Good Friday Father, forgive them for they know not what they do. Luke 23:34 In the classroom, I was known to begin each seminar with the following two questions: Where do we stand on understanding the author’s argument? Does the author present us with any evidence to substantiate his/her point of view? So it is, …
4 Epiphany Psalm 111; Deuteronomy 18:15–20; 1 Cor. 8:1–13; Mark 1:21–28 They were all amazed…He commands even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. Mk 1.27f This past week, I had a most interesting discussion around my dinner table with someone, about whom I would least likely have said, he believes in miracles. But he …
3 Epiphany Psalm 62; Jonah 3:1–5,10; 1 Corinthians 7:29–31; Mark 1:14–20 Instead of citing a word from scripture, as is traditionally the case when clergy announce the thesis for homilies, sermons, and meditation, I begin today my meditation with a poem written by Arthur Campbell Ainger. Ainger was born 4 July 1841 to a priest …
2 Epiphany Psalm 139:1– 5, 12–17; 1 Samuel 3:1–10; 1 Corinthian 6:12–20; John 1:43–51 On Friday, 6 January, we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany. By today’s standards of the 24-hour news cycle, that is now old news. Indeed, today, on the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, we have begun our pivot toward the Forty Days of Lentwhich begins on Ash Wednesday, 14 February, but only a month …
Christmas Eve Readings for Advent IV Readings for Christmas I Recently, I read a book. Given my previous profession, as well as my current one, it would not surprise me if you were to think: “So, what’s so noteworthy about that. You have devoted your entire life to reading books. That’s what professors and priests …
1 Advent Psalm 80:1–7,16–18; Isaiah 64:1–9; 1 Corinthians 1:3–9; Mark 13:24–37 Beware, keep alert; for you do not know when the time will come. Mark 13:36 Should you remember nothing else of that which I share with you this morning, remember this: Advent is not about counting down the days until Christmas Eve, our celebration …
25 Pentecost Psalm 123; Judges 4:1–7; I Thessalonians 5:1–11; Matthew 25:14–30 So our eyes look to the Lord our God, until he shows us his mercy. Ps. 123:3 We have resisted in this great country of ours the pressures to establish a state church, something our all too human founders knew from Europe. Then, and …
21 Pentecost Psalm 96; Isiah 45:1–7; I Thessalonians 1:1–10; Matthew 22:15–22 The earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein. Ps.24:1 So spake the psalmist. And Jesus said, according to Matthew’s record, “Give therefore to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s, and to God the things …
16 Pentecost Psalm 114; Exodus 14:19–31; Romans 14:1–12; Matt 18:21–35 I offer you this morning, the opportunity to engage me in a word game. I give you three words and ask you to choose one and then describe an instance, when you could use your choice to describe an action which you engaged in. The …