Jesus Archives - Page 10 of 13

Subjunctive Saints

In these final painful days of our electoral season, when saintliness seems remote from the public sphere, the familiar words of what’s popularly known as the Golden Rule: “do to others as you would have them do to you” seem to take on a special urgency. Mostly because they are the words of our Lord, whose teaching I … Read the rest

Blessed be the Seeds

Proper 22C

I never imagined myself saying this in church—or anywhere else, for that matter—but this morning I feel a bit like a mulberry tree. Some very faithful people said “be uprooted from your 13 years of service on the staff of the Bishop of California and be planted at Trinity Cathedral,” and here I am. Feeling a bit out … Read the rest

Eschatological Investment

Proper 20C

Its somewhat legendary in the Episcopal Church that the seminarian or brand new clergy get assigned to preach on the Sundays when the lessons are really difficult, or when the theology is complicated (like on Trinity Sunday). Steve, I’m not a seminarian! And just because I’m moving away is not an excuse to punish me.

But here we … Read the rest

Compassionate Judgment

Proper 19C

Many years ago when I was waking up to my Christian faith, I took a Bible study course that used a particular method for reading scripture. Bible scholars call that a hermeneutic: a lens though which we consciously (or unconsciously) interpret a sacred text. So in this case, for each Scripture passage we studied, we were asked to … Read the rest

In Between the Barns

Proper 13C

“What should I do, for I have no place to store my crops?’ Then he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods.”

So said the rich man in the parable of Jesus we just hear this morning. He’s really … Read the rest

Lord, Teach Us to Pray

Genesis 18:20-32
Luke 11:1-13 Lords Prayer

Today’s Gospel is one that evokes great humility for a preacher. Well, that’s true of almost any Gospel. But what could I possibly say this morning that would add anything to the Lord’s Prayer, which has preached itself through the prayers of billions of people over thousands of years? You all know this prayer; you’ve prayed … Read the rest

Good News for Bad Soil

Matthew 13:1-9

When I was just out of college I spent a year volunteering with Habitat for Humanity at its headquarters in the rural south. I was mostly doing construction work outside, so the pervasive Georgia red dirt found its way into every pore. But I was young and hopeful, so I was kind of proud of the grime that … Read the rest

Sanctuary/Santuario

Proper 7C

Where is your safe place?
¿Dónde está su refugio?

The prophet Elijah, running for his life from the King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, sought safety in a cave on Horeb, the holy mountain of God.

El profeta Elías, corriendo por su vida del rey Acab y la reina Jezabel, busco refugio en una cueva en el Horeb, el … Read the rest

Tears of Pain and Power

Proper 6C

It’s the tears that really get to me in this story. Everything that the woman does is unexpected: the bold entry into the house of a Pharisee, the weeping, the anointing, the contact with the rabbi’s feet, the loosened hair. The reality and the symbolism of each of these actions is quite extraordinary. Even more so if we … Read the rest

Proceed to Life

Proper 5C
Luke 7:11-17

In my diocesan role, I have the privilege of coordinating the annual confirmation liturgy that happens at Grace Cathedral. Yesterday, more than 140 Christian people were confirmed, which meant that—including with their families and presenters—the Cathedral was quite full. A few days before that, I had mentioned to the Precenter—that is, the resident liturgist on the … Read the rest