We preach Christ crucified

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany; 29 January 2023; Epiphany 4A (RCL); Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12.

How many times have we heard the Beatitudes, particularly in Matthew’s version? Luke’s version is a little more direct: Blessed are you poor, for the Kingdom of God is yours. Matthew seems to spiritualize the stark message — poor in spirit is not the same as poor. Hungry and thirsty for righteousness is not the same as hungry. Third person plural is not the same as second person plural.

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A holy life

All Saints’ Day; 1 November 2020; All Saints’, Year A (RCL); Revelation 7:9-17; Psalm 34:1-10, 22; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12.

If you own a red letter edition of the bible, you will notice that the passage we read today from Matthew’s Gospel begins a long block of red text. If you care to explore further, you will discover that there are five such blocks of red text in this Gospel. Matthew has arranged the sayings of Jesus in to five major speeches.

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