For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease. — John 3:29-30. In the third chapter of John’s Gospel, we witness one of the most radical shifts in perspective in human history. John the Baptist, a man who had captivated the attention of a nation, suddenly finds his crowds thinning. His…
The Architect of Peace
It is difficult to survey the modern horizon without feeling a sense of disorientation. We find ourselves in an era defined not just by geopolitical skirmishes, but by a deeper, more intimate fragmentation. We are at war abroad, but more poignantly, we seem to be at war with our neighbors. The public square, once a…
The Gift of Sufficiency
“Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” — 1 Corinthians 1:7 St. Paul’s greeting to the church in Corinth is a declaration of spiritual abundance. Writing to a community that was often fractured and struggling with its own identity, Paul begins not…
The Temple and the Promise
“Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.’” — John 2:19 When Jesus spoke these words, those standing in the shadow of Herod’s massive stone structure were offended and bewildered. They saw only the physical: the forty-six years of labor, the gold, and the permanence of the institution.…
Finding Permission In Suffering
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” — Psalm 22:1. When I was younger, these words—uttered by Jesus in his final moments on the cross — unsettled me. If the crucifixion was the fulfillment of a divine plan, why did Jesus seem to question the Father at the very climax of his mission?…