Lectionary Archives - Page 5 of 7

Waiting on Gospel Wine

Three weeks ago yesterday I was at a wedding. At The Bishop’s Ranch, which is a pretty special thing because the Ranch normally doesn’t host weddings. For those of you who may not yet be familiar with it, The Bishop’s Ranch is an Episcopal camp and retreat center in the heart of the Sonoma County wine country. … Read the rest

If You See Something, Say Something

bechdel test.jpg

Advent 4C

There is feminist principle for assessing literature and movies called the Bechdel test; maybe you’ve heard of it? It asks whether and how often the work features at least two woman—with names—talking about something other than a man.

So let me say right up front, that the Bible does not fare well on the Bechdel test. … Read the rest

Pretenders to the Throne

Christ the King

I’ve been away from St. Stephen’s a lot recently, so unless you’re directly involved in adult education—which is part of my diocesan day job and mostly what I’m called to do here—I’ve been missing you. But there’s a lot of great new adult classes starting soon, so stay tuned for opportunities to grow in faith. We’ll have … Read the rest

The Sacrificial Yes

Proper 27B

Let me tell you a story. It’s a story that’s been around for a while so probably you know it. It begins with space, a beautiful deep space that was made sacred because the Spirit of God hovered over its face. To make something sacred is to sacrifice it—that’s the Latin root of sacri-fice—and so the earth was … Read the rest

God helps those who help each other

All Saints Day help others

God helps those who help themselves. That’s in the Bible, right?

75% of Americans think so, according to Christian demographer and pollster George Barna. Among those of us who ought to know the Bible a bit better than average, 68% of evangelical Christians and 81% of non “born-again” Christians said that “God helps those who help … Read the rest

Quantum Calling

Proper 25B

“In the quantum world, relationship is the key determiner of everything. Subatomic particles come into form . . . only as they are in relationship to something else. There are no ‘basic building blocks’ . . . These unseen connections between what were previously thought to be separate entities are the fundamental ingredient of all creation.”

So writes … Read the rest

Wisdom in All the Wrong Places

Proper 20B

Who is wise and understanding among you?

The letter of James poses that question rhetorically, because the author already has an answer ready for us: “wisdom… is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” If that’s what you’re like, you are indeed wise. But … Read the rest

A Heart to Heal Hypocrisy

Proper 17B

Sisters and brothers, let us “be doers of the word, not merely hearers.” Be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger; care for orphans and widows in their distress. Did you know that there are more than 100 imperatives in the Letter of James? The list may be long, but at least it’s finite. So the … Read the rest

Not Dead Yet

Matthew 9:18-26 TalithaKum

I might characterize the Gospel lesson we just heard as a tale of two daughters. One of them the well-loved daughter of a Jewish leader, who was so committed to her wellbeing that he was willing to publically humble himself before an itinerant healer of somewhat dubious credentials. The other un-named woman was an evident outcast. We have … Read the rest

Unexceptional Grace

Proper 9B

“I know a person… who was caught up into Paradise,” Paul wrote to the church in Corinth nearly two thousand years ago. “Even considering the exceptional character of the revelations, however, I refrain from boasting.”

This passage is one of my favorites in all of Paul’s voluminous and dense correspondence to the early church, in large part because … Read the rest