Readings—Acts 2: 14a, 36-41; Psalm 116: 1-3, 10-17; I Peter 1: 17-23; Luke 24: 13-35 My thoughts this morning begin with the words of our proper collect – Open the eyes of our faith that we may behold [God] in all [the] redeeming work… The Risen Jesus invites us as baptized members of his…
Readings – Acts 2: 14a, 22-32; Psalm 16; I Peter 1: 3-9; John 20: 19-31 158 years ago, the Civil War was ending. It was the war when those states who insisted on white supremacy and slavery pulled away. They no longer wished to stretch to the value put forth in the Declaration of Independence:…
The Resurrection, Christ’s & Ours The resurrection of Christ is central to the Christian faith, yet the Bible does not describe the actual resurrection. Whatever happened that Sunday morning is a mystery. What the Bible does describe is the discovery of the empty tomb and resurrection appearances to his followers. We will examine these stories…
Readings – Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45 Primary Elections are coming up, on 14 May. We will again host a polling place in our parish hall. It is a good thing for us to do. As people of faith, we lift up our voices and vote on the issues of the day. …
Readings – I Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41 The prophet Samuel anointed the first king of Israel, King Saul, and Saul’s reign did not go well. In fact, Saul was still the monarch when Samuel was instructed by God to anoint another. Samuel was sent to Jesse, the Bethlehemite. In the Gospel,…
Readings – Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 In 1774 Benjamin Franklin wrote in Poor Richard’s Almanac the following — Tart words make no friends. A spoonful of honey will catch more flies than a gallon of vinegar. We don’t need to take his word for it. Vinegar, negativity, dehumanizing others,…
Readings – Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7; Psalm 32; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 A few weeks ago I was leaving Weis Market without a cart and was carrying multiple bags of groceries in each hand when an old friend came toward me. He wanted to chat, and we did for a short time. It was difficult to…
Readings—Exodus 24:12-18; Psalm 99; II Peter 1:16-21; Matthew 17:1-9 On this last Sunday after the Epiphany, the season that celebrates the infant of light coming into the world in a stable in Bethlehem, we conclude with the Gospel according to St. Matthew’s account of the Transfiguration. On a mountaintop, Jesus shone brilliantly, accompanied by Peter,…
Readings – Malachi 3:1-4; Psalm 84; Hebrews 2:14-18; Luke 2:22-40 The author St. Luke has jam packed this mornings Gospel reading with meaning. First is the Jewish rite of purification of women following childbirth. At forty days following the birth of a boy, and eighty days after the birth of a girl, the mother was…
Readings – Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; I Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12 This morning’s reading from the Gospel according to St. Matthew is where we begin today. It is immediately recognized as the Sermon on the Mount. St. Luke has a similar passage called the Sermon on the Plain. Scholars tell us that both texts are…