A Sermon for Maundy Thursday “What can we do to help you?’I remember that question so vividlyIt came from the mouth of the bishop of the Lutheran Church in Nigeria. We, a group of seminarians from all over the US, were spending several weeks in Geneva, Switzerland at the World Council of Churches learning allContinueContinue reading “We All Need a Little Help”
Tag Archives: love
Sidewalk Flowers: Ways to say “I love you.”
Reflections for Lent – Day 6 Yesterday at church, parishioners shared with me their favorite cures to sinus infections and colds (yes, I’m sick … still). They asked a whole lot of “Have you tried …?” and offered all sorts of help. I felt a bit overwhelmed. I’m not used to being taken care ofContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Ways to say “I love you.””
Seeking
The texts for Sunday, September 11, 2016 are: Exodus 32:7-14; Psalm 51:1-10; 1 Timothy 1:12-17; and Luke 15:1-10 “Or what woman having ten silver coins, if she loses one of them, does not light a lamp, sweep the house, and search carefully until she finds it?” -Luke 15:8 The unrelenting love of God. That seeks And looks inContinueContinue reading “Seeking”
What kind of love?
The texts for Sunday, May 3, 2015: Acts 8:26–40; Psalm 22:25–31; 1 John 4:7–21; and John 15:1–8 “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love.” – 1 John 4:18 I believe that I can say with absolute certainty thatContinueContinue reading “What kind of love?”
Remain with me
A reflection for Good Friday. The Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42 (sung) Stay with me Remain here with me Watch and pray Watch and pray … These words, which come from a Taize chant, come from a different Gospel account of Jesus’ passion. They are from Jesus’ lips asking his disciples to stay awake inContinueContinue reading “Remain with me”
Speaking Love
The texts for Sunday, September 7th, 2014: Ezekiel 33:7-11; Psalm 119:33-40; Romans 13:8-14; and Matthew 18:15-20 . “So you, mortal, I have made a sentinel for the house of Israel; whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me.” – Ezekiel 33:7 What does it mean to love? I ask thisContinueContinue reading “Speaking Love”
Beloved child, get up.
Text for this reflection (in an Advent series entitled “Revive”): Mark 5:21–43 “Talitha cum,” Little Girl, get up. This text is not one that we normally hear this time of year, in the season of Advent. Normally, we get lots of texts from the old testament prophets or the beginning of the Gospels where weContinueContinue reading “Beloved child, get up.”
“Failing” Lent: Day 10/11
I think I’m actually on Day 12 of Lent at this point (and as I finish this, day 13). I have fallen behind in my reflections. I kind of figured I would … it’s really hard to think of something new to write every day that is appropriate to share and vaguely interesting. I’m sureContinueContinue reading ““Failing” Lent: Day 10/11″
“Failing” at Lent: Day 3
Today was my first “fast” day. It had been a long time since I had fasted last—mostly, I stopped when I started having food issues (I developed an intolerance to egg a long while back) and then gave up meat pretty well full time. I figured that my life was really pretty centered around dietContinueContinue reading ““Failing” at Lent: Day 3″
The water and the fire
The texts for Sunday January 13,2013: Isaiah 43:1-7; Psalm 29; Acts 8:14-17; and Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you.” – IsaiahContinueContinue reading “The water and the fire”
The Vulnerability of Incarnation
The text for this reflection/sermon for the first Wednesday service in Advent (December 5, 2012): Luke 22: 14-19 One of the things that may become obvious, or maybe not, looking at Mary’s swelling belly or the infant Jesus lying in a manger is that Christians aren’t much into the “omni-god.” The “omni-god” is what IContinueContinue reading “The Vulnerability of Incarnation”
Religion of the Heart
The texts for Sunday, September 2, 2012 (Lectionary 22): Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9; Psalm 15; James 1:17–27; and Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23 “So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?'” – Mark 7:5 Every once in a while,ContinueContinue reading “Religion of the Heart”
Daughter
The texts, moved from Sunday, July 1, 2012 to Sunday, June 24, 2012: Lamentations 3:22–33; Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 8:7–15; and Mark 5:21–43 “Your faith has made you well.” ?? My faith! Hardly. I came to Jesus, for sure. But it was not out of faith. It was out of desperation. For twelve years IContinueContinue reading “Daughter”
Love, Jesus (the Christ)
The texts for Sunday, May 13, 2012: Acts 10:44–48; Psalm 98; 1 John 5:1–6; and John 15:9–17 …Dear Church, That seems so formal. I wish I could list you all by name—each and every one of you but then, I suppose I’d never get to what I’d like to say. You are each so preciousContinueContinue reading “Love, Jesus (the Christ)”
Nicene Creed: Mind Words
Texts: 1 Kings 3:3-15, Mark 12:29-30, The Nicene Creed Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all yourContinueContinue reading “Nicene Creed: Mind Words”
Nicene Creed: Soul Words
Texts: Psalm 42, Mark 12:29-30, The Nicene Creed Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. – Psalm 42:2a ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with allContinueContinue reading “Nicene Creed: Soul Words”
Nicene Creed: Heart Words
A sermon/reflection from Wednesday, March 7th, 2012. Texts: John 12:37-43, Mark 12:28-34, The Nicene Creed Grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen. Last Wednesday (if we hadn’t been snow/sleeted/iced out), we would have heard a different text, from Mark actually, that was to frame all of ourContinueContinue reading “Nicene Creed: Heart Words”
The Power of God
The texts for Sunday, March 11, 2012 are: Exodus 20:1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1:18-25; John 2:13-22 “For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.” -1 Corinthians 1:18-25 “It is said that [the Devil] deploys extreme and exquisite cunning to foil God’s power and goodness and toContinueContinue reading “The Power of God”
Jabbok Dawn 