Follow @FlipboardSee More in The Daily EditionDownload App
Stay informed and inspired!
Download Flipboard to get the latest news and stories on the topics you care about.
Was this sent to you by a friend? For more like it, subscribe here.BLOG · CAREERS · ADVERTISEUpdate your email preferences or unsubscribe here.View our privacy policy here.©2026 Flipboard, Inc. Made with love at 555 Bryant St #352 Palo Alto, CA 94301
Learn More About Return of the Flock
Today’s Night Prayer is brought to you by Catholic Company
Jesus Christ, my God, I adore You and thank You for all the graces You have given me this day. I offer You my sleep and all the moments of this night. I place myself and all my loved ones, wherever they may be, in Your sacred side and under the mantle of Our Blessed Mother. Let Your holy angels stand watch and keep us in peace. Amen.
“In him was life, and the life was the light of all people.” -John 1:4
“One day at a time. This is very important. Very often we exhaust ourselves going over the past again and again and also our fears about the future. But when we live in the present moment, we mysteriously find strength. We have the grace to live through what we encounter today. If tomorrow we must face more difficult situations, God will increase his grace. God’s grace is given at the right time for it, day by day.” —Jacques Philippe, p. 104
An excerpt from The Way of Trust and Love
This March 17th, discover charming apparel, beautiful jewelry, and inspiring décor to honor the courage of Saint Patrick and the time-honored faith of the Irish.
Celebrate the St. Patrick’s Day with gifts and keepsakes that proudly reflect the heart of Ireland and the richness of our Catholic tradition.See Them All
St. Benedict Ora Et Labora Mug
St. Benedict Chocolate Hazelnut Blend Coffee – 12 oz. Bag
The daily examination of conscience is an ancient Catholic practice. It’s very simple, and it’s designed to help us identify our sins and weaknesses so that we can improve and grow stronger in the spiritual life, while providing an excellent ongoing preparation for regular Confession. It consists of taking a few minutes at the end of the day to prayerfully review our actions in the light of God’s commandments, followed by the Act of Contrition.
Actively reflecting on the high and low points of the day can help you live more intentionally and bring a renewed sense of resolve into the following day.
O my God, I am heartily sorry for having offended Thee, and I detest all my sins because of Thy just punishments, but most of all because they offend Thee, my God, Who art all good and deserving of all my love. I firmly resolve with the help of Thy grace to sin no more and to avoid the near occasions of sin. Amen.
It is God’s love that has brought you into existence and to this exact moment. Practice looking for His hand in your day.
Remember: our Faith is founded upon a Person—Christ! Renew your personal love and devotion to Him.
By day the Lord commands His steadfast love; and at night His song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life. — Psalm 42:8
Want to help your organization reach 2.6 million Catholics? Click here to consider sponsoring future Night Prayers!
Please add NightPrayer@goodcatholic.comto your address book or list of approved senders.
Unsubscribe | Privacy Policy | Contact Us
Can’t see this email? View in Your Browser
A service of the Network
615 E Westinghouse Blvd Charlotte, North Carolina 28273 US
© 2026 Trinity Road, LLC. All rights reserved.
SpaceX Stock Has Officially Fallen All the Way Down to the Low $170sThe rocket ride is over. At least for now.
News for you, Peter12 victims identified in one of deadliest US skydiving incidents in decadesA pilot and 11 passengers preparing to skydive were killed when a plane crashed moments after takeoff Sunday – deva…CNN Wall Street Terrified That SpaceX Investors Will Dump Their StocksThe SpaceX IPO is sending its stock to the moon, but early sellers could bring it crashing down to Earth.Futurism Zendaya Wows in Red-Hot Micro Mini for First Red Carpet With Tom Holland Since He Broke His Silence on…The couple returned to the red carpet for the first time in five years earlier in the week.InStyle US stocks resume upward climb as dollar advances again after Fed outlookWall Street stocks bounced Thursday, pivoting back to buying mode after the pullback in the prior session prompted by a Fe…AFP Was hydrogen peroxide dumped into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool?The water in Washington DC’s Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool has turned green, and National Park Service officials are tu…USA TODAY Fed ‘dot plot’: Almost half of FOMC members project at least one interest rate hike this yearThe Federal Reserve’s latest “dot plot” revealed a sharp shift in central bankers’ expectations, with rate cuts …Yahoo Finance Fifteen people charged over alleged interference in Minnesota immigration crackdownProsecutors claim defendants were part of Minneapolis-based ‘antifa’ groups that ‘violently oppose…The Guardian ‘Go for it, Elon’: Most Americans are OK with trillionaires — under one conditionThe people weigh in on Musk.Yahoo Finance Russian regulator demands explanation after one Moscow petrol retailer hikes prices by 19%MOSCOW, June 18 () – Russia’s anti-monopoly watchdog on Thursday asked a major petrol retailer in Moscow for an ex…Reuters Body found during search for woman who went missing after leaving gym: PoliceAuthorities are awaiting official identification from the coroner, police said.ABC News More like this
Today’s gamePlay Bubble Zone nowAim, shoot, and pop your way to colorful victory.
Trending now1. Boston Bruins2. Stock Market3. US Open Odds4. Sophie Cunningham5. Arnold Schwarzenegger6. Faizon Love7. Chicago Band Member Dies8. Cristiano Ronaldo9. College World Series Scores10. Russia-Ukraine War
Unsubscribe | Terms | Privacy Policy | Help
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
© 2026 Yahoo Inc. All rights reserved.
Thursday, June 18
Welcome to The Pregame Lineup, a weekday newsletter that gets you up to speed on everything you need to know for today’s games, while catching you up on fun and interesting stories you might have missed. Thanks for being here.
Alaska in summer is the Land of the Midnight Sun. In the northern city of Fairbanks, during the summer months, the sun basically never sets. And that makes for one of the most unique baseball games in existence.
Tomorrow is the 121st annual Midnight SunGame — a baseball game played at midnight in Alaska under only the natural light of the Midnight Sun, with no artificial stadium lights to be found.
The truly one-of-a-kind baseball game has been taking place in Fairbanks, Alaska, just south of the Arctic Circle, since 1906. That first Midnight Sun Game was played on the summer solstice, June 21, establishing what has become one of baseball’s longest-running and coolest traditions.
Today, the Midnight Sun Game is hosted every year by the Alaska Goldpanners, a collegiate summer team based in Fairbanks. They typically play local amateur teams or other summer college squads from around the country.
But back in 1906, the inaugural game was a contest between two local bar teams in the gold-rich town, who agreed to play each other in a baseball game that would run through midnight. Because, why not?
After the first Midnight Sun Game, the story in the local newspaper, the Fairbanks Daily Times, read: “Tell this to your friends when you go outside. Say to them that on June 21, while you were in Fairbanks you attended a game of baseball that started at 11 o’clock at night and ended at 12:30 the morning after.”
Over the years, many baseball legends have passed through Alaska, playing in the Alaskan Baseball League summer circuit. Aaron Judge played for the Anchorage Glacier Pilots. So did Mark McGwire and Randy Johnson. Paul Goldschmidt and Jeff Kent played for the Anchorage Bucs. No less than Barry Bonds once played for the Goldpanners. So did Jason Giambi, Dave Winfield and Tom Seaver, who was even the starting pitcher for the Midnight Sun Game.
A couple of years ago, we sent Matt Monagan to Alaska to chronicle the Midnight Sun Game and its history.
Read the whole story here >>
— David Adler
You can usually count on the Angels to stick with the status quo, but this is about to be their 12th straight season without a playoff berth. It’s probably time to change up the approach.
Will they actually do it? That right there is one of this year’s most intriguing Trade Deadline questions.
Mike Trout likely isn’t going anywhere, but the Halos have a chance to land one of the biggest prospect hauls of any team this summer if they put starters Reid Detmers and José Soriano on the table.
Both are controllable through 2028, so this technically isn’t an urgent “must-trade” situation for the Angels, but it’s hard to believe either pitcher is ever going to have more trade value than he will this summer.
Detmers has been quite inconsistent during his career and even spent all of 2025 in the bullpen, but the former top prospect is having a breakout campaign in ’26. He’s recorded a 1.36 ERA with 39 K’s over his past five starts and owns the fourth-lowest expected ERA(2.75) among pitchers who have faced at least 250 batters. The only pitchers ahead of him? Jacob Misiorowski, Paul Skenes and Shohei Ohtani.
Soriano has faded after a historic start to the year and tends to get wild at times, but a hard-throwing 27-year-old who misses bats and racks up grounders should generate plenty of trade interest nonetheless. We’ll see if the Angels look to capitalize.
— Thomas Harrigan
One of the things that we dads are most proud of is putting our kids’ needs before our own. Perhaps there is no better gift on Father’s Day than being told that those efforts were not only noticed, but appreciated.
Jim King, the father of Padres pitcher Michael King, made a huge professional sacrifice for his kids, which very well might have made all of the difference in Michael ultimately becoming a big leaguer. And it was made all the more sweet by … ice cream.
King was a nighttime news anchor throughout the Northeast who was making his way up the professional ladder — which included near-constant moving from city to city — when he and his wife decided it was time for them put down roots for Michael and his sister. This was all made possible by an old family recipe that was so good that the Kings were able to sell their ice cream in local stores, right alongside the national brands.
The career switch — plus Jim’s connections in the broadcast industry — enabled him to spend more time with his kids and led to meetings with big leaguers who helped young Michael develop into the star pitcher that he is today.
“I don’t know if he would have had enough time to find the connections that were able to help my career,” Michael said of his dad’s previous job as a newscaster. “I think of it all the time. I want to be a huge part of my daughter’s life.”
Here’s to Jim King and all of the other dads out there who continue to put their kids first. Put your feet up Sunday and enjoy a big bowl of ice cream!
– Ed Eagle
We’re getting an early start on this, since the Pregame Lineup will receive an off-day tomorrow. (We’ll be back on Monday.)
White Sox at Tigers (Friday, 6:40 p.m. ET on MLB.TV)
Tigers ace Tarik Skubal made a successful return from left elbow surgery on Saturday, touching 99 mph while allowing two earned runs in 4 2/3 innings in a 3-1 loss to the Guardians. The electric left-hander will now make his first start at Comerica Park since April 23, facing a White Sox team that has been around the top of the standings all season. Skubal, of course, will attract plenty of attention from contenders who could be interested in adding the two-time defending AL Cy Young Award winner to the front of their rotations.
Brewers at Braves (Friday, 7:15 p.m. ET on MLB.TV)
At this point, every Jacob Misiorowski start constitutes must-see viewing. The Brewers fireballer leads the league in virtually everything, and his most recent start was particularly absurd: He tossed a “Maddux” in which he fanned 15 batters and threw 31 pitches at 102+ mph in a win over the Phillies. The Braves will try to break through against the Miz, but the NL East leaders are a bit banged up, most notably having lost Ronald Acuña Jr. to the IL with a left hamstring injury for the second time.
Mets at Phillies (Saturday, 7:15 p.m. ET on FOX)
The Mets traded for Freddy Peralta last winter to slot at the top of their rotation and pitch against the other team’s best. He’ll have his work cut out for him when he faces the Phillies, who counter with left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who enters 8-3 with a 1.82 ERA in 15 starts this season. If New York can take solace in anything, it’s that Sánchez was relatively mortal in his last start, allowing four earned runs vs. the Brewers — four more than he allowed in the entire month of May.
Reds at Yankees (Sunday, 1:35 p.m. ET on MLB.TV)
Chase Burns was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 Draft for a reason, and opposing hitters have seen what it is all season long. Burns is 8-1 with a 2.01 ERA in his second campaign for the Reds, though he’ll face a stern test from the AL-best Yankees, who lead MLB in homers and have been scoring in bunches even without franchise player Aaron Judge.
In sports, we often forget that the athlete on the field is someone who is human — someone who is working through issues in their lives outside of their career, just like everyone else. Some of them have to overcome more adversity than others can even comprehend. Maya Johnson — a rookie left-handed pitcher who was drafted third overall by the Oklahoma City Spark in the Athletes Unlimited Softball League entering this season — is someone who falls into that category.
At the age of 15, she was diagnosed with lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs. She redshirted her freshman year at the University of Pittsburgh due to concerns with lupus. Since she wasn’t medically cleared, she entered the transfer portal and ended up with Belmont University in 2023.
But a severe kidney flare-up during last year’s offseason forced a more aggressive treatment plan, including 10 rounds of low-dose chemotherapy infusions to prevent kidney failure. She recovered and flourished on the field as she led NCAA Division I softball in ERA (0.78), strikeouts (397), strikeout-to-walk ratio (11.03) and complete games (31) this past season.
“I’m grateful to even be stepping on the field, given my personal adversity with my health circumstances,” Johnson said. “I had so much personal adversity in my life that the adversity on the softball field doesn’t seem that hard.”
She graduated with a bachelor’s degree (with honors) in nursing. And now, she hopes athletes with chronic illnesses can find what she never had — high-level examples of athletes who openly balance illness with elite competition, a mission that shapes her advocacy work with the Lupus Foundation of America.
“[I am] being vocal about that, so that other kids that are diagnosed with chronic health conditions can still see someone perform within their sport at a high level,” Johnson said. “[So] they know that their diagnosis, a lot of times, is not going to impede them if they have the right physicians and the right support system.”
— Noah Yingling
Phase 1 of All-Star voting is open until Thursday, June 25, at noon ET.
Vote now to help send your favorite players to this year’s All-Star Game in Philadelphia. Fans can vote up to five times per day.
Fill out your 2026 All-Star Ballot here >>
© 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.
Please review our Privacy Policy.
You (pahovis@aol.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com.
Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe or log in and manage your email subscriptions.
Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
IMSA’s Summer Stretch Features A Quartet Of Hot Tickets
Rounding Up A Flurry Of Watkins Glen Lineup Tweaks
IMSA Full-Timers Deliver Strong 24 Hours Of Le Mans Results
Episode 33: Jack Aitken, Earl Bamber & Luca Mars | IMSA Endurance Hour Podcast
Airbnb Endurance Challenge Field Set For VIR Two-Hour Race
Ferrari Challenge Races Back To California
Sunday’s HSR Watkins Glen Historics Concludes Action-Packed Four-Day Weekend At The Glen
IMSA Partner Survey
We want to hear from passionate IMSA fans like you. Take a short survey, enter your email, and unlock an exclusive 15% discount — plus a chance to win a swag pack. Help influence what comes next on and off the track.
International Motor Sports Association, LLCOne Daytona Blvd.Daytona Beach, FL 32114UnsubscribeUpdate Profile | About our service providerSent by insider@imsa.com
Across tropical forests, desert isles and polar shores, extraordinary bird encounters await on our small-ship expeditions—whether you’re a seasoned birder or simply delight in discovery. Travel with expert naturalists and, on select voyages, National Geographic Photographers, to witness and document remarkable avian species, from Costa Rica’s kaleidoscopic scarlet macaws to Baja California’s endemic Xantus’s hummingbird and vast flocks of fulmars soaring above Bear Island in the Arctic.
Tati Besada, co-founder of Unplastify and a National Geographic Explorer, believes that “each of us can create change” through the choices we make every day. Learn how her work in the Galápagos—supported by the Lindblad Expeditions-National Geographic Fund—is helping communities, educators and businesses reduce plastic waste before it reaches the ocean.
US: 1-332-999-9344 • AU: 1300-361-012 • NZ: 0800-444-462
US: 11 W 42nd Street, Suite 22 B3, New York, NY 10036
AU: Level 1, 35 Grafton St, Bondi Junction, NSW 2022
UK: Fred. Olsen House, 42 White House Road, Ipswich, IP1 5LL
*Terms and Conditions: Book between June 10 and August 18, 2026 and receive 50% off deposit at the time of booking on voyages departing October 1, 2026 through December 31, 2027 if booked outside of final payment. Remaining deposit balance is due at the time of final payment. Standard cancellation policy applies. Additional restrictions may apply. Offer valid for new bookings, subject to availability and offer may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice, not applicable on airfare or extensions, and may not be combined with other offers. Call for details.
© 2026 Lindblad Expeditions. All Rights Reserved. Lindblad Expeditions and the Eye are the trademarks of Lindblad Expeditions, LLC.
© 2026 NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC EXPEDITIONS and the Yellow Border Design are trademarks of the National Geographic Society, used under license.
You received this email as you opted in to receive promotional information from Lindblad Expeditions.
To unsubscribe, click here.
BIRDING-061826
DAN GARTLAND
Good morning, I’m Dan Gartland. I can’t believe the photos coming out of the Knicks’ parade in lower Manhattan. The parade route is just a few blocks from the old SI office and I’ve never seen the streets look anything like that. We’re tracking every update from the parade in a live blog.
🇵🇹 Portugal struggles in WC opener
🇲🇽 Mexico’s NBA draft prospect
Troy Taormina/Imagn Images
Cristiano Ronaldo is undoubtedly the best player in the history of the Portuguese national team, but it’s time for the team to accept that his time as a global superstar is just that—history.
Portugal opened its World Cup campaign on Wednesday in Houston with a 1–1 draw against DR Congo. The Portuguese scored just six minutes into the game on a header by João Neves but never really threatened again. DR Congo got an equalizer just before halftime and clamped down in the second half to earn a valuable point.
Ronaldo contributed little to the game. He didn’t record his first shot attempt until the 67th minute, and all three of his attempts were off target. Or maybe it’s better to say that Ronaldo’s most significant contributions were negative ones. Throughout the game, he appeared to be more focused on scoring a goal than helping his team to score a goal. He seemed to believe the entire offense should run through him.
On the Fox postgame show, Thierry Henry gave a detailed explanation of how Ronaldo’s selfishness was harming the team. Henry pointed to one moment in the second half where Portugal was threatening in the final third. Portugal had three players in the 18-yard box and three Congolese players marking them. If Ronaldo had made a run toward the goal, it would have freed up Bruno Fernandes to receive a pass with time and room to shoot. Instead, Ronaldo ran toward the ball, into the path of a pass apparently intended for Fernandes, and shot the ball wide. CONTINUE DAN’S COLUMN ON SI
Kohjiro Kinno/Sports Illustrated
By Chris MannixREAD MORE
David Reginek-Imagn Images
By Matt VerderameREAD MORE
Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
By Albert BreerREAD MORE
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
By SI StaffREAD MORE
Courtesy of Boston Legacy FC
By Jenna TonelliREAD MORE
After ending a 53-year title drought, the Knicks are on top of the NBA world. To celebrate, Sports Illustrated is producing a commemorative championship issue that you can purchase now and will be on newsstands in New York.PURCHASE THE COMMEMORATIVE NOW
Get the print edition of Sports Illustrateddelivered to your door.
John Sokolowski-Imagn Images
… things I saw yesterday:
5. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s dive to beat a runner to first base.
4. Everson Pereira’s catch in center field as he crashed into the wall. Pereira’s White Sox were losing to the Yankees, 10–3, at the time. Give him credit for putting in maximum effort even with the game out of reach. “That’s what we are here for,” Pereira said of his play, speaking through an interpreter. “Even though we were down seven runs, we have a pitcher on the mound. The runs count for him, too. We want to do our best to help each other.”
3. Daniel Muñoz’s brilliant one-touch finishfor Colombia’s second goal against Uzbekistan.
2. Caleb Yirenkyi’s winning goal for Ghana against Panama late in stoppage time. Yirenkyi got the goal, but it was Antoine Semenyo’s through ball and Brandon Thomas-Asante’s dead sprint to retrieve it that made the play possible.
1. The small cluster of Congolese fans celebrating their team’s goal against Portugalat a watch party in Lisbon.
With NFL mandatory minicamps wrapping up today, Albert Breer and Conor Orr make their early 2026 NFL award picks in the latest episode of The MMQB NFL Podcast.
We may receive compensation for some links to products and services included in this email.
Sports Publishing Solutions Inc.
625 Broadway, 10th floor
New York, NY. 10012
You are receiving this email because you are subscribed to the SI:AM newsletter.
You can unsubscribe here .
Privacy Policy – Terms & Conditions
© 2026 Sports Publishing Solutions Inc. All rights reserved.
SPORTS ILLUSTRATED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ABG-SI LLC.
All betting and gambling content included in the SI:AM newsletter is intended for individuals 21+ (18+ in DC, KY, NH, RI, and WY). Betting and gambling content, including picks and predictions, are based on individual commentators’ opinions and we do not guarantee any success or profits. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLERor texting 800GAM.
Click this link to view the newsletter in your browser.
Thursday, June 18
TOP NEWS
10 overlooked players who deserve a boost on the ballot
With just a week left in Phase 1 voting, Will Leitch looks at some players who have a strong case to make for more All-Star support.
Digging into 5 Trade Deadline hot topics
Waldschmidt crushes homer in first game back at Triple-A
With newest NYC champs in the house, Yanks show how they can be the next
Ohtani’s unusual start on mound ends with surprise hitting opportunity
Rockies rookie makes a throw you have to see to believe
Sproat shakes off hamstring cramp as Yelich, Chourio HRs help pick up Crew
Royals trade for RHP Randy Dobnak from Mariners
Corbin Barrels: Carroll’s slam backs Rodriguez en route to 100th career win
McLean rides heater to get back to looking like ace Mets need
Merrill, Tatis power Padres to big win with early and late offense
Phillies option Painter to Triple-A after another rough outing
ADD MLB AS YOUR PREFERRED SOURCE ON GOOGLE
TOP PERFORMANCES
Longest Home Run
Marcell Ozuna
448 ft
7th Inning
Hardest Base Hit
Francisco Alvarez
112.6 mph
5th Inning
Fastest Strikeout
Ryan Helsley
100.7 mph
9th Inning
Decisive Play
D-backs
29% WPA
2nd Inning
3rd straight game with HR; 8 HRs in June are T-most in MLB
40 career HRs in 140 games, fewest to the mark in CWS history
Career-high 12 K’s; 1st O’s SP to fan 10+ this season
6 HRs and 11 RBIs over his past 7 games
19th multihit game this season; .480/.581/.840 over past 7 games
PLAY A SPORCLE BASEBALL QUIZ!
MUST-SEE PLAY
No matter the score, Everson Pereira goes all-out.
STAFF PICKS
Jacob Misiorowski tops our latest poll, and after a historic outing last week, it’s easy to see why. That wasn’t the only shakeup, either: Four new names joined the rankings thanks to strong performances all season.
Organizations now have enough info to determine which of their prospects deserve new challenges at higher levels.
Lupus, an autoimmune disease that causes the immune system to attack healthy tissues and organs, has been part of Maya Johnson’s life since she was 15, and so has learning to keep playing the sport she loves anyway.
Fresh off taking down the Spurs in five games, NBA Finals MVP Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart both fired perfect strikes at Yankee Stadium.
Juan Soto and the Mets open a series in the City of Brotherly Love against Bryce Harper and the Phillies in an MLB Network Showcase presented by Goodyear at 6:30 p.m. ET (or Giants vs. Braves at 7).
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Blue Jays square off against Willson Contreras and the Red Sox at 1:30 p.m. ET (or Guardians vs Brewers at 2).
SCOREBOARD
NYM 9
CIN 1
KC 6
WSH 2
MIA 12
PHI 4
SF 7
ATL 2
DET 2
HOU 4
SD 6
STL 1
TB 4
LAD 5
LAA 1
AZ 8
TOR 3
BOS 0
CWS 5
NYY 10
SF 7
ATL 5
CLE 4
MIL 9
COL 6
CHC 8
PIT 12
ATH 4
BAL 5
SEA 3
© 2026 MLB Advanced Media, L.P. MLB trademarks and copyrights are used with permission of Major League Baseball. Visit MLB.com. Any other marks used herein are trademarks of their respective owners.
Please review our Privacy Policy.
You (peterhovis@icloud.com) received this message because you registered to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com.
Please add info@marketing.mlbemail.com to your address book to ensure our messages reach your inbox. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email messages from MLB.com, please unsubscribe or log in and manage your email subscriptions.
Postal Address: MLB.com, c/o MLB Advanced Media, L.P., 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
Having trouble reading this email? View it in your browser.
(2) Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. (3) Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. (4) Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. (5) I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. (6) If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned.
King James Version Change email Bible version
In John 15:2, Christ describes two distinct actions on the part of the Father: “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.” These two actions are 1) taking away unproductive branches and 2) pruning productive ones. Both actions involve cutting, but the reasons for and the results of God’s cutting are quite different.
Kathairo means much the same as airo, but with a major difference in nuance or connotation. The emphasis with kathairo is on the cleansing that results through removal,while the emphasis with airo is simply on removal. Think of kathairo this way. When we use soap and water to wash a floor, we are removing dirt. No question about that. But more important to us is the fact that we are cleaning the floor. Of course, both removal and cleansing are taking place, but we are most interested in the consequence of the removal, that is, the cleaning.
In John 15:3-6, Christ elaborates on His Father’s two actions: Removing (airo) unproductive branches and pruning (kathairo) productive ones. Concerned that His disciples understand that they are clean as a result of His Father’s action, He focuses first on pruning (kathairo), keying in on its cleansing aspects: “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you” (John 15:3).
The adjective “clean” here is from the Greek katharos,obviously a word closely related to the verb kathairo. It means “blameless,” “pure,” “clean,” “free of sin and guilt.” Its first use is in Matthew 5:8, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.”
In verses 4-5, Christ continues His comments about the vine and the branches with a remarkable example of irony—irony to the point of paradox. Just how does a Christian experience cleansing? Not by separation, but by remaining unified with the Vine. Is there a contradiction between the idea of cleansing by removal (kathairo)—pruning—and Christ’s admonition that we abide tenaciously in the Vine? No, there is not. It is all a question of who does what. Wedo the abiding, as Christ here commands that we do. Goddoes the cutting.
The apostle Paul’s comment in Colossians 3:10 (Good News Translation) points out God’s role in maintaining the vitality of His people: “This is the new being [the new man] which God, its Creator, is constantly renewing in His Own image, in order to bring you to a full knowledge of Himself.” The pruning-cleansing (kathairo) mentioned in John 15 is one of the ways God constantly renews or maintains the new man. It is an ongoing creative act on God’s part. Through His pruning, He strengthens the committed Christian, the one who resolutely clings to the Vine. The one who “endures to the end” the trials sent his way will be saved (Matthew 10:22).
With John 15:6, Christ returns to a discussion of that other action performed by His Father, “taking away” (airo) nonproductive branches: “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.” This action does not result in their cleansing, however, but in destruction. In His comments to the church at Laodicea, Christ uses an even stronger verb than airo to describe the cutting away of unproductive branches: “I could wish that you were either cold or hot! But, since you are lukewarm and neither hot nor cold, I intend to spit you out of My mouth!” Revelation 3:15-16 (J.B. Phillips’ paraphrase).
The unproductive branches experience removal, suffering loss at the same time—annihilation. They do not experience cleansing. We should do nothing that would put God in a frame of mind where He “intends” to detach Himself from us—whether by vomiting us from Him or through cutting us off as unproductive branches. To avoid rejection by God, we need to abide in Christ, connected to the Vine.
That is our responsibility. We must take no action that signals to God a lapse of our clinging-commitment—no action that has the effect of separating ourselves from Him. Examples of such actions include failing to attend Sabbath services consistently or becoming remiss in daily prayer and Bible study. As we gradually become more unproductive, perhaps imperceptibly at first, we begin to droop, withering. Because of our lackluster approach—our Laodicean attitude toward God, which may initially be neither hot nor cold—God ultimately cuts us off, separating us from Himself. The result is catastrophic.
Conversely, the productive branches—those Christians committed to remaining attached to the Vine, not permitting “any root of bitterness” (Hebrews 12:15) to develop as a result of God’s correction (or trimming)—experience cleansing, something far more desirable than burning. As we approach Passover, let us remember that God cleanses as He prunes. We need to be careful not to take any action that damages the fellowship we have with the Father, His Son, and each other, a fellowship made possible through enormous sacrifice on the part of the God Family.
— Charles Whitaker
To learn more, see:
Pruning and Cleansing
Commentary copyright © 1992-2026 Church of the Great God
Subscription Information
This daily newsletter was sent to you at peterhovis@me.com because you subscribed at www.theberean.org on Apr 14, 2017.
Email Preferences | Unsubscribe
Church of the Great God
P.O. Box 471846
Charlotte, NC 28247
803-802-7075
Have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
