I want to begin some of the words from the psalm: “God be merciful to us and bless us, show us the light of your countenance and come to us. Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you. Let the nations be glad and sing for joy…” It is with […]
One of the challenges in writing a sermon is finding the meaning in the scripture, but right here at the end, Jesus explains all the parts and players in the parable, and then gives us the bottom line—evil doers in this world will be collected up when Jesus comes back. They will be thrown into […]
As any good student knows, there is a difference between learning something and applying what you learn in real life. In our Collect today, the writer speaks of God teaching us to keep the commandments, loving God and each other. There is a big difference between learning what we should do, and actually doing it. […]
“Keep, O Lord, your household the Church in your steadfast faith and love, that through your grace we may proclaim your truth with boldness, and minister your justice with compassion; for the sake of our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.” Amen. When […]
“Roads go ever, ever on…” I love this quote, it is from the last page of The Hobbit, by Tolkein. Today in the Gospel we find the disciples on a road, and a road is a likely setting for Luke to tell the stories of Jesus. Eric Berreto, a New Testament Professor at Princeton, gives […]
He is risen! The Lord is risen indeed! I have even more good news—seriously! Think about it, because everyone is home, there is little chance that you will miss the Easter Bunny. When I was very little, one of my favorite holidays was Easter. I would like to say it was because Jesus rose from […]
I cannot escape my nature, and I am a fixer. I love fixing things. Even as a child I would take things apart and put them back together—including my alarm clock. I come by this naturally, my desire to make things right, to make things new, is deep. But I am only human, and I […]
“Gracious Father, whose blessed Son Jesus Christ came down from heaven to be the true bread which gives life to the world: Evermore give us this bread, that he may live in us, and we in him; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.” You might […]
When my sister Lynda was 15, the nun who was her homeroom teacher at the Catholic high school, went around the room and asked each girl what she was giving up for Lent. As her classmates answered, my sister became more and more irritated. Most said they were giving up candy, 90% at least. My […]
The scriptures are full of wisdom and advice from the Jewish community. I was thinking of examples of modern-day advice givers, and Dear Abby, and Ask Ann Landers came to mind. Did you know that the two women behind these syndicated columns are twins and are also Jewish? According to the Jewish Women’s Archive, “Both […]