Father Mike Schmitz

And see that you read also the letter from Laodicea.

And say to Archippus, see that you fulfill the ministry which you have received in the Lord.

I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand.

Do not slander a servant to his master, lest he curse you and you be held guilty.

There are those who curse their fathers and do not bless their mothers.

There are those who are pure in their own eyes, but are not cleansed of their filth.

There are those how lofty are their eyes, how high their eyelids lift.

There are those whose teeth are swords, whose teeth are knives to devour the poor from off the earth, the needy from among men.

Thank you so much for Paul.

Thank you for Peter.

Thank you for the gift of your son and the gift of your Holy Spirit that has guided the letters of these men as they give encouragement, so much encouragement to us as modern day Christians, just like they gave that word of encouragement to Christians of eras past and bygone years.

Gosh, Lord, we think about this.

We think about how

For 2,000 years, Christians have read these words of St.

Peter, these words of St.

Paul, and have found in them not only guidance and truth, but also just a word of encouragement and a word that just speaks into our pain and fills us with the capacity and that will to continue on.

That will to endure and that will not to merely endure, but the will to rejoice in the midst of suffering, in the midst of tribulation.

Because we know, Lord God, that it is only through the suffering that we can reach the kingdom of God.

And so we ask you, please help us.

Help us to say yes to you this day and every day.