Sunday, January 22, 2023

3rd Sunday in Ordinary Time
3rd Sunday after Epiphany

The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:
– First Reading: Isaiah 9:1-4
– Psalm 27:1, 4-9
– Second Reading: I Corinthians 1:10-18
– Gospel Reading: Matthew 4:12-23

The liturgical color for the day is: Green

The kingdom of God…the kingdom of heaven is near.  It is not that we bring it or we usher it in—it is more that we miss it. 

It is near…it is even here.  But if all we do is wait…it won’t be.  We won’t experience it until—until we turn it around.  (“Turn it around”—that’s about as good of a definition of “repent” as anything.)

Until we turn around our thoughts.  Until we turn around our desires.  Until we turn around our heart.  We don’t experience that oh-so-wow incredible deep and full love of God until we turn it around.    Neither will the church. 

We won’t experience it until we turn it around…but once we even start to turn it around.

Oh, once we even start to be purposeful and make decisions and act upon the call to turn it around… Once we do that its sweeter and better than anything we have ever tasted.  It is a release from those old things that caught us. 

—

Rev. Dr. Daris Bultena
General Presbyter and Stated Clerk