Advent begins in the dark. So writes one of the greatest preachers of our times, the Rev. Fleming Rutledge. As the Church begins a new liturgical year on the first Sunday of Advent, we can’t help but notice the precariousness of the world in which we live – a climate crisis that will cause untold suffering, a pandemic that is going on two years and showing signs of a fifth wave of infections and hospitalizations, and political and social divisions that seems to threaten the very fabric of our society. Not to mention all of the personal darknesses that we all face – depression, grief, addiction, struggling children, aging parents, difficult work situations. To be sure, there are plenty of good things that we could point to, but whether we want to call it pessimism or realism, it does seem like things have gone off the rails.
Sunday, November 28, 2021
Thursday, November 25, 2021
November 25, 2021 - Thanksgiving Day
It is good to be with you all this morning. I truly mean that – it is good to be here in this moment. I don’t mean this is any judgment at all towards those who are not here, but there is something meet and right about coming to church on a holiday called “thanksgiving” to give thanks to God who created, blesses, nourishes, and keeps us. Yes, I like the parades and stuffing as much as anyone, but Thanksgiving without singing hymns of thanksgiving and receiving not just a yeast roll, but the very body of Christ is what makes Thanksgiving not just a secular holiday, but also a holy day for us as people of faith.
Sunday, November 21, 2021
November 21, 2021 - Christ the King
O Christ our King, guide us to seek your Truth:
come whence it may, cost what it will, lead where it might ✠ in the name of the Father,
Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Have you ever had a conversation with someone in which, after a few minutes, you realize that you are talking about completely different things? Well, that’s exactly what we are witnessing in this conversation between Pontus Pilate and Jesus Christ. The setting is the middle of Jesus’ Passion on the morning of Good Friday. Jesus has been charged with a capital offense and has to go before the Roman authority to have his case decided. What we heard read from John is the interrogation scene – Pilate trying to ascertain whether or not Jesus is guilty of sedition, of claiming that he is a King in opposition to the Roman Emperor. Jesus though has no interest in claiming earthly kingship, as he is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. But where Pilate and Jesus are two ships passing in the night is that for Pilate, kingship is about power and for Jesus, it is about Truth.
Sunday, November 14, 2021
November 14, 2021 - The 25th Sunday after Pentecost
This week’s Collect is truly one of the gems of our Book of Common Prayer. “Blessed Lord, who caused all holy Scriptures to be written for our learning: Grant us so to hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of your holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life, which you have given us in our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.”
Tuesday, November 2, 2021
November 2, 2021 - All Souls
O Lord Jesus Christ, who by thy death didst take away the sting of death: Grant unto us thy servants so to follow in faith where thou hast led the way, that we may at length fall asleep peacefully in thee, and awake up after thy likeness; for thy tender mercies’ sake. Amen.
There’s a marked difference between All Saints and All Souls. Last night, we had a festive high mass in which we celebrated the Church Triumphant and gloried in the legacy of the saints. Tonight has a much more somber and tender to it. To be sure, on both All Saints and All Souls we proclaim the Resurrection and thank God for those who have gone before us in faith. It’s just that most of us don’t have a deeply emotional connection to Anselm or Hilda. Yes, their lives might serve as an inspiration in our own, but I don’t know that many people grieve their deaths. All Souls is different because we are reminded of our grief tonight.
Monday, November 1, 2021
November 1, 2021 - All Saints
For the fellowship of the saints and for the light of Christ that shined in their lives, we give you thanks, O God ✠ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
One of the things that I most enjoy about the Principal Feasts of the Church year, is that these holy days draw our attention to the things in our faith that matter most. In tonight’s reading from Revelation, we heard the one who is seated on the throne say, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end.” What could be more important than that? The beginning, the source, the origin of all things all the way to the conclusion, the consummation, and the fulfillment of all things; from potential to actualization; from uncertainty to finality.