Podcasts about rejoicing

Today, legendary singer, songwriter, and friend of Israel, Pat Boone, joins me to talk about Pat's life and work—and his role in helping launch The Fellowship onto the national stage.Join us as Pat discuss his important bond with my father, Fellowship Founder Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein, of blessed memory—a friendship that dates back to the early 1990s. After the Iron Curtain fell, my abba approached Pat and asked him to co-host a program, appealing for Christians to help fund the freeing and transporting of Russian Jews to Israel. Pat didn't hesitate, and the Christian community immediately responded with an outpouring of donations and support. It's a partnership and friendship that has only grown over the years!Join me and Pat Boone as we discuss this lasting friendship and Pat's love for Israel and The Fellowship.

1 Peter 1:1-9 Who is your favorite apostle and why? Strangers in the World What makes Christians different from the world around them? Living Hope Why should this difference change how they live? Rejoicing in Suffering How can this difference change how they suffer?

Kevin Gesch preaches from Philippians 3, “Rubbish or Rejoicing?” —————————— More from Oostburg CRC Sermons: https://www.firstcrcoostburg.org/sermons Bible Study Resources: https://www.firstcrcoostburg.org/resources Original Music: https://open.spotify.com/album/4P7JbJlHzabPNW8GpdxKcB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJSouYxM1rwWZ4cYAvTIqVA

Kevin Gesch preaches from Philippians 3, “Rubbish or Rejoicing?” —————————— More from Oostburg CRC Sermons: https://www.firstcrcoostburg.org/sermons Bible Study Resources: https://www.firstcrcoostburg.org/resources Original Music: https://open.spotify.com/album/4P7JbJlHzabPNW8GpdxKcB YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJSouYxM1rwWZ4cYAvTIqVA

The sermon explores how to find internal stability and peace in the midst of life's turbulence, using the Apostle Paul as an example. Despite facing immense hardship, Paul writes to the Philippians about a peace that “surpasses all understanding.” The message centers on three practices Paul outlines in Philippians 4:1-7: rejoicing in the Lord, letting your reasonableness be known, and bringing everything to God in prayer with thanksgiving. Each practice is unpacked, showing how they anchor us in our identity as chosen and loved by God, keep our perspective rooted in our eternal inheritance, and invite us to trust God with even our deepest anxieties. The sermon challenges us to bring the reality of the cross into every situation, trusting that God can work good even from our worst days, and to live as a community marked by this peace.

Rejoicing on the Holidays & Rosh HaShanah (1) by Rabbi Avi Harari

A new MP3 sermon from Grace Bible Church is now available on SermonAudio with the following details: Title: Death Turned to Rejoicing! Subtitle: Why Do Tragedies Happen? Speaker: John Pittman Hey Broadcaster: Grace Bible Church Event: Sunday Service Date: 8/3/2025 Bible: 1 Corinthians 15:51-57; John 11:38-40 Length: 39 min.

Is your faith growing? Are you coming to know Christ more intimately? Are you more in love with God today than you were a year ago? Pastor Colin helps us navigate the “middle years” of the Christian life.

We hear a lot about beginning the Christian life, and a lot about finishing strong, but how do you persevere in the middle? Pastor Colin talks about God's plan to help us navigate the middle years of our Christian lives.

Sunday, August 3 | Luke 19:28-44 | Pastor Daniel Cohee

Rejoicing in times of trial keeps us focused on the Lord and His good purpose.

Sermon preached at Trinity Lutheran Church, Murdock, NE (3 August 2025). Text: Luke 12:13:21.

Even the tragedy of death, God turns to joy, when God's glory is shown to us! When Lazarus was sick, the Lord Jesus tells His disciples that it is all so that Christ the Son of God might be glorified! Christ teaches us that, what is to lost men pointless and unredeemable is, to those who trust in Christ, meant to manifest the glory of Christ to us! Christ deliberately tarries until Lazarus has died, because God had ordained Lazarus to die from his illness. Jesus knew all that, and He intended things to develop as they did, so that we might see His glory in the conquering of death for His loved ones. We ought to take great comfort when death comes to us or our loved ones, knowing that each discrete step along the way was planned by God, to accomplish His good purposes for us, and to reveal His glory to us! Martha told the Savior, "Lord, if Thou hadst been here, my brother Lazarus had not died!" But God's will and purpose was to demonstrate in Lazarus' death what Christ next tells Martha: "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live! Whoever believes in me shall never die." Can we believe that? Do we believe it? We must trust in Jesus in every discrete step of the way in tragedy, and not question, why didn't God do this instead of that? If Christ had followed Martha's wishes, and healed Lazarus before he died, we would be less sure of His power over death! Thus, tragedies train us to trust in God, and God uses our tragedies to train others to trust in God.

Paul said he was “sorrowful, yet always rejoicing,” but how can this be? Isn't sorrow the opposite of joy? Well, true, and yet because of Jesus, we have a song for even our saddest days. Hear from Habakkuk, Joni Tada, and Nicole Jacobsmeyer.

Saturday is review day on The Daily Promise. Every Saturday, we review the promises of the week so we can allow them to go deep into our hearts and lives. Here are the promises we covered this week. Romans 5:1 – Faith in Christ Brings Peace. Romans 10:17 – My Faith is Built on God's Word. Isaiah 62:5 – The Lord Rejoices Over Me. Ephesians 2:4-5 – Alive With Christ. Psalm 119:14 – Rejoicing in Obedience.

Hey friend! The Rejoicing in Motherhood podcast is moving to Tuesdays! If you're already subscribed or following the show, you are set--if not, please subscribe/follow/like/etc. so you don't miss an episode. Thanks, and I'll see you Tuesday!⁠Join the conversation or ask a question here!⁠⁠⁠Connect with me on my email list.⁠⁠⁠Let's be friends on Instagram!⁠

Today's Promise: Psalm 119:14 Like so many things in the Christian walk, receiving joy from obeying God doesn't seem to make sense. The Psalmist says we can rejoice over obeying God the way a person rejoices over finding an envelope of money, seeing their stocks go up, or discovering a hidden treasure. Here are four short reasons why you can rejoice in obeying the Lord. 1. Obedience produces a blessed life. 2. Obedience keeps you from harm. 3. Obedience pleases Your Father. 4. Obedience shows your love for Christ. The benefits of obedience far outweigh the cost of walking in disobedience.

We hope you enjoy today's Scripture reading and devotional aimed at equipping you for moral and spiritual transformation. Today's Bible reading is Habakkuk 3:17–19. To read along with the podcast, grab a print copy of the devotional. ESV Bible narration read by Joe Thorn. Follow us on social media to stay up to date: Instagram Facebook Twitter

Philippians 2L14-18 / Pastor David Lipari

John Starke preaches from Song of Songs 5:9-6:3, continuing in our sermon series "Communion with Christ".

To describe God's nature, character, and essence Jesus teaches in parables of lost things. The care of God is so great and so complete towards wandering and lost people, for He will seek them, find them, and rejoice over bringing them back to Himself. God will do this for all of His elect, not letting any fall away. And this is all by grace, therefore, we are to be a rejoicing church in His rejoicing kingdom over His wonderful salvation.

How can you rejoice in God's presence no matter what you're feeling or what you're facing?

In the book of Nehemiah, we see how God turns burden into vision and vision into action, leading His people from ruin to renewal. The book of Nehemiah isn't just about rebuilding walls; it's about restoring hearts as we step out with faith and courage to join God's redemptive work. Together, we'll see how rebuilding is never a solo mission, but a call to pray, work, and stand alongside one another in obedience. "Restoration & Rejoicing," Nehemiah; Neh. 12:27-43; Rev. Zach Croonquist.

Rejoicing in Repentance

Category: Nehemiah -- Series: Building for Eternity Nehemiah 12:27-13:31 - A Time for Rejoicing and A Time for Reformation (Paul Brennan) (The Tron Church Glasgow)

1. Standing with the Lamb 2. Rejoicing with the Lamb 3. Following the Lamb Scripture: Revelation 14 Psalters: 298, 190, 263, 134, 197

Category: Nehemiah -- Series: Building for Eternity Nehemiah 12:27-13:31 - A Time for Rejoicing and A Time for Reformation (Paul Brennan) (The Tron Church Glasgow)

Verse by verse study through the book of Acts Chapter Two and Verse Twenty Xis

A 15-minute podcast of Bible teaching, Monday - Friday, by the President and Editor of the Sword of the Lord Publishers, Dr. Shelton Smith.

COME WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!Rejoicing in Motherhood is on YouTube! I would love for you to subscribe to my YouTube channel and tell me in the comments how long you've been listening to Rejoicing in Motherhood. Don't worry--audio podcasts aren't going anywhere!No matter the question or situation, my best advice for moms is the same: get to know God, hear His voice, and act on what He says! We are going to explore this together today! The Rhema NOW app is designed to help YOU have personal, two-way conversations with God. Ask Him questions and listen for His reply. Learn with helpful courses. Do yourself a favor and download it today! Join the conversation or ask a question here!⁠Connect with me on my email list.⁠Let's be friends on Instagram!

COME WATCH THIS EPISODE ON YOUTUBE!⁠Rejoicing in Motherhood is on YouTube! I would love for you to subscribe to my YouTube channel and tell me in the comments how long you've been listening to Rejoicing in Motherhood. Don't worry--audio podcasts aren't going anywhere!No matter the question or situation, my best advice for moms is the same: get to know God, hear His voice, and act on what He says! We are going to explore this together today! The Rhema NOW app is designed to help YOU have personal, two-way conversations with God. Ask Him questions and listen for His reply. Learn with helpful courses. ⁠Do yourself a favor and download it today! ⁠⁠Join the conversation or ask a question here!⁠⁠⁠Connect with me on my email list.⁠⁠⁠Let's be friends on Instagram!

Rejoice in the Lord Always!Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”Rejoicing in the Lord is one of my favorite things to do. Praise and Worship are so critical in our faith journey. This month in mentoring, we're discussing finding joy in the struggle. Rejoicing in the Lord is a great way to foster joy. This is something that I love to use to get me out of a funk or a sad place. This works anywhere and everywhere that you are. It is best if you can listen to music because if you are in a sad, angry, or depressed state, you might have trouble worshiping. You might not be in a place where you feel you have anything positive to say to the Lord, or about the Lord. However, when a song that you love comes on the radio, it is hard not to sing along and get into that song. Or, at least, it is not hard for me, as I love music.I love singing along as loudly as I can in my car and in my shower. I listen to Christian music, which, honestly, I didn't even know existed until 5 years ago. Well, I knew we sang Christian songs in church, but I didn't know they had contemporary Christian music, pop songs, rap songs, and rock songs, among various other genres. I am so in love with all of it. I love upbeat songs. It's like my body wants to dance along to the beat, even when I am out walking or running.If you don't know what I am talking about right now, I invite you to download the KLOVE app on your phone. It is the radio station I listen to all the time now, and it has so many good songs. You might be hesitant at first, but give it 30 days and you will know all the words and love all the songs. You can also go onto the Spotify app on your phone, and I have created a playlist called Walk Boldly With Jesus Favorites, and it has all my favorite upbeat songs. Actually, there may be a few slower songs, but they are all good songs!If you are having a really hard day, put on a playlist of upbeat songs that sing of the glory of God. I am telling you, it is really hard to be sad and to think that God has abandoned you when you hear all these singers reminding you of how great God is and how He has been there for them in their hard times. A real-life example of how powerful music can be is the other day when I was at the courthouse. I had to go there to do something really hard, and I was really sad. I remembered that I had my earbuds in my purse, so I put them in my ears and put on some worship music. I was sitting there feeling sad, and then one of my new favorite songs came on. The song is called My Promised Land and it is sung by Josiah Queen. Here is the beginning verse and chorus:You had me standing on a mountainWalking through barren landsYou took my hand and You saidYou can have this worldBut I won't go with youOh, I won't go with you [Pre-Chorus]But I ran out of placesAnd feelings I was chasingAll I have is You and You aloneAnd I said [Chorus]Hold on, wait a minuteI don't want what You ain't in, andI don't wanna go unless I'm going there with You It's You there, rain or shiningYou're the sun on my horizonsYou are my everythingMy promised land is You! And I know I am probably crying while I am saying it, but the music is so upbeat and I love it! Whenever I hear these songs, it reminds me that God is my everything. If He is not in it, then I don't want it. It reminds me that He is there with me, rain or shine. I like to play my playlist on shuffle, and I like to believe the Holy Spirit is closing the order of my songs. I am sure the Lord knew I needed this song the other day at the courthouse. I honestly considered going outside of the courthouse and dancing my sadness out. However, I didn't want to miss my name when they called it, so I just sang in a whisper voice and imagined myself dancing it out.I can't emphasize enough how critical praise and worship can be in changing your mood and lifting you out of a pit. The enemy gets so confused when we praise the Lord when we are struggling. They don't understand why we would praise God when we are hurting, sad, or angry. Also, the enemy can't stand the name of Jesus. All you have to do is say the name Jesus, and the enemy flees. I heard a speaker once who asked his friend, who is a Catholic priest and exorcist, what the most powerful prayer is when it comes to fighting the evil spirits and demons, and he said the most powerful thing we can say is, “In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” That is pretty simple and yet powerful.If music is not your thing, that is ok, you can still praise the Lord. When I joined the Charismatic Prayer Group, they taught me to praise the Lord out loud by using various names for the Lord. For instance, you can say, “You are Lord of Lords and King of Kings. You are a miracle worker and a way maker. You are the prince of peace and the lion of Judah.” The prayer group gave everyone a piece of paper filled with praise phrases to help us out until we got comfortable coming up with our own. There is no right or wrong way to praise. You can praise the Lord in any way you choose. You can thank Him for all the things in your life, for all the ways He has saved you, and for the desires of your heart. You can praise Him for all he did for his people in the Bible.You do not have to do or say the right thing. The reason I mentioned the praise sheets is that you might not be able to think of good things when you are struggling. You might be looking at your life and believing that God has abandoned you. Your situation might seem like there's nothing to praise God about. If this is the case, I would like to review the praise sheet and simply read what is on it. It doesn't matter if I feel it or not; I just read it, and it helps lift me out of whatever I am feeling. Give it a try! I will put a link for the praise sheet I use in the show notes in case you want to have a cheat sheet like I do.I really want to encourage you to consider making praise and worship a regular part of your daily life if you're having a hard time finding joy. You can add it to something you're already doing, so it won't take up more time each day. For instance, you can listen to praise music while driving. Or, you can praise the Lord out loud in your car while driving. You can put on 20 minutes of praise music in the morning while getting ready, or while having your morning cup of tea or coffee. I invite you to give this a try this week and let me know what you think. You can reach me at Catherine@findingtruenorthcoaching.com. I would love to hear from you about how much praise and worship are changing your life. I would love to hear about your experience, good or bad. Let me know!Dear Heavenly Father, I ask you to bless all those listening to this episode. Lord, we want to rejoice with you, and we want to rejoice in you. We want to praise you Lord, not just when things are going well but we want to be able to praise you in the struggle as well. Please teach us how, Lord. Please show us how to have joy when we are struggling. We love you Lord and we ask all of this in accordance with your will and in Jesus's holy name, Amen!Thank you so much for joining me on this journey to walk boldly with Jesus. I am so excited to share with you that I have my October retreat site up and running. The retreat will be from October 11-12, 2025, with a possible extra night stay. It will be from Saturday morning to Sunday night. The retreat theme is identity. In a world that constantly tells us who we should be—based on status, appearance, success, or past mistakes—it's easy to lose sight of who we truly are. This retreat is an invitation to step away from the noise and return to the heart of your Creator. Through Scripture-based teaching, worship, journaling, and authentic community, you'll begin to uncover the truth of your identity—not as the world defines it, but as God declares it. You are not your past. You are not your failures. You are not what others have said about you. You are who God says you are: loved, chosen, redeemed, and called for a purpose.
Whether you're seeking healing, clarity, or simply a deeper understanding of your worth in Christ, this retreat is a sacred space to rediscover your God-given identity and walk boldly in it. I hope you will consider joining me. It will be held at the same place as last year, North Easton, MA. Click on the link for more details. I look forward to seeing you here again tomorrow. Remember, Jesus loves you just as you are, and so do I! Have a blessed day.Today's Word from the Lord was received in January 2025 by a member of my Catholic Charismatic Prayer Group. If you have any questions about the prayer group, these words, or how to join us for a meeting, please email CatholicCharismaticPrayerGroup@gmail.com. Today's Word from the Lord is, “I get this image of a heart that's all stitched up at the seams, and yet it is so full it wants to burst. And I get this overwhelming feeling of love that God has for us.” www.findingtruenorthcoaching.comCLICK HERE TO DONATECLICK HERE to sign up for Mentoring CLICK HERE to sign up for Daily "Word from the Lord" emailsCLICK HERE to sign up for my newsletter & receive a free audio training about inviting Jesus into your daily lifeCLICK HERE to buy my book Total Trust in God's Safe Embrace

The post Meeting with Jesus in Repentance & Rejoicing appeared first on Redeemer Community Church.

What No One Tells You About Faith and Hard Times | Ralph Royea | THCC Days Until, Pastor Ralph's message from July 20th, 2025 The Shirelles' song, “Mama Said,” reminded us “that there'll be days like this.” King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 7:14, In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him.” (ESV) Okay, some days will be better than others, but every day is a gift and an opportunity to consider God. Psalm 118 tells us, “This is the day that the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Faith does not wait “until” the good days to rejoice; Faith never stops rejoicing or believing in the promises of God. A thousand bad days cannot and will not compare to one day in His courts. If we finish the Cycle of “Rs,” the last "R" is Rejoice. Worship, Praise, Faith, and Rejoicing are not only prescribed or restricted for the good days, but for each and every one of the “days until.” Sure, “Moma Said,” but better yet is what Father declared in Jeremiah 33:14, The days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will fulfill the good promise I made to the people of Israel and Judah. Get Ready, Be Ready!

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Read OnlineAt that time Jesus exclaimed: “I give praise to you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike.”  Matthew 11:25This passage is in stark contrast to the passage just before it in which Jesus chastised the towns of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum for not repenting and believing in Him. And as soon as Jesus issued those rebukes, He turned His eyes to Heaven and offered praise to the Father for revealing the hidden mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven to those who were “childlike.”One of the greatest threats to a pure and childlike faith is intellectual pride. Those who consider themselves as “wise and learned” are often tempted to rely upon their own reasoning abilities to come to conclusions and beliefs in life. The problem is that even though the matters of our faith are fully reasonable, they go beyond the conclusions that human reason alone can achieve. We cannot figure out God by ourselves. We need the gift of faith for that, and the gift of faith begins with a spiritual communication from God through which He reveals to us Who He is and what is true. Only the childlike, meaning, those who are humble, are able to hear this form of communication from God and respond.This passage also reveals to us that Jesus passionately rejoices in this form of humble faith. He gives “praise” to the Father in Heaven for witnessing such faith, because Jesus knows that this form of faith originates from the Father. In your life, it is important that you regularly ponder whether you are more like the wise and learned or like those who are childlike. Though God is an infinite and incomprehensible mystery, He must be known. And the only way we can come to know God is if He reveals Himself to us. And the only way God will reveal Himself to us is if we remain humble and childlike.As we come to childlike faith, we must also imitate the praise that Jesus offered the Father for the faith that He witnessed in the lives of His followers. We, too, must turn our eyes to those who clearly manifest this pure knowledge of God by the gift of faith. As we see this faith lived, we must rejoice and offer praise to the Father. And this act of praise must be given not only when we see faith alive in others, it must also be given when we see the gift of faith grow within our own soul. We must foster a holy awe of what God does within us, and we must rejoice in that experience. Reflect, today, upon Jesus giving praise to the Father as He witnesses the faith born in the hearts of His followers. When Jesus looks at you, what does He do? Does He issue chastisements? Or does His Sacred Heart rejoice and give praise for what He sees. Give joy to the Heart of Christ by humbling yourself to the point that you, too, are counted among the childlike who truly know and love God. My rejoicing Lord, You are attentive to the workings of grace in every human heart. As You see the Voice of the Father speaking to Your children, You rejoice at such a sight. Dear Lord, I pray that my own heart will be the cause of Your joy and Your praise of the Father in Heaven. Please speak to me and help me to believe with all my heart. Jesus, I trust in You.Image: James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Discussion Questions:On Summer Break

Tim Marshall's message from our second session on Sunday, July 13th 2025

Pastor Jesus Arriaga reads Psalm 100, inviting us to shout joyfully, serve with gladness, and enter God's presence with thanksgiving as we celebrate His enduring mercy and faithfulness. He then leads a heartfelt prayer asking the Lord to continue guiding each listener in power and grace.

Homily for the 14th Sunday of Ordinary Time (July 6, 2025) Total Time: 15m6

Read Online“Put your finger here and see my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and do not be unbelieving, but believe.” Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” John 20:27–29Thomas the Apostle, in many ways, represents each and every one of us in this exchange with Jesus. We'd like to believe that we always believe and are not unbelieving. But it's important to admit the humble truth that we may not believe as deeply as we should. And it's important to reflect upon our own reaction to the blessings that others receive that we do not.Recall that Thomas was not among the other Apostles when Jesus first appeared to them. Therefore, when Thomas returned and heard that Jesus had appeared and that he missed His appearance, he clearly felt bad. Unfortunately, the sorrow Thomas felt at not being present when the Lord appeared to the others left him with a certain bitterness rather than joy. This is the sin of envy. Envy is a certain sorrow over the blessings others receive that we do not. Ideally, Thomas would have rejoiced at the blessing that the other Apostles received by encountering the risen Lord. But, instead, his sorrow at missing this even left him sad. He said, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands and put my finger into the nail marks and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”Why was Thomas absent from this encounter with our Lord? Perhaps it was by divine providence, in that God wanted Thomas to set an example for us. If so, then one example Thomas set was that we must humbly rejoice in the blessings others receive when we are not also the recipient. Of course, if Thomas were there, then it would have been easier for him to share in the joy. But, in many ways, Thomas' absence provided him an even greater opportunity. An opportunity that he failed to embrace.When you see others receive blessings from God, how do you respond? Many people respond by immediately looking at themselves, wishing they were blessed in the same way. They struggle with envy. They think, “I wish I had received that blessing.” This form of envy is not always easy to see. For that reason, Thomas is given to us as a witness of what not to do in this situation. Of course, Thomas is not a horrible person, which is why Jesus does later appear to him. That time, Thomas spoke words that are traditionally spoken as a devotion by the faithful at Mass when the Consecration occurs. He said, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus then gently rebukes Thomas by saying, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.” But this gentle rebuke was an act of love, in that Jesus wanted Thomas to ponder the reason for his unbelief. Jesus clearly wanted Thomas to examine the unbelief caused by envy, which appears to have led to an intentional lack of faith. Reflect, today, upon this holy Apostle. Today, Saint Thomas the Apostle is among the great saints in the Kingdom of Heaven. God used him to teach us these important lessons about envy, humility and faith. Let his weakness, from which he fully recovered, help you examine your own struggle with envy over the blessings that others receive that you do not. Learn to rejoice always in the ways that God is at work in our world and learn to grow in humility, so that when others are blessed in ways that you are not, you react as Saint Thomas ultimately did: “My Lord and my God!” My most generous Lord, You pour forth Your blessings upon others, day and night. As I see those blessings, help me to overcome all temptations toward envy so that I may rejoice in Your grace given to all. You are my Lord and my God, and I thank You for every way that You bless my life and the lives of those around me. Fill me with a deeper gratitude, dear Lord, for every grace and blessing I see every day, especially those graces not given directly to me. Jesus, I trust in You.Caravaggio, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.

Read OnlineThe swineherds ran away, and when they came to the town they reported everything, including what had happened to the demoniacs. Thereupon the whole town came out to meet Jesus, and when they saw him they begged him to leave their district. Matthew 8:33–34Why would “the whole town” beg Jesus to leave their district as a result of Jesus delivering two of their fellow townsmen from demons? This event took place on the northeast edge of the Sea of Galilee near a town of the Gadarenes who were not of Jewish background, which accounts for the fact that there was such a large herd of swine (the Jewish people did not eat pork). Two of the Gadarenes were possessed by demons, and Scripture reports that “They were so savage that no one could travel by that road.” And when Jesus delivers them from this awful plight, instead of rejoicing in gratitude, the townspeople begged Jesus to leave.Saint Jerome says that it is possible that the people were actually acting in humility, in that they did not consider themselves worthy to be in the presence of someone as great as Jesus. Like Saint Peter who fell at the feet of Jesus and cried out, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord” (Luke 5:8), these townspeople may have been in such awe at what Jesus did for them that they did not see themselves as being worthy of His presence. However, other Church Fathers point out that it is more likely that these townspeople signify those who are stuck in their life of sin and do not want to come face-to-face with the Gospel or with the Person of Jesus. They prefer to close their ears to the truth and to remain in their life of ignorance and sin.It's also helpful to reflect upon the relationship between the townspeople and these two demoniacs. Ideally, when the townspeople saw these two men completely freed of the demons who tormented them, they would have rejoiced in a way similar to the way the father of the Prodigal Son rejoiced when his son returned to him. Sadly, in this case, there seems to be a tremendous lack of excitement by their fellow townsmen over the freedom these two demoniacs experienced. This shows a clear lack of love for these two men within the town. Perhaps many of the townspeople took a twisted form of pleasure in their mockery of these two men over the years, and they enjoyed telling stories about how crazy they were. Now, they were faced with these two men who were completely changed, and they may have found it difficult to speak well of them because of their pride.This negative example set by these townspeople gives us an opportunity to reflect upon how we think about and treat those who have changed their ways and have turned from evil to good. Perhaps you have a family member who has sincerely tried to change. Or perhaps someone at work, a neighbor or some other acquaintance has gone from a life of sin to a life seeking virtue. The real question to ponder is whether you rejoice over the goodness of others, over their ongoing conversion and pursuit of holiness, or whether you struggle with truly expressing joy as you see people you know change for the good. It's often very easy to criticize but much more difficult to rejoice in the holy transformation of another.Reflect, today, upon those in your life, those close to you and those with whom you are mere acquaintances, who have been set free by our Lord in some way and have moved from a life of sin toward a life of virtue. How do you react to them? Are you able to sincerely rejoice in the goodness of others? Or do you find yourself struggling with jealousy, anger, envy and the like? As you do see the goodness of God at work in others, try to put on the mentality suggested by Saint Jerome above. Allow yourself to be in awe of God's action in their lives. As you do, humble yourself before the transforming power of God, admitting that you are not worthy to witness His transforming power but rejoice in gratitude nonetheless. My all-powerful Lord, You overcame the power of the evil one and cast demons from these two men who suffered through this oppression for many years. Give me the eyes I need to see You at work in our world and to joyfully bear witness to Your transforming action in the lives of others. May I always humble myself before Your saving actions and learn to express true gratitude for all that You do. Jesus, I trust in You.James Tissot, Public domain, via Wikimedia CommonsSource of content: catholic-daily-reflections.comCopyright © 2025 My Catholic Life! Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission via RSS feed.