Tag Archives: God

Between

There is a chasm between birth and being where stuff falls, collects and, hidden by the distance and the dark, smoulders, sending up smoke, ciphers breathed in the language of the unborn and forgotten, known only to their God.

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Year C Easter 3: Paying attention

God would like our attention, please. It seems to me that the very different stories in today’s lectionary selections have the common theme of God getting someone’s, or some-two’s, or everyone under heaven and earth’s attention. Hey! Listen up! Pay … Continue reading →

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Year C Epiphany 1: For us, and for our salvation

After Christmas, after Epiphany, we come to the baptism of Jesus. In a way, this story is the culmination and confirmation of everything that has happened up to now. An angel announced his conception. Faithful even before he was born, … Continue reading →

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Epiphany

Epiphany: A lightbulb moment. A parish church. A cake, a tradition. People going down to a snowy river in Russia to renew their baptismal promises in the freezing waters. The other Christmas. Magi, wise men, kings; gold, frankincense, myrrh; Herod … Continue reading →

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Holy Innocents

The hard historical evidence for the massacre of the innocents of Bethlehem may be sketchy, thank God, yet the meme pervades our culture, from Moses to Jesus; even though we can barely comprehend the idea, we admit it to our … Continue reading →

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Blue Christmas homily

I remember one Christmas Eve years ago, when I was a Sunday School teacher trying to wrangle small children dressed as shepherds and herd animals dressed as small children and deal with both kings and wise guys and try not … Continue reading →

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Hannah’s hope

I could say a lot about Hannah. I feel as though I almost know her, I have almost met her, across a crowd, just out of reach. I recognize her, the tilt of her head, her hair obscuring her face. … Continue reading →

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Packing bags

I try to summon a spirit of tenderness to the task: praying for the woman who wanted toothpaste (I had none); wondering who will want the pet food – who still has room in a hungry life for a heartfelt … Continue reading →

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Year B Proper 22: Little children

A sermon for my first Sunday at Church of the Epiphany, Euclid, Ohio – October 7, 2012 I think that, with your indulgence, I’ll save talking about Jesus’ take on divorce and remarriage for when we have got to know … Continue reading →

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William Tyndale and the passionate vocation

A homily for the Thursday morning Eucharist at Bexley Hall Episcopal Seminary, October 4, 2012 William Tyndale was a man with a passion, a man with a mission, with a calling so strong it drove him crazy. How else to … Continue reading →

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