“Ahead of them went the star that they had seen at its rising, until it stopped over the place where the child was. When they saw that the star had stopped, they were overwhelmed with joy. On entering the house, they saw the child with Mary his mother; and they knelt down and paid him […]
Wars and insurrections. Nation against nation, kingdom against kingdom. Great earthquakes. Famines. Plagues. Dreadful portents and great signs from heaven. The law that’s helping fuel Delhi’s deadly air pollution. [1] Vast brush fires rip across Australia. [2] The battle against one of the worst Ebola epidemics ever is in trouble. [3] Civilians rush to escape […]
Good morning. I’m Clare Beam, and I’m the chair of the stewardship committee. I thank you for the honor of welcoming me to this podium. In turn, I would like to welcome you into the excitement of stewardship, and specifically the annual pledge campaign, at Holy Cross. This is the second year I have overseen […]
Good morning. Today I want to talk about two topics raised by this morning’s Gospel reading. The first topic is the question, “How can I find the strength to do all the things God has called on me to do?” And the second question flows from the first, “Can I actually make a difference?” You […]
Good morning. I’m glad to see everyone here in the congregation this morning. Especially because weather in Washington this week was brutal. It reminds me of the old joke that the motto of the Washington Chamber of Commerce is: “Come for the traffic—you’ll stay for the humidity.” Today’s Gospel reading has been the subject of […]
This past week, I was offered a chance to take my 15-year-old goddaughter niece to see the musical “Hamilton.” It seems her father made a mistake on the date when buying a pair of tickets, so he couldn’t take her as planned. And she REALLY wanted to see this show. It wasn’t entirely convenient for […]
Good morning. First thought: today’s Gospel reading from John may be one of the most important messages in the Bible on Christian daily living. Second thought: if one wants to think about the application of scripture to life today, it really helps to have an example. So, this morning, I want to talk about seeing […]
Well, my brothers and sisters, today is my last day with you as your seminarian. As such, this is my last sermon at Holy Cross. And, while there are several good readings to choose from on this occasion, I would be remiss if I left this place without having preached on the book of Revelation. […]
There was a battle raging in the wilderness, but now it has come to the city. And not just any city, but Jerusalem: yeru-shalayim, the City of Peace. If you can remember back to the first Sunday in Lent, all the way back to the temptation of Jesus in the wilderness, then you might recall […]
There is a battle raging in the wilderness. The temptation of Jesus in our Gospel reading this morning is not merely an assessment of Jesus’ self-control or his spiritual discipline; it is, in fact, the beginning of a war for the allegiance of humankind. The battle raging in the wilderness is between two kingdoms: the […]