Sermons

On Ash Wednesday,I said that by the end of Lentyou’d probably be tired of hearingthe lyrics from“Following” by the musical groupOrdinary Time.We’re almost done with it,though none of you has said anything.Week by week I’ve prayed“There’s a hook in this mealTo receive is to follow.”Almost every weekI’ve wanted to point to the altar.But it seemed

If you want to hear my sermonon the crucifixion,come to St. Alban’s on Fridayat noon or 6.As the hinge of The Sunday of the Passion:Palm Sundayswings us like a cabinet doorfrom Lent’s reflection on baptismand Jesus’ arrival in the empty tombinto the week of Passionwhere we walk the way of the CrossI think it’s good

By the fifth Sunday in Lent,the season is starting to drag on.If we’ve given ourselves overto the wisdom of the churchwe may be of two very strong feelings.Isn’t this over yet?And it’s almost Easter!The gospel passage on this Sunday —regardless of the year —is with us. Some years we hear the story being given awayas

The message of God’s graceisn’t just foolishness,like the message of the cross.It’s offensive to those of uswho consider ourselves righteous –righteous in any sphere.Jesus spends much of Chapter 14 of Luketalking about table fellowship.Chapter 15, where we start today,has Jesus showing full acceptance and loveof tax collectors and sinnersas he eats with them.The righteous –the

Who sinned:This man, or his parents?That’s not the question presented to Jesus today,but it’s in the same vein.Galileans and Jerusalemiteshave both suffered as Jesus is speaking.There’s an undercurrentthat the Galilean bumpkinsaren’t as good at following Godas their cousinswho have much quicker,easier access to the temple. But when Jesus is asked about them,he reminds the crowds

As Paul writes to the Philippians,he’s been imprisoned.A lot of peoplehave a lot of complaints about Paul.I understand them.I especially understand themin the kind of textualist fundamentalismthat pervades American and Western culturewhere we only want to look at the words on the pageand not who wrote them,when they wrote themor what they were writing about.This

After his baptism, Jesus,full of the Holy Spirit,returned from the Jordanand was led by the Spirit in the wilderness,where for forty dayshe was tempted by the devil.Jesus has been fastingfor forty dayswhen we get these three specific temptations.The devil,the one waging waragainst the goodness of God’s creation,appeals to Jesus’ humanityon more than one level.He attacks

Every year we mark our faceswith the dryness of ashin the place where we’ve receivedand at least one child will receive at Easterfragrant oil in the shape of a cross.Every year we hear Jesus warnabout looking dismal and disfiguring our facesshowing others that we’re fasting.Every year I get to remind God’s people,that getting ashes isn’t

“This is a mountaintop experiencebut not the kind about which personswrite glowingly of sunrises,soft breezes,warm friends,music,and quiet time.On this mountain the subject is death,and the frightening presence of Godreduces those present to silence.”That’s how Fred Craddockwraps up his commentaryon this gospel passage from Luke.The gospel text todaytakes place about a weekafter Peter says that Jesus