Sermons on Spiritual Life (Page 21)
Risen
Photo by Andrew McKie on Pexels Colossians 3:1-4 John 20:1-18 I wonder why Mary did not recognize Jesus? Was it because her eyes were blinded by the light from the angels? Was it because her eyes were filled with tears and in her grief she was not able to see properly? Or was it simply that she did not expect to see him there? This is perhaps one of my favorite gospel passages. I love the simplicity yet the intimacy…
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. …
Get Up!
Transfiguration Sunday (Last Sunday of Epiphany) Sermon February 23, 2020 St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church, Los Osos, California Message from the Mountain (Invocation of the Holy Spirit, suggested by words in Celtic Daily Prayer) Most powerful Holy Spirit, come down upon us and subdue us From heaven, where the ordinary is made glorious, and glory seems but ordinary. Open our spiritual ears, that we hear a word from God. Amen. Transfiguration is a translation of Greek that happens to…
Discipleship and Forgiveness – Lorienne Schwenk
Reconciliation by Vasconcellos, Coventry Cathedral Photo by Martinvl [CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0)] 1 Corinthians 3:1-9 Matthew 5:21-37 This morning I am going to continue the theme of discipleship we have been hearing in Epiphany. We will look at discipleship through two lenses: one much needed, the other a trap. Forgiveness and Idolatry. Our Gospel is full of provocations and that’s good. Like the question we discussed at our tables just three weeks ago at the Annual Meeting. As a reminder: “…in…
Salt of the Earth
Matthew 5:13-20 When I hear Jesus’ words to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth: but if salt has lost its taste, How can its saltiness be restored? My brain goes contrary and asks: Just how can salt lose its taste? And of course, I’m thinking of those little salt granules We put on our food. To relate to Jesus’ teaching, it helps me To picture a salt lick out in a field; They’re put out for livestock.…
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,…