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Faith Means Believing Even When the Outcome is in Doubt
20 Pentecost, Proper 22 – October 2, 2016 Luke 17:5-10 Last week’s gospel lesson showed us the bondage of being separated from one another, of not seeing, not reaching out or caring for one another. It creates a chasm between us. Each time we walk past the needs of our neighbor or ignore the cries of our own diminished humanity, we move away from communion and go deeper into that chasm. The apostles, in our gospel lesson today, it seems,…
Dip Your Finger in the Water and Cool My Tongue
19 Pentecost, Proper 21 – September 25, 2016 Luke 16:19-31 Our gospel story for today, one of Jesus’ parables, with its vivid journey to the afterlife, and its exaggerated imagery of contrast, fits the form of an apocalypse. An apocalypse serves as a wake-up call, pulling back a curtain to open our eyes to something we urgently need to see before it is too late. “There were these two guys,” Jesus said. One of them was very wealthy. He dressed…
What Values Do We Want To Teach Our Kids?
3 Advent – December 13, 2015 Luke 3:7-18 There was a recent segment on the Today show about what values we want to teach our kids. Honesty topped the charts (43%), followed by kindness (29%), a strong work ethic (11%) and a variety of others. What is interesting about this survey is that it lines up pretty closely with John the Baptist’s preaching in this Sunday’s passage from Luke. “What should we do?” the crowds asked John after his exhortation. “What should we do?” asked…
The Word of God Came to Church of the Trinity in Downtown Coatesville
2 Advent – December 6, 2015 Luke 3:1-6 In the fifteenth year of the twenty-first century, when Barack Obama was President of the United States, and Tom Wolfe was governor of Pennsylvania, and Michael Trio the City Manager of Coatesville, and Michael Curry was Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the word of God came to Church of the Trinity, in downtown Coatesville. Somehow, we have a hard time believing that, if God were to reveal himself to the world that it would be here…
The Third Option, Transformation
Last Sunday after Pentecost (Christ the King) – Nov 22, 2015 John 18:33-37 “For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth.” And “My kingdom is not from this world”. So, what is truth? This is a question that Pilate asked of Jesus after these statements and shortly before his crucifixion. What is truth? This is Christ the King Sunday and it’s why we have this reading from John today – Jesus being questioned…
What Must I Do To Inherit Eternal Life?
20 Pentecost, Proper 23 – October 11, 2015 Mark 10:17-31 A man knelt down before Jesus and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” Mark tells us that the man went away grieving, because he was shocked by what Jesus had to say: “…sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.” We are never told what happened to that man? Let’s…
Divorce
19 Pentecost, Proper 22 – October 4, 2015 Mark 10:2-16 So, here we go. Divorce. Divorce was a significant and disputed issue in Jesus’ time, and it was a complicated matter, as well, in the first century. There were differing perspectives between Jews and Romans and also within Judaism itself. Here’s what you need to know. In general: The ancient world was patriarchal, and wives were regarded as the property of their husbands. Among Jews, technically only the husband could…
The Stranger In Our Midst
18 Pentecost, Proper 21 – September 27, 2015 Mark 9:38-50 “We saw someone….” That’s how a lot of judgment starts, doesn’t it? “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” “We saw someone….” That’s how a lot of judgment starts, doesn’t it? “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” The words…
Peter: From Rock To Stumbling Block
16 Pentecost, Proper 19 – September 13, 2015 Mark 8:27-38 Good-byes never get easy, especially when they seem premature. So we can really appreciate Peter’s predicament that we encounter in this week’s gospel story. Jesus has turned his face toward Jerusalem and, in doing so, he begins to tell the disciples what awaits him there. Peter cannot abide Jesus’ talk of his coming death. Taking Jesus aside, he argues with him, saying, “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen…
His Ears Were Opened, His Tongue Was Released and He Spoke Plainly
Mark 7:24-37 15 Pentecost, Proper 18 – September 6, 2015 A tired and exhausted Jesus seeks solitude. A woman hears about him and asks that he might cast a demon out of her daughter. The details are sparse. Whose house? How did the woman hear about him? Mark seems uninterested in these questions. Some details, though, are intentionally emphasized. He writes: “Now, the woman was a Gentile, a Syrophoenician by descent”. And this introduces a twist to the story, making…
Traditions in Families
14 Pentecost, Proper 17 – August 30, 2015 Mark 7:1-8,14-15,21-23 After six weeks in John’s “bread of life” chapter, we are back to the gospel of Mark. But what an odd place to land: right in the middle of an argument. Actually a familiar argument, a routine argument. Haven’t we all been in that argument about telling kids to wash their hands before dinner – either as the kid or the adult trying to get them to wash their hands?…
Jesus Was Mortal, Yet Divine
11 Pentecost, Proper 14 – August 9, 2015 John 6:35, 41-51 Once again I wonder about that crowd who follows Jesus speaking for us, today. St. John narrates that these people who have followed Jesus, regarded him as a teacher, and witnessed his miracles, also know him as one of their own. They knew his parents and his brothers and sisters, they watched him play and learn his trade, grow up and eventually leave home. In other words, they know…