Ps. 96; Isaiah 9:2 – 7; Titus 2:11 – 14; Luke 2:1 – 14 Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. Romans 8:24f. It may seem peculiar to you …
“O God, who makest us glad with the yearly remembrance of the birth of thy only Son Jesus Christ…” Dear Members and Friends, So begins the Collect of the Nativity of Our Lord, the words that I would intone with fervent solemnity, were we able to assemble in our sanctuary in order to observe, in …
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. James, You receive via this medium, in addition to my weekly reflections on the state of the parish, two attached items [see separate posts]. The first, my Advent-Christmas 2020 Newsletter, many of you should have by now received via USPS. I insert it here, because I became aware that …
3 Advent Psalm 126; Isaiah 61:1 – 4, 8 – 11; I Thessalonians 5:16 – 24; John 1:6 – 8, 19 – 28 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ John 1:19 Against what constant (or variable) do we …
Dear Parishioners and Friends of St. James, This week as I sat in our sanctuary, physically challenged by the low temperature (we heat only at a level to prevent frozen pipes) many thoughts, of which I mention just three, raced through my mind. First, mine was not a Johannine “Revelation,” but rather the realization that …
2 Advent Psalm 85:1 – 2, 8 – 13 ; Isaiah 40:1 – 11; 2 Peter 3:8 – 15; Mark 1:1 – 8 *Comfort, comfort my peoples, says your God. Isa. 40:1 *John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Mark 1:4 *But do not ignore …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, My pastoral note to you this week does not bring details of events or condition of our parish campus. Rather, I chose to the North, in order to reassure you, not only of my concern for you all during these trying days, but to remind you of a …
1 Advent, 29 November 2020 B Ps. 80: 1 – 7, 16 – 18; Isaiah 64:1 – 9; I Corinthians 1:3 – 9; Mark 13:24 – 37 Restore us, O God of hosts, show the light of your countenance, and we shall be saved. —Psalm 80:9 In years and decades past, preachers lamented the …
Dear Members and Friends of St. James, The parish update which accompanies my homily [see tomorrow’s post] for this First Sunday in Advent 2020 leans, fortunately or not, towards the personal. The “or not” or non-personal is to alert you that, while I continue to commiserate with you all over our absence from our …
Ps. 100; Ezekiel 34:11 – 16, 20 – 24; Ephesians 1:14 – 23; Matthew 25:31 – 46 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:10 Truth in advertising: On this Sunday, we conclude another liturgical year and declare, perhaps with a sigh of resignation, …