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Of the World
Of the World (Day 3 of A Simple Lent) “They do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world.” One of the temptations for the Christian is to develop an “Us vs. Them” mindset. We have seen this during those fights over so-called religious freedom. We see this when we…
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The one acceptable hypocrisy
The biggest problem we’re facing in the 21st Century involves the limits of inclusion. It is at the heart of the so-called culture war, the immigration debate, and post-9/11 foreign policy. We are seeing it now in matters of race: in policing and in flags: and in matters of guns and safety. And we are (quite remarkably)…
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Make the Kingdom
What Ash Wednesday tells us about what Jesus really wants. It is a time of wrestling with weighty issues of faith and of community; of justice and of the nature of GOD. To wrestle and prepare one another for greater unity. To heal the broken, to care for the weak, to help flip over and…
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The Divine Household – Jesus, division, and a sword that cuts injustice
a Homily for Proper 7 A Text: Matthew 10:24-39 Jesus paints a picture of the divine household that appears frightening: talk of swords and a divided family. But it isn’t the household that frightens, but the realization that our homes aren’t the the true household. Scripture’s many doors This morning’s part of the story…
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Bridging the Gap
a homily for Proper 21C Text: Luke 16:19-31 Picturing the People Listen again to the opening sentences of this parable. Hear it. Close your eyes and take it in. There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and who feasted sumptuously every day. And at his gate lay…
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Love Divided
a homily for Proper 15C Text: Luke 12:49-56 A stressed-out Jesus Stress is popping out of Jesus in this text. As much as He may be trying to contain it, He can’t keep it all in. This that He is doing, this baptism of fire, is stressing Him out. He seems to be coming unhinged.…
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Becoming One
a Sermon for Lent 2C Text: Luke 13:31-35 Jerusalem, Jerusalem A friend asked my Dad for a recommendation years ago. He was hoping to go to Jerusalem with a school exchange program. My Mom, in learning of this plan, wondered aloud “Why?” It sounded pretty awesome to me, so I couldn’t understand what her problem…