The Lessons Appointed for Use on the Sunday closest to September 7 Jeremiah 18:1-11 The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Come, go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. The …
5 Pentecost Psalm 82:1–8; Amos 7:7–17; Colossians 1:1–14; Luke 10:25–37 “Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers?” Lk 10:36 The story of the Good Samaritan, rehearsed just moments ago in today’s gospel according to Luke, is so well known that even …
3 Pentecost Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20; 2 Kings 2:1-2, 6-14; Galatians 5:1, 13-25; Luke 9:51-62 Foxes have their holes and birds their roosts, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head. Luke 9:58 You have most assuredly heard the phrase “attention span.” I joke often about the length of my homilies, whose length …
Trinity Sunday Psalm 8; Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31; Romans 5:1–5; John 16:12–15 On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads [Wisdom] takes her stand. –Prov. 8:2 As you may well expect, on your behalf as your priest and as well as on my own, I turn to accounts screened on videos using the new technology …
2 Easter Psalm 118:14–29; Acts 5:27–32; Rev. 1:4–8; John 20:19–31 Over 30 years ago, while visiting the Metropolitan Art Museum on NYC’s Upper East Side with my family, we chanced upon a scene being filmed on a street near the Museum. A section on the east sidewalk of the street had been cordoned off in …
Lent 4 Psalm 32; Joshua 5:9–12; II Corinthians 5:16–21 ; Luke 15:1–3, 11b–32 But then he came to his senses. Luke 15:17 Last week, while reading today’s lectionary, which we have just heard, an event from my early childhood crashed through my memory barrier with a laser-sharp force which surprised me beyond belief. When many …
(first published 2/21/2021) 1 Lent Psalm 25:1–9; Genesis 9:8–17; I Peter 3:18–22; Mark 1:9–15(for 1 Lent 2021; the reading for 2/21/25 can be found here.) God said to Noah, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I have established between me and all flesh that is on the earth.’ Genesis 9:17 How can it …
7 Epiphany Ps. 1–12, 41–42; Genesis 45:3–11, 15; 1 Cor. 15:35–38, 42–50; Lk. 6:27–38 This morning, I begin my meditation with a citation from the psalm just recited. “Put your trust in the Lord and do good.” (Vs. 3) All of today’s lectionary are appropriate, that is, all guide my thinking in that which I …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, Once again, within a week’s time, I write to announce that tomorrow Sunday’s Eucharist has been cancelled due to the pending snowstorm, and the follow-up freezing rain and sleet. The Annual Meeting, already previously postponed and now scheduled for tomorrow, has been again postponed. It is now scheduled for …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, I write to alert you that the regularly scheduled Sunday 10 a.m. Eucharist has been cancelled for Sunday, 9 February. Anticipating a major winter snowstorm, our diocese is advising parishes to be aware of difficult, dangerous travel conditions. Be aware also that the special liturgy for Absolom Jones …