Jesus Said to the Crowds…, Proper 26 (A) – 1996

November 03, 1996

“Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, ‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach.’” Or, in the more familiar version of this, “Practice what you preach.” In […]

Hear These Comfortable Words…, Proper 7 (A) – 1996

June 23, 1996

Hear these comfortable words: From Isaiah – “Enter into the rock and hide in the dust From the terror of the Lord, and from the glory of his majesty.” “The haughtiness of people shall be humbled, and the pride of everyone shall be brought low, and the Lord alone will be exalted on that day” […]

Then Jesus Summoned…, Proper 6 (A) – 1996

June 09, 1996

“Then Jesus summoned his twelve disciples and gave them authority over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to cure every disease and every sickness. And these are the names of the twelve apostles…” Wait a minute! Something’s happening here, something important, but it goes by so fast you may not even have noticed it. […]

I Was Born at the Last Possible Moment…, Epiphany 3 (A) – 1996

January 21, 1996

I was born at the last possible moment before the Postwar Baby Boom, and grew up with the Korean War, the Cold War, the A- Bomb, the H-Bomb, Civil Defense Bomb Shelters, classroom drills in how to curl up under our desks to avoid the bomb, and a host of other frightening signs of impending […]

Jesus Was Born Into a Troubled Time…, Epiphany 2 (A) – 1996

January 14, 1996

Jesus was born into a troubled time, in a troubled place. The land of Israel, with all its proud history, was a subject nation, property of the Roman Empire. Rome’s only real interest in this holy land — which the elegant and eminent Romans considered a benighted backwater — was how much tax could be […]

This Is What’s Known…, Epiphany 1 (A) – 1996

January 07, 1996

“And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from Heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” This is […]

The Twelve Days of Christmas Are Ending…, Feast of the Epiphany – 1996

January 06, 1996

By the Well, the Twelve Days of Christmas are ending in a burst of celebration and light. The Christmas cookies are nearly all eaten, even the fruitcake has been nibbled down, and the tree is starting to shed. The presents, every last one of them, are open — and lots of them are already in […]