August 23, 2020 - The Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

O God, grant us always to remember who you are, so that we might know that we are your beloved children. Amen.

            Stories matter. Just consider the popularity of documentaries or how many times families reminisce about their shared memories. Stories are one of the few things that set apart human society from the animal kingdom – we analyze, celebrate, and remember the past. One theologian has noted that the problem of modern society is that we have convinced ourselves that the only story that we have is the story that chose for ourselves. The problem with choosing our own story to live by is that is simply doesn’t work. I might wish that I was a 10-time Wimbledon champion, I might even tell people that’s true, I could even buy replica trophies and put them on my fireplace mantle. But that wouldn’t make the story true. Instead of us choosing the story we live our lives by, we have been given a story by God. It is the story of our loving Creation, our grace-filled redemption, and our empowerment by the Holy Spirit. When we forget that story, we lose our guiding star, our hope, our purpose, our identity. And forgetting that story, we turn to other stories to tell ourselves and these other stories are called idols.

August 16, 2020 - Proper 15A

Lectionary Readings

O God, in the Holy Trinity there exists a beloved community in the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We give you thanks for bringing us into that beloved community of divine love and pray that we might foster it on earth as it is in heaven. Amen.

            This week’s Collect notes that, from Jesus, we receive the fruits of his redeeming work and are to follow daily in the blessed steps of his most holy life. One of the fruits of this redeeming work of Jesus is the reconciliation that we are given with God and the opportunity for this reconciliation to be a rule of life for us as we strive to follow him as our Lord. A good shorthand way of talking about this is “beloved community.” Through the sacrifice of Christ, we have been brought into the beloved community by God’s grace and in following his blessed steps, we find our fulfillment in living as a beloved community. At St. Luke’s, we’ve been talking about and striving to become the beloved community. Using today’s Scripture texts, we’ll consider what exactly what the phrase “Beloved Community” connotes.

August 2, 2020 - The Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

Be with us, O Lord, for if you are with us nothing else matters; and if you are not with us, nothing else matters. Amen.

            One of the Psalms asks, “Can God set a table in the wilderness?” That’s the question, isn’t it? When we are deepest in our need and have nowhere else to turn, can we trust in God to provide? When we get a bad diagnosis, when the interview doesn’t go our way, when the addiction is taking over, when the bullies won’t go away – is God with us or not? And in this midst of this pandemic which is dragging on and leaving more and more death and disruption in its wake – in the midst of this wilderness, can God set a table of refreshment? I don’t know about you all, but for me, the Good News of the Gospel is that, indeed, God can and does set tables in the wilderness.

July 5, 2020 - The Fifth Sunday after Pentecost

Lectionary Readings

O God, grant us the serenity to accept the things we cannot change, courage to change the things that we can, and the wisdom to know the difference ☩ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

            Jesus says, “Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Who among us is not burdened these days?

April 26, 2020 - Easter 3A

Lectionary Readings

In the name of the Risen Jesus. Amen.

            The Bible is full of wonderful and inspiring stories, and this one that Luke presents to us this morning, often called “The Road to Emmaus,” has got to be near the top of the list. For me, what’s so grand about this story is that it’s both every day and spectacular. It includes such normal things being on a commute and eating a meal and such an extraordinary thing as encountering the Risen Jesus. It’s easy to put ourselves into this story, and so for the sermon this morning that’s what I want to do – to consider this story not from the outside, but let’s get into it and let the Holy Spirit guide our imaginations that we, too, might encounter Jesus through it.

April 9, 2020 - Maundy Thursday

Lectionary Readings

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

            St. Paul tells us, “I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread and a cup of wine, gave thanks, and shared them, telling us that these are his Body and his Blood and that we are to do this in remembrance of him.” At the heart of the Eucharist is memory. And, of course, it must be acknowledged that because of the necessary isolation and online liturgy related to the Coronavirus that the memory of gathering in-person to break bread is all we have. This commandment of our Lord, that we “do this in remembrance of me” though is actually one that helps us in this difficult time.

January 19, 2020 - Epiphany 2A

Lectionary Readings

O Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.

O Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, have mercy on us.

O Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world, grant us your peace. Amen.

            Generally, when someone calls you an animal name, it isn’t a compliment. Bird-brain, dog, pig, scaredy-cat, mousy – these are not names we want. For every positive one, like “stallion,” there are many more with a negative connotation. It seems, then, that perhaps John the Baptist did not consult with a public relations firm before deciding to give Jesus the moniker “Lamb of God.”

November 28, 2019 - Thanksgiving Day

Lectionary Readings

You, eternal Trinity, are Table and Food and Waiter for us. You, eternal Father, are the Table that offers us food, the Lamb, your only-begotten Son. He is the most exquisite Food for us, both in his teaching, which nourishes us in your will, and in the sacraments that we receive in Holy Communion, which feeds and strengthens us while we are pilgrim travelers in this life. And the Holy Spirit is a Waiter for us, for he serves us this teaching by enlightening our mind’s eye with it and inspiring us to follow it. Amen.

            That lovely prayer comes from Catherine of Sienna in the 1300s. Thanksgiving is a day about a lot of things – sales, parades, football, and family. But primarily, Thanksgiving is about food. What exactly the first Thanksgiving was really like, it’s hard to separate legend from history. But we know it was a harvest festival in which the pilgrims gathered with Natives to give thanks to God, and still today, what is most essential to this day is a feast done in a spirit of gratitude.

September 1, 2019 - Proper 17C

Lectionary Readings

Loving Father and Creator of all that is, by the grace of your Spirit give us humble hearts that we might be exalted to the Kingdom of your Son. Amen.

            Over the past five Sundays, the readings and sermons have pointed us towards the Kingdom of God. The refrain of this sermon series has been that the Kingdom of God is not a place, rather it is a reality, an event. Furthermore, the Kingdom is not something that we enter only after death; instead, the Kingdom is a present reality and a future promise. The Kingdom of God is what was inaugurated through the Crucifixion and Resurrection of God the Son, the Kingdom happens in the world that was purposefully and lovingly created by God the Father, and it is continually unfolding by the power of God the Holy Spirit.

June 2, 2019 - Easter 7C

Lectionary Readings

Grant, O Lord, that in the Holy Eucharist we might behold what we are and become what we receive. Amen.

            This sermon, unlike the last four that I preached, is not a part of my doctoral thesis project. However, the topic will still be the Eucharist. This is the encore that you didn’t necessarily ask for, but nevertheless, is being given. First of all, I want to thank you all for your attention to those four sermons and for filling out the response sheets. I took last week as vacation and worked on writing the chapter of my thesis about those sermons and your input was incredibly insightful and helpful in doing that work. I did get everything done that I had hoped to last week and now just have one more chapter to write. The reason why I want to continue to consider the Eucharist though is that you all raised some really good points and questions in the surveys that I’d like to respond to in order to round out that sermon series.

May 19, 2019 - Easter 5C

Lectionary Readings

Grant us, O Lord, in the Eucharist to remember what we are and become what we receive. Amen.

            Have you ever walked into the kitchen only to forget why you were there? Or maybe you’ve started an email and then forgotten what you needed to say. Perhaps you’ve forgotten something more important – someone’s name, a family member’s birthday, a meeting that you were supposed to attend. We all know what it is to forget things. One of the reasons why the Church celebrates the Eucharist with such intentionality and so often is because it reminds us of some very important things.

May 12, 2019 - Easter 4C

Lectionary Readings

Grant us, Lord, always to sit at your table and dwell in your house for ever. Amen.

            Think for a moment about the best meal that you’ve ever had. Maybe it was a home-cooked specialty made by your grandmother or perhaps it was at a high-end steak house. Think back to what made that meal so special. The food was probably good, the atmosphere was likely nice, but I bet that with more certainty than telling me what food you ordered or what music was playing in the background, you can tell me who you were with. What makes a meal sacred is the people gathered around the table with you. I’ve had some really lousy food, but the meal ended up being a good experience because I was surrounded by loved ones. This truth is what makes the Holy Eucharist such a special meal, because in it we are gathered with the dearest of people.

May 5, 2019 - Easter 3C

Lectionary Readings

O Lord, give us this day our daily bread. Amen.

            Meals are central to what it means to be human. Of course, all animals eat, but only us humans make a meal out of getting the necessary nutrients into our bodies. And there’s nothing quite like a meal’s ability to serve as the foundation for so many different occasions. Need to close the deal with a client? Take them to a nice restaurant. Want to celebrate a romantic relationship? Open a bottle of wine and have a nice meal. Celebrating a wedding? Make sure you have a good caterer to provide for a celebratory meal. Have a friend who is mourning the loss of a loved one? Take them a casserole. Birthday parties, farewell receptions, job promotions – sharing a meal is at the center of how we mark these occasions.

April 28, 2019 - Easter 2C

Lectionary Readings

Be with us, O Lord, for if you are with us, nothing else matters; and if you are not with us, nothing else matters. Amen.

            At the center of who we are, what we believe, and why we gather on Sunday morning is the Holy Eucharist. As we gather to share in the Lord’s Supper, we enter into a rich and deep story and set of symbols which point us towards the majesty and salvation of God. It has been said that "the Church makes the Eucharist and the Eucharist makes the Church,” and indeed, coming together to share in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup is not only our identity, but also our purpose. Put another way, others have said that the Eucharist is the “source and summit” of the Christian life. Everything that we do as Christians flows out of the Eucharist and returns back to this Great Thanksgiving.

April 7, 2019 - Lent 5C

Lectionary Readings

O God, in your abundant grace you sent your Son to be the light of the world: Grant that we may come and see the difference that Christ makes in each of us as we seek to become your beloved community; and as we gather in intentional worship, may we ever be reminded of your transformative love which is the foundation of our faith; through Jesus Christ our Lord, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

            This is the final sermon in a five-week Lenten series about our new identity statement at St. Luke’s. We’ve been clear to call this an identity statement and not a mission statement. One theologian said that it is not that the Church has a mission, rather God’s mission has a Church. What our mission is changes based on how the Holy Spirit moves through our lives and community. But our identity being rooted in Christ is constant.

January 20, 2019 - Epiphany 2C

Lectionary Readings

Be with us, O God, for if you are with us nothing else matters; and if you are not with us, nothing else matters. Amen.

            Is Scripture about God or is it about us? That simple question greatly influences how you read the Bible and what conclusions you draw from the text. Of course, Scripture offers us insights about both God and all of Creation. But the question is about first impressions. Is the first thing we look for in a Biblical text a revelation into the character of God, or do we primarily read Scripture to find out what we are supposed to do?

December 24, 2018 - Christmas Eve

Lectionary Readings

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors ☩ in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

            What a joy it is to be here with you on this holy night. There is something special about this night. Something beckons us out of our warm homes and pajamas and calls us through the darkened streets to make our way to gather with friends and strangers to recall the birth of Jesus. Maybe it’s a deep sense of faith that brings you here, perhaps it’s nostalgia, or it could be something in your soul that tells you that you might find here tonight that thing you’ve been searching for. Whatever it is, there is no denying the power of this night which fills us with wonder and stirs us to sing praises to God.

October 21, 2018 - Proper 24B & Feast of St. Luke

Lectionary Gospel Text (Feast of St. Luke Readings)

In the name of the loving, liberating, and life-giving Trinity. Amen.

            What difference does it make that you are a follower of Jesus? I’m sure you all know people who aren’t people of faith and yet they live lives similar to yours – they are nice people, they give to charity, and they’d be there to help you in a time of need. Certainly, we’re here this morning and they’re not, so that’s a difference. But the way they might view our religious practices is that it’s a nice hobby for us. It gives us a sense of purpose and meaning, and they might find that same sort of thing when they walk in nature, or practice yoga, or listen to music. When it comes down to it, what is the difference between a devout Christian and a compassionate atheist?

September 9, 2018 - Proper 18B

Lectionary Readings

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

            This passage that we heard this morning from Mark is one of the more challenging stories that we have about Jesus. The reason why it’s such a challenge is that what we are presented with is a side of Jesus that we don’t often hear about. When we conjure up images of Jesus in our minds, we usually think of Jesus as the nicest person we can imagine. But the way Jesus acts in this passage from Mark challenges that stained-glass version of Jesus.

September 2, 2018 - Proper 17B

Lectionary Readings

In the name of the Holy Trinity ☩ Amen.

            What do you think might the be the book of the Bible that has been the most commented on throughout history? You might guess the Gospel according to John – after all, it’s full of symbols and signs that are ripe for theological harvesting. Or maybe Revelation, with all of its apocalyptic images, as it does require a lot of explanation. But in actuality, the book of the Bible with the most attention paid to it is the Song of Solomon. The book is eight chapters long, but the six verses that we read this morning are the only part of the book that shows up in our entire three year lectionary – so you’d be forgiven if you didn’t even realize that this most commented on book of the Bible was even in the Bible.