BROADCASTS.com

b'(Zec.12:10-11,13:1;\\xa0\\xa0 Ps.63:2-6,8-9;\\xa0\\xa0 Gal.3:26-29;\\xa0\\xa0 Lk.9:18-24)\\xa0\\n\\u201cThey shall look on Him whom they have pierced.\\u201d\\nJesus is the Christ of God.\\xa0 It is He who suffers, He who has been pierced for our sins, and He whose blood cleanses us as we look upon Him, as we cry out in tears for the pain we have caused Him and resolve to follow Him now in His way of the cross.\\xa0 What is the \\u201cfountain to purify from sin\\u201d but the blood poured forth in His sacrifice, and what is it we thirst for but to drink in full the grace contained therein?\\xa0 And it is our great grace to suffer with Him, to take up our cross daily and share in His sacrifice, denying ourselves to find Him and His life.\\xa0 This is what makes us one, with Him and so with one another: this is the baptism that redeems us and makes us whole.\\nDo we live out our baptismal vows?\\xa0 Do we follow Him in the way of the cross?\\xa0 Are we truly longing for the Lord, pining for Him, gazing upon Him \\u2013 what is the banquet we seek to satisfy our souls?\\xa0 Are we one in His Spirit, loving Him above all others?\\xa0 Or do we set our souls on the empty pleasures of this life?\\xa0 These we must lose to find Him.\\xa0 Here in solitude the Lord tells the disciples quietly and sincerely, knowing the vanity and thirst for power the devil would plant in their souls \\u2013 \\u201cThe Son of Man must suffer greatly.\\u201d\\xa0 How He desires them to hear His teaching.\\xa0 How He longs to keep them from the evil one and see that their hearts are not fixed on this life.\\xa0 He knows only this will save them.\\xa0 He knows only repentance brings the life of God, and so He approaches them in the silence of God that His words might sink deeply into them.\\nAnd they will listen.\\xa0 And they, too, will all die.\\xa0 They will understand the sacrifice that leads to life.\\xa0 And what of us?\\xa0 The Lord speaks to us, too, today.\\xa0 His words are here written down and proclaimed for our ears to treasure.\\xa0 Do we turn to this fountain of forgiveness, mourning for our sins \\u201cas one mourns for an only son\\u201d?\\xa0 And does our mourning lead us to lay down our lives?\\nNothing of this world will suffice.\\xa0 His Body and Blood alone are our food and drink here in this life.\\xa0 They make us one and make us strong, and by them He will uphold us, if our hearts are set on losing this life to find Him.\\nWritten, read & chanted, and produced\\xa0by James Kurt.\\nMusic: "Blood in My Palate" from Loving Spirit, third album of Songs for Children of Light, by James Kurt.\\n*******\\nO LORD, in the Cross let us find \\nyour cleansing fountain.\\xa0\\nYHWH, we look toward your sanctuary and what do we see but your Son pierced for our sins?\\xa0 And so we mourn, and so we cry\\u2026 and it is in these tears we are washed clean \\u2013 baptism in His blood purifies us of sin.\\xa0 And so, in the shadow of His wings we rejoice.\\nFor now, O LORD, our souls may cling to you; by the sacrifice of your Son we are made one with Him and with one another.\\xa0 And His call to take up our own cross, to share in His sacrifice, we receive with great joy; for He has shown us that it is this path that leads to salvation, that leads to eternal glory in your presence.\\nO let us enter your sanctuary this day, LORD our God!\\xa0 Let us join ourselves to the offering Jesus makes for our sakes, eating His Body and drinking His Blood and doing your will as He has done.\\xa0 At the banquet of Heaven let our souls be satisfied!'