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Category Archives: sermon
Healing the holidays homily 2014 edition: holding out on hope
Six months before the Angel Gabriel to earth came down, as the story goes, he was hanging out in Jerusalem, visiting with Zechariah. Zechariah and Elizabeth were much older than Mary – which is not to say that the young … Continue reading
Posted in homily
Tagged Christ, Christmas, despondency, Elizabeth, God, hope, Incarnation, Zechariah
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Annunciation and assent
Ave Accustomed to many perplexing forms of greeting from the ridiculous to the ribald, when hailed by the sublime she was only mildly bemused, hardly struck dumb at all. Maria Accustomed to the music of her name on the lips … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, poetry, sermon preparation
Tagged annunciation, Ave Maria, Gabriel, Mary, year b advent 4
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Year B Advent 3: Do not quench the Spirit
It really wasn’t the first time I’d spoken up at church. I mean, I’d been reading the Lessons since I was twelve; I’d been on the PCC, which is a rough English translation of Vestry. I’d taught Sunday School, participated … Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged Advent, Ann Fontaine, becoming, CIA torture report, I Thessalonians 6, Isaiah 61, repentance
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Do not quench the spirit
From the Lectionary for Year B Advent 3: 1 Thessalonians 5:19 Do not quench the spirit, pour cold water on its fervour; be afraid of the passion it inflames; that is only the beginning of wisdom. Let it burn. Do … Continue reading
Year B Advent 2: Comfort ye my people
This sermon quotes liberally and loosely the lectionary readings for the day throughout: Isaiah 40:1-11, Psalm 85, 2 Peter 3:8-15, Mark 1:1-8 Comfort, comfort ye my people. The history of this oracle is the return of the Exiles from Babylon … Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged 2Peter 3:8-15, Cleveland police department, Eric Garner, gospel, injustice, Isaiah 40:1-11, Jerusalem, justice, Mark 1:1-8, patience, Psalm 85, Tamir Rice
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Wild honey
I will not be preaching about John the Baptist tomorrow, but I have been thinking about his wild honey habit and the sweetness of such mercies found along the way. Each of my mothers, who were both called Ann(e), had … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, meditation, other words
Tagged adoption, bees, family, honey, John the Baptist
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Advent meditation: parables, fools, and poetry
Written for the Diocese of Ohio Advent meditations collection, Advent 2014 (see more at http://www.dohio.org) Readings for Thursday of the First Week of Advent: Psalm 118: 19-24; Isaiah 26: 1-6; Matthew 7: 21-27 Rock of Ages They called him a … Continue reading
Poisonous legacies and new tongues
The basic hagiography of Francis Xavier goes something like this: Born in 1506 in the Navarre region of France, Francis met Ignatius of Loyola as a young man, and was greatly influenced by his friendship. Together, with others, they formed … Continue reading
Year B Advent 1: Be the gospel
We enter Advent slap bang in the middle of Mark’s little apocalypse; this end of the world, stars falling out, desolating times piece of prophecy: the little apocalypse. The thing about apocalypse is that it comes up over and over … Continue reading
Posted in sermon
Tagged 1 Corinthians 1:3-9, apocalypse, Benjamin Watson, Daniel, ferguson, Gandhi, gospel, Mark 13:24-37, Michael Brown, racism, Tamir Rice
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Sheep and goats: beyond the parable
The first goat I ever met as an individual, got to know as a person, as it were, lived in an urban back garden in Oxford, England. He did not, however, necessarily stay there. One evening, doing the dishes after … Continue reading
Posted in lectionary reflection, sermon preparation
Tagged Matthew 25, parable, sheep and goats
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