Just as Christ is “the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end,” at the close of every liturgical year, we look forward, with renewed hope, to Christ’s coming again in glory to reign as Lord forever. In the same way, we also look forward to our own resurrection and the time of a new earth — an earth that is no longer broken by sin and groaning. Christ will come again in glory just as surely as He came the first time, when He was born. So we have these three weeks of “transition” at the end of the “long green season” into the Advent Season: the new beginning of the liturgical year.

What she does is pretty outlandish. But while the disciples scold her for being wasteful, Jesus stands up for her. May we stand up for even the foolish, because we might just be emulating the grace of Jesus.

We should fear and love God so that we do not scheme to get our neighbor’s inheritance,  house, wife, or get it in a way which only appears right, but help and be of service to them in keeping it.

We should fear and love God so that we do not take our neighbor’s money or possessions, or get them in any dishonest way, but help him to improve and protect his possessions and income.

Honor your father and mother, and your days will be blessed. Jacob contemplates his long history filled with selfishness, dishonor, and greed and chooses to see the abundance of God by honoring Pharaoh with a blessing.

Have no other Gods before me. What does this mean? We should fear love and trust in God above all things. God has created us in abundance, so rest.