Tag: Jesus

2010 Sermons

Easter 4 April 25, 2010

Post author By vicar
Post date April 25, 2010

Acts 9:36-43Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Revelation 7:9-17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

John 10:22-30

Sheep metaphors arenâ€™t what immediately come to my own mind when I think about my life, but mulling over this passage from Johnâ€™s gospel, I realize that a lost sheep is exactly what I feel like a lot of the time as a priest in the Church today. And what Jesus in the gospel has to say to me is welcome comfort. So maybe it is for you too.

We live in a hard time to be committed Christians, faithful Church members. The climate of the culture is against us. We have dozens of other claims on our time. In coming to church on Sunday, most of you are choosing not to do something else â€“ particularly if you bring your kids, because sports and dance and sleepovers pay no attention to Sunday being church time. You may also very well be leaving your spouse or children at home, because in many families not everyone is a church-goer.

Tags Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, confusion, Good Shepherd, Jesus, John's gospel, science and religion, St. John

2010 Sermons

Easter 3 April 18, 2010

Post author By vicar
Post date April 18, 2010

Acts 9:1-6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Revelation 5:11-14Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

John 21:1-19

If we were one of those churches that put our sermon title out on its sign board, or even had sermon titles, the title for this morning might be A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Happiness. I donâ€™t mean happiness in some shallow, sugar-high way. What weâ€™re about is way too serious for that. We could say â€œon the Way to Heaven,â€ but that sounds too focused on the hereafter. By happiness I mean what we seek most deeply and ultimately in life: fulfillment, salvation, purpose, peace, healing, forgiveness. There are lots of words we use for it, but they all point to the same thing, so letâ€™s call it happiness. Deep happiness. Itâ€™s what we all want, in our hearts. What lies behind the struggles of our lives.

â€œCome and see,â€ Jesus said to people. The people were those who noticed him, heard about his message, about the mighty acts and signs he was performing. The people who saw in him something different, something that indicated that he might lead them on the way to this deep happiness. â€œWho are you?â€ they would ask. â€œWhat is your secret? Tell us so we can have it too.â€ And always Jesus would say to these people, â€œCome and see.â€

Tags come and see, evangelism, faith, fear, Jesus, Peter

2010 Sermons

Easter 2 April 11, 2010

Post author By vicar
Post date April 11, 2010

Acts 5:27-32Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Revelation 1:4-8Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

John 20:19-31

Most of the year, talking about Jesus and the readings we have from the Bible Sunday by Sunday is easy. Itâ€™s more a matter of what not to say, of focus, from all the rich possibilities â€“ the insights, the applications to our lives, the challenges and the consolations. But then along comes Easter.

Easter is different â€“ radically so. Here is not just Jesus the great teacher, the inspiring example of how to live. Here is no story from ordinary life. The Resurrection is radically discontinuous from everything else. People donâ€™t just rise from the dead. We donâ€™t know what to make of it. Believe it â€“ and if so, what does that mean for our lives? Or disbelieve it â€“ write it off as just a beautiful story, a metaphor for springtime though less tangible than the Easter bunny? Yes, Easter is a challenge to us.

Tags doubt, Easter, Jesus, resurrection, Thomas, wounds

2010 Sermons

Epiphany 4 January 31, 2010

Post author By vicar
Post date January 29, 2010

Jeremiah 1:4-10Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

1 Corinthians 13:1-13Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Luke 4:21-30

Â One of the wonderful things that can happen sometimes at church is that something that had grown old is made new. A reading, for instance, a prayer, a hymn, an idea â€“ that had seemingly lost its life through overuse is suddenly resurrected, given new currency. Those of us who were here last Sunday, when Canon Charles LaFond was our preacher and followed up in the afternoon with the retreat on discernment, experienced I think one of those â€œmade newâ€ moments.

It centered around what Charles said about saying â€œyesâ€ to God. You remember that he started out by talking about how epiphany â€“ this season of the Church year â€“ is like a light going on. The star in the sky that the Magi followed to the Saviorâ€™s birth â€“ a light going on. Jesus coming up out of the waters of baptism and hearing the voice of God pronounce him the Beloved â€“ a light going on. Jesus turning the water into wine at the Wedding at Cana â€“ another light. When God reveals himself, we experience it as a light going on. What had been unclear, confused, without purpose or direction â€“ suddenly the light goes on, something clicks, and we see the way forward. These are epiphanies; this is how God calls to us.

Tags Epiphany, Jeremiah, Jesus, yes to God

2010 Sermons

Baptism of Our Lord January 10, 2010

Post author By vicar
Post date January 10, 2010

Isaiah 43:1-7Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Acts 8:14-17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

A friend writes to say he has â€œlost his faith.â€ This can mean different things for different people, but for him, he explains, he â€œcan no longer believe in the doctrines of Christianity.â€ What doctrines? He doesnâ€™t say. The Incarnation, the Trinity, the Virgin Birth, the Resurrection? I donâ€™t want to put him on the spot by asking, nor do I want to put myself in the position of doctrinal expositor.

But it does seem odd to me. Doctrines, I think, really come last rather than first in faith. First comes a sense of wonder, the asking of questions about the meaning of life, if life has meaning. And a close second comes some sort of personal contact, experience of a person of faith that makes one want to have what they have. I suppose itâ€™s not coincidental that this friend of mine grew up as an only child, has never married, never had children, and has led a life sheltered from the ordinary interactions with other people â€“ the daily ups and downs â€“ that most of us enjoy (or suffer through).

Tags baptism, baptism of Christ, chrismation, Holy Spirit, Jesus, sacrament

Uncategorized

Trinity Sunday June 7, 2009

Post author By vicar
Post date June 7, 2009

Romans 8:12-17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Â John 3:1-17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? I have heard you

calling in the night. â€“Daniel L. Schutte

All of us, all human beings, have heard that call in the night. The call of something or Someone beyond ourselves, greater than ourselves. A Greater-Than that offers the hope of meaning to our lives here on earth, our struggles, our joys and sufferings.

Imagine two groups of scientists. The one searches the farthest reaches of the universe with powerful telescopes, offering data on what they see, further annotations in technical treatises, passed on to other experts who may be interested. The other group of scientists are standing around the rim of a huge crater in the surface of the earth, or perhaps in a submarine inspecting a deep concavity under the ocean. They are trying to work out what happened, what force, what dimensions and at what speed caused this impact, and what its consequences have been or are or will be for life on our planet.

I owe this analogy of the two groups of scientists to the Catholic theologian James Alison,* who says that it is the second group of scientists, those looking at the crater, who are most like us when we think about God.

Tags doctrine, God, Jesus, Trinity

Uncategorized

Easter 6 May 17, 2009

Post author By vicar
Post date May 17, 2009

Acts 10:44-48Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

1 John 5:1-6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

John 15:9-17

This wonderful little reading we have this morning from the Book of Acts. Letâ€™s listen to it again:

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers [that is, the religious insiders] who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles [that is, the religious outsiders], for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God. Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” [That is, for bringing them into the Jesus movement that became Christianity.] So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

One of the great figures of history will surely be Pope John XXIII. He was elected pope in 1958 as an old man, a placeholder, a transitional figure. But out of the blue one day, at a routine church meeting, he announced that he was convening a great council of all the bishops from around the world, to reform the Church, to bring it into the modern era. And he did, in ways that dramatically changed not only the Roman Catholic Church, but all of Christianity.

There are many little stories told of this old and gentle saint. One of the ones that I think of most often is that when he would lie awake at night, worrying about the council he had convened, about the Church and its future, he would say to himself, â€œAngelo, Angelo [for that was his baptismal name, Angel], whoâ€™s in charge of the Church? You or the Holy Spirit?â€ And then he would fall to sleep like a baby.

Tags change, Holy Spirit, Jesus, love, tradition

Sermons Uncategorized

Lent 3 March 15, 2009

Exodus 20:1-17Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

1 Corinthians 1:18-25Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

John 2:13-22

â€œOn his first day of eighth grade at the former Holy Name Roman Catholic school in Washington, DC, last fall, Jeffrey Stone bowed his head, clasped his hands and began to recite the Lordâ€™s Prayer. Within seconds, his teacher chided him: â€˜We donâ€™t do that anymore.â€™â€*

Holy Name, like six other financially troubled schools in our Nationâ€™s capitol, was turned into a charter school over the summer last year.

Tags Exodus, Jesus, Law, Moses, parenting, Ten Commandments

Outreach

Millennium Development Goals

Post author By vicar
Post date March 2, 2009

Holy Cross commits 0.7% of its income to organizations that work abroad to realize the Millennium Development Goals adopted by the United Nations and endorsed by the Episcopal Church.

Bishop Arthur Walmsley, a member of Holy Cross, recently spoke about the connection between the Gospel and the MDG’s.

Excerpts from an address at Trinity Church, Concord, MA, on February 22, 2009.

The vision of the Millennium Development Goals is not new. For people who draw their faith from the Bible, it is as old as scripture. There is a Biblical mandate to serve Godâ€™s mission … and scripture offers us an understanding of the global crisis which has the potential to move us beyond the paralysis of the present to an affirmation and a way of being grounded in hope.

The doorway to this understanding starts with Jesus.

Tags gospel, Jesus, MDG's, Outreach

Sermons Uncategorized

Last Epiphany February 22, 2009

Post author By vicar
Post date February 22, 2009

2 Corinthians 4:3-6Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

Mark 9:2-9Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â

I am not usually into yard sales, which I realize means I miss out on one of the great opportunities of local life. But driving along Concord Stage Road one day last summer I saw a yard sale that I had to stop for. The reason was a mounted deerâ€™s head, just the thing to bring home to Anne and hang on our screened porch. It turned out the deerâ€™s head was priced beyond my reach (which may have saved my marriage). But browsing the sale was an experience Iâ€™m glad I had.

Tags Add new tag, glory, Jesus, journey, transfiguration