Readings – Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25; Psalm 78:1-7; I Thessalonians 4:13-18; Matthew 25:1-13 I can remember as a child sitting next to my father in our 1951 gray Plymouth two-door and cruising the neighborhood gas stations looking for $0.23 gas. Some of you can probably remember even buying lower-priced gas. I don’t think those prices for…
Readings – Revelation 7:9-17; Psalm 34:1-10,22; I John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:1-12 Tuesday is Election Day here in Central Pennsylvania. I expect all of us will cast votes, maybe some already have through mail in voting. We will be voting for township officials, county officials, district attorneys, judges. Not too long ago we called all those…
Readings – Deuteronomy 34:1-2; Psalm 90:1-6,13-17; I Thessalonians 2:1-8; Matthew 22:34-46 Scholars write that St. Paul’s letters to the congregation at Thessalonica may be the earliest of his letters, being written at 50 CE when St. Paul was in Corinth. He may have written earlier letters, but these are the first letters we still have. …
Readings – Exodus 20:1-4,7-9,12-20; Psalm 19; Philippians 3:4b-14; Matthew 21:33-46 St. Paul, before he was so named, was called Saul, a well-respected rabbi. As Saul he presided over the stoning death of St. Stephen, stoned because he declared that Jesus, the crucified one, had risen from the dead and was the long-awaited Messiah. According the Acts…
Readings – Jeremiah 22:13-16; Psalm 148:7-14; Galatians 6:14-19; Matthew 11:25-30 This morning my sermon will be an old-fashioned three-point reflection on St. Francis whom we honor today. Our entire liturgy honors him with the Beatitudes, with the post-communion prayer that is attributed to him, with the four-part blessing, and with the lessons and collect designated for…
Readings – Exodus 16:2-15; Psalm 105:1-6,37-45; Philippians 1:21-30; Matthew 20: 1-16 “It’s not supposed to be like this.” It is a familiar thought for many of us as we journey through life. “It’s not supposed to be like this”, said the ancient Hebrews after their flight from Egypt. Moses, did you bring “us out [of Egypt]…
Readings—Exodus 12:1-14; Psalm 149; Romans 13:8-14; Matthew 18: 15-20 I think we can safely say that the first two words of our Gospel reading are not accurate – “Jesus said…”. Much more probable are these words – “St. Matthew said…”. Remember that before the reading we say, “The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according…
Readings — Exodus 3:1-15; Psalm 105:1-6,23-26,45c; Romans 12:9-12; Matthew 16:21-18 To be a person of faith in our times is to be a person of courage. To be a person of faith is to keep our eyes, our ears, our hearts, and our minds open to the presence of God, and to act in partnership…
Readings – Exodus 1: 8-2:10; Psalm 124; Romans 12: 1-8; Matthew 16: 13-20 Let’s focus on St. Peter today. Just a couple of Sundays ago we read about his water-walking. He stepped out of the fishing boat of disciples crossing the Sea of Galilee. He walked alone toward Jesus who was also water-walking. At first,…
Readings – Genesis 45: 1-15; Psalm 133; Romans 1-2a,29-32; Matthew 15: 10-28 The Prayer of the Church is the Lord’s Prayer, the “Our Father”. Every Sunday, we pray together at the conclusion of the Great Thanksgiving, just before the climactic “Breaking of The Bread” – “The Gifts of God for the People of God”. Morning…