Readings—Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28; Psalm 14; I Timothy 1:12-17; Luke 15:1-10 Today I will begin with the word “vengeance”. Webster defines vengeance as “punishment given in return for an injury or offense”. In ancient times it was not unusual for the offense of one man to be avenged by wiping out his entire family, or even…
Readings– Jeremiah 18:1-11; Psalm 139:1-5, 12-17; Philemon 1-21; Luke 14:25-33 One of my favorite images of God at work is the image from Jeremiah of a potter, shaping clay. The image works for me because many times throughout my life I have been shaped by those loving, powerful hands, shaped and re-shaped, again and again. …
Jeremiah 2:4-13; Psalm 81:1,10-16; Hebrews 13:1-8,15-16; Luke 14:1, 7-14 Part I Additional readings from the Old Testament Exodus 23: 9 You shall not oppress a stranger; you know the heart of a stranger for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. Leviticus 19: 33-34 When a stranger sojourns with…
Readings – Isaiah 5:1-7; Psalm 80:1-2,8-18; Hebrews 11:29-12:2; Luke 12:49-56 From the Penitential Order found in the 1979 Book of Common Prayer, p, 351: Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all…
Readings- Isaiah 1:1, 10-20; Psalm 50: 1-8,23-24; Hebrews 11: 1-3,8-16; Luke 12: 32-40 From the Gospel according to St. Luke Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit… for the Son of Man [Jesus] is coming at an unexpected hour… First, “have your lamps lit…”. In the heat this summer we are constantly encouraged to…
Readings – Hosea 11:1-11; Psalm 107:1-9,43; Colossians 3:1-11; Luke 12:13-21 In ancient Israel about 1900 B.C.E. geologists tell us that the area around Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed by an earthquake followed by fire. The earthquake exposed some oil and gas deposits that ignited into a consuming fire. The people of the day, and those…
Readings –Amos 8:1-12; Psalm 52; Colossians 1:15-28; Luke 10:38-42 Our parents always told us that “actions speak louder than words”. Ever hear that? “Actions speak louder than words.” Hold that thought. St. Paul in our reading from Colossians wrote — [Jesus] is the head of the body, the church… In him all things hold together…
Readings: Deuteronomy 10:17-21; Psalm 145; Hebrews 11:8-16; Matthew 5:43-48 We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this constitution for…
Readings: Acts 16:16-34; Psalm 97; Revelation 22:1-14,16-17,20-21; John 17:20-26 St. Paul and Silas, who were living at Lydia’s place, had been out and about, and it seems were returning to her place, the place of prayer. They encountered a slave girl who was a money maker for her owners, telling fortunes for paying customers. It…
Readings: Acts 16:9-15; Psalm 67; Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5; John 14: 23-29 In our reading this morning from the Acts of the Apostles we learn of St. Paul and his companion, Silas, leaving the familiar ground, being invited, through a vision, into Greece, onto the European continent. This is a first step out of their comfort…