Fourth Sunday after Easter AD 2025

St. James writes: “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” Every means all, without exception. This means that everything who we are and what we have is a gift from God. The prophet Isaiah even says that all our works are wrought by God – not our evil deeds, of course, but those that bring glory to God and are a blessing to His creation.

Every time someone begins to think that God owes them something or that they have earned something from God through their actions, they should remind themselves that their existence and everything they need to exist have been given to them completely free of charge by God, their Creator. “For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out,” as St. Paul writes to his disciple Timothy.

God has created us; He has redeemed us through the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son. God has regenerated us as His children, and He fills us with His wonderful gifts through the Holy Spirit, so that we, justified by His grace, may bear fruit unto eternal life.

God doesn’t change. His goodness, generosity, and mercy do not change. God’s mercy “is from everlasting to everlasting upon them that fear him, and His righteousness unto children’s children.” His Word of grace and love is unchanging and able to save our souls. Therefore, “sing unto the Lord a new song, alleluia: for the Lord hath done marvellous things, alleluia!”