Today’s Gospel is traditionally called “The Widow’s Mite.” The mite, also known as a lepton, was a Jewish coin made of copper and the smallest currency described in the New Testament. In Jesus’ day, it was worth 1/64 of a denarius. A denarius was a day’s wage for a common worker. In today’s terms, it would be worth about 1/8 of a cent. Continue reading
This coming Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent. In an earlier text from today, we introduced the two-fold character of Advent. In this post we consider Matthew’s perspective of the End Time. The post is on the longer side and deals more with the text in a larger context and less so about its use in Advent. Continue reading
This coming Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent and the first Sunday of the new liturgical year, Cycle A, in which the Gospel of Matthew is the anchor text for the next 12 months. The readings are not very “Chrismassy” nor are they intended to be. Advent is a different season. Advent has a two-fold character: as a season to prepare our hearts for Christmas when Christ’s first coming is remembered with joy and as a season when that remembrance directs the mind and heart to await Christ’s second coming at the end of time. Advent is thus a period of devout and joyful expectation with an element of repentance as part of the preparation. Continue reading
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