Above: Baptism of Christ, by Louis Comfort Tiffany
Image Source = James G. Howes
Original text : © by James G. Howes, July 26, 2007.
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Baptism_of_Christ_by_Tiffany.jpg)
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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.
–The Book of Common Prayer (1979), page 236
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The Assigned Readings:
Malachi 1:1-14
Psalm 65 (Morning)
Psalms 125 and 91 (Evening)
Matthew 3:1-17
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Some Related Posts:
Matthew 3:
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We read of substandard, scornfully offered sacrifices at the Second Temple in Malachi 1. These anger God, who, speaking through a messenger, accuses people of degrading the table to the Lord with blind animals and other indications of misplaced priorities. I notice the Lamb of God (not called that in Matthew 3) in the Gospel lection and the deferential attitude of St. John the Baptist. His was a proper mindset.
I do not have Jesus standing in front of me or the Temple to visit in Jerusalem, but I do see people as I drive, walk, and look around. The Temple of God is within each of them and me, for all of us bear the image of God. Therefore how I think of other people and act toward them indicates my spiritual state. Those are forms of ritual sacrifice, in a way. Sometimes I offer unblemished animals. Yet I have offered blind ones too. And I do not always see Jesus in those around me. I do not always recognize the image of God in them.
There is grace, fortunately, so we can improve. May we want to do so and behave accordingly. Sometimes altering one’s actions changes one’s mind.
KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR
APRIL 17, 2013 COMMON ERA
THE FEAST OF DANIEL SYLVESTER TUTTLE, PRESIDING BISHOP OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
THE FEAST OF SAINT MARY EUPHRASIA PELLETIER, FOUNDER OF THE CONTEMPLATIVES OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD
THE FEAST OF PARDITA MARY RAMABAI, SOCIAL REFORMER IN INDIA
THE FEAST OF SAINT ROBERT OF CHAISE DIEU, ROMAN CATHOLIC ABBOT
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Adapted from this post:
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