This past Sunday was the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord — recalling Joseph and Mary presenting the infant Jesus at the Temple (Luke 2:22-40), to dedicate him, as their firstborn, to God. I love this feast day because it includes one of my favorite passages from Scripture, the Nunc dimittis, or Song of … Continue reading Good news — You may now be dismissed
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Sowing in fertile soil
“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, … Continue reading Sowing in fertile soil
Waiting in joy and praise
“Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” Acts 1:4b-5 This scene occurs immediately before the Ascension, and Jesus is telling the apostles to wait patiently … Continue reading Waiting in joy and praise
Asking in the name of salvation
Very truly, I tell you, you will weep and mourn, but the world will rejoice; you will have pain, but your pain will turn into joy. Very truly, I tell you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you. John 16:20, 23b Jesus has just told the disciples he'll … Continue reading Asking in the name of salvation
Ascension: bringing the Incarnation full-circle
Thursday was Ascension Day, one of the most important and yet least celebrated events in the broader Church calendar. We’ve just had Easter — the celebration of our Lord’s bodily Resurrection. The grave and sin were conquered. Then, we had 40 days to walk with the risen Lord through the Easter season, until the Gospel … Continue reading Ascension: bringing the Incarnation full-circle
Finding our identity in Christ
This post originally was delivered as a sermon for the Third Sunday of Easter at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Enid, Okla., Sunday, 15 April, 2018. Readings are from the Revised Common Lectionary Year B. Mr. Ralph Alsman, of Brookville, Ind., was by most standards an unremarkable man. The 25 year-old man led a fairly normal … Continue reading Finding our identity in Christ
Our call, beyond the tomb
He is risen. Those three simple words tell us the meaning of Easter. Christ was crucified. Christ is risen. After suffering death on the cross and descending to the dead, Jesus conquered death, rose again and forever opened the door for us to follow him out of the grave. The first evangelism of Christ’s resurrection … Continue reading Our call, beyond the tomb
Fasting: our Lenten call to action
Most of us start Lent asking ourselves, or being asked, what we will give up. This act of giving something up – a favorite food, a frivolous pastime or common distraction – is all many people know of Lent, and can broadly be categorized as fasting. The practice of fasting is an ancient and important … Continue reading Fasting: our Lenten call to action
Stardust, ashes and surrendering all for everything
An Ash Wednesday reflection ... a few days late. Our entry into this period of self-examination and penitence traditionally begins with the visible mark of ashes on our forehead. If you’re lucky, the mark resembles a cross – the sign of our faith. But, whether you receive the perfect ashen Roman cross or something resembling … Continue reading Stardust, ashes and surrendering all for everything
Finding strength in the humanity of God
For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the … Continue reading Finding strength in the humanity of God
The inward journey to Epiphany
If you follow the traditional church calendar you may recall today is the last day of Christmas, which also makes it Epiphany Eve. The Epiphany, often overlooked in the wake of Christmas and New Year’s celebrations, is a holy day unto itself, and a festival day in many countries. Drawn from the Greek word epipháneia, … Continue reading The inward journey to Epiphany
The Holy Name
Today we remember the Feast of The Holy Name, known in other traditions as the Feast of the Circumcision. This feast day, which occurs on Jan. 1 each year, recalls the bris for Jesus – the traditional Jewish ceremony in which a boy would be circumcised and given his name. The ceremony comes from the … Continue reading The Holy Name
Our help and our shield
Psalm 33: 16-22 “A king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is not delivered by his great strength. The war horse is a vain hope for victory, and by its great might it cannot save. Truly the eye of the Lord is on those who fear him, on those who hope in his steadfast … Continue reading Our help and our shield
The spirit of Thomas Becket
Today, Dec. 29th, marks the 847th anniversary of the death of Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, protector of the Church, martyr for the faith and saint. The feast day of St. Thomas Becket is worthy of remembrance in its own right, but in today's atmosphere of American politics and the mix of Church and political … Continue reading The spirit of Thomas Becket
Advent: Cleaning house with Mary
In the words of the old Bing Crosby song, “It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas.” No, this is not one of those grumpy War on Christmas columns. I love Christmas with all its trappings, though I do wish it were more about the spirit of giving and less about the price of the … Continue reading Advent: Cleaning house with Mary
