Homily for The Second Sunday after the Epiphany (Epiphany 2)

(Audio)

John 2:1-11; Romans 12:6-16; Exodus 33:12-23

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

And so we are in the midst of the season of Epiphany. Each Sunday’s lessons were selected over a millennium ago by the gathering of the faithful, the Church, because they manifest whom Jesus is and what He has come to do. Therefore, when we consider these Scriptures, we must consider not only how they would have been heard and understood at the time of their telling, but also what meaning was intended from their placement within the Gospel narrative and the Church’s historic lectionary. Thus, the Wedding at Cana tells us, not merely the story of a particular wedding, although it certainly does that, but we must consider also the Evangelist’s placement of this particular story within the Gospel he authored. Indeed, this story appears only in John’s Gospel, and it is followed immediately by Jesus’ cleansing of the temple, which the other Gospels place within the account of Jesus’ passion. What are we to make of John’s inclusion of this wedding, seemingly ignored by the Synoptics? What are we to make of John’s unusual connection of this narrative with the cleansing of the temple? These are but two questions to be considered on this Second Sunday after the Epiphany of our Lord, that Jesus may be made manifest before us as God’s Son and our salvation in human flesh.

Understood as God instituted it, there is something about marriage that is connected with death – the death of the self. For, in marriage, the husband dies to himself and pledges his life to his wife; likewise, the wife dies to herself and pledges her life to her husband. In this selfless and self-sacrificial way, the two become one flesh. They are no longer two, but they are one flesh, even one creature, united by God, which man must not separate. St. John records Jesus’ first miracle having taken place at a wedding and, to be sure, passion imagery abounds: The crisis occurred “on the third day” of a wedding feast. Jesus said that His “hour had not yet come.” In the casting out of the money-changers from the temple, which follows immediately upon the wedding narrative, Jesus makes an explicit reference to His death and resurrection saying “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” The temple He was referring to was His body. For, it was through His suffering, death, and resurrection that Jesus perfectly loved His Bride, the Church, giving His life for Her. He loved Her more than He loved Himself. He laid down His life for Her in selfless, sacrificial love that She might live. This is the connection that John, and the Holy Spirit who inspired him to write, mean for you to make.

Therefore, the crisis was not merely that a wedding banquet had run out of wine, though that would surely have been a social blunder and a great embarrassment for the family, but rather the crisis was that man’s life, joy, and hope for the future had run out because of his sin – the joylessness and hopelessness of death had become his fate. This was the crisis that His faithful mother, who believed in Him, asked Him to resolve. This was the crisis that He did resolve by fulfilling God’s Law for us and by dying in our place, that we might have life and joy and hope once again. Those six stone jars held water used to purify men for participation in the feast. Jesus had those jars filled to the brim so that they were full and complete, and then He did something more: He changed the water into wine, the finest wine imaginable. Where the water only purified for a time, His blood that He shed upon the cross for us purifies forever. Indeed, He gives us His cleansing blood now in the fruit of the vine which we drink in Holy Communion for the forgiveness of our sins, the strengthening of our faith, and eternal life through faith in Him.

John’s Gospel is thought to be constructed around seven signs performed by Jesus, of which the changing of water into wine is the first. Thus, John’s Gospel is more a catechism intended to teach the faithful revealed truths about Jesus than it is a narrative telling the story of His life and works. Each and every account recorded by John was selected and recorded for a specific purpose. Ultimately, that purpose was to demonstrate that, in Jesus, God’s Messianic reign had begun through which Jesus would restore His Father’s kingdom and make all things new. This is precisely how we must understand today’s Gospel: Jesus is revealed as God’s Messiah come to restore His fallen creation by means of His selfless and sacrificial death on the cross. Where man’s sin had introduced suffering and death into the world, robbing us of peace and joy and hope, Jesus came, not merely to reverse the curse, but to fulfill perfectly and completely all that we failed to do and then, even more, to recreate, restore, and renew His Father’s kingdom.

Jesus is the perfect and sinless Bridegroom who selflessly laid down His life in death to redeem His Bride, God’s children, the Church from Her sin and death. His life was Her life. She had forfeited Her own life, not for Her Husband, but to Satan. While God was faithful and selfless, His people played the adulterer, the fornicator, the idolater, and the unfaithful Bride. Because of this, man’s wedding feast had run out of wine, and there was no human way of getting more, of restoring man’s peace, hope, and joy. Mary, the mother of our Lord, has long been a symbol of the entire Church. In this narrative, it is Mary who appeals to Jesus in faith saying, “Do something!” Mary believed that Jesus was able to do something and that He would. His odd sounding protest is actually quite revealing, “My hour has not yet come.” Jesus’ “hour” is the time of His passion, His suffering and death upon the cross. Jesus answered His mother saying, “The time for me to lay down my life in selfless sacrifice and death for the Church has not yet come. Nevertheless, I will give this foretaste and foreshadowing of who I am and what I will do now. I will change the water of purification into the wine of joy as a sign that my dear Bride may trust in me and believe that I will purify Her and restore to her hope for eternal life and joy when I shed my blood for Her upon the cross.”

When the master of the feast tasted the water that had been made to be the finest of wines, he exclaimed, “Everyone serves the good wine first, and when people have drunk freely, then the poor wine. But you have kept the good wine until now.” Indeed, this is how it is with men, but not with God. Whatever you have received from God that you count as good, now, is but a foretaste of the goodness He has laid up for you. This is as true for you today as it was for Adam in the beginning, for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Moses, for David, for the guests at the wedding in Cana, and for the saints at rest with Jesus now. We are all, still, waiting in hopeful and joyful expectation for the feast to come, the Great Marriage Feast of the Lamb in His Kingdom that has no end! Yes! That is how the Revelation describes heaven, as a wedding feast where the Bridegroom is Jesus and where you, His Church, are the Bride! It is pictured as Eden, the Garden of Paradise, on steroids – so much greater still than that which we commonly consider perfection and paradise!

This kingdom is yours even now, though you do not see it or experience in its fullness and glory. However, you do see it and experience it through God’s Word and His Blessed Sacraments, particularly and especially in the Supper of the Lamb who has died and is alive again. Here at this banquet table we receive our sustenance and life, our hope and faith is strengthened and renewed, and we are kept and preserved in eternal life through Holy Communion with our living Lord and Husband. Yet, as good and comforting and revitalizing as it is, it is but the dimmest foretaste of that Great Feast to come! It is like manna during out wilderness pilgrimage. It is like the overflowing cup as we walk though the valley of the shadow of death. But, it is enough, it is more than enough for now, for through it, in communion with Christ, we do not walk alone, but He is with us, just as He promised, unto the end of the age.

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.

Homily for The Feast of the Baptism of Our Lord (The First Sunday after Epiphany)

(Audio)

Matthew 3:13-17; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Isaiah 42:1-7

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

John came preaching in the wilderness, wild and crazy looking with his camel’s hair coat and leather belt, eating locusts and wild honey. But, why did he come in this way? He came in this way because he was a prophet; in truth, he was the Prophet, the final Prophet, the voice and messenger promised who would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord. John was in the wilderness, because he wasn’t merely calling individuals to a ceremonial washing, but he was calling all of Israel, all the sons and daughters of Jacob, to repentance – more than that! – to conversion once again, from unbelief to belief. For, the son of God, Israel, had rebelled against and rejected his God and father and had fallen into apostasy and unbelief. Though God had permitted judgment to fall upon Israel again and again, being conquered by the Assyrians and the Persians, that they might be turned in repentance, only a very few, a remnant, of the faithful remained. Therefore, just as Moses had once lead Israel out of slavery and bondage in Egypt to the waters of the Jordan that they might pass through them into the Promised Land, so then did John call all of Israel back into the wilderness that they might be born again in baptism and repentance, passing through the Jordan’s waters into the Promised Land of god’s kingdom once again.

John’s baptism was a real baptism, even if it was somewhat different than Jesus’ baptism, or the baptisms we undergo as Christian believers. John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Those who came to John repented and were forgiven their sins by being baptized. Yet, still, John’s baptism was a foretaste, a preparation, until that day Jesus came to be baptized. When Jesus was baptized, John’s baptism was fulfilled, all righteousness was fulfilled, and John’s baptism was no more. Jesus was baptized in the place of Israel, in the place of all Jews and Gentiles, in the place of all people, in your place and in my place. When Jesus stood in the waters of the Jordan, He brought no sin of His own, but He sanctified those waters, and all waters, that those who followed Him in like manner, in faith in Him, might be reborn, cleansed, and renewed. He brought no sin of His own, but when He stepped out of those waters He bore the sins of all who were washed in them, the sins of all Jews and Gentiles, the sins of all people, your sins, and mine.

And to think, John would have prevented it, if that were even conceivably possible. He was right, though. He did need to be baptized by Jesus, not the other way around. John was right when he confessed that he was not worthy to untie the straps of Jesus’ sandals. Even our Lord Himself does not deny this! But, Jesus said to John, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Note that Jesus did not say it was fitting for me to fulfill all righteousness, but He said it is fitting for us. Indeed, John was a necessary part of God’s plan of salvation. John was the forerunner, the messenger sent to prepare the way for Jesus. John did this by preaching to and by baptizing for the repentance and forgiveness of sins. This was necessary preparation. Likewise, it was necessary that Jesus be baptized in this way, even though He had no personal need for it. It was necessary if Jesus was to become Israel, God’s son, the new Adam. Not only must Jesus do all that was required for the first Adam, but He must make amends for Adam’s and Israel’s transgressions, for the sins of all people, of all times, and all places. “You’re right John. You should be baptized by me. Nevertheless, permit it to be so. For, in this way, you and I will fulfill God’s plan of salvation for all people. You are necessary to this plan. Baptize me, as God has ordained.”

And, He did. And, when Jesus came up out of the water, some amazing and wonderful things happened. The heavens were opened to Him. It is most likely that only Jesus beheld this phenomenon, for, before His death and resurrection, Heaven was not opened to men; no man could gaze upon God in His glory and live. However, to sinless Jesus, heaven was opened. And, behold, the Holy Spirit of God descended upon Jesus like a dove. It was not a dove, but the Spirit descended in a way similar to a dove. Again, only Jesus beheld this anointing prophesied of by Isaiah as we heard today in our reading from the Old Testament. This was Jesus’ chrismation, His anointing, making Him the Christ of God, the Christened and Anointed One, the Messiah. Then a voice from heaven spoke saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Once again, it seems that only Jesus heard this voice. Yet, it is remarkable and wonderful for, not since Adam before his fall could God say this about a man, but about His Son in the flesh, as a man, God could truly say He was pleased, He was satisfied, it was good once again.

Jesus came to the Jordan good, and He left the water that day good as well, but Jesus also left the water that day bearing your sin. His baptism was the beginning of His kingly reign that would culminate with His taking His throne by mounting the cross and being crowned with thorns. He is David’s son and David’s Lord. He is Israel in one man, the second Adam to atone for the sins of the first. He is the mercy seat of God standing in the midst of the waters that we might pass safely through into the Promised Land of God’s kingdom. We cannot help, nor should we, but compare the events of the day of Jesus’ baptism with those of His Transfiguration. For, on that day, Jesus stood, not within the waters of the Jordan, but upon a mountaintop. And, appearing with Him were Moses, God’s appointed leader of the first Exodus, and Elijah, the great Prophet – a type of John the Baptist – who decreased that Elisha might take his mantle and increase. And, what were these holy three discussing? They were discussing the departure that Jesus was about to accomplish by means of His death on the cross in Jerusalem. Tellingly, the Greek word translated as departure is exodus.

Jesus is God’s anointed servant, His Chosen One in whom His soul delights, upon whom His Holy Spirit descended and remained. He is Jacob (Israel), the son and Son of God. Jesus was baptized for Jacob, in the stead and place of Jacob, Abraham, and Adam, and you and I. Because, “In Adam we have all been one, one huge rebellious man,” Jesus came as the Man – the only Man and the True Man. He was baptized for us, that we might be baptized into Him: “Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.”

This is the Epiphany of our Lord – that God in flesh was made manifest amongst us. However, Jesus is not merely one of us, but Jesus is us, and we are Him. Jesus was baptized for us and anointed with God’s Holy Spirit that He might die for us upon the cross and that would actually mean something, actually do something – that He might receive in full the due wage for our sins. He did, and it was finished. And then, because God the Father was fully pleased with His Son in every way, He raised Him from death, removing that barrier and enemy for all who trust in Him. Jesus was born for this, to die, that you might be born again out of death into life through repentance, faith, and baptism into His death and resurrection. It was all for you. Jesus did it all for you. He is the love of God for you, laying down His life into death that you may live. Believe this. Receive this. Trust in this and in nothing else, not your self, any one or any thing else.

Yes, you will still sin. But, God has given you His Spirit to counsel you in His way and His Word. He will not let you continue in sin, but He will seek you and call you back to Him in repentance that He might forgive you anew. No, you need never be baptized again, but you may, you must, return to your baptism again, and again, and again until He comes. And, along your pilgrim way, He clothes you with His righteousness, absolves your sins, feeds you with His Word, His Body, and His Blood. And, in these ways, through these means, He keeps you in Him and He is always with you, even to the end of the age, just as He promised. You are baptized. You are God’s child. You have been adopted into the Perfect Man and Son Jesus. Your Father will never leave you or forsake you. There is no need to doubt. There is no need to fear. This is the Truth. Believe it, for Jesus’ sake.

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.

Homily for Pawling Epiphany Walk 2014

(Audio)

Isaiah 9:2-7

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

The Magi came to Jerusalem seeking the King of the Jews. Instead, they found Herod, a puppet-king for Caesar, a cruel, paranoid, ruthless, and violent tyrant of a king who was religiously Jewish, culturally Greek, and politically Roman. The Magi came from Eastern darkness seeking wisdom and light. They followed the star God provided, but for the wrong reason, in accordance with the darkness of their sinful and idolatrous wisdom. Nevertheless, by light to the True Light they were ultimately lead, no thanks to the wisdom of men. Their gifts were fit for a king, a king like Herod who values costly gold, rare incense, and precious resin. They bowed down and worshiped the King, but not the king they imagined in the darkness of their sin and death.

But, He was the King, the True King, the Light and Savior of the World. The people who walked in darkness beheld the True Light of Creation. In His mercy and grace He multiplied His Nation and increased Her joy. He was born to be their King. He was born to be your King. His Kingdom was founded upon His shoulders as He hung dead upon the cross, your cross, my cross. There He was sentenced, Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. There was His throne established – a throne of love, mercy, grace, forgiveness, and peace with God.

The events and details of His birth were a portent of His death for the life of the world. He was born in the darkness of mankind’s sinful ignorance and death, when all was still and it was midnight. That is when God acted. That is when God always acts. His Light penetrated our darkness, took on our sin, and suffered our death on the darkest Friday there will ever be that you, who were children of darkness, might now be light in the Lord. The Magi were looking for what they wanted, but, by the grace of God, they found what they needed, they found what we need – the Light of the world the darkness cannot overcome.

Light and life was born at Christmas. Jesus is God’s perfect gift to us that keeps on giving. Each and every time we gather in His Name, receiving His Word and His Blessed Sacraments, we receive God’s gifts – we receive Jesus, God in flesh made manifest. Receive this gift of Light and Life. Let it shine in you. Let it shine through you that others dwelling in the darkness of sin and death might receive His Light too. This is the Gospel of Epiphany: The Magi returned home a different way, the way of Light and Life, to walk in darkness no longer. May you children of Light do the same.

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.

The Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord (observed)

(Audio)

Matthew 2:1-12; Ephesians 3:1-12; Isaiah 60:1-6

In the Name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

For those of you who have been attending my Bible Study on Matthew’s Gospel, you are already aware that there are many traditions, thoughts, and pieties concerning the birth of Jesus and the visit of the Magi that, when compared with the actual Scriptural account, are quickly seen to have been embellished, the fruit of speculation and conjecture, or, in some cases, plainly incorrect. This is most likely due to human desire and longing for sentiment and tradition than to any intentional or malicious attempt to obscure the truth. And, likewise, when long-held beliefs and assumptions are challenged by the plain words of Scripture, it is natural that one might feel threatened, defensive, or disillusioned. However, while this certainly does occur, truly there is no need for such a response, for, as Christians, we should all desire above all else that the truth of God’s Word be proclaimed, understood, received, and believed by all. Thus, when God’s Word confronts us with a challenge to our long-held beliefs and assumptions, we welcome the challenge and we embrace God’s Word, searching it for light and understanding, pondering, treasuring, and keeping it in our hearts and souls and minds.

Our Gospel text for today, the Feast of the Epiphany of Our Lord, is, without question, one of those challenges. When we examine God’s Word in both Matthew’s and Luke’s Gospels, a number of the Western traditions and pieties concerning the Nativity of Jesus and the visit of the Magi that have been handed down to us are found to have little or shaky foundations in Scripture. These traditions have come to us in the form of nativity scenes and crèches, children’s Christmas pageants and programs, Christmas carols, films and books, art, and family customs. I know how loath you are to have these traditions and pieties challenged, and I know that you may feel a certain defensiveness to protect them. That’s ok; it’s only natural. However, there is another way of thinking about this – the way of the Magi themselves. For, the Magi came seeking Jesus in accordance with their traditions and pieties, following the star they had seen arise in the east. But, it was God, and not their traditions and pieties, that finally lead them to Jesus.

The first thing we must consider is who were the wise men, where did they come from, and how many of them were there? Though many English translations of the Scriptures call them wise men, the Greek word is magoi, or Magi, and it means magician or astrologer. Perhaps the Magi were considered wise by their countrymen, but they most certainly would not have been considered wise by Jewish standards, for they were not God-fearers and their astrology would have been considered a form of idolatry or worse. Likewise, there is no Scriptural indication that the Magi were kings of any kind. And, as there is no mention of the Magi being kings amongst the early church fathers, this tradition entered the church no earlier than the sixth century, likely due to liturgical use of Psalm 72 as we chanted in the Introit today.

The Magi had traveled from the East, most likely Persia and / or Arabia; notice, there’s no mention of camels either. They followed a star that had appeared in the heavens in conjunction with Jesus’ birth. The Scripture does not provide an indication of how much time had passed from the birth of Jesus to the arrival of the Magi in Jerusalem, but it does provide us a few clues: First, the arrival of the Magi had to have occurred sometime between Jesus’ presentation in the temple forty days after His birth and the death of King Herod – for, sometime after Jesus’ presentation, the Holy Family traveled to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous slaughter of the Holy Innocents, and Herod likely died circa 1 BC (Jesus’ birth being actually circa 3 BC). Second, the Greek word paidion translated as child in the text means a young child, but probably not an infant, since there is a different Greek word brephos for infant. Third, since Herod ordered the murder of all male children in Bethlehem two years or younger, this indicates that Jesus must have been less than, and no more than, two years of age. Thus, many scholars today conclude that Jesus was approximately two years of age at the arrival of the Magi.

Contrary to popular belief, the star did not lead the Magi to where Jesus was, initially, but to Jerusalem, to Herod the king. The Magi were none the wiser in this matter, for they were looking for a king, and it seemed reasonable to them that a king would be found in the king’s city and palace. This only goes to show that the Magi were not wise in the Word and Wisdom of God, but they were astrologers and purveyors of human wisdom with its sinful weakness and failings. Thus, in the darkness of their wisdom and knowledge, they divulged to Herod that they were looking for the newborn King of the Jews. Being a wicked, paranoid, and jealous ruler, this information caused Herod to devise a plan to eliminate what he believed to be a contender to his throne. Herod consulted the chief priests and the scribes to ascertain from the Scriptures where this prophesied child was to be born. They read to him from Prophets Micah and Ezekiel, “Bethlehem, in the land of Judah.” Then Herod commanded the Magi to find the child and report back to him that he might come and worship Him. Once again, according to their fallen wisdom, they were agreeable to this and proceeded on their way.

Then, God’s wisdom prevailed once again. The star the Magi had first followed from the East to Jerusalem now lead them, not to Bethlehem, but to “the place where the child was.” Many people believe that place to be Bethlehem, but the Scripture does not indicate that at all! First, we must recall that Joseph and Mary were not from Bethlehem, but they were from Nazareth in Galilee. They only traveled to Bethlehem to register for the census ordered by Caesar Augustus. While Scripture clearly states that Jesus was born in Bethlehem in accordance with prophecy, there is no reason to believe that the Holy Family remained in Bethlehem much longer than was necessary for the registration and for the time of Mary’s recovery from giving birth. It is possible, perhaps even likely, that the Holy Family remained in Bethlehem through the eight days until Jesus’ circumcision, and perhaps even the forty days until His presentation and Mary’s purification, but support for this view requires a discussion of yet another discordance with popular piety and tradition – that Mary had her first-born Son, not in a stable or a cave, but in the family room of a relative’s home which, in first century Israel would have included one or more mangers for the family’s animals that would be brought into the house at night. If you want to hear more about that, I’ll see you in Bible Study. So, where then did the star lead the Magi to? Most likely to Nazareth, to the home of Joseph and Mary. Matthew’s account supports this understanding by saying, “going into the house [the Magi] saw the child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him.” Could this house have been the house of a relative in Bethlehem rather than the house of Joseph and Mary in Nazareth? Yes, that’s possible. However, the evidence seems more likely to point to the latter. In the case of the former, then I invite you, once again, to Bible Study.

And, what of the Magi’s gifts – gold, frankincense, and myrrh? Odd gifts for a baby or young child, right? In fact, they were gifts fit for a king, a king like Herod. Once again we see that the so-called wisdom of the Magi was really foolishness. The fact that three gifts are mentioned in the Scriptures is likely the root of the tradition claiming that there were three Magi, though there is no statement of such. Eastern Orthodoxy has a tradition of twelve Magi. Why not? Because the Word of God doesn’t say so, that’s why. Once again, however, God’s wisdom prevails. The gifts of Magi, wholly in spite of their wisdom, were prophetic gifts: Gold, for Jesus is the True King of the Jews, the Gentiles, of heaven and of earth; Frankincense, for Jesus is our Great High Priest who offered up His own life as a sacrifice to atone for our sins; and myrrh, for Jesus would die and be placed into a tomb – a tomb from which He would arise, the first fruits of those who trust in Him. After offering their gifts, the Magi, according to their wisdom, were set to return to Jerusalem and inform Herod that they had found the newborn King of the Jews. However, once again, God’s wisdom prevailed, and the Magi were warned in a dream not to return to Herod, and they departed to their own country by another way.

So, what can we conclude from all this? Well, we can conclude that, as much as we think we might know about the birth of our Lord and the visit of the Magi, we may not know as much as we think. In fact, it is most likely that our over-familiarity with the story has blinded us somewhat to the truth of what God’s Word actually says. However, we can also see clearly that God’s wisdom prevails over man’s sinful and fallen wisdom, that He is, in fact, working all things for the good of those who love Him. God guided the Magi to the child Jesus in fulfillment of Scripture that His Son would be the Savior of the nations, both Jews and Gentiles. God had Herod hoodwinked even before his devilish plan to murder the Christ-child entered his sin-crazed mind. God brought the light of His Word to bear upon and to shine within and overcome the darkness of man’s sin, ignorance, and death and, though they sought Him for all the wrong reasons, they found Him in humility and, by their gifts and worship, confessed Him to be God’s Christ and the King of heaven and earth.

Now, we see clearly, through the eyes of faith, what the Magi were lead to see by a God-guided star: This child is God’s gift of forgiveness, life, and salvation to the all men. When we approach Jesus, we approach God who dwells in unapproachable light. The visit of the Magi is good news for us: “The Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel.” We once were darkness, but now we are light in the Lord. After having received our Lord and King in Word and Sacrament and presented Him with our gifts, a living sacrifice, let us, like the Magi, not return to the darkness, but return home another way, sharing the Light of Christ with all whom God grants to cross our path.

In the + Name of Jesus. Amen.