Good News of Great Joy, Christmas Day (I) – 2005

December 25, 2005

“Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around the, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people.” There is a clergy person who, like many others, […]

Let Justice Roll Down…, Proper 27 (A) – 2005

November 06, 2005

“Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” Written around 750BC, these words from the book of Amos are still powerful today. They convey an ideal that is a constant hope for the good of all humankind, and also an elusiveness that is true of all those dreams that, in our […]

Out of All Nations…, Proper 6 (A) – 2005

June 12, 2005

“Out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although all the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” Imagine how the Israelites must have felt hearing those words. Against all odds, and surely even against their own expectations, God had allowed this group […]

Doubt and Disillusionment…, Easter 3 (A) – 2005

April 10, 2005

Doubt and disillusionment, discouragement and despair: these are emotions that are common to all of us at some point in our lives. Loss of a job, loss of a loved one, divorce, illness, even the loss of a pet, any of these things and more can throw us into a tailspin and fill our hearts […]

What A Difference…, Ascension Day – 2003

May 28, 2003

“While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” What a difference a few weeks can make. Here we see the disciples reacting to Jesus’ Ascension with celebration and joy, whereas after the crucifixion, they had scattered in […]

The Structure of Mark’s Gospel, Lent 2 (B) – 2003

March 16, 2003

The structure of Mark’s Gospel, from which this week’s reading comes, is like a mountain. As we go up one side, we hear about the ministry of Jesus; the miracles, the healings, the feeding of thousands, the calling of the disciples. The top of the mountain is Peter’s declaration, “You are the Christ,” the first […]