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The sword rages

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost

Hosea 11:1-11

Psalm 117:1-9, 43

Colossians3:1-11

Luke 12:13-21

We have lived through another horrible week in this country; two mass killings in less than 24 hours, in cities hundreds of miles apart. Nearly 30 dead. Hatred and racism finally show their ugly faces unmasked. In the reading from Hosea, we hear God’s anguished cry that Israel has forsaken the divine parental love – like an infant God had lifted us to God’s cheek. But we have worshiped false gods — the gods of nationalism, power, violence, division — and so the sword rages in our cities. God is heartbroken, and yet will not abandon us. Continue reading “The sword rages”

On saying goodbye

Today, after more than twenty six years at the same congregation, I said goodbye. There were a lot of tears on many faces, mine included. I won’t quickly process what all of my emotions around those years, and this day. I stood looking out over all those people whose parents, and spouses, and in several cases, whose children I’ve buried. There were many couples whose weddings I officiated, and whose children I baptized; and in several cases, children I had baptized holding children of their own I have had the privilege to baptize.

Mary and Martha

21 July 2019
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 11C (RCL)
Amos 8:1-12
Psalm 52
Colossians 1:15-28
Luke 10:38-42

Oh, we don’t like the story of Mary and Martha. Someone has to wash the dishes, right? If Martha doesn’t bang those pots and pans, Jesus will not be welcomed as necessary in her house, right? But Jesus doesn’t seem to give her a pass by honoring the work she is doing. Continue reading “Mary and Martha”

What is it to be human?

30 June 2019
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 8C (RCL)
2 Kings2:1-2, 6-14
Psalm 77:1-2, 11-20
Galatians 5:1, 13-25
Luke 9:51-62

Luke 9:51 is of course a turning point in Luke’s account of Jesus. From this point onward, his narrative is directed toward the events of Jerusalem. Luke immediately connects this turn to four short sayings. The first about a village of the Samaritans. James and John want to imitate Elijah and call down fire upon them (2 Kings 1:10-12). Elijah operated primarily in the Northern Kingdom, so the connection would be obvious. Continue reading “What is it to be human?”

The politics of swine

23 June 2019
Second Sunday after Pentecost
Proper 7C (RCL)
1 Kings 19:1-15a
Psalm 42 & 43
Galatians 3:23-29
Luke 8:26-39

Poor Elijah; he’s had enough, enough to be ready to die. He’s just slaughter 400 of the prophets of Ba’al, and now Jezebel promises to make him just like one of them. He runs away into the wilderness (a smart move), and sits down under a broom dry and asks to die. One suspects that the author of the book of Jonah had read 1 Kings. Instead, he takes a nap, and an angel gives him bread and water (just as God gave the Israelites manna and water on their wilderness journey). This happens twice, and then he journeys to the mount of God. Continue reading “The politics of swine”

Each in our own dialect

9 June 2019
The Feast of Pentecost
Pentecost C (RCL)
Genesis 11:1-9
Psalm 104:25-35, 37
Acts 2:1-21
John 14:8-17, 25-27

I have often heard it preached (and probably preached it myself), that Pentecost undoes Babel. But I don’t think that’s true. The point of Babel seems to me that God desire diversity, and wants the human race scattered over the face of the earth. God desire a variety of languages and experiences, so that we may learn from each other how others see God. Continue reading “Each in our own dialect”

What is glory?

2 June 2019
Seventh Sunday of Easter
Easter 7C (RCL)
Acts 16:16-34
Psalm 97
Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, , 20-21
John 17:20-26

I’m sure Luke included this little story as a way of showing that Jesus’s name continues to have power over the spiritual powers of the world, even in the age of the apostles. When things like the theater and the arena were considered the realm of demons, and practitioners thereof who became Christian had to extract themselves from such employment, one could speak of that process in terms of exorcism. I suppose we could use such language today (and I’m sure there are some who do) when speaking of leaving a life of drugs or the sex trade. Jesus’ name continues to have power. Continue reading “What is glory?”

Yet a little while

19 May 2019
Fifth Sunday of Easter
Easter 5C (RCL)
Acts 11:1-18
Psalm 148
Revelation 21:1-6
John 13:31-35

I think we are a little surprised to hear Jesus say, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” Just a chapter further on, he will say, “In my father’s house are many dwelling places (rest stops). If it were not so, I would not have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go to prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where I am going, you know the way.” Continue reading “Yet a little while”

Testimony of works

12 May 2019
Fourth Sunday of Easter
(Good Shepherd Sunday)
Easter 4C (RCL)
Acts 9:36-43
Psalm 23
Revelation 7:9-17
John 10:22-30

The Gospel reading for this Sunday comes from that section of John’s Gospel often called the Good Shepherd Discourse. In the discourse, Jesus speaks one of the great I AM statements: I AM the Good Shepherd. In the passage we will hear on Sunday, he does not use this phrase, but says only, “You do not trust me because you do not belong to my sheep. My sheep hear my voice.” Continue reading “Testimony of works”

Fish for breakfast

5 May 2019
Third Sunday of Easter
Easter 3C (RCL)
Acts 9:1-20
Psalm 30
Revelation 5:11-14
John 21:1-19

The Gospel reading this week feels like an appendix to John’s Gospel. The reading last week ended with a statement about all the things Jesus did not written in the book, and that these are written so that we may come to believe, and believing may have eternal life. A good place to end the book. And then we get this, oh, yeah, by the way story. Continue reading “Fish for breakfast”