by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Dec 16, 2022 | Evangelium
Saturday 17 th december 2022
St. Olympias
O Sapientia!
Olympias was born into a wealthy noble Constantinople family between the years 360–365. Being a very pious soul, she devoted her time and energy to serving the Lord. St. John Chrysostom acted as spiritual guide to Olympias. In 409, St. Olympias entered into eternal rest.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Is 49: 13
Rejoice, O heavens, and exult, O earth, for our Lord will come to show mercy to his poor.
Collect
O God, Creator and Redeemer of human nature, who willed that your Word should take flesh in an ever-virgin womb, look with favour on our prayers, that your Only Begotten Son, having taken to himself our humanity, may be pleased to grant us a share in his divinity. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Genesis 49:2. 8-10
Jacob called his sons and said, ‘Gather round, sons of Jacob, and listen; listen to Israel your father. Judah, your brothers shall praise you: you grip your enemies by the neck, your father’s sons shall do you homage, Judah is a lion cub, you climb back, my son, from your kill; like a lion he crouches and lies down, or a lioness: who dare rouse him? The sceptre shall not pass from Judah, nor the mace from between his feet, until he come to whom it belongs, to whom the peoples shall render obedience.’
Psalm 71
R/ In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails.
- O God, give your judgement to the king, to a king’s son your justice, that he may judge your people in justice and your poor in right judgement.
- May the mountains bring forth peace for the people and the hills, justice. May he defend the poor of the people and save the children of the needy.
- In his days justice shall flourish and peace till the moon fails. He shall rule from sea to sea, from the Great River to earth’s bounds.
- May his name be blessed for ever and endure like the sun. Every tribe shall be blessed in him, all nations bless his name.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Wisdom of the Most High, ordering all things with strength and gentleness, come and teach us the way of truth. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 1:1-17
A genealogy of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham: Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah, Tamar being their mother, Perez was the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, Ram was the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, Salmon was the father of Boaz, Rahab being his mother, Boaz was the father of Obed, Ruth being his mother, Obed was the father of Jesse; and Jesse was the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, Solomon was the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, Asa was the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Joram, Joram the father of Azariah, Azariah was the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, Hezekiah was the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah; and Josiah was the father of Jechoniah and his brothers. Then the deportation to Babylon took place. After the deportation to Babylon: Jechoniah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel was the father of Abiud, Abiud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, Azor was the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Achim, Achim the father of Eliud, Eliud was the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob; and Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary; of her was born Jesus who is called Christ. The sum of generations is therefore: fourteen from Abraham to David; fourteen from David to the Babylonian deportation; and fourteen from the Babylonian deportation to Christ.
Prayer over the Offerings
Sanctify these gifts of your Church, O Lord, and grant that through these venerable mysteries we may be nourished with the bread of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Hg 2: 7
Behold, the Desired of all the nations will come, and the house of the Lord will be filled with glory.
Prayer after Communion
Nourished by these divine gifts, almighty God, we ask you to grant our desire: that, aflame with your Spirit, we may shine like bright torches before your Christ when he comes. Who lives and reigns for ever and ever.
Meditation
Some people contest the historicity of Jesus. They claim that Jesus is an invention of the imagination. The genealogy that Matthew presents situates Jesus in space and time. He was a son of the tribe of Judah, and also the heir of the kingship that Jacob entrusted to Judah. Interestingly, Matthew’s genealogy presents Joseph not as the father of Jesus, but as the husband of Mary, wife of Joseph. Joseph is thus Jesus’ father only by adoption; Jesus is the Son of God. He is God as well as man, and his kingship is not earthly, like David’s was, but heavenly. He is our God, and he wants to reign over our lives – if we will let him.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Dec 15, 2022 | Evangelium
Friday 16 th december 2022
St. Ado
An archbishop and scholar, Ado was born in Sens and educated at the Benedictine abbey of Ferrieres. Ado reformed the clergy in Vienne and wrote the lives of St. Desiderius and St. Theuderis. He was an energetic man of wide sympathies and considerable influence. Ado died in 875.
Entrance Antiphon
Behold, the Lord will come descending with splendour to visit his people with peace, and he will bestow on them eternal life.
Collect
May your grace, almighty God, always go before us and follow after, so that we, who await with heartfelt desire the coming of your Only Begotten Son, may receive your help both now and in the life to come. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Isaiah 56:1-3,6-8
Thus says the Lord: Have a care for justice, act with integrity, for soon my salvation will come and my integrity be manifest. Blessed is the man who does this and the son of man who clings to it: observing the sabbath, not profaning it, and keeping his hand from every evil deed. Let no foreigner who has attached himself to the Lord say, ‘The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.’ Let no eunuch say, ‘And I, I am a dried-up tree.’ Foreigners who have attached themselves to the Lord to serve him and to love his name and be his servants – all who observe the sabbath, not profaning it, and cling to my covenant – these I will bring to my holy mountain. I will make them joyful in my house of prayer. Their holocausts and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar, for my house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples. It is the Lord who speaks, who gathers the outcasts of Israel: there are others I will gather besides those already gathered.
Psalm 66(67):2-3,5,7-8
R/ Let the peoples praise you, O God, let all the peoples praise you.
- O God, be gracious and bless us and let your face shed its light upon us. So will your ways be known upon earth and all nations learn your saving help.
- Let the nations be glad and exult for you rule the world with justice. With fairness you rule the peoples, you guide the nations on earth.
- The earth has yielded its fruit for God, our God, has blessed us. May God still give us his blessing till the ends of the earth revere him.
Gospel Acclamation : Ps 84:8
Alleluia, alleluia! Let us see, O Lord, your mercy and give us your saving help. Alleluia!
Gospel : John 5:33-36
Jesus said to the Jews: ‘You sent messengers to John, and he gave his testimony to the truth: not that I depend on human testimony; no, it is for your salvation that I speak of this. John was a lamp alight and shining and for a time you were content to enjoy the light that he gave. But my testimony is greater than John’s: the works my Father has given me to carry out, these same works of mine testify that the Father has sent me.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Be pleased, O Lord, with our humble prayers and offerings, and, since we have no merits to plead our cause, come, we pray, to our rescue with the protection of your mercy. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Phil 3: 20-21
We await a saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will change our mortal bodies, to conform with his glorified body.
Prayer after Communion
Replenished by the food of spiritual nourishment, we humbly beseech you, O Lord, that, through our partaking in this mystery, you may teach us to judge wisely the things of earth and hold firm to the things of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Bearing witness is central to Christian life. A witness is a person who testifies to the truth of a given fact. Every Christian has to be a witness of Jesus; he has to show the world, through his words and actions, that Jesus is alive, that Jesus is Lord, that Jesus is the one by whom we can be saved. John the Baptist bore witness to Jesus; we must do the same. The call to bear witness to Jesus is addressed to all of us, regardless of our origin or status. Whether we are rich or poor, black or white, from one ethnic group or another, does not matter; what matters is whether we make Jesus known wherever we find ourselves
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Dec 14, 2022 | Evangelium
Thursday 15 th december 2022
St. Maria of Brescia
She is the foundress of the Handmaids of Charity of Brescia, also called the Servants of Charity. In the cholera epidemic of 1836, she became well-known as she directed a home for girls and began another residence for deaf and mute young ladies. Maria died in Brescia and was canonized in 1954.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Ps 118: 151-152
You, O Lord, are close, and all your ways are truth. From of old I have known of your decrees, for you are eternal.
Collect
Unworthy servants that we are, O Lord, grieved by the guilt of our deeds, we pray that you may gladden us by the saving advent of your Only Begotten Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Isaiah 54:1-10
Shout for joy, you barren women who bore no children! Break into cries of joy and gladness, you who were never in labour! For the sons of the forsaken one are more in number than the sons of the wedded wife, says the Lord. Widen the space of your tent, stretch out your hangings freely, lengthen your ropes, make your pegs firm; for you will burst out to right and to left. Your race will take possession of the nations, and people the abandoned cities. Do not be afraid, you will not be put to shame, do not be dismayed, you will not be disgraced; for you will forget the shame of your youth and no longer remember the curse of your widowhood. For now your creator will be your husband, his name, the Lord of Hosts; your redeemer will be the Holy One of Israel, he is called the God of the whole earth. Yes, like a forsaken wife, distressed in spirit, the Lord calls you back. Does a man cast off the wife of his youth? says your God. I did forsake you for a brief moment, but with great love will I take you back. In excess of anger, for a moment I hid my face from you. But with everlasting love I have taken pity on you, says the Lord, your redeemer. I am now as I was in the days of Noah when I swore that Noah’s waters should never flood the world again. So now I swear concerning my anger with you and the threats I made against you; for the mountains may depart, the hills be shaken, but my love for you will never leave you and my covenant of peace with you will never be shaken, says the Lord who takes pity on you.
Psalm 29(30):2,4-6,11-13
R/ I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me.
- I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me and have not let my enemies rejoice over me. O Lord, you have raised my soul from the dead, restored me to life from those who sink into the grave.
- Sing psalms to the Lord, you who love him, give thanks to his holy name. His anger lasts a moment; his favour all through life. At night there are tears, but joy comes with dawn. The Lord listened and had pity. The Lord came to my help. For me you have changed my mourning into dancing: O Lord my God, I will thank you for ever.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! The day of the Lord is near; Look, he comes to save us. Alleluia!
Gospel
When John’s messengers had gone, Jesus began to talk to the people about John. ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swaying in the breeze? No? Then what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? Oh no, those who go in for fine clothes and live luxuriously are to be found at court! Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and much more than a prophet: he is the one of whom scripture says: See, I am going to send my messenger before you; he will prepare the way before you. ‘I tell you, of all the children born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he is. All the people who heard him, and the tax collectors too, acknowledged God’s plan by accepting baptism from John; but by refusing baptism from him the Pharisees and the lawyers had thwarted what God had in mind for them.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, we pray, O Lord, these offerings we make, gathered from among your gifts to us, and may what you grant us to celebrate devoutly here below gain for us the prize of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Ti 2: 12-13
Let us live justly and devoutly in this age, as we await the blessed hope and the coming of the glory of our great God
Prayer after Communion
May these mysteries, O Lord, in which we have participated, profit us, we pray, for even now, as we walk amid passing things, you teach us by them to love the things of heaven and hold fast to what endures. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Isaiah addressed his message to a people who had lost everything because of their unfaithfulness to God. It was a message of consolation and hope; God had punished them in his anger, but was going to restore and purify them in his love. The Gospel tells us that sinners who acknowledge God’s will and change their lives gain his favour. God’s love is greater than his anger. No matter how sinful your life is, he can purify you and give you a chance to start afresh. All he needs is your acknowledgement of his will. Do not be stubborn and resist God’s call. Go to him with your sins and weaknesses, and experience his love and mercy.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Dec 13, 2022 | Evangelium
Wednesday 14 th december 2022
St. John of the Cross,
Priest, Doctor
(1542 – 1591)
He was born in Spain in 1542. He spent some time as a Carmelite friar before, in 1568, Saint Teresa of Ávila persuaded him to pioneer the reform of the Carmelite order. He is considered one of the great mystics of the church. He was canonized in 1726 and declared a Doctor of the Church in 1926.
Entrance Antiphon : Gal 6: 14
May I never boast, except in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.
Collect
O God, who gave the Priest Saint John an outstanding dedication to perfect self-denial and love of the Cross, grant that, by imitating him closely at all times, we may come to contemplate eternally your glory. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Isaiah 45:6-8,18,21-25
Apart from me, all is nothing. I am the Lord, unrivalled, I form the light and create the dark. I make good fortune and create calamity, it is I, the Lord, who do all this. Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain it down. Let the earth open for salvation to spring up. Let deliverance, too, bud forth which I, the Lord, shall create. Yes, thus says the Lord, creator of the heavens, who is God, who formed the earth and made it, who set it firm, created it no chaos, but a place to be lived in: ‘I am the Lord, unrivalled: there is no other god besides me. A God of integrity and a saviour: there is none apart from me. Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth, for I am God unrivalled. ‘By my own self I swear it; what comes from my mouth is truth, a word irrevocable: before me every knee shall bend, by me every tongue shall swear, saying, “From the Lord alone come victory and strength.” To him shall come, ashamed, all who raged against him. Victorious and glorious through the Lord shall be all the descendants of Israel.’
Psalm 84(85):9-14(Advent)
R/ Send victory like a dew, you heavens, and let the clouds rain it down.
- I will hear what the Lord God has to say, a voice that speaks of peace, peace for his people. His help is near for those who fear him and his glory will dwell in our land.
- Mercy and faithfulness have met; justice and peace have embraced. Faithfulness shall spring from the earth and justice look down from heaven.
- The Lord will make us prosper and our earth shall yield its fruit. Justice shall march before him and peace shall follow his steps.
Gospel Acclamation : Is 55:6
Alleluia, alleluia! Seek the Lord while he is still to be found, call to him while he is still near. Alleluia!
Gospel : Luke 7:19-23
John, summoning two of his disciples, sent them to the Lord to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or must we wait for someone else?’ When the men reached Jesus they said, ‘John the Baptist has sent us to you, to ask, “Are you the one who is to come or have we to wait for someone else?”’ It was just then that he cured many people of diseases and afflictions and of evil spirits, and gave the gift of sight to many who were blind. Then he gave the messengers their answer, ‘Go back and tell John what you have seen and heard: the blind see again, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is proclaimed to the poor and happy is the man who does not lose faith in me.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Look upon the sacrificial gifts we offer, almighty God, in commemoration of Saint John of the Cross and grant that we, who celebrate the mysteries of the Lord’s Passion, may imitate what we now enact. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Mt 16: 24
Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me, says the Lord.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who in Saint John have wonderfully made known the mystery of the Cross, graciously grant that, drawing strength from this sacrifice, we may cling faithfully to Christ and labour in the Church for the salvation of all. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Today God tells us: “I am the Lord, unrivalled: there is no other god besides me. Turn to me and be saved.” We have invented so many false gods: wealth, honour, position, power, work, social media, sex etc. None of these things can give us lasting happiness; to find fulfillment, we must turn to God. God manifests his saving power in Jesus, whose teaching and sacrifice on the cross liberate us from the bondage of sin and death and our attachment to the ephemeral things of this world, and give us eternal life. Happy are those who have no doubts about Jesus. Happy are those who turn to him; they shall have life, and life to the full.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Dec 12, 2022 | Evangelium
Tuesday 13 th december 2022
St. Lucy,
Virgin, Martyr,
She was martyred in Syracuse, probably during the persecution of Diocletian (which started in 303). Devotion to her spread rapidly across practically the whole Church and her name is included in the Roman Canon of the Mass.
Entrance Antiphon
Behold, now she follows the Lamb who was crucified for us, powerful in virginity, modesty her offering, a sacrifice on the altar of chastity.
Collect
May the glorious intercession of the Virgin and Martyr Saint Lucy give us new heart, we pray, O Lord, so that we may celebrate her heavenly birthday in this present age and so behold things eternal. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Zephaniah 3:1-2,9-13
Trouble is coming to the rebellious, the defiled, the tyrannical city! She would never listen to the call, would never learn the lesson; she has never trusted in the Lord, never drawn near to her God. Yes, I will then give the peoples lips that are clean, so that all may invoke the name of the Lord and serve him under the same yoke. From beyond the banks of the rivers of Ethiopia my suppliants will bring me offerings. When that day comes you need feel no shame for all the misdeeds you have committed against me, for I will remove your proud boasters from your midst; and you will cease to strut on my holy mountain. In your midst I will leave a humble and lowly people, and those who are left in Israel will seek refuge in the name of the Lord. They will do no wrong, will tell no lies; and the perjured tongue will no longer be found in their mouths. But they will be able to graze and rest with no one to disturb them.
Psalm 33(34):2-3,6-7,16,18-19,23
R/ This poor man called; the Lord heard him.
- I will bless the Lord at all times, his praise always on my lips; in the Lord my soul shall make its boast. The humble shall hear and be glad.
- Look towards him and be radiant; let your faces not be abashed. This poor man called, the Lord heard him and rescued him from all his distress.
- The Lord turns his face against the wicked to destroy their remembrance from the earth. They call and the Lord hears and rescues them in all their distress.
- The Lord is close to the broken-hearted; those whose spirit is crushed he will save. The Lord ransoms the souls of his servants. Those who hide in him shall not be condemned.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! Look, the Lord will come to save his people. Blessed those who are ready to meet him. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 21:28-32
Jesus said to the chief priests and elders of the people, ‘What is your opinion? A man had two sons. He went and said to the first, “My boy, you go and work in the vineyard today.” He answered, “I will not go,” but afterwards thought better of it and went. The man then went and said the same thing to the second who answered, “Certainly, sir,” but did not go. Which of the two did the father’s will?’ ‘The first’ they said. Jesus said to them, ‘I tell you solemnly, tax collectors and prostitutes are making their way into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you, a pattern of true righteousness, but you did not believe him, and yet the tax collectors and prostitutes did. Even after seeing that, you refused to think better of it and believe in him.’
Prayer over the Offerings
May the offerings we bring in celebration of St. Lucy. win your gracious acceptance, O Lord, we pray, just as the struggle of her suffering and passion was pleasing to you. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Rv 7: 17
The Lamb who is at the centre of the throne will lead them to the springs of the waters of life.
Prayer after Communion
O God, who bestowed on St. Lucy. a crown among the Saints for her twofold triumph of virginity and martyrdom, grant, we pray, through the power of this Sacrament, that, bravely overcoming every evil, we may attain the glory of heaven. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
A saint is not a person who does not sin; he is one who thinks better of his sin and resolves to change. No sinner is lost, because God desires not the sinner’s death but his conversion. We have all sinned and fallen short of God’s glory, but God wants to renew us. He wants to uproot the vice in our hearts and teach us to love him sincerely and seek his face every day. Many of us are the like the second son in the gospel; we claim to be Christians, but we do not do God’s will. Let the attitude of the first son inspire us, so that we may reconsider our actions and turn back to God.
by Jude Thaddeus Langeh | Dec 11, 2022 | Evangelium
Monday 12 th december 2022
St. FiNnian
of Clonard
(470 – 549)
our lady of Guadalupe
He founded Clonard Abbey in modern-day County Meath, and the Twelve Apostles of Ireland studied under him.
Entrance Antiphon : Cf. Jer 31: 10; Is 35: 4
Hear the word of the Lord, O nations; declare it to the distant lands: Behold, our Saviour will come; you need no longer fear.
Collect
Incline a merciful ear to our cry, we pray, O Lord, and, casting light on the darkness of our hearts, visit us with the grace of your Son. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
First reading : Numbers 24:2-7,15-17
Raising his eyes Balaam saw Israel, encamped by tribes; the spirit of God came on him and he declaimed his poem. He said: ‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God. He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened. How fair are your tents, O Jacob! How fair your dwellings, Israel! Like valleys that stretch afar, like gardens by the banks of a river, like aloes planted by the Lord, like cedars beside the waters! A hero arises from their stock, he reigns over countless peoples. His king is greater than Agag, his majesty is exalted.’ Then Balaam declaimed his poem again. He said: ‘The oracle of Balaam son of Beor, the oracle of the man with far-seeing eyes, the oracle of one who hears the word of God, of one who knows the knowledge of the Most High. He sees what Shaddai makes him see, receives the divine answer, and his eyes are opened. I see him – but not in the present, I behold him – but not close at hand: a star from Jacob takes the leadership, a sceptre arises from Israel.’
Psalm 24(25):4-6,7a-9
R/ Lord, make me know your ways.
- Lord, make me know your ways. Lord, teach me your paths. Make me walk in your truth, and teach me: for you are God my saviour.
- In you I hope all day long because of your goodness, O Lord. Remember your mercy, Lord, and the love you have shown from of old. Do not remember the sins of my youth. In your love remember me.
- The Lord is good and upright. He shows the path to those who stray, He guides the humble in the right path, He teaches his way to the poor.
Gospel Acclamation
Alleluia, alleluia! The Lord will come, go out to meet him. Great is his beginning and his reign will have no end. Alleluia!
Gospel : Matthew 21:23-27
Jesus had gone into the Temple and was teaching, when the chief priests and the elders of the people came to him and said, ‘What authority have you for acting like this? And who gave you this authority?’ ‘And I’ replied Jesus ‘will ask you a question, only one; if you tell me the answer to it, I will then tell you my authority for acting like this. John’s baptism: where did it come from: heaven or man?’ And they argued it out this way among themselves, ‘If we say from heaven, he will retort, “Then why did you refuse to believe him?”; but if we say from man, we have the people to fear, for they all hold that John was a prophet.’ So their reply to Jesus was, ‘We do not know.’ And he retorted, ‘Nor will I tell you my authority for acting like this.’
Prayer over the Offerings
Accept, we pray, O Lord, these offerings we make, gathered from among your gifts to us, and may what you grant us to celebrate devoutly here below gain for us the prize of eternal redemption. Through Christ our Lord.
Communion Antiphon : Cf. Ps 105: 4-5; Is 38: 3
Come, O Lord, visit us in peace, that we may rejoice before you with a blameless heart.
Prayer after Communion
May these mysteries, O Lord, in which we have participated, profit us, we pray, for even now, as we walk amid passing things, you teach us by them to love the things of heaven and hold fast to what endures. Through Christ our Lord.
Meditation
Balaam prophesied that a star would arise from the house of Jacob. This star is Jesus, the Son of God. John the Baptist offered to the Jews a baptism of repentance so that they could receive the salvation Jesus was to bring, but the Pharisees and scribes rejected him. John’s message is addressed to us today; we must allow Jesus, the Son of God, to transform us. Shall we repent and invite him into our lives, or shall we reject him like the Pharisees did? Jesus, the bringer of God’s salvation, is knocking at our doors; shall we let him in or shut him out?
