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out of regard for his oaths and for the guests
In Mark 6:14-29, the famous death of John the Baptist, we get a scene so absurd we might miss what’s right in front of us. When Herod went to see a therapist to justify killing John Proper 10B | Mark 6:14-29 If he had had Charles Dickens to draw on, Herod might’ve described this as…
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Standing Among Us
John the Baptist returns for Advent 3B (John 1:6-8,19-28). But do we handicap the truth by expecting honesty in response to a dishonest question? Advent 3B | John 1:6-8,19-28 Who are you? This is the question the priests and Levites were sent to ask. Sent. By whom? The Pharisees. So why are the Pharisees sending the…
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Rethink the Gospel for Advent 3B – Who are you?
Advent 3B | John 1:6-8,19-28 Two weeks in a row, the preacher gets to deal with John the Baptizer. And some of the elements sound repetitive. The quote from Isaiah, the preaching and preparing of the way, for instance. It is a subtle switch from Mark to John. And yet, while we might have the…
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Repentance–Turning Toward Love
In preaching repentance, John reveals the surprising truth about the mission of Jesus. That we are first called to admit that we were wrong. Advent 2B | Mark 1:1-8 Reading the opening verses of Mark, we’re often struck by what’s not there. There’s no Mary and Joseph. No trip to Bethlehem, to David’s city. We…
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Don’t Run Away
We cannot run from this responsibility to fix the brokenness and bring Shalom (peace) to our community. Bear fruits worthy of repentance! Because if we can’t do it, GOD will find someone else to do it! GOD can make the children of Abraham from these stones! Preparing for GOD means dealing with problems Advent 3C…
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The Crooked Path
When we lighten our hearts, when we give away the sin like plaque that’s collected on our arteries, stifling our hearts and destroying our lives, we can breathe. We can run. We can love. Preparing a way for GOD’s kingdom come Advent 2C | Luke 3:1-6 The Beginning We begin again. We end. We begin.…
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The Opening Act
John the Baptizer and the new thing he creates a Homily for Advent 3B | Texts: John 1:6-8,19-28 The messiah is in the wilderness, among the people seeking repentance. He isn’t in Jerusalem with the Pharisees. He isn’t judging or obsessing over the rules. He isn’t kicking out the people who don’t follow the rules,…
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To Be Continued
The never-ending story of GOD a Homily for Advent 2B | Text: Mark 1:1-8 The Beginning The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This gospel, given to us by the writer we call Mark, opens with a declaration of beginning. It does not say this is the beginning,…