The BreadCast

O good bishop and wise doctor of the Church – pray for us, that the water that is Christ might pour upon our souls, especially His chosen apostles, your fellow bishops, and fill all with wisdom from on high, leading us away from all lies to the truth that is Jesus. Pray our hearts shall be filled to overflowing with this Word, that the Gospel might be preached by lips anointed with the Body and Blood of our Lord; may the darkness of error be dispelled and God's pure light shine in our midst. Pray for us, good doctor, pray for us; lead us indeed to the truth that is Christ.

(Is.40:1-5,9-11; Ps.85:9-14; 2Pt.3:8-14; Mk.1:1-8) "Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way." And so, "John the Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." And so comes "the voice of one crying out in the desert," in the desert that is our fallen lives: "Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths." Turn from your sins, brothers and sisters. Repent. It is the Lord's will that "all should come to repentance," that all should be "found without spot or blemish" on the day of His coming, on the day all "the elements will be dissolved with fire." With the fire of the Holy Spirit does the Lord Jesus come now to baptize, that what John has cleansed from our souls might be gone forever – that the new person we become by this baptism of water might be made complete, might become hardened and lasting in the furnace of His love. God "proclaims peace to His people. Near indeed is His salvation to those who fear Him." Hear what His prophet says, for he cries "out at the top of [his] voice" that indeed all hearts might listen: "Here is your GOD! Here comes with power the Lord GOD, who rules by His strong arm." Yes, "the mouth of the Lord has spoken," and now the WORD is in our midst, walking amongst us as our shepherd and "leading the ewes with care." The "justice [that] shall walk before Him, and prepare the way of His steps," has come, and now the level highway that leads to His kingdom we must tread – there is no denying the road that is set before us. Christ is coming, brothers and sisters, and Christ has come. The Baptist has prepared His path, and He, the Son of God, has walked it. And now we await His return in glory. And "the Lord does not delay His promise"; His return is sure. Already we see the "glory dwelling in our land." He waits for you to come now to Him. In patience He looks for you to turn. Turn to Him now in earnest; with all your soul cry out His Name. "Jesus Christ the Son of God" dawns on the horizon. Embrace His love; walk His sacred path. Written, read & chanted, and produced by James Kurt. Music: "Under God" from The Innocent Heart, first album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt. ******* O LORD, may all souls come from this desert of sin to your holy mountain. YHWH, let us be gathered into your barn, into your reign of peace, where, the viper having been defanged, all your creatures live in harmony, glorifying you as God and Father. In your Son let us make our home. Jesus comes into our midst endowed with your justice and judgment, O LORD. And the chaff He will burn with unquenchable fire, but His wheat He will draw into His heart. With fire shall all men be baptized – may that fire be for us a purging light for entering your kingdom. The Spirit that was upon John shall anoint all who hear his voice, who seek your way, O LORD and God. And so we must make straight our paths to you, following closely in the footsteps of your Son. O let there be fruit upon our trees! to prove our repentance genuine. Your NAME shall be blessed forever, dear God; in peace shall all your children dwell. May we be covered with knowledge of you, and so live always in the light of your glory.

O bishop of Myra, shepherd of the Lord's sheep who has with a generous heart cared so well for His little ones… all became as your children, for you loved your flock with the love of Christ Himself; their needs were your own – pray our hearts will be like yours, that just so generously we will give to those in need, provide for those in our care. I pray you will see us now as your children here and beg the bearer of all good gifts to provide for all those most in need, that in joy all souls may welcome His coming, ready for the joys of Heaven. May our love be one with the love of our Good Shepherd, now and in eternity.

(Is.30:19-21,23-26; Ps.147:1-6,Is.30:18; Mt.9:35-10:1,6-8) "On the day the Lord binds up the wounds of His people, He will heal the bruises left by His blows." "Cure the sick, raise the dead, heal the leprous, expel demons." With these words Jesus sends His disciples forth proclaiming, "The reign of God is at hand!" The prophecy of Isaiah has been fulfilled. The Savior has come. The Teacher is at our side now speaking into our ears, "This is the way; walk in it." And of all our sins He cleanses us; from all our sickness He heals us. Indeed, "as soon as you call He will answer you," for He is ready to wipe all tears from your eyes. And what must be our response to a Lord who "heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds." We must be the same as He. We must go forth as He has, teaching, proclaiming "the good news of God's reign," and curing "every sickness and disease." It is our call to make others whole in heart, mind, soul, and body; and so, to whatever need is present – and there are many or the Lord would not ask us to "beg the harvest master to send out laborers to gather His harvest" – we must apply the grace of God. He will do the work that is needed, but He needs us to work through. To what glory all are called; what a wonderful message we have to bring forth! Isaiah, the great prophet, only touches upon it when he cries out that the Lord "will give rain for the seed that you sow in the ground" (see how He will bless your work!) and when he proclaims: "The light of the moon will be like that of the sun and the light of the sun will be seven times greater." This vision is for all who turn to the Lord for healing. We have been bruised, brothers and sisters. No doubt, our sins have brought wounds to our souls. But the Lord will bind up all these; in His surpassing pity He will raise us all from death as He "rebuilds Jerusalem." Let us bring this message forth. ******* O LORD, heal us of all ill and teach us to walk in the way that leads unto Heaven. YHWH, we lie prostrate from exhaustion, do we not? We thirst for your presence; we hunger for the Bread you provide. Come to us. Send your laborers to teach us and to heal us of every disease, to bring us your grace. Have pity on your sheep, O LORD! We are broken, but when we cry out to you, O LORD, you hear our voice and quickly answer our prayers. And what promise you make to our waiting hearts! Abundance of blessing shall be ours as you heal the wounds of our sin and bring us into your glorious presence. Seven times greater than the light of the sun will be your light on that Day, O LORD. Streams of running water will fill our thirst for you and by your teaching we will be led in our every step. Come, LORD, fulfill your promise in our midst. Let all men know your reign is at hand.

(Is.29:17-24; Ps.27:1,4,13-14; Mt.9:27-31) "The eyes of the blind shall see." O "that I may gaze on the loveliness of the Lord and contemplate His temple." That out of "gloom and darkness" I might be taken, and come "to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life." That I could feel His hands touch my eyes, that I might have the faith to believe they shall be open to His glory… Brothers and sisters, we are blind. All of us. All of us lack understanding. All of us falter in faith. For who among us is there that gazes continually upon the Lord's presence? Who among us has entered His glory? Who among us possesses no arrogance and has "nothing to be ashamed of"? If yet we toil upon this earth, groaning as we await the redemption of our bodies, then yet do we continue in a measure blind. Yet do we seek His face. And if yet seeking "to see the bounty of the Lord in the land of the living," then yet have we to find it in its fullness; and so, yet do our eyes lack of the light that is the Lord, our salvation. But certainly we are not without hope. Most certainly His hand is upon us even now. Most certainly His presence comes to us each and every day. Clearly His light shines in our midst in the Sacrament we receive and in the Word we hear, and so we can with confidence heed the exhortation of the psalm of David: "Wait for the Lord with courage; be stouthearted, and wait for the Lord." For He comes, and we know this. We are catching up to Him, and this is our joy. Yes, today do we know we shall see Him, for our eyes do glimpse Him even now. In the meantime, brothers and sisters, as we wait, as the light that has dawned upon the world rises to our eyes, as He comes to fill our vision, let us strive to avoid speaking any word which "condemns a man." Let us know that indeed we "err in spirit" and need the Lord's light to guide us, and we shall become free of that which blinds us. And we shall be the lowly who are raised to His presence. ******* O LORD, let us gaze upon your loveliness always! YHWH, take us out of gloom and darkness that we might gaze upon your face; save us this day from all evil that into your Temple we may come. You are our very light, O LORD – let our eyes be filled with vision of your presence. O LORD, let us never cease pursuing you till we catch up with you and you turn to us to heal us. So far short of your glory do we fall, so far short. Yet you draw us forth as you walk on ahead of us; yet if we keep calling out to you, you shall answer. Never let our hearts be discouraged as we seek the light of your face. O LORD, let us keep your NAME holy; in awe let us reverence you always. Let us remember your love for us and the understanding your Spirit brings. O let our minds be filled with your light as we wait steadfastly for you to come! Open our ears, O LORD; open our eyes. Cast from our midst all arrogance, all condemnation from our tongues. Let us not be condemned ourselves but come to contemplate your glory forever.