Tuesday - reading the old geezers

Prayer:  Jesus Christ,  Son of God,  help us to open ourselves to Your love and creativity this day.    We give You our thanks and praise that You are with us in everything that we do and in everything that we say.  Amen.

 

Read St Luke 20:  41 – 47

 

Frequently it is good to read the commentaries and sermons of the Church Fathers.   These are the men and women who were immersed in the learning and seeking out of God’s  Holy Word.   Through times of trial and tribulation,  they had to know what they believed and they shared their belief with everyone.

When preaching on this portion of scripture,  Cyril of Alexandria states that  “…those who love instruction and are fond of hearing receive with joy the profitable word of God, and store it up in the treasure-house of their heart as the seed of life. And what is. the result of their so doing? The divine light rises upon them, and they gain a correct and unerring knowledge of the sacred doctrines. And this quickens them to life, as the Son Himself teaches us, where He says to God the Father in heaven, "And this is life eternal, to know You the only true God, and Jesus Christ Whom You have sent." (Sermon 137) 

Jesus’ question to the Sadducees and Pharisees is “How is it that they say that the Messiah is David’s son?”  (St Luke 20: 41  The Message  Navpress 2005).   Yet the  Sadducees nor Pharisees did not give an answer to Jesus’ question.  Not because the question was too difficult but because they did not want to learn and see the truth of their hearts.

Are we like the Sadducees and Pharisees too?  Do we not want to answer Jesus’ question because we do not want to learn and see the truth of our hearts?   Or  do we receive with joy the Word of God and store it up in the treasure-house of our hearts as the seed of Life in Jesus Christ?

Prayer:  Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,  help us to receive Your Word this day and store Your Word in the treasure-house of our hearts.    Encourage us to be willing to receive Your Word and to give Your Word freely to those who are in need.  This we ask in Your Name.  Amen.