty wind. But God was not in the wind. There was a fire and God was not in the fire. There was an earthquake and God was not in the earthquake. And then a still small voice came to Elijah. I've always found this image very powerful in that when we think of Moses on Mount Sinai. We think of this big, booming voice, right? For those of us of a certain age, we go back to a certain Charlton Heston movie. I am the Lord, your God. Right. It's very booming voice, which is very much associated with the law. Loud booming. Declarative voice. And Elijah who heard the still small voice. The quiet voice and there in between the two is Jesus the Christ in the fullness of his glory. Now we can get into some of the theological questions and stuff that come around with this moment, but, to me the most important lesson I learned from here is the Christ as the pivot point between these two things. The law which is quite literally for Moses written in stone. The 10 declarations are, as they're often said in English, the 10 commandments, literally carved into stone. And Elijah. The prophet. The justice maker, the one who engages in good trouble. The most prolific slaughterer of. People in the entire scripture, which is why people like me always speak of Elijah with great reverence. Because people who are familiar with the story of Elijah and the profits of ball. They say their prayers, they say their prayers and when elijah brings fire down on his stack and the profits of ball, don't. Elijah then pulls a sword and kills 500 profits of ball. We'll talk about that later Elijah is a bit scary and in legend becomes increasingly scary because Elijah having never died occasionally shows back up in stories. And is always there to as Brian said, judges, the hospitality of the place that he goes to. woe and to you, if Elijah finds you wanting. The profits are the voices of justice. The law is not always about justice. I think this is where we get things confused. The law is about righteousness. When we are talking about the law, we're talking about what is right and what is wrong. We're talking about ethical codes, moral codes. How you should govern yourself and how you should govern a society. That's what the law is. The law is not interested in justice. It should be the embodiment of justice. It should be written justly. But. a, human actor has to make justice happen. I like to think of the law as it's like any structure whether that's a building, a wall, a door. It exists. It gives structure and form to the environment. But it is not necessarily just, it is not necessarily right or wrong. That wall will obstruct passage and flow of air , and everything else, good or bad. But it does give structure. Continuing this trend that we've been on this month with the podcast, talking about peace and peace making. There we have Jesus in the middle. And I feel like this is the embodiment of both the law giver and the pro and the prophet. As Jesus famously said in the sermon on the mountain, not one jot or tittle. Not one little dot or a line. Which shall pass from the law until all is fulfilled. What is the law? You should love the Lord, your God with all your heart, mind, and spirit, and you shall love your neighbor as yourself. The law is love. But this is very rigid. It is love. Not hate, not anger, not fear. And he walks this line between the law giver. Which we see on the sermon on the Mount. And the prophet who is going about interfering with injustice. see a person about to be stoned. And he says, okay. That's what the law demands. This person be stoned. So whoever's without sin cast the first stone. Hmm. That makes you have to stop for a minute. And look at the harshness of the law. Jesus is constantly pointing at the harshness of the law. Why is there divorce according to Jesus, because of the hardness of our own heart. Because we enter into relationships that maybe we shouldn't maybe we're mean to each other and were cruel to each other. There are many, many reasons for a marriage to end, but if we were perfect embodiments of love and compassion, There would be no need for divorce. We would find the person that we loved and we would love them and we would be a perfect love and romance, novels, happy, ever. Afters would be ubiquitous for all. But that's not who we are as a species. So many of us have that hardness of heart. Relationships break and they fall apart Jesus is bringing about this new modality. This new way of acting. And that we are told not to judge. Judge not lest you be judged for you shall be judged by the same measure that you yourself apply. Ooh. This is why I personally don't care what people get up to in their personal lives. But if they're always harping about morality, and getting into everybody else's sex lives and they have a messy one themselves. I find myself talking about it. Because I don't really care what most people are doing in their privacy of their own lives. But you keep saying that you are some Paragon of justice, now I care. It's the hypocrisy that makes me care and we are judged by the standards that we apply. There is also a second part of that. This is where prophecy being able to see the divine be able to participate in those divine energies really comes to the forefront. Jesus tells us to. Not try to take the mote out of our brother's eye. Before we take the log out of our own. What's all that about. Well, the evils that we impute to others are often, not always, but often the flaws we see in ourselves. We're often projecting our own insecurities fears, inadequacies, lapses on to others. And in, so we're telling ourselves. I'll be quite honest. I talk a lot about compassion and our need for compassion because. That is not something that comes natural to me. Compassion is something I had to learn and actively practice. I would not say that I am perfect at it. When I don't believe that anybody's perfect at anything, but I have rage in me. I have anger in me. I'm not somebody who holds grudges. That's not the way that I act, but. if I am not careful in monitoring who I am and how I'm interacting with people, compassion. Isn't always the place that I operate from. I see this as a failing in myself and thus project out. We need compassion. We need confession. You see the St. John Lennon, John Lennon also had this problem and one of his most famous songs, right. All you need is love. Because, yeah, this is a fault he saw in himself that he tried to make better and tried to get better. In his case, I think it is something that he did improve on over time. It is in this as well that we can glean a useful motivational tool. It is in our nature to want to judge others for things. Using that desire. That urge. Sublimating that energy. Into and redirecting it back into yourself. To use that as energy to give yourself fuel for self-improvement. It's quite a powerful tool. Often, when driving, find myself being like, oh, this person's being a jerk or don't drive like a, expletive. I tend to get worked up by other drivers. On my better days, I take a moment. Take that breath for peace and let it go and then I also remember to take that energy that was built up in wanting to judge others, to reflect it back upon myself and realize. Why am I driving as fast as I'm driving? Why am I cutting these people off? Why did I just change lanes five times between two stoplights? It's unnecessary. It's excessive. I'm the one driving like a jerk. I'm the one cutting people off. I'm the one driving too fast. And whether I am quote unquote, driving safer, it's not for the debate at that point in time. It's a lame excuse. I need to fix myself first. Using that as motivation is helpful in fixing myself because it's stuff that I want to excuse. I like doing that. I like going fast . That's fine, but I need to use it, to stop myself from judging others. And redirect that energy so that until I'm driving calmly and sanely and not like a jerk. I cannot judge others on that. Mount Tabor really is the place where we start confronting a lot of this. a lot of early Christian mysticism is based off of this image. Here it is. As important to Christian mysticism as is Ezekiel's vision of the divine chariot is in Jewish mysticism. It is pivotal to this. And they're on. Mount Tabor. We see the Shekinah glory of God. The light shining that we are told was in the tabernacle when they were wandering through the desert. This Shekinah that filled the temple when it was initially blessed by following this light, this glory of God. The Covad . The glory. The hush mall. Of God. Is there. In their presence. It's terrifying. Because in the bright. Un yielding light. There's nowhere to hide. All of your faults are laid bare. All of your imperfections are laid bare. If you wonder why. Your favorite newscaster podcast or starts using soft light more and more and more as time goes on. its because soft light doesn't show wrinkles. The softer, the light. The less likely you are to see the effects of aging, right. Harsh light, bright light shows all imperfections. If there's the slightest wrinkle in your clothes. The harsh light will show it. And that really is. The experience. Why. The tremendous and fascinating mystery when you encounter the divine. That shakes us to our core. Is you realize there's nothing to hide. There's nowhere to hide. There's nothing. That you can cover up here. This is what the apostles are seeing. The apostles are the stand-ins for us in this moment where they're just like, Uh, Guys. Moses and Elijah are here. And Jesus has kind of glowing. There's light everywhere. It's important for us to realize there's always light. Everywhere. You glow. I glow. It's subtle. It's soft. Our eyes. Don't pick up on it. Well, because it is so faint. But one of the things that we know because of the nature of our bodies and the way the chemistry. The biology and the physics work within them. Every human clothes, just biologically Glos. We don't have to get into subtle matter. And all of the things, spiritual things here. You glow. There is a light about you. I would also agree with Yoda, luminous beings. Are we not this crude, matter. That light is always around us. And in that light, we realized that we are all intrinsically the same. We are all striving for a life that is free of sorrow. That is full of joy. That grants us a sense of fulfillment. And we might not all pick the best or even the right way to do it. But we all have that commonality that. Unifies us. In spirit and in. Reality. Staring at this immage and I highly recommend. You just take some time in meditation. And just imagine it for yourself. You can use a picture. If that helps you find your favorite painting. There are millions of them probably. Scenario, because it is such a famous moment from the gospels. Or just allow your imagination to be what it is. Let Moses look like, whatever you want Moses to look like. let Elijah looked like whatever you want Elijah to look like. Let Jesus look like whatever you want Jesus to look like. Let the mountain. Look like what. Whatever you want it to look like you don't need to go. Find Mt. Tabor on Google earth and see what the actual landscape looks like. Just let yourself be in the moment. What arises for you? What does this look like to you? And how do you feel. In that light in that place. As this great. Illumination this base. Illumination is flowing up. Where the one life is erupting like a fountain into the world. Reminding us that the true path. That we walk. Is not. The righteous path of the law. The justice making path of the prophet. It's that path in the middle. It is that middle way. That place in between where we have to not only remember the letter of the law, but the spirit. What is the justice that needs to be done here. What is the goodness that needs to be done here? What is the truth that needs to be done here? We're not always looking for. That booming. Loud Cecil B DeMille. Voice of God. Booming from the heaven. Which by the way, if you really want to see how good he was at. Making that happen. He actually made a silent film version of the 10 commandments before he made the Charlton Heston, Yule Brenner one. It's a silent film. And. You will actually understand a line from the Torah very profoundly. And it says that their eyes heard. They saw the voice of God. Because there's no sound. It's a silent film. But he does such a good job in conveying the imagery there. You can hear the thunder. You can hear the lightning, you can hear the booming voice. Which is a. Sign of just how good he was as a filmmaker. This is a moment. Foundational. To our mysticism. To our. When I use the bad R word. Religion. Remember I use religion in the Roman sense of the term. It's religio it is. The link. What links us back. What links us again? What links us together? In this moment, we see the tradition. We see Moses, we see Elijah, we see the Christ. We see the future. Here's Peter, John and James. We see the future. The future of the past and the present all together in one place. We're forced to start asking ourselves. What is our future? What is our past. What. Traditions are we going to hold on to, this is really the power of the profits. The profits are the pruning sheers of faith. When you actually look at the Hebrew prophets. Right. You read the law of Moses. The law of Moses is very clear. We use this knife to kill this animal and use this ladle to put this blood on this, alter it. I mean, step by step instructions on how sacrifice works. And then we get to the profits. And through the mouth of the profits. Hear the voice of the Lord. I do not want to or sacrifice. I want your love. That is a pruning shear. Being taken. To the faith. That is a pretty sure being taken to the law. The law is very clear. On this day, we bring these animals to this place to do these things. From Blom Blom Blom Blom. For me, it was one of the greatest revelations. When. Going through different traditions and looking at. Everything it was recognizing. There's the core. There are those. Few things and it should be very few things that are essential. It's like in life. You have to eat. You have to drink water. You have to breathe. There are those essential things. Those are the things that you allow to be your law. But everything else. Is personal practice. That is the prophetic element. That is, the justice making element. And it's recognizing that is. Personal. And you can share the other trappings with others. Through the different traditions that link you back. It's not essential. It doesn't matter. The ladle you use is not core. Sacrifice. It's not core. It's the love. That's core that needs to be in all of it. But the rest. And then the profits helped. to. prune that. And help to put into context. That, oh, this is not essential. As we said at the very beginning, what was the law that Jesus gave. Oh, master. What is the greatest commandment? You will love God. With all your heart. Mind and being. And you love your neighbor as yourself. And there it is. How the hell can you love somebody else? If you don't love yourself, there you go, it's also very profound. Very true. It's very true. That is the core of everything that we're doing. And. When you ask yourself, how do you love God with all your heart, mind, and spirit again god is our aliveness. We are called to live. God. God is our aliveness. Inner radiance. Love being alive. Love you are aliveness live. To the best of your ability and you are. Showing that love and affection for God. That is what we really see here. This just fount of life. Pouring forth on mountain table. We bask in the radiance of that tabernac light. And this is something that a lot of Christian . mistics. Talk about. And if you've ever experienced this in meditation, it is such a profound experience that. Occasionally there you are. You're sitting with your eyes closed and deep meditation. And you just find yourself surrounded by light. It's just there. It didn't suddenly appear. It was always there. You just didn't see it. We distract ourselves so much. And I think one of the more interesting things is we see this conversation. In the gospels between Jesus Moses and Elijah. I want to bring that challenging moment up here. was that really a one-time thing. or is everything that Jesus did a conversation between him, Moses and Elijah. Between him the law and the profits. Was just that just one moment? Where everything was just right enough that the veil slipped. And people could see. That discourse happening. Because from my point of view yeah. This is just that moment where it was visible. Not a unique moment in time. I think you can see that discourse on. The Mount of olives later in the story, and you can see it on the sermon on the Mount earlier in the story. You can see it all the way through. You can see it. In Jesus, when he is assaulted by the man possessed by many demons. And Elijah. Comes out in him and he wrestles him to the ground. And cast the demons out. It's in the moment. Of the fishes and the love just before the fishes and the loaves. When the community has brought the problem before Christ. And Jesus has that moment. the law says, cast them out. You can weed that, that crowd down really easily. justice says, hospitality says, feed them all. Or feed. As many as you can. So as we sit here, Remembering. The transfiguration. This moment where we get to see this glimpse of the divine Christ, the cosmic Christ. The one who Paul tells us. Holds the cosmos together. Hold that vision in our minds. Really ask ourselves how we can participate with it. How we can find more moments of that divine light. And how we can. Walk this path between the law and the prophets. More fully. In our daily lives. I hope you've gotten something out of this. I hope that. Something we have said has moved something in you and we would love to hear for you. You can reach out to us through our community over at sub stack. Just go to https://www.creationspaths.com/. And click on the chat tab. You can leave your questions, comments, and anything. There. You can also comment on this post over there and keep the comments over there. However you want to do it. You can also reach out to me. I am https://bsky.app/profile/creationspaths.com on blue sky and https://www.threads.net/@creationspaths. Over on threads and Instagram. But we'd love to talk to you. About this. And answer any questions you might have. If there's any way that you can help support us and keep us doing what we're doing. You can join our community over at https://www.creationspaths.com/ for all of our paid members, there are classes coming. That will be first behind. The paywall so that we can make sure that we're giving special attention. To those who are taking them and make sure we're asking, answering any questions that are asked. And everything, but they will go out to the wider community later. So don't worry about it. If you don't have the money. Right now. Don't hurt yourself. Never hurt yourself. In giving to us or anybody else. They're going to go wide afterwards. We're just going to start. With the paid audience and then spread out from there. And if you're hungry for knowledge. There is https://wisdomscry.Com. Which has a lot of wonderful information and articles on a wide, incredibly wide variety of topics. And an ever-growing treasure trove of knowledge and information. , as more and more articles go up regularly. thank you so much for being here. And has always made the blessings and light of God ever shine upon you. That you may find the path that you should walk. Amen. Amen. Get full access to Creation's Paths at www.creationspaths.com/subscribe

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A distraught father brought his sick boy to Jesus' disciples while Jesus was on Mount Tabor. But they were unable to cure the boy. Two reasons given are lack of faith and the need for prayer and fasting. Envy also makes our gifts and talents ineffective, says St. Paisios.

A distraught father brought his sick boy to Jesus' disciples while Jesus was on Mount Tabor. But they were unable to cure the boy. Two reasons given are lack of faith and the need for prayer and fasting. Envy also makes our gifts and talents ineffective, says St. Paisios.

The children of Israel were being oppressed by their enemies but Deborah did not ask, “How much longer before God delivers us?” Instead, her approach was, “How much longer before we stand up and fight—with God on our side?” “Deborah, the wife of Lappidoth, was a prophet who was judging Israel at that time. She would sit under the Palm of Deborah, between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites would go to her for judgment. One day she sent for Barak son of Abinoam, who lived in Kedesh in the land of Naphtali. She said to him, “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, commands you: Call out 10,000 warriors from the tribes of Naphtali and Zebulun at Mount Tabor. And I will call out Sisera, commander of Jabin's army, along with his chariots and warriors, to the Kishon River. There I will give you victory over him.” Barak told her, “I will go, but only if you go with me.”” ‭‭Judges‬ ‭4‬:‭4‬-‭8‬ ‭NLT‬‬ #kids, #christiankids, #bedtimestoriesforkids, #storiesforchristiankids, #biblestoriesforkids, #biblelessonsforkids, #godisonourside, #standandseethesalvationofgod, #godisgood, #peacewithgod, #praiseispowerful, #praise, #bestrongandcourageous, #godiswithus, #fishbytesforkids, #fishbytes4kids, #fishbitesforkids, #fishbites4kids, #ronandcarriewebb, #roncarriewebb

Lucy rushes back to Portland and arrives at Mount Tabor as momentous events unfold. Her terrible vision comes true and propels Lucy deeper into the dangerous world of those who seek to reconnect Earth and Hada. Go to blackvelvetfairies.com to see all the art Lucy has discovered. For more info on the BVF story-world, go to EmeraldAnvil.com Cast and crew credits can be found at https://www.imdb.com/title/tt31867160/

God's plans are always BETTER! Join Pastor Jeff as he shares about Deborah. Her story shows that she firmly trusted God in all situations, even though the enemies seemed bigger and stronger. Judges 4:14 14 Then Deborah said to Barak, “Go! This is the day the Lord has given Sisera into your hands. Has not the Lord gone ahead of you?” So Barak went down Mount Tabor, with ten thousand men following him.

The Poem of the Man God is a retelling of the Gospel story of Jesus of Nazareth as told in the private revelations of Maria Valtorta . In this episode we see John repeat the speech made by Jesus on Mount Tabor.

Moma Fixes the Mess. Today, Pastor Michael shares a powerful story from the Old Testament, a time of great turmoil. It's the story of Moma Fixes the Mess, a testament to the profound wisdom of God and the importance of allowing Him to guide us in challenging times. In this story, the hero is a Moma, Deborah.  Sisera, the commander of King Jabin, is going around the nation doing bad things, and the nation of Israel has a mess.  The Israelites went to Deborah as a prophetess for her advice during these times, and she told them to summon Barak, take 10,000 soldiers to Mt. Tabor, and fight against Sisera, as the Lord was on their side and would deliver a victory to them. A bunch of shepherds went against an army that had iron chariots, the most advanced military machines of the day. On the surface, this appeared to be an almost suicide mission. Yet, the Lord routed Sisera's army totally!  The Lord was with the Israelites! The world still underestimates the power of a Mother.  (CSB Bible Notes) As God's appointed representative, Deborah summoned Barak to lead the fighting. She also gave him the Lord's battle plan, deploying ten thousand men of Naphtali and Zebulun on Mount Tabor, a strategic location at the northeast corner of the Jezreel Valley. Further, she assured him of the Lord's victory over Israel's enemies. Verses can be found in Judges 4: 1 - 23. Scripture quotations marked CSB have been taken from the Christian Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible® and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers.  

Explore the devotion to Our Lady of La Vang and the strength of the Vietnamese Catholic faith with Angela Sealana and her guest, Fr. Johnson Lê. Enjoy this tale of hope, heritage, and healing. On today's journey, you will: Learn about a title of Mother Mary which is unique to Vietnam. Discover the story & message behind Our Lady of La Vang. And, you'll find hope from the beautiful testimony of Vietnamese Catholic expressions of faith. Explore now: Guest information, photos related to Our Lady Of La Vang, and more! Jewel for the Journey: "During the most glorious events of our Lord's public life - his transfiguration on Mount Tabor and his entry into Jerusalem - Mary remained hidden. But at times of gravest danger - the flight into Egypt, the way of the cross to Calvary, her sorrowful watch at the foot of the cross, and her vigil in the upper room with the apostles - Mary courageously chose to be present. She did not live for herself, but only for the Lord and his work of redemption." - His Eminence Francis Xavier Nguyễn Văn Thuận Do you like what you hear? Become a Missionary of Hope by sponsoring a week of Journeys of Hope 2024 Radio Broadcast & Podcast programming! Click here to get started. Learn more at PilgrimCenterOfHope.org/Journeys Help us spread hope! PilgrimCenterOfHope.org/Donate Featured Image courtesy of Fr. Johnson Lê. All rights reserved.

First Luminous Mystery of Christ's life: The Baptism of Jesus in the river Jordan by John the Baptist.The site of Jesus' baptism was identified by the first Christians at a bend in the Jordan river as it travels through the desert of Judea, where the ruins of a 4th century Church have been found. Right in this` river, pilgrims can enter the now small muddy flow of water close to where Jesus stood, and where the ancient Israelites entered into the promised land after the Exodus.Second Luminous Mystery of Christ's life: The Wedding at Cana in Galilee, where Jesus performed his first miracle turning water into wine.Stone jars can be seen inside the small Church in the town of Cana, close to Nazareth. Such jars would have been the kind used at the time of Jesus to hold plain water for ritual washing – turned by the Lord into most excellent wine at the wedding banquet attended by his mother and apostles.Third Luminous Mystery of Christ's life: The Proclamation of the Kingdom of God on the Mount of Beatitudes, where Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount.The topography where Jesus likely delivered the Sermon on the Mount is like a natural amphitheater, able to accommodate crowds of people able to hear his words. Most of the Sea of Galilee can be seen from the mountainside, inviting pilgrims to repent and turn their gaze Heavenward.Fourth Luminous Mystery of Christ's life: The Transfiguration on Mount Tabor, where Jesus was transfigured before Peter, James, and John.A solitary mountain popping up from the flat Jezreel valley near Nazareth is Tabor. Ruins of fortresses, monasteries and churches from different ages are scattered over the mountaintop. On the Eastern summit offering views over lower Galilee, a remarkable Church commemorates the Transfiguration, with chapels dedicated to Elijah and Moses who spoke with Jesus during his transfiguration.Fifth Luminous Mystery of Christ's life: The Institution of the Eucharist in Jerusalem, in the Upper Room, where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples.Located right outside the Old City gates of Jerusalem on Mt Zion, vestiges of a Franciscan convent and a vaulted room erected by the Crusaders, houses the ‘Upper Room', the likely location where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his Apostles.

This week's testimony is brought to you by One For Israel Ministry.Greg Hershberg grew up in an Orthodox household in the Bronx but didn't feel a strong connection to the synagogue in his youth. After college, he pursued success in New York City. However, it was during his honeymoon in Israel, specifically on Mount Tabor, where he had a transformative experience witnessing the Messiah. This testimony highlights the profound impact of God's redemptive love in his life.One For Israel Ministry YouTubeOne For Israel Ministry InstagramFeatured Ad: www.renewedmindsets.comQuestions and/or SuggestionsPrayer Request

Discover the immutable foundation of Christian life as we explore Bishop Jacques Bossuet's profound meditations for the Lenten season. His insightful work, available through Sophia Institute Press, offers us a pathway to deepen our faith and guides us in understanding the critical truths for our salvation. Embrace this spiritual journey alongside us as we delve into the essence of 'This is my beloved son,' a message that God himself imparts for our enlightenment.As we ascend metaphorically to Mount Tabor, we engage with the teachings of Christ, distinguishing between the knowledge we pursue and the faith we must foster. This episode uncovers the mystery at the heart of Christianity—the balance between the obscurity of our current faith-filled pilgrimage and the anticipated clarity of divine sight in the afterlife. With reverence for divine authority and a heart prepared for ultimate truth, we invite you to immerse in His word and submit to the transformative expedition of faith.Support the show********************************************************https://www.avoidingbabylon.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rssSpiritusTV: https://spiritustv.com/@avoidingbabylonRumble: https://rumble.com/c/c-1626455Odysee: https://odysee.com/@AvoidingBabylon

Today is the second Sunday of lent. We hear about the transfiguration of Jesus on Mount Tabor. Father Kubicki explains why this gospel is read at this time each year during the Lenten season. Check out this reflection for some valuable insights.

Introduction:The Catholic Church is about two thousand years old. Over those two millenia, different liturgical feasts have come and gone. There are two modern feast days in the Church today which are not well understood and which have an interesting history. That is what we will be looking at today! What is the Epiphany? And what is the Baptism of the Lord?What is the Epiphany?Epiphany comes to us from the Eastern Church where sources suggest that it is the same festival as Christmas (Christ's Nativity). Some in the Early Church celebrated Christmas on January 6, but most celebrated it on December 25. The celebration of the magi being led by a star was also in the mix. What is really interesting though is what Epiphany came to mean. As I mentioned, some celebrated the birth of Jesus and there are discrepancies about what it was called. Some sources call it the Theophany. That's a very interesting thing because St. Hippolytus writes about the eis ta hagia theophaneia (Greek: for the holy theophany) in reference to someone about to receive the Sacrament of Baptism. Others still, on January 6, commemorate the miracle of Jesus changing the water into wine at the wedding feast at Cana. Others attributed the feast of the Theophany as marking the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. Still others marked it as a day to remember the Transfiguration of the Lord on Mount Tabor. Today, the East tends to focus on the Baptism of the Lord in the Jordan on Epiphany and the West tends to concentrate on the mystery of the Magi. Another interesting link between the East and the West was the water blessed on this great feast. In the East (including Eastern Orthodoxy and Eastern Catholicism today), the service of Theophany includes the Great Blessing of Water. This inspired the blessing of Epiphany water in the West, which was adopted and included in the Roman Ritual in 1890. If you are interested in seeing the full text of this blessing, a parish of the Institute of Christ the King Sovereign Priest has a handy PDF. There is also a blessing of the home that can be done by lay people. It utilizes chalk that has been blessed by the priest at the parish and then taken home. If a priest can be present, this is preferred, but is not always logistically possible in a large parish. At any rate, each room of the house is blessed with holy water and then the exterior doorway is marked with the blessed chalk. The prayer is:“Blessed be this doorway. May all who come to our home this year rejoice to find Christ living among us as we welcome them with respect and kindness. May all our comings and goings be under the seal of God's loving care. May we seek and serve, in everyone we meet, Jesus, Who is Lord forever and ever. Amen.”Meanwhile, the door is inscribed with the chalk with the year and the letters C, M, and B, with crosses in between each part: 20 + C + M + B + 24The first and last numbers are the current year, marking the entire year for Christ. The letters have two meanings. First, the C, M, and B, stand for the traditional names of the magi: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. But it also stands for the Latin blessing: Christus Mansionem Benedicat (Latin: Christ, bless this house).These long held and beloved devotionals and sacramentals of the Epiphany chalk and water give us a sense of how ancient this celebration is. In so doing, our houses become sacramentals and we show our love for the Lord. Unlike the violent and despicable King Herod, we welcome the Christ child into our home with open arms. If you are really interested in the History of the feast and how it appears in various Missals and Sacramentaries, I would recommend the Catholic Encyclopedia article on New Advent entitled “Epiphany.”So, what is the Epiphany / Theophany? An epiphany, in terms of definition, is a sudden realization. The Greek phainein means to cause to appear or show. Theophany is the combination of the word epiphany with the Greek word theos meaning God. So, a theophany is a sudden realization, or a better word might be manifestation, of God in glory. Rather than attempting to figure out what exactly we ought to mark this Epiphany, I think it would be fruitful to walk through the various moments in the life of Christ that have historically been associated with the Epiphany, these various theophanies. Appearance of the MagiIn the Gospel of Matthew, we see the magi visiting the newborn Jesus in Bethlehem. Magi comes from the Greek word mangos which was associated with a priestly caste from Persia. These wise men were well versed in reading the meaning of the stars (astrology) and interpreting dreams. Astrology was something which all of the ancients paid attention to and while the stars do not influence the course of things as the ancients thought, God can still use them to signal major events. The position of the stars and planets coincided with the natural movements of the Earth and the seasons; so, reading the stars was a wealth of information for those who knew what they were looking at. The Magi from the East were wealthy and possibly royal Gentiles and came to request an audience with King Herod. They had seen signs in the stars associated with Jupiter - the king of the planets - and came to meet this new king. Herod was taken aback by this news of a new king, as he had not recently fathered a baby son. The magi likely consulted with the scribes and chief priests and were pointed towards Behtlehem. In Micah 5:2, there is a clear indication that the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem. This is where the Theophany comes in. The magi come before the newborn king: Jesus. They present him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Gold because He is a king. Frankincense because He is the priestly mediator between God and man. And myrrh because He would suffer and die for the sins of man. The magi reveals the glory of the Messiah, the God-man, who came into the world to save the Jews and the Gentiles alike. The presence of the Gentile dignitaries kneeling before the Christ child makes it clear that God is manifesting Himself to all the nations and not just the Jews. And the presents, the gifts, of these wise men manifest the reality of the God-man as priest, prophet, and king. For more on the magi and what may have led them from the East, I warmly recommend the “Mysteries of the Magi” article on JimmyAkin.com. Miracle at the Wedding Feast of CanaOn to the next Theophany: the Miracle at the Wedding Feast of Cana. Jesus reveals who He is and shows the power of God by working His first public miracle. The second Chapter of John's Gospel recounts:“On the third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus also was invited to the wedding with his disciples. When the wine ran out, the mother of Jesus said to him, ‘They have no wine.' And Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.' His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever he tells you.'Now there were six stone water jars there for the Jewish rites of purification, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water.' And they filled them up to the brim. And he said to them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the feast.' So they took it. When the master of the feast tasted the water now become wine, and did not know where it came from (though the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom and said to him, ‘Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.' This, the first of his signs, Jesus did at Cana in Galilee, and manifested his glory. And his disciples believed in him.”There is so much to say here! One thing that St. Augustine points out is that the Son, when He was with the Father, instituted marriage. And, yet, here He is coming to a wedding. (cf. Catena Aurea) What a gift that is, in and of itself. One of the curious parts of this manifestation of God's glory is when Jesus answers His mother saying: “Woman, what does this have to do with me? My hour has not yet come.” Of course, Jesus is never disrespectful to the Blessed Mother. The Church Fathers saw Jesus calling Mary “Woman” as a reference to her role as the New Eve, the Mother of all the living. The “hour” to which Jesus is referring is His death. He knew that He still had yet to call the disciples, proclaim the Kingdom, do miracles, declare His divinity in word and deed, and then show the humility of God in undergoing the daily sufferings of humanity. In obedience to His mother, He nonetheless worked His first public miracle, thus beginning the time of His hour. But as St. Augustine points out, our Lord claims the reality later in John's Gospel that He has the power to lay His life down and the power to take it up again. (cf. Jn 10:18) So, it is not that His manifestation of divine power will start some sort of fated countdown - rather it was that He did not think it was expedient to show His power in this way.As St. John Chrysostom points out: “Although He had said, Mine hour is not yet come, He afterwards did what His mother told Him, in order to shew plainly, that He was not under subjection to the hour.” (Catena Aurea) Yet, He also showed honor to His mother in performing the miracle. At any rate, this miracle was not a mere manipulation. It was not a magic trick or an illusion. Instead, as Alcuin of York put it: “He was the King of glory, and changed the elements because He was their Lord.” (ibid.)There is much more that is revealed in this miracle. But this will suffice for now. Jesus is the Lord of heaven and earth. He is the Son of God. And in His first public miracle, we see a true Theophany. What should our response be? None other than what our Blessed Mother says: “Do whatever He tells you.”Baptism of Jesus in the JordanThe next Theophany is the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River. To prepare for the kingdom of Heaven, St. John the Baptist called people to repentance, to turn away from their sins. He did this by baptizing people in the Jordan River. This baptism was purely symbolic and not to be confused with the Sacrament of Baptism. People came from all Judea and all the region around the Jordan river to hear John preach. Even the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes came out to hear John preach, confess their sins, and be baptized. John's was a voice crying in the desert to prepare the way of the Lord. Of course, Jesus had no need of being baptized. He was sinless and is God. So, what is happening here? The Catechism does a beautiful job of explaining:“The baptism of Jesus is on his part the acceptance and inauguration of his mission as God's suffering Servant. He allows himself to be numbered among sinners; he is already ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.' Already he is anticipating the ‘baptism' of his bloody death. Already he is coming to ‘fulfill all righteousness, ‘that is, he is submitting himself entirely to his Father's will: out of love he consents to this baptism of death for the remission of our sins. The Father's voice responds to the Son's acceptance, proclaiming his entire delight in his Son. The Spirit whom Jesus possessed in fullness from his conception comes to ‘rest on him.' Jesus will be the source of the Spirit for all mankind. At his baptism ‘the heavens were opened' - the heavens that Adam's sin had closed - and the waters were sanctified by the descent of Jesus and the Spirit, a prelude to the new creation.” (CCC 536)Pope Benedict XVI, in his book Jesus of Nazareth, points out the symbolism as well of Jesus entering into the waters of the Jordan River as He would one day enter into death and the tomb. And His rising from the water was like His Resurrection to come. We still hold to this theological reality in our own Sacrament of Baptism: we die with Christ and we rise with Christ a new creation. Jesus' public life begins when He is baptized by John in the Jordan River. We say that this is a Theophany because Jesus is revealed to be the Lamb of God by John: the Messiah of Israel and the Son of God. But more than that, when the baptism happens, the Holy Spirit, in the form of a dove, comes upon Jesus and the voice of the Father from Heaven proclaims: “This is my beloved Son.” Here, then, we have a full Theophany of all three Persons of the Blessed Trinity. Transfiguration of the LordThe final Theophany we will quickly review is the Transfiguration of the Lord. In St. Mark's Gospel, we hear:“And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them. And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, and they were talking with Jesus. And Peter said to Jesus, ‘Rabbi, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah.' For he did not know what to say, for they were terrified. And a cloud overshadowed them, and a voice came out of the cloud, ‘This is my beloved Son; listen to him.' And suddenly, looking around, they no longer saw anyone with them but Jesus only.And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean. And they asked him, ‘Why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?' And he said to them, ‘Elijah does come first to restore all things. And how is it written of the Son of Man that he should suffer many things and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.'” (Mk 9:2–13)He revealed Himself first in a stable in Bethlehem, in lowly stature. God Almighty condescended to share in our humanity, the model of perfect humility. He revealed Himself at a wedding party, who is Himself the Bridegroom of the Church. He revealed Himself in the waters of the Jordan; He sanctified the waters of the world - a clearly meaningful gesture considering how important water is to us as humans. Now, He reveals His glory on a lofty mountaintop. He did not transfigure His features because the Apostles still recognized Him but an ineffable brightness was added. He brings with Him two people: Moses and Elijah. Moses is the representative of the whole Law and Elijah represents all the Prophets. Jesus is the embodiment of the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets. As in each Theophany, the mission of Jesus is revealed. He is the Incarnate Word who came to redeem our fallen humanity. His “hour” begins with His first public miracle - the hour of His passion, death, and resurrection. The Baptism in the Jordan River reveals His public ministry and that He is the Messiah. Pope Benedict XVI reminds us, too, that: “The mystery of the Transfiguration must not be separated from the context of the path Jesus is following. He is now decisively oriented to fulfilling his mission, knowing all too well that to arrive at the Resurrection he must pass through the Passion and death on the Cross. He had spoken openly of this to his disciples; but they did not understand, on the contrary they rejected this prospect because they were not reasoning in accordance with God, but in accordance with men (cf. Mt 16:23).” (Benedict XVI, Angelus, March 4, 2012)The “folly of the Cross” is coming and Jesus wants to prepare Peter, James, and John to make their way the forested thickness of the passion and death. The light showing forth from Jesus on the mountain was not added from without; as God, He had the divine light within Him already. He was further revealing Himself to His closest friends. Besides the light, we also hear the voice of the Father echo the words from the Jordan River: “This is my beloved Son.” But He adds: “Listen to Him.” What in the World is a Theophany?So, what is a Theophany? It is a sudden manifestation of God in His glory, power, humility, truth, and grace. God reveals Himself and the mission of the Son to us throughout the Gospels. We must seek to place ourselves in these moments. In the Sacred Liturgy, in particular, we can do this by God's grace. In the Mass, we step outside of space and time and the mundane in a mystical way. We enter into a foretaste of heavenly glory, but Jesus as our High Priest also makes present these past moments of majestic revelation afresh in the Holy Mass. At the Epiphany, we are celebrating the arrival of the magi to adore the Christ child, and standing astounded with the chief steward of the feast at the wedding in Cana, and standing by the waters of the Jordan River seeing the Holy Spirit descend and the voice of the Father resound, and standing dazzled by the transfiguration of the Lord. It can be overwhelming to hold so many things in our mind at once. But thankfully, Holy Mother Church has given space to do so over the years. In the Latin Rite, we celebrate the Epiphany of the Lord on January 6 or the closest Sunday in the United States - in 2024, for example, it is on Sunday, January 7. In 1955, Pope Pius XII separated out Baptism of the Lord as a distinct feast. This was celebrated on January 13 for some time but is now kept as the first Sunday after Epiphany or, if Epiphany is celebrated on Sunday in a particular country, then Baptism of the Lord is celebrated on the Monday after. The Wedding Feast at Cana comes up in the Gospel readings on January 7 for daily Mass and on the Second Sunday in Ordinary Time in Year C. And the Transfiguration is celebrated on August 6, which allows us to remember the link to the other three theophanies half a year later. Please Consider DonatingIf you enjoy these episodes, if you've gotten anything out of Good Distinctions, if you enjoy the written articles that I put out and want to continue to see this channel grow, I need your help. It costs quite a bit of money to put this on. There's a lot of different software and equipment that it takes to make it happen well and properly. Please consider prayerfully donating. You can do so for as little as $5 a month or $50 for a yearly membership.Special thanks to the following monthly and yearly subscribers of Good Distinctions!* Carson S.* Jo-Anne J. * Ann G.If you'd like to support Good Distinctions and help it grow, please click the link below!Good Distinctions is a listener-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Get full access to Good Distinctions at www.gooddistinctions.com/subscribe

This is what St. Peter is saying in his second epistle, which was our first reading today, where he speaks of his personal experience when he witnessed Christ's Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. As he writes St. Peter is preparing for his imminent death by crucifixion, when he will put off his tent (you remember he wanted to set up tents on the Mountain). As he prepares for his death, he recalls this event in order to remind the Faithful what they are destined for, what God has promised them- if, and there is an if. If they do certain things.

Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost The Collect: Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Old Testament: Judges 4:1-7 1The Israelites again did what was evil in the sight of the Lord, after Ehud died. 2So the Lord sold them into the hand of King Jabin of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor; the commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-ha-goiim. 3Then the Israelites cried out to the Lord for help; for he had nine hundred chariots of iron, and had oppressed the Israelites cruelly twenty years. 4At that time Deborah, a prophetess, wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel. 5She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim; and the Israelites came up to her for judgment. 6She sent and summoned Barak son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, “The Lord, the God of Israel, commands you, ‘Go, take position at Mount Tabor, bringing ten thousand from the tribe of Naphtali and the tribe of Zebulun. 7I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the Wadi Kishon with his chariots and his troops; and I will give him into your hand.'” Psalm: Psalm 123 1 To you I lift up my eyes, *        to you enthroned in the heavens. 2 As the eyes of servants look to the hand of their masters, *        and the eyes of a maid to the hand of her mistress, 3 So our eyes look to the Lord our God, *        until he show us his mercy. 4 Have mercy upon us, O Lord, have mercy, *        for we have had more than enough of contempt, 5 Too much of the scorn of the indolent rich, *        and of the derision of the proud. Old Testament: Zephaniah 1:7, 12-18 7Be silent before the Lord God! For the day of the Lord is at hand; the Lord has prepared a sacrifice, he has consecrated his guests. 12At that time I will search Jerusalem with lamps, and I will punish the people who rest complacently on their dregs, those who say in their hearts, “The Lordwill not do good, nor will he do harm.” 13Their wealth shall be plundered, and their houses laid waste. Though they build houses, they shall not inhabit them; though they plant vineyards, they shall not drink wine from them. 14The great day of the Lord is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the Lord is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there. 15That day will be a day of wrath, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness, 16a day of trumpet blast and battle cry against the fortified cities and against the lofty battlements. 17I will bring such distress upon people that they shall walk like the blind; because they have sinned against the Lord, their blood shall be poured out like dust, and their flesh like dung. 18Neither their silver nor their gold will be able to save them on the day of the Lord's wrath; in the fire of his passion the whole earth shall be consumed; for a full, a terrible end he will make of all the inhabitants of the earth. Psalm: Psalm 90:1-8, (9-11), 12 1 Lord, you have been our refuge *        from one generation to another. 2 Before the mountains were brought forth,   or the land and the earth were born, *        from age to age you are God. 3 You turn us back to the dust and say, *       “Go back, O child of earth.” 4 For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past *        and like a watch in the night. 5 You sweep us away like a dream; *        we fade away suddenly like the grass. 6 In the morning it is green and flourishes; *        in the evening it is dried up and withered. 7 For we consume away in your displeasure; *        we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation. 8 Our iniquities you have set before you, *        and our secret sins in the light of your countenance. 9 [When you are angry, all our days are gone; *        we bring our years to an end like a sigh. 10 The span of our life is seventy years,    perhaps in strength even eighty; *        yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow,        for they pass away quickly and we are gone. 11 Who regards the power of your wrath? *        who rightly fears your indignation?] 12 So teach us to number our days *        that we may apply our hearts to wisdom. Epistle: 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 1Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers and sisters, you do not need to have anything written to you. 2For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.3When they say, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them, as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and there will be no escape! 4But you, beloved, are not in darkness, for that day to surprise you like a thief; 5for you are all children of light and children of the day; we are not of the night or of darkness. 6So then let us not fall asleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober; 7for those who sleep sleep at night, and those who are drunk get drunk at night. 8But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, and put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9For God has destined us not for wrath but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep we may live with him. 11Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, as indeed you are doing. Gospel: Matthew 25:14-30 14“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them; 15to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.16The one who had received the five talents went off at once and traded with them, and made five more talents. 17In the same way, the one who had the two talents made two more talents. 18But the one who had received the one talent went off and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. 19After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. 20Then the one who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five more talents, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me five talents; see, I have made five more talents.' 21His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' 22And the one with the two talents also came forward, saying, ‘Master, you handed over to me two talents; see, I have made two more talents.' 23His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and trustworthy slave; you have been trustworthy in a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.'24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, ‘Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26But his master replied, ‘You wicked and lazy slave! You knew, did you, that I reap where I did not sow, and gather where I did not scatter? 27Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and on my return I would have received what was my own with interest.28So take the talent from him, and give it to the one with the ten talents.29For to all those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. 30As for this worthless slave, throw him into the outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

The summer she turned seven years old, Charity Clark's first outing on Vermont's Long Trail was at Little Rock Pond in Mount Tabor. Years later, she completed the 272-mile footpath across the Green Mountains, the oldest long-distance hiking trail in the United States. Today, Charity is Vermont's first female attorney general. Even with a busy schedule in Vermont's highest law enforcement office, she spends as much time as she can outside—hiking, skiing or exploring the woods. In this episode of Happy Vermont, Charity shares her love for hiking and the outdoors and why Vermont is her forever home.  Read the story: https://happyvermont.com/2023/08/29/hiking-the-long-trail-charity-clark-podcast/

Series: Mystical TheologyUnit 14: Gregory PalamasEpisode 1: ProlegomenaThe first episode in this series of presentations is of an introductory character, touching briefly on each of the main themes contained in Palamas, and sets up the scene for a more in-depth treatment of St Gregory's ascetico-theological vision.Throughout these presentations, reference will be made to Holy Scripture and to many of the Holy Fathers.A wide range of themes will be covered, including the nature of revelation and the knowledge of God, direct personal experience of God from this life, the Jesus Prayer, the Vision of God, and the sanctification of the body and its final place in the life to come.Recommended background reading: Christopher Veniamin, ed., Saint Gregory Palamas: The Homilies (Dalton PA: 2022).TIMESTAMPS00:00 Introduction02:09 Stages in St. Gregory's Life07:26 Objections to St. Gregory‘s theology10:40 Experience of God11:16 Essence–Energies Distinction19:09 God as Light22:18 Transfiguration28:20 Stigmata30:00 Speaking in Tongues30:23 Transfiguration of human body31:48 Direct contact with God34:30 Physical technique in Prayer36:50 Union of “nous” with heartIt is hoped that these presentations will help the enquirer discern the profound interrelationship between Orthodox theology and the Orthodox Christian life, and to identify the ascetic and pastoral significance of the Orthodox ethos contained therein. The Happy Writer with Marissa MeyerAuthors, from debuts to bestsellers, chat about books, writing, publishing, and joy. Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the Show.Dr. Christopher VeniaminSupport The Mount Thabor Academyhttps://www.buzzsprout.com/2232462/support THE MOUNT THABOR ACADEMYPrint Books by MOUNT THABOR PUBLISHING The Professor's BlogeBooks Amazon Google Apple KoboB&NMembership OptionsJoin our Bookclub, Bible Study, John Damascene's Christology or Greek Philosophy here:Patreon for Membership TiersClick on the Join button below our YouTube videos, and become a Friend or Reader of The Mount Thabor Academy! Click here: YouTube Membership Level...

In today's Feast of the Transfiguration we marvel once again at the weird and wonderful account of Jesus shining like the sun on Mount Tabor with the disciples as witnesses. "I am the Light of the World," Jesus says in John's Gospel. Interestingly, in Matthew's Gospel, we hear Jesus say, "You are the light of the world." So who is it? The light is always the light of Jesus, but as the light of faith increases and grows within us, we begin to be radiant with Christ's light. It's his light shining in us.

Full Text of ReadingsFeast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Lectionary: 614The Saint of the day is Transfiguration of the LordThe Story of the Transfiguration of the Lord All three Synoptic Gospels tell the story of the Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-8; Mark 9:2-9; Luke 9:28-36). With remarkable agreement, all three place the event shortly after Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah and Jesus' first prediction of his passion and death. Peter's eagerness to erect tents or booths on the spot suggests it occurred during the week-long Jewish Feast of Booths in the fall. According to Scripture scholars, in spite of the texts' agreement it is difficult to reconstruct the disciples' experience, because the Gospels draw heavily on Old Testament descriptions of the Sinai encounter with God, and prophetic visions of the Son of Man. Certainly Peter, James, and John had a glimpse of Jesus' divinity strong enough to strike fear into their hearts. Such an experience defies description, so they drew on familiar religious language to describe it. And certainly Jesus warned them that his glory and his suffering were to be inextricably connected—a theme John highlights throughout his Gospel. Tradition names Mount Tabor as the site of the revelation. A church first raised there in the fourth century was dedicated on August 6. A feast in honor of the Transfiguration was celebrated in the Eastern Church from about that time. Western observance began in some localities about the eighth century. On July 22, 1456, Crusaders defeated the Turks at Belgrade. News of the victory reached Rome on August 6, and Pope Callistus III placed the feast on the Roman calendar the following year. Reflection One of the Transfiguration accounts is read on the second Sunday of Lent each year, proclaiming Christ's divinity to the Elect and baptized alike. The Gospel for the first Sunday of Lent, by contrast, is the story of the temptation in the desert—affirmation of Jesus' humanity. The two distinct but inseparable natures of the Lord were a subject of much theological argument at the beginning of the Church's history; it remains hard for believers to grasp. Saint of the Day, Copyright Franciscan Media

Homily from the Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord Claimed. Respected. Trusted. Jesus Transfigured on the top of Mount Tabor precedes His journey to Mount Calvary. On Tabor, He is not merely transfigured...He is Claimed, Respected, and Trusted as the beloved Son. We too need the Father's voice to voice His claim over us, His respecting us, and His entrusting a mission to us.Mass Readings from August 6, 2023:Daniel 7:9-10, 13-14Psalm 97:1-2, 5-6, 92 Peter 1:16-19 Matthew 17:1-9

Welcome to the Crunch. This episode, we talk about our various adventures in our first day in the Holy Land. Mount Tabor, Ron Beach, and much much more!In case you didn't know, we upload three days a week! Sunday, Wednesday, and Friday! Our Friday episode is exclusive to our supporters at $10/month and up on Patreon, which you can access at https://patreon.com/thecrunchFollow us on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecrunchcastJoin our Discord community: https://bit.ly/crunchdiscordSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-crunch/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Psalms and Wisdom: Song of Solomon 4:1–8 Song of Solomon 4:1–8 (Listen) Solomon Admires His Bride's Beauty He 4   Behold, you are beautiful, my love,    behold, you are beautiful!  Your eyes are doves    behind your veil.  Your hair is like a flock of goats    leaping down the slopes of Gilead.2   Your teeth are like a flock of shorn ewes    that have come up from the washing,  all of which bear twins,    and not one among them has lost its young.3   Your lips are like a scarlet thread,    and your mouth is lovely.  Your cheeks are like halves of a pomegranate    behind your veil.4   Your neck is like the tower of David,    built in rows of stone;1  on it hang a thousand shields,    all of them shields of warriors.5   Your two breasts are like two fawns,    twins of a gazelle,    that graze among the lilies.6   Until the day breathes    and the shadows flee,  I will go away to the mountain of myrrh    and the hill of frankincense.7   You are altogether beautiful, my love;    there is no flaw in you.8   Come with me from Lebanon, my bride;    come with me from Lebanon.  Depart2 from the peak of Amana,    from the peak of Senir and Hermon,  from the dens of lions,    from the mountains of leopards. Footnotes [1] 4:4 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [2] 4:8 Or Look (ESV) Pentateuch and History: Judges 4 Judges 4 (Listen) Deborah and Barak 4 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand'?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. 17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?' say, ‘No.'” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. 23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. (ESV) Chronicles and Prophets: Jeremiah 20 Jeremiah 20 (Listen) Jeremiah Persecuted by Pashhur 20 Now Pashhur the priest, the son of Immer, who was chief officer in the house of the LORD, heard Jeremiah prophesying these things. 2 Then Pashhur beat Jeremiah the prophet, and put him in the stocks that were in the upper Benjamin Gate of the house of the LORD. 3 The next day, when Pashhur released Jeremiah from the stocks, Jeremiah said to him, “The LORD does not call your name Pashhur, but Terror on Every Side. 4 For thus says the LORD: Behold, I will make you a terror to yourself and to all your friends. They shall fall by the sword of their enemies while you look on. And I will give all Judah into the hand of the king of Babylon. He shall carry them captive to Babylon, and shall strike them down with the sword. 5 Moreover, I will give all the wealth of the city, all its gains, all its prized belongings, and all the treasures of the kings of Judah into the hand of their enemies, who shall plunder them and seize them and carry them to Babylon. 6 And you, Pashhur, and all who dwell in your house, shall go into captivity. To Babylon you shall go, and there you shall die, and there you shall be buried, you and all your friends, to whom you have prophesied falsely.” 7   O LORD, you have deceived me,    and I was deceived;  you are stronger than I,    and you have prevailed.  I have become a laughingstock all the day;    everyone mocks me.8   For whenever I speak, I cry out,    I shout, “Violence and destruction!”  For the word of the LORD has become for me    a reproach and derision all day long.9   If I say, “I will not mention him,    or speak any more in his name,”  there is in my heart as it were a burning fire    shut up in my bones,  and I am weary with holding it in,    and I cannot.10   For I hear many whispering.    Terror is on every side!  “Denounce him! Let us denounce him!”    say all my close friends,    watching for my fall.  “Perhaps he will be deceived;    then we can overcome him    and take our revenge on him.”11   But the LORD is with me as a dread warrior;    therefore my persecutors will stumble;    they will not overcome me.  They will be greatly shamed,    for they will not succeed.  Their eternal dishonor    will never be forgotten.12   O LORD of hosts, who tests the righteous,    who sees the heart and the mind,1  let me see your vengeance upon them,    for to you have I committed my cause. 13   Sing to the LORD;    praise the LORD!  For he has delivered the life of the needy    from the hand of evildoers. 14   Cursed be the day    on which I was born!  The day when my mother bore me,    let it not be blessed!15   Cursed be the man who brought the news to my father,  “A son is born to you,”    making him very glad.16   Let that man be like the cities    that the LORD overthrew without pity;  let him hear a cry in the morning    and an alarm at noon,17   because he did not kill me in the womb;    so my mother would have been my grave,    and her womb forever great.18   Why did I come out from the womb    to see toil and sorrow,    and spend my days in shame? Footnotes [1] 20:12 Hebrew kidneys (ESV) Gospels and Epistles: Hebrews 3:1–6 Hebrews 3:1–6 (Listen) Jesus Greater Than Moses 3 Therefore, holy brothers,1 you who share in a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the apostle and high priest of our confession, 2 who was faithful to him who appointed him, just as Moses also was faithful in all God's2 house. 3 For Jesus has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses—as much more glory as the builder of a house has more honor than the house itself. 4 (For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.) 5 Now Moses was faithful in all God's house as a servant, to testify to the things that were to be spoken later, 6 but Christ is faithful over God's house as a son. And we are his house, if indeed we hold fast our confidence and our boasting in our hope.3 Footnotes [1] 3:1 Or brothers and sisters; also verse 12 [2] 3:2 Greek his; also verses 5, 6 [3] 3:6 Some manuscripts insert firm to the end (ESV)

With family: Judges 4; Acts 8 Judges 4 (Listen) Deborah and Barak 4 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand'?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. 17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?' say, ‘No.'” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. 23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. (ESV) Acts 8 (Listen) Saul Ravages the Church 8 And Saul approved of his execution. And there arose on that day a great persecution against the church in Jerusalem, and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria, except the apostles. 2 Devout men buried Stephen and made great lamentation over him. 3 But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Philip Proclaims Christ in Samaria 4 Now those who were scattered went about preaching the word. 5 Philip went down to the city1 of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ. 6 And the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip, when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. 8 So there was much joy in that city. Simon the Magician Believes 9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic. 12 But when they believed Philip as he preached good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. 13 Even Simon himself believed, and after being baptized he continued with Philip. And seeing signs and great miracles2 performed, he was amazed. 14 Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent to them Peter and John, 15 who came down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, 16 for he had not yet fallen on any of them, but they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 17 Then they laid their hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit. 18 Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19 saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20 But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21 You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. 22 Repent, therefore, of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23 For I see that you are in the gall3 of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity.” 24 And Simon answered, “Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may come upon me.” 25 Now when they had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the gospel to many villages of the Samaritans. Philip and the Ethiopian Eunuch 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Rise and go toward the south4 to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” This is a desert place. 27 And he rose and went. And there was an Ethiopian, a eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28 and was returning, seated in his chariot, and he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29 And the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over and join this chariot.” 30 So Philip ran to him and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet and asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31 And he said, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. 32 Now the passage of the Scripture that he was reading was this:   “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter    and like a lamb before its shearer is silent,    so he opens not his mouth.33   In his humiliation justice was denied him.    Who can describe his generation?  For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34 And the eunuch said to Philip, “About whom, I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning with this Scripture he told him the good news about Jesus. 36 And as they were going along the road they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “See, here is water! What prevents me from being baptized?”5 38 And he commanded the chariot to stop, and they both went down into the water, Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him. 39 And when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord carried Philip away, and the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40 But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he passed through he preached the gospel to all the towns until he came to Caesarea. Footnotes [1] 8:5 Some manuscripts a city [2] 8:13 Greek works of power [3] 8:23 That is, a bitter fluid secreted by the liver; bile [4] 8:26 Or go at about noon [5] 8:36 Some manuscripts add all or most of verse 37: And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (ESV) In private: Jeremiah 17; Mark 3 Jeremiah 17 (Listen) The Sin of Judah 17 “The sin of Judah is written with a pen of iron; with a point of diamond it is engraved on the tablet of their heart, and on the horns of their altars, 2 while their children remember their altars and their Asherim, beside every green tree and on the high hills, 3 on the mountains in the open country. Your wealth and all your treasures I will give for spoil as the price of your high places for sin throughout all your territory. 4 You shall loosen your hand from your heritage that I gave to you, and I will make you serve your enemies in a land that you do not know, for in my anger a fire is kindled that shall burn forever.” 5   Thus says the LORD:  “Cursed is the man who trusts in man    and makes flesh his strength,1    whose heart turns away from the LORD.6   He is like a shrub in the desert,    and shall not see any good come.  He shall dwell in the parched places of the wilderness,    in an uninhabited salt land. 7   “Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD,    whose trust is the LORD.8   He is like a tree planted by water,    that sends out its roots by the stream,  and does not fear when heat comes,    for its leaves remain green,  and is not anxious in the year of drought,    for it does not cease to bear fruit.” 9   The heart is deceitful above all things,    and desperately sick;    who can understand it?10   “I the LORD search the heart    and test the mind,2  to give every man according to his ways,    according to the fruit of his deeds.” 11   Like the partridge that gathers a brood that she did not hatch,    so is he who gets riches but not by justice;  in the midst of his days they will leave him,    and at his end he will be a fool. 12   A glorious throne set on high from the beginning    is the place of our sanctuary.13   O LORD, the hope of Israel,    all who forsake you shall be put to shame;  those who turn away from you3 shall be written in the earth,    for they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living water. Jeremiah Prays for Deliverance 14   Heal me, O LORD, and I shall be healed;    save me, and I shall be saved,    for you are my praise.15   Behold, they say to me,    “Where is the word of the LORD?    Let it come!”16   I have not run away from being your shepherd,    nor have I desired the day of sickness.  You know what came out of my lips;    it was before your face.17   Be not a terror to me;    you are my refuge in the day of disaster.18   Let those be put to shame who persecute me,    but let me not be put to shame;  let them be dismayed,    but let me not be dismayed;  bring upon them the day of disaster;    destroy them with double destruction! Keep the Sabbath Holy 19 Thus said the LORD to me: “Go and stand in the People's Gate, by which the kings of Judah enter and by which they go out, and in all the gates of Jerusalem, 20 and say: ‘Hear the word of the LORD, you kings of Judah, and all Judah, and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem, who enter by these gates. 21 Thus says the LORD: Take care for the sake of your lives, and do not bear a burden on the Sabbath day or bring it in by the gates of Jerusalem. 22 And do not carry a burden out of your houses on the Sabbath or do any work, but keep the Sabbath day holy, as I commanded your fathers. 23 Yet they did not listen or incline their ear, but stiffened their neck, that they might not hear and receive instruction. 24 “‘But if you listen to me, declares the LORD, and bring in no burden by the gates of this city on the Sabbath day, but keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on it, 25 then there shall enter by the gates of this city kings and princes who sit on the throne of David, riding in chariots and on horses, they and their officials, the men of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And this city shall be inhabited forever. 26 And people shall come from the cities of Judah and the places around Jerusalem, from the land of Benjamin, from the Shephelah, from the hill country, and from the Negeb, bringing burnt offerings and sacrifices, grain offerings and frankincense, and bringing thank offerings to the house of the LORD. 27 But if you do not listen to me, to keep the Sabbath day holy, and not to bear a burden and enter by the gates of Jerusalem on the Sabbath day, then I will kindle a fire in its gates, and it shall devour the palaces of Jerusalem and shall not be quenched.'” Footnotes [1] 17:5 Hebrew arm [2] 17:10 Hebrew kidneys [3] 17:13 Hebrew me (ESV) Mark 3 (Listen) A Man with a Withered Hand 3 Again he entered the synagogue, and a man was there with a withered hand. 2 And they watched Jesus,1 to see whether he would heal him on the Sabbath, so that they might accuse him. 3 And he said to the man with the withered hand, “Come here.” 4 And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. 5 And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. 6 The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him. A Great Crowd Follows Jesus 7 Jesus withdrew with his disciples to the sea, and a great crowd followed, from Galilee and Judea 8 and Jerusalem and Idumea and from beyond the Jordan and from around Tyre and Sidon. When the great crowd heard all that he was doing, they came to him. 9 And he told his disciples to have a boat ready for him because of the crowd, lest they crush him, 10 for he had healed many, so that all who had diseases pressed around him to touch him. 11 And whenever the unclean spirits saw him, they fell down before him and cried out, “You are the Son of God.” 12 And he strictly ordered them not to make him known. The Twelve Apostles 13 And he went up on the mountain and called to him those whom he desired, and they came to him. 14 And he appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) so that they might be with him and he might send them out to preach 15 and have authority to cast out demons. 16 He appointed the twelve: Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); 17 James the son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); 18 Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James the son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Zealot,2 19 and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. 20 Then he went home, and the crowd gathered again, so that they could not even eat. 21 And when his family heard it, they went out to seize him, for they were saying, “He is out of his mind.” Blasphemy Against the Holy Spirit 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem were saying, “He is possessed by Beelzebul,” and “by the prince of demons he casts out the demons.” 23 And he called them to him and said to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but is coming to an end. 27 But no one can enter a strong man's house and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man. Then indeed he may plunder his house. 28 “Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”—30 for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” Jesus' Mother and Brothers 31 And his mother and his brothers came, and standing outside they sent to him and called him. 32 And a crowd was sitting around him, and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers3 are outside, seeking you.” 33 And he answered them, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking about at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God, he is my brother and sister and mother.” Footnotes [1] 3:2 Greek him [2] 3:18 Greek kananaios, meaning zealot [3] 3:32 Other manuscripts add and your sisters (ESV)

Whatever is stressing you out, just remember Jesus when he was transfigured.Pastor Mike spent a week in Israel in early 2020. Here near Mount Tabor, where many believe Jesus was transfigured, Pastor Mike reminds us we have nothing to fear.This week's devotional series by Pastor Mike is also featured on our Grace Talks Daily Devotionals podcast!For more resources that help you stay rooted in Jesus, check us out at timeofgrace.org where you can also subscribe to our daily email!Check out our newest video project, Bible Breath With Pastor Jeremy Mattek! https://timeofgrace.vhx.tv/bible-breathCheck out our other podcasts! Search for these on your favorite podcast app.– The Nonmicrowaved Truth with C.L. Whiteside– Little Things, with Amber Albee Swenson– Bible Threads, with Dr. Bruce Becker– Evening Encouragements With Pastor Jeremy– Grace Talks Daily DevotionalsIf you have questions and want to know more about God, like what does he think of you, what exactly was Jesus all about, how do you get “saved” and just what exactly does it mean to “get saved,” and what you should do next, we want you to download this free resource Pastor Mike wrote called, The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith. Get your free download at timeofgrace.org/thebasics.OR, you can listen to the audio version of The Basics! Just search "The Basics With Pastor Mike Novotny" wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.

Whatever is stressing you out, just remember Jesus when he was transfigured.Pastor Mike spent a week in Israel in early 2020. Here near Mount Tabor, where many believe Jesus was transfigured, Pastor Mike reminds us we have nothing to fear.If you enjoy this podcast and make it a regular part of your day, would you consider helping us with your regular support? We can't do any of this without you! Consider becoming a regular supporter with our Grace Partners program! https://timeofgrace.org/gracepartnerpodcastFor more resources that help you stay rooted in Jesus, check us out at timeofgrace.org where you can also subscribe to our daily email!Check out our newest video project, Bible Breath With Pastor Jeremy Mattek! https://youtu.be/UWHreTMY788Check out our other podcasts! Search for these on your favorite podcast app.– The Nonmicrowaved Truth with C.L. Whiteside– Little Things, with Amber Albee Swenson– Bible Threads, with Dr. Bruce Becker– Evening Encouragements With Pastor Jeremy– Time of Grace With Pastor Mike NovotnyIf you have questions and want to know more about God, like what does he think of you, what exactly was Jesus all about, how do you get “saved” and just what exactly does it mean to “get saved,” and what you should do next, we want you to download this free resource Pastor Mike wrote called, The Basics: God. You. Jesus. Faith. Get your free download at timeofgrace.org/thebasics.OR, you can listen to the audio version of The Basics! Just search "The Basics With Pastor Mike Novotny" wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. Listen to Pastor Mike's latest sermon series, Trends vs. Truth, on the Time of Grace With Pastor Mike Novotny podcast. Search for it wherever you get your favorite podcasts.Or, you can watch it by going to timeofgrace.org/tvAbout Trends vs. Truth: Be you. Love is love. Do not judge. Repetition has a way of making things sound true, but what's trending isn't always entirely true. This five-part series looks at some of the most common phrases used in modern culture and holds them up to the light of God's Word to see what is God-approved and what is subtly false about them.

Old Testament: Judges 4–5 Judges 4–5 (Listen) Deborah and Barak 4 And the people of Israel again did what was evil in the sight of the LORD after Ehud died. 2 And the LORD sold them into the hand of Jabin king of Canaan, who reigned in Hazor. The commander of his army was Sisera, who lived in Harosheth-hagoyim. 3 Then the people of Israel cried out to the LORD for help, for he had 900 chariots of iron and he oppressed the people of Israel cruelly for twenty years. 4 Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lappidoth, was judging Israel at that time. 5 She used to sit under the palm of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the hill country of Ephraim, and the people of Israel came up to her for judgment. 6 She sent and summoned Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh-naphtali and said to him, “Has not the LORD, the God of Israel, commanded you, ‘Go, gather your men at Mount Tabor, taking 10,000 from the people of Naphtali and the people of Zebulun. 7 And I will draw out Sisera, the general of Jabin's army, to meet you by the river Kishon with his chariots and his troops, and I will give him into your hand'?” 8 Barak said to her, “If you will go with me, I will go, but if you will not go with me, I will not go.” 9 And she said, “I will surely go with you. Nevertheless, the road on which you are going will not lead to your glory, for the LORD will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.” Then Deborah arose and went with Barak to Kedesh. 10 And Barak called out Zebulun and Naphtali to Kedesh. And 10,000 men went up at his heels, and Deborah went up with him. 11 Now Heber the Kenite had separated from the Kenites, the descendants of Hobab the father-in-law of Moses, and had pitched his tent as far away as the oak in Zaanannim, which is near Kedesh. 12 When Sisera was told that Barak the son of Abinoam had gone up to Mount Tabor, 13 Sisera called out all his chariots, 900 chariots of iron, and all the men who were with him, from Harosheth-hagoyim to the river Kishon. 14 And Deborah said to Barak, “Up! For this is the day in which the LORD has given Sisera into your hand. Does not the LORD go out before you?” So Barak went down from Mount Tabor with 10,000 men following him. 15 And the LORD routed Sisera and all his chariots and all his army before Barak by the edge of the sword. And Sisera got down from his chariot and fled away on foot. 16 And Barak pursued the chariots and the army to Harosheth-hagoyim, and all the army of Sisera fell by the edge of the sword; not a man was left. 17 But Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite, for there was peace between Jabin the king of Hazor and the house of Heber the Kenite. 18 And Jael came out to meet Sisera and said to him, “Turn aside, my lord; turn aside to me; do not be afraid.” So he turned aside to her into the tent, and she covered him with a rug. 19 And he said to her, “Please give me a little water to drink, for I am thirsty.” So she opened a skin of milk and gave him a drink and covered him. 20 And he said to her, “Stand at the opening of the tent, and if any man comes and asks you, ‘Is anyone here?' say, ‘No.'” 21 But Jael the wife of Heber took a tent peg, and took a hammer in her hand. Then she went softly to him and drove the peg into his temple until it went down into the ground while he was lying fast asleep from weariness. So he died. 22 And behold, as Barak was pursuing Sisera, Jael went out to meet him and said to him, “Come, and I will show you the man whom you are seeking.” So he went in to her tent, and there lay Sisera dead, with the tent peg in his temple. 23 So on that day God subdued Jabin the king of Canaan before the people of Israel. 24 And the hand of the people of Israel pressed harder and harder against Jabin the king of Canaan, until they destroyed Jabin king of Canaan. The Song of Deborah and Barak 5 Then sang Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam on that day: 2   “That the leaders took the lead in Israel,    that the people offered themselves willingly,    bless the LORD! 3   “Hear, O kings; give ear, O princes;    to the LORD I will sing;    I will make melody to the LORD, the God of Israel. 4   “LORD, when you went out from Seir,    when you marched from the region of Edom,  the earth trembled    and the heavens dropped,    yes, the clouds dropped water.5   The mountains quaked before the LORD,    even Sinai before the LORD,1 the God of Israel. 6   “In the days of Shamgar, son of Anath,    in the days of Jael, the highways were abandoned,    and travelers kept to the byways.7   The villagers ceased in Israel;    they ceased to be until I arose;    I, Deborah, arose as a mother in Israel.8   When new gods were chosen,    then war was in the gates.  Was shield or spear to be seen    among forty thousand in Israel?9   My heart goes out to the commanders of Israel    who offered themselves willingly among the people.    Bless the LORD. 10   “Tell of it, you who ride on white donkeys,    you who sit on rich carpets2    and you who walk by the way.11   To the sound of musicians3 at the watering places,    there they repeat the righteous triumphs of the LORD,    the righteous triumphs of his villagers in Israel.   “Then down to the gates marched the people of the LORD. 12   “Awake, awake, Deborah!    Awake, awake, break out in a song!  Arise, Barak, lead away your captives,    O son of Abinoam.13   Then down marched the remnant of the noble;    the people of the LORD marched down for me against the mighty.14   From Ephraim their root they marched down into the valley,4    following you, Benjamin, with your kinsmen;  from Machir marched down the commanders,    and from Zebulun those who bear the lieutenant's5 staff;15   the princes of Issachar came with Deborah,    and Issachar faithful to Barak;    into the valley they rushed at his heels.  Among the clans of Reuben    there were great searchings of heart.16   Why did you sit still among the sheepfolds,    to hear the whistling for the flocks?  Among the clans of Reuben    there were great searchings of heart.17   Gilead stayed beyond the Jordan;    and Dan, why did he stay with the ships?  Asher sat still at the coast of the sea,    staying by his landings.18   Zebulun is a people who risked their lives to the death;    Naphtali, too, on the heights of the field. 19   “The kings came, they fought;    then fought the kings of Canaan,  at Taanach, by the waters of Megiddo;    they got no spoils of silver.20   From heaven the stars fought,    from their courses they fought against Sisera.21   The torrent Kishon swept them away,    the ancient torrent, the torrent Kishon.    March on, my soul, with might! 22   “Then loud beat the horses' hoofs    with the galloping, galloping of his steeds. 23   “Curse Meroz, says the angel of the LORD,    curse its inhabitants thoroughly,  because they did not come to the help of the LORD,    to the help of the LORD against the mighty. 24   “Most blessed of women be Jael,    the wife of Heber the Kenite,    of tent-dwelling women most blessed.25   He asked for water and she gave him milk;    she brought him curds in a noble's bowl.26   She sent her hand to the tent peg    and her right hand to the workmen's mallet;  she struck Sisera;    she crushed his head;    she shattered and pierced his temple.27   Between her feet    he sank, he fell, he lay still;  between her feet    he sank, he fell;  where he sank,    there he fell—dead. 28   “Out of the window she peered,    the mother of Sisera wailed through the lattice:  ‘Why is his chariot so long in coming?    Why tarry the hoofbeats of his chariots?'29   Her wisest princesses answer,    indeed, she answers herself,30   ‘Have they not found and divided the spoil?—    A womb or two for every man;  spoil of dyed materials for Sisera,    spoil of dyed materials embroidered,    two pieces of dyed work embroidered for the neck as spoil?' 31   “So may all your enemies perish, O LORD!    But your friends be like the sun as he rises in his might.” And the land had rest for forty years. Footnotes [1] 5:5 Or before the Lord, the One of Sinai, before the Lord [2] 5:10 The meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain; it may connote saddle blankets [3] 5:11 Or archers; the meaning of the Hebrew word is uncertain [4] 5:14 Septuagint; Hebrew in Amalek [5] 5:14 Hebrew commander's (ESV) Psalm: Psalm 107:23–43 Psalm 107:23–43 (Listen) 23   Some went down to the sea in ships,    doing business on the great waters;24   they saw the deeds of the LORD,    his wondrous works in the deep.25   For he commanded and raised the stormy wind,    which lifted up the waves of the sea.26   They mounted up to heaven; they went down to the depths;    their courage melted away in their evil plight;27   they reeled and staggered like drunken men    and were at their wits' end.128   Then they cried to the LORD in their trouble,    and he delivered them from their distress.29   He made the storm be still,    and the waves of the sea were hushed.30   Then they were glad that the waters2 were quiet,    and he brought them to their desired haven.31   Let them thank the LORD for his steadfast love,    for his wondrous works to the children of man!32   Let them extol him in the congregation of the people,    and praise him in the assembly of the elders. 33   He turns rivers into a desert,    springs of water into thirsty ground,34   a fruitful land into a salty waste,    because of the evil of its inhabitants.35   He turns a desert into pools of water,    a parched land into springs of water.36   And there he lets the hungry dwell,    and they establish a city to live in;37   they sow fields and plant vineyards    and get a fruitful yield.38   By his blessing they multiply greatly,    and he does not let their livestock diminish. 39   When they are diminished and brought low    through oppression, evil, and sorrow,40   he pours contempt on princes    and makes them wander in trackless wastes;41   but he raises up the needy out of affliction    and makes their families like flocks.42   The upright see it and are glad,    and all wickedness shuts its mouth. 43   Whoever is wise, let him attend to these things;    let them consider the steadfast love of the LORD. Footnotes [1] 107:27 Hebrew and all their wisdom was swallowed up [2] 107:30 Hebrew they (ESV) New Testament: Romans 9–11 Romans 9–11 (Listen) God's Sovereign Choice 9 I am speaking the truth in Christ—I am not lying; my conscience bears me witness in the Holy Spirit—2 that I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart. 3 For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers,1 my kinsmen according to the flesh. 4 They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. 5 To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. 6 But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring. 9 For this is what the promise said: “About this time next year I will return, and Sarah shall have a son.” 10 And not only so, but also when Rebekah had conceived children by one man, our forefather Isaac, 11 though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad—in order that God's purpose of election might continue, not because of works but because of him who calls—12 she was told, “The older will serve the younger.” 13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” 14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion,2 but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills. 19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory—24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? 25 As indeed he says in Hosea,   “Those who were not my people I will call ‘my people,'    and her who was not beloved I will call ‘beloved.'”26   “And in the very place where it was said to them, ‘You are not my people,'    there they will be called ‘sons of the living God.'” 27 And Isaiah cries out concerning Israel: “Though the number of the sons of Israel3 be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will be saved, 28 for the Lord will carry out his sentence upon the earth fully and without delay.” 29 And as Isaiah predicted,   “If the Lord of hosts had not left us offspring,    we would have been like Sodom    and become like Gomorrah.” Israel's Unbelief 30 What shall we say, then? That Gentiles who did not pursue righteousness have attained it, that is, a righteousness that is by faith; 31 but that Israel who pursued a law that would lead to righteousness4 did not succeed in reaching that law. 32 Why? Because they did not pursue it by faith, but as if it were based on works. They have stumbled over the stumbling stone, 33 as it is written,   “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense;    and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” 10 Brothers,5 my heart's desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. 3 For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God's righteousness. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.6 The Message of Salvation to All 5 For Moses writes about the righteousness that is based on the law, that the person who does the commandments shall live by them. 6 But the righteousness based on faith says, “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?'” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7 “or ‘Who will descend into the abyss?'” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); 9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom