Sermons

February 25:The Second Sunday in Lent (St. Paul’s) lectionary covenants: If we have been hearing and responding to the image of Jesus’ ministry, who he is, and what that means for us through the Epiphany season. Our emphasis changes in Lent. Today the theme of Lent is put plainly before us. It is Covenant . “walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham” The theme of “covenant” is reworked and repeated with variations throughout the coming weeks of Lent. Next week it is expressed in the Ten Commandments. Jesus cleanses the Temple. The following week, the covenant people grumble in the wilderness. God, who is the other party to the covenant, finally moves t...

Homily for Lent 1: St. Paul’s 2/18/2018 lectionary See what I mean about Mark’s gospel. How hard it is to move through it? Here we are this Sunday still in Chapter 1. We were reading from this part of the gospel back at the beginning of Epiphany. But today we begin a different cycle within a cycle. We follow a Lenten pattern for the season of Lent, then a separate cycle of readings during Easter season. Jesus’ experience in the wilderness by tradition begins the Lenten season. It so happens that this Marcan account of the wilderness experience, following the baptism, is the shortest of the 3 versions of the Synoptic gospels. In abrupt fashion, not unusual for the gospel of Mark, he tells what went down, there in the wilderness, and moves on with his Gospel. The wilderness experience is deeply associated with Lent. I learned on Wednesday that you have a tradition of keeping a little desert in the holy water fonts during Lent. A reminder for us of this basic ass...

Ash Wednesday Homily: St. Paul’s, Monroe Lectionary Begin liturgies where actions speak as loud as words Today it is ashes. Later it will be dramatic readings of the Crucifixion Washing of feet Bow before the cross in adoration Baptism: Why I have been an advocate of lots of water at baptism – preferably a pool so that it looks and feels like a bath – which the word baptism really means. Owen as youngster was scared of ashes – didn’t like masks at halloween either. Young people can often see spiritual reality that older folks can’t. 1st priest boss: this gospel is an occasion where the church does the opposite of what Jesus literally says. “Don’t show off your piety before others” – and I clearly found it powerful to wear ashes in public as an affirmation of my faith. Is this Jesus having a sense of humor? Being ironic? It is crucial to my experience of Jesus that he can laugh and be ironic. Should we...

Sermon Epiphany 5 – Feb. 4, 2018 Lectionary Isaiah 40:21–31 1 Corinthians 9:16–23 Mark 1:29–39 Psalm 147:1–12, 21c 1 Hallelujah! How good it is to sing praises to our God! * how pleasant it is to honor him with praise! Paul: both free and slave Jesus heals many (Simon’s mother-in-law) Jesus preaches to many Epiphany season as: inauguration, revelation, manifestation, of Jesus’ ministry Baptism, wilderness, Choose a team Heal and teach with power and authority We continue where last week’s gospel reading left off Epiphany season is in many ways an extended series of readings about who this Messiah is who has come into the world. Last week we heard he is one who “teaches and heals with authority.” This week in a sense we go deeper. Rather than ephasizing what he does we begin to get a sense of how he goes about doing it. What is the character of this person? A Christian is one who points at Christ and says, ‘I can’t prove a thing, but there’s something about his ...