April 27, 2025 - The Second Sunday of Easter

Lectionary Readings

In the name of the Risen Jesus. Amen.

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Though the Gospels were written down nearly 2,000 years ago, I’ve often thought these words are addressed directly to us, which is pretty neat. In the rest of Scripture, we read things that were said to people a long time ago; but here, Jesus is talking to us, sort of like when an actor breaks the third wall and speaks directly the audience. “Blessed are you who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

April 20, 2025 - Easter Sunday

Lectionary Readings

God of life and love, just as you opened the tomb, open our hearts and minds to the joy of Easter. Amen.

Easter comes just in the nick of time. There’s been a lot of Good Friday sort of news in our personal and public lives. Easter delivers the jolt of beauty, joy, and Good News that we could all use an extra dose of these days. It’s always good to proclaim it, but there seems to be an extra bit of relief this year to hear the message that the Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia!

April 19, 2025 - The Great Vigil of Easter

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

If you were to ask people what they most yearn for, after they go through the near-term wants and desires, most of us will eventually say “peace.” We long for peace. Scripture gives us the words of an often-used blessing that describes this longing – the peace of God which passes all understanding. One of the prayers that so many pray nightly in Evening Prayer is “Give peace in our time, O Lord.” Many just want some peace and quiet, we want peace in Palestine, Ukraine, and Sudan, we want a peaceful civil discourse. Peace is what so many want, and peace is the final emotion to consider this Holy Week. Since Palm Sunday, each sermon has focused on a different emotion as a way of entering into the drama of this week which finds its consummation in the peace of God.

April 19, 2025 - Holy Saturday

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Holy Saturday is unlike any other day in the Church Year – both liturgically and theologically. On both counts, the day is stark. The liturgy is simple, because what is there really to do on a day of waiting? And while there certainly are writings and reflections on what it means to proclaim that Christ descended to the dead, it’s hard to develop much theology on a topic that Scripture is mostly silent. There is a sort of emptiness to Holy Saturday that can lead to despair.

April 18, 2025 - Good Friday

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

If you want to sow disagreement, ask Christians what they think of the hymn “In Christ Alone.” Episcopalians typically aren’t involved in this debate, as the hymn in question was written in 2001 and our Hymnal was published in 1982, so we don’t sing it very often, if at all. What makes it a controversial hymn is the line, “This gift of love and righteousness, scorned by the ones he came to save: Till on that cross as Jesus died, the wrath of God was satisfied.” This Holy Week, each sermon is focusing on a different emotion as a way of participating in the drama of this week. Today, on Good Friday, we consider wrath.

April 17, 2025 - Maundy Thursday

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

“Little children, I am with you only a little longer. Where I am going, you cannot come,” Jesus says to the disciples. This Holy Week, the sermons have all been focusing on the emotions of this week. When it comes to Maundy Thursday, one of the overriding emotions is anxiety, which is encapsulated in Jesus’ words to his disciples – I’m about to leave you.

April 16, 2025 - Holy Wednesday

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Of all the emotions, disappointment might be one of the most difficult to move on from. There are strategies that can help us when we are angry, anxious, or impatient. Feelings of happiness, courage, or hope can all be fleeting, but there are practices that we can use to hang on to those positive emotions. But disappointment seems to just stick with us like storm clouds on a rainy day. On this Holy Wednesday, the emotion we’re reflecting on is disappointment.

April 15, 2025 - Holy Tuesday

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Tonight, as we continue considering the emotions of Holy Week, we turn to courage – both the courage that we see in Jesus and the courage that he intends to instill in us. This week which we call holy focuses on the Passion of Jesus. Passion, in Latin, means “to suffer,” which is where we get the phrase “The Passion of Jesus Christ.” But for us English speakers, “passion” more often means intense feelings and desires that are rooted in the heart. And this definition connects to courage. The root of the word “courage” is “heart.” So, when someone says “take heart,” it’s an appeal to be courageous. Ultimately, love is what drives the Passion of Jesus and so there is no Holy Week without the heart, without courage.

April 14, 2025 - Holy Monday

Lectionary Readings

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

This Holy Week, the sermons are focusing on our emotions – in particular, how the Passion of Jesus evokes different emotional responses from us and the characters of Scripture. Tonight, on Holy Monday, we consider fear.

April 13, 2025 - Palm Sunday

Lectionary Readings & additional Gospel reading

In the name of God ☩ Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Several decades ago, the cable network TNT used the slogan “We know drama” as a way of assuring audiences that their programming would be exciting, entertaining, and emotional. Well, in Holy Week the Church can borrow that phrase and say, “We know drama.”

April 6, 2025 - The Fifth Sunday in Lent

Lectionary Readings

Everloving God, help us to lose ourselves so that we might be found by your grace. Amen.

“Yet whatever gains I had, these I have come to regard as loss because of Christ. More than that, I regard everything as loss because of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.” St. Paul wrote that to the Philippian church and we’ve struggled with it ever since. I’ll speak for myself, but I know that I’m not alone in this, I don’t like losing things. Last week, I was looking for a particular pair of socks and couldn’t find them, it drove me crazy. I keep a planner so that I don’t lose track of appointments or tasks. My favorite sports teams are the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and the Miami Marlins, so though I’m very familiar with losing, I don’t like it. And while I know the value of humility, like all of us, I really appreciate accolades and recognition. Losing, whether it’s a pair of socks, an election, or an opportunity isn’t fun. And yet, the path of following Jesus is about exactly this – denying ourselves, losing ourselves, and taking up the Cross.