Wednesday. [I Cor. 16:4-12; Matt. 21:28-32]

   In the parable about the two sons, the second promptly said, “I go,” and went not. This is an image for all hasty good intentions that lack the constancy, will and patience to fulfil them. A light heart is immediately ready for every good thing presented to it, but a soft and lazy will refuses to do it from the very beginning. This infirmity is found in nearly everyone. How can one avoid such unreliability before one’s own self and others? This is how: do not begin anything without thinking it over and calculating whether there will be enough strength for the undertaking. This is what the Lord asked us to do in the parables about the man who set off to war, and the other who set about building a house. In what lies this calculation? These parables are related by the Lord in order to instruct us to arm ourselves in advance with self-denial and patience. Look to see whether you have these buttresses that all laborers for goodness have. If you have them, begin the undertaking; but if not, then first store them up. If you stock yourself up with them, then no matter what you meet on the path to what you intend to do, you will endure and overcome it all, and you will bring what you have begun to a finish. Calculating does not mean that as soon as the deed becomes a bit difficult you drop it, but rather that you should inspire yourself for every labor. From this there will come firmness of will and constancy in deeds. And it will never be the case with you that you say—“I go,” and then go not.

Thursday. [II Cor. 1:1-7; Matt. 21:43-46]

   The chief priests and Pharisees perceived that the Lord was telling parables on their account, that He was opening their eyes so that they would see the truth. But what did they do with this? They thought about how to kill the Lord. If their common sense had not been distorted by their prejudice, then even if they could not believe, as the obviousness of the instruction required, they should at least have thought over carefully whether what the Savior was saying is true. Their prejudice pushed them onto a crooked path, and they then proved to be God-killers. It always has been this way, and it is this way now. The Germans, and our people who have followed after them and become Germanized in their thought, immediately cry out whenever they come across a miracle in the Gospels, “Not true, not true; this didn’t happen and couldn’t happen, this needs to be crossed out.” Is not this the same as killing? Look through all the books of these clever men; in none of them will you find any indication as to why they think this way. Not one of them can say anything against what the Gospel truth proves, and not one cares to comprehend the arguments which soberminded people use to convict their falseness; they only continue insisting that [what is written] could not be, and that is why they do not believe the Gospels. And you cannot do anything with them—they are ready to go against God Himself.