6 Easter Psalm 98; Acts 10: 44–48; 1 John 5: 1–6; John 15: 9–17 Currently, the news, on television, in print, and on social media has focused our attention on the demonstrations and encampments on our university and college campuses in protest against war in Gaza. You will surely recall the name Gaza from our …
Easter Day Acts 10:34–43; Psalm 118:1–2, 14–24; 1 Cor. 15:1–11; John 20:1–18 Tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away. John 20:15c In the 1980’s there was this great board game called “CLUE,” which was later produced as a hilarious full-length film. It was this board game and film that …
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 …