Sermons by Rev. Dr. Caroline Hall (Page 13)
Palm Sunday Musings
Photo by Valentin Salja on Unsplash Matthew 21:1-11 Philippians 2:5-11 Matthew 26:14- 27:66 I often don’t preach at all on Palm Sunday, letting the readings speak for themselves, but these are strange times which call for different responses. Even though we couldn’t get together and parade around the parking lot, we have just enjoyed remembering the triumphal ride into Jerusalem – with Jesus apparently at the height of his popularity – everything going well. Yet in a few minutes as…
Resurrection
Photo by Pam Riches@unsplash.com Ezekiel 37:1-14 John 11:1-45 The first reading this morning is one which will be familiar to those of you who come to the Easter Vigil, because it is an important story that we often read as part of our Salvation History. It is one of the visions of the prophet Ezekiel. Ezekiel was a contemporary of Jeremiah’s – both of them experienced the final fall of Jerusalem and the exile, but whereas Jeremiah was able to…
Walk in the Light
Photo by Rostyslav Savchyn in Unsplash.com 1 Samuel 16:1-13 Ephesians 5:8-14 John 9:1-41 Psalm 23 I love the readings this Lent. They are all wonderful conversations. Two weeks ago Nicodemus came for a conversation about being born again, then last week the Samaritan woman was offered springs of eternal water and realized she was talking to the Messiah. This week’s story of the blind man, his neighbors, parents and the authorities is almost like an Abbott and Costello sketch. We…
Social distances
Photo by Stephen Hume @ unsplash.com John 4:5-42 I’m sorry I’m not worshiping with you in person this morning though I am participating through livestream. I am not there because I have a very minor chest cold which in normal circumstances I would completely disregard. But these are not normal circumstances. So I am practicing “social distancing” by staying home and I am very grateful to the Rev Susan for stepping in for me. Yesterday the first instance of the…
Born from Above
Photo by Hu Chen @ unsplash.com Genesis 12:1-4a Romans 4:1-5, 13-17 John 3:1-17 When I was a teenager, I was very certain about many things. I knew, for example, exactly how one was born again and I tried to help other people receive Jesus by saying the simple words, “I accept Jesus as my Lord and Savior.” I didn’t realize that some people might just say that in order to amuse themselves, or in order to get rid of me,…
Hunting for Fig Leaves
Photo by Sime Basioli @unsplash.com Genesis 2:15-17; 3:1-7 Romans 5:12-19 Matthew 4:1-11 Psalm 32 My sister once said,” I think we must have come from somewhere very wonderful or we wouldn’t be so dissatisfied with what we have and filled with longing for something better.” Today we start Lent with part of the ancient Creation story. This narrative was developed by the ancient people as a way of explaining that longing that my sister voices, and explaining how things are. …
Created Beautiful and Messy
Luke 2:22-40 Happy Groundhog day! I understand that in Pennsylvania this morning, the groundhog did not see his shadow and so we can expect an early spring. It was the Germans and the Dutch who brought the tradition of Groundhog day to America. The tradition was probably originally based on a bear coming out of hibernation, but as bears became scarce it became a fox or a badger and that translated here to a Ground Hog. Ground hogs or no,…
Discipleship = Stewardship
Photo: Around the Sea of Galilee, Matson Collection [Public domain] Matthew 4:12-23 Today we take a second look at discipleship. Last week we heard the call of the first disciples as told in John’s Gospel – two of John the Baptizer’s disciples intrigued by John’s description of him, asked Jesus where he was staying to which he replied, Come and see. They went and stayed with him. I reflected on what it means to stay with Jesus the Christ and…
God Calling
Photo by Andrew McKie on Pexels John 1:29-42 I wonder what the two disciples found when they went to see where Jesus was staying. I imagine he was probably living very simply like Ghandi, but just as likely he was living in a crowded household with no privacy. You can learn a lot about a person from the way they live in their own home, or the way they live in a communal home. Today’s gospel reading is about identity…
Did you bring the Myrrh?
Detail of the Three Kings from The Adoration of the Magi, tapestry, wool and silk on cotton warp, 101 1/8 x 151 1/4 inches (300 x 384 cm.), Manchester Metropolitan University. Matthew 2:1-12 I hope the year is off to a good start for you personally. On a wider front, I am sure that like me you have watched the fires in Australia and the murder of Iranian general Soleimani with deep concern. I am grateful for the night-time prayer from…