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Category Archives: sermon
Year B Lent 4: snakes alive
There comes a time, Jesus tells Nicodemus, to look up, and to trust God, even though you know there are snakes snapping at your ankles, even though you know there is more work to do, more wilderness to slog through, more sin to solve, more than you can shake a stick at; there comes a time to look up and to trust God, even though what you see looking back is the serpent that bit you; even though what you see is the Son of Man crucified, dying on a cross. For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged Ephesians 2:1-10, For God so loved the world, Jesus, John 3:14-21, Moses, Nicodemus, Numbers 21:4-9, snakes
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Prayer drought
A reflection for the Lenten collection of the Diocese of Ohio. From the day’s readings: “Jesus was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone out, the one who was mute spoke, and the crowds were … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, meditation, poetry, prayer
Tagged Diocese of Ohio, Lent, Luke 11:14, prayer
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Year B Lent 3: Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us; therefore let us keep the feast
There’s something unusual about the way that John’s gospel tells the story of the cleansing of the temple. Each of the four gospels tells some version of this event, and they are, for biblical accounts, surprisingly close in detail to … Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged cleansing the temple, death, Eucharist, ferguson, Jerusalem, Jesus, John, Passover, Selma, Spong, Year B Lent 3
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Pigeon
I like to hang around the fountains, water coolers of the city, where traffic intersects, dropping crumbs of cake and gossip, lies and lives. Few notice me, but in the moment that it takes their breath to fall I have named … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, meditation, poetry, sermon preparation
Tagged ark, creation, dove, fountain, pigeon, sacrifice, temple cleansing, water, Year B Lent 3
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Year B Lent 2: putting a spin on the gospel
One of the good things to come out of the trials and tribulations of Brian Williams and Bill O’Reilly, in hot water over the accuracy of their memories of reporting from dangerous places, accused of polishing their credentials, of burnishing … Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged Abraham, Bill O'Reilly, Brian Williams, cross, denial, despair, faith, God won't give you more than you can handle, gospel, Jesus, lies, memory, Paul, Peter, spin
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Simon Peter Says
Think positive Put on a brave face Put your best foot forward Do not waver Do not speak of death and it will not happen Do not look upon the cross and it will not crush you Look on the … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation
Tagged Jesus, mark 8:31-38, Peter, way of the cross, Year B Lent 2
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Year B Lent 1: aftermath
Why – why in God’s name would God, of all people, need to set a reminder to remember not to wipe out creation? We tell the story to our children, that the rainbow was a gift from God to remind … Continue reading
Ashes and coaldust
Of all the symbols that we use in the Christian year, the ashes of Ash Wednesday might be at once the most unambiguous and the most strange. A wise colleague was recently heard to remark on the popularity of “ashes-to-go” … Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged absolution, Ash Wednesday, ashes to go, childhood, Christmas, forgiveness, God, penitnence
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Transfiguration: no shades of gray, only glory
“For the glory of God is a living human; and the life of a person consists in beholding God. For if the manifestation of God which is made by means of the creation, affords life to all living in the … Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged #blacklivesmatter, dignity, Fifty Shades of Grey, human trafficking, Irenaus, respect, Shannon Beck, Transfiguration
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Transfiguration
thunderous light falling crushing sight and sound, revealing in the core of being darkness split by the silver of a sharp-edged mirror sliver, cracked images dancing; resplendent shards
Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, prayer
Tagged imago dei, Last Sunday after the Epiphany, Transfiguration
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over the water 