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A Family Like Mine: Biblical Stories of Love, Loss, and Longing
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Category Archives: sermon
Being one of the crowd: Palm Sunday 2016
Every Palm Sunday we start off well enough, praising God and waving palms in the air, waving at the passing traffic, throwing blessings around like confetti. Within the hour we have become the baying pack hounding Jesus to the cross, … Continue reading
Posted in current events, holy days, sermon
Tagged Alex Abramovich, betrayal, House of Bishops, mob mentality, Palm Sunday, passion
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Earth, oil, ashes, and a pound of precious nard
I have anointed people for death, and I think Mary was right to get in early, because when I return, a few days later, or a week, I do not come bearing precious nard. Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer, sermon preparation
Tagged anointing, clergy, funerals, Holy Week, John 12:1-8, Mary of Bethany, Palm Sunday, Year C Lent 5
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Jesus, Mary, and Judas
Poor, jealous Judas, love-lorn puppy, eyes stinging from the stench and from the memory: “See how he loved him!” they said when Jesus wept, and now this woman spilling fragrant death all over. Her sister rattles the plates on purpose. Mary, rapt … Continue reading
Year C Lent 4: life and death
It is such a familiar story, and one which we love: God running to us, skirts hitched up, “my child! My child!” It is all the good news that we need. We were dead but are alive again, by the … Continue reading
The prodigal God
Waiting for the God to come home; if I saw her on the road would I run, hitching up my skirts, fire up the pyre, melt the golden calf, sacrifice my unbelief, my cold soul on the altar of her … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer, sermon preparation
Tagged God, Luke 15:11-32, parable, prodigal son, repentance, Year C Lent 4
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A cynical preacher on the prodigal parable
Every story has a point of view. I knew that family. I would have told their story a little differently than Jesus did. I would have told you a little more. The kid was a chancer, a gambler, an addict. … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, sermon preparation
Tagged addiction, cynical preacher, family, Jesus, Luke 15:11-32, parable, prodigal son, Revelation 22:1, Year C Lent 4
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Year C Lent 3: self-examination and repentance
Lest ye repent, says Jesus, you will all perish as they did. It was the first soundbite of Jesus’ campaign trail, his initial mission statement: Repent, for the kingdom of God, the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Our exhortation … Continue reading
The penitent
on her knees scrubbing blood from the pavement beneath the broken icon
Posted in haiku, lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer, sermon preparation
Tagged Luke 13:1-9, penitence, repentance, year c lent 3
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over the water 