The typical Gospel lesson fare for the season of Advent concerns the coming of the Christ. You heard this past Wednesday Gabriel announcing to the virgin Mary that she will conceive the Son of God and bear the Savior of the world. Sometimes the lesson is Palm Sunday, as you heard last week, which features Jesus coming into Jerusalem to bear the sin of the world on the cross. Sometimes you hear Jesus Himself speaking of His coming again in glory to judge the quick and the dead. And then there’s this Sunday, where the central figure is a odd-looking man in dirty clothes telling people to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.”

And what a man he was! This man, John, lived in the wilderness, wore camel hair for clothes with some sort of leather strap for a belt, and he never enjoyed any of the finer amenities of life. In fact, his diet was a simple one. He enjoyed the sweetness of honey, likely raw with bits of hive and other things still in it. He might have had whatever nuts or berries he might have found while foraging. However, his source of protein was locusts…LOCUSTS!

It seems like a good place to start these mid-week Advent services. True, “In the beginning was the Word,” (cf. John 1:1) but as the Church looks forward to Christmas once again and celebrating the birth of the enfleshed God, it does one good look to when God became incarnate, when the Son of God, the Word became flesh in order to “dwell among us.” (cf. John 1:14)

“Save us, we pray, O Lord! O Lord, we pray, give us success!” (Psalm 118:25)

When it comes to the triumphal entry, much can be said about the entry itself, and much has been said. Regarding the donkey and colt, the palms and coats, even Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem as a king, much has been said. But have you ever given much thought to what the crowds say as Jesus rides into town?

“Give us this day our daily bread,” Jesus taught you to pray. What is meant by daily bread? Luther instructed: “Daily bread includes everything that has to do with the support and needs of the body, such as food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, home, land, animals, money, goods, a devout husband or wife, devout children, devout workers, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, self-control, good reputation, good friends, faithful neighbors, and the like.”

Luther left a list of things for which to be thankful, finishing them off with the phrase, “And the like.” After all, as you learned from the Small Catechism, “Give us this day our daily bread,” means, “God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayers, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.”

So, take a closer look at that list. Are you thankful for things like food and drink? I’m guess that for most of you, even with these increased prices, food is very much readily available, and you never think about the methods by which that food is available.

On All Saints’ Day, the Church remembers. She remembers those saints who have gone before, suffering persecution and even dying for the faith. She remembers those saints who have, by the grace of God, served the Church and world with lasting contributions. Her members usually remember those friends and loved ones who have now entered eternal rest.

But, what does it take to be a saint? A saint is one who is sanctified—made holy—one who has no sin. Therefore, if you are without sin, you are a saint, too.

What does it take to be a saint? In the Gospel lesson, Jesus recited the “Beatitudes,” qualities of those who are blessed to be saints. This is a passage of Scripture that stands out for many, and one that carries with it great joy and blessing. However, it is also one that is often twisted and misunderstood to lead to despair.