The Word

Trust, don't verify Elizabeth exclaimed with a loud cry…. “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled” (Lk 1:42-45).   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Everyday People Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord./ May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter  

The Waiting Game But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard” (Lk 1:13).   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Planning the work, working the plan Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man, yet unwilling to expose her to shame, decided to divorce her quietly. Such was his intention when, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home” (Mt 1:19-20). Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Reflecting Christ's light He was not the light, but came to testify to the light (Jn 1:8).   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Attention! Attention! Once again, O LORD of hosts, look down from heaven, and see; Take care of this vine, and protect what your right hand has planted (Ps 80:15-16).     Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Capriccioso Jesus said to the crowd: ”To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, 'We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.' For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, 'He is possessed by a demon.' The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, 'Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners’” (Mt 11:16-19).   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Blessed are the Peacemakers From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force (Mt 11.12). Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

The things we carry Come to me, all you that are weary and are burdened, and I will give you rest (Mt 11:28).   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Only Connect During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth (Lk 1:39-40)   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter  

Circular Thinking They were trying to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, but finding no way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the middle of the crowd in front of Jesus.  (Lk 5: 18-19). Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter  

Memento Mori Since everything is to be dissolved in this way, what sort of persons ought you to be in leading lives of holiness and godliness? (2 Pet 3:11)   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here: https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Payback You received without payment; give without payment (Mt 10:8).     Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

Seeking and Hiding The Lord God called out to the man and said to him, “Where are you?” He replied, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked, so I hid” (Gen 3:9-10). Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word” (Lk 1:38).   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter

How Firm a Foundation The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock (Mt 7:25)   Sign up for The Word e-newsletter here:  https://americamagazine.org/wordnewsletter