December 18, 2016 - Advent 4A

Lectionary Readings

O come, O come Emmanuel. Amen.

            Are you ready? Today is the final Sunday of Advent; and Christmas, both the religious festival and the secular holiday, awaits. So, are you ready? This Advent, I’ve been preaching about preparing ourselves for the coming of Christ, both as an infant born in Bethlehem and as our king and judge at the last.

December 11, 2016 - Advent 3A

Lectionary Readings

O come, O come Emmanuel. Amen.

            “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” That’s the question, isn’t it? Is Jesus the one in whom the hopes and dreams of all the years find their fulfillment? Is Jesus the Messiah, God Incarnate? Or is Jesus only a prophet and wise teacher? Because if Jesus is the one whom history has been waiting for, then there are huge implications for our lives and our faith. But if we’re supposed to be waiting for another, well, I’m probably out of a job.

November 27, 2016 - Advent 1A

Lectionary Readings

O come, O come Emmanuel. Amen.

            The liturgical season of Advent and the secular season of “Holiday” are quite different, but they have at least one thing in common: preparation. Both seasons focus on preparation. Advent calls us to prepare our hearts and lives for Christ to be born anew. “Holiday” calls us to prepare by baking cookies, putting up decorations, and buying gifts. To be clear, I have nothing against Bing Crosby, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” or wrapping paper.

December 14, 2014 - Advent 3B

Lectionary Readings

O come, O come Emmanuel. Amen.

            It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas. The Square has been decorated since Halloween, shopping centers are jam-packed, and Christmas music fills the air. But being proper Episcopalians, we all know that we are in the middle of Advent. The word “advent” comes from a Latin word which means “coming.” It seems though that the world has skipped ahead of the coming and is already celebrating the arrival. Advent is a season of preparing ourselves for the birth of Jesus. It is a season to slow down and reflect. These four weeks leading up to Christmas are envisioned as a time to prepare to receive Jesus into our hearts and homes. John the Baptist speaks of preparing for Jesus by repenting- so we often focus on self-examination in Advent. I don’t know about you all, but I’m too busy to be slowing down. There are year-end financials that need attention, extra sermons to be written, and, of course, that we’re doing all of those things at home to make sure that Ellie has fond family memories of the season.

November 9, 2014 - Proper 27A

Lectionary Readings

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

            “Choose this day whom you will serve.” Every once in a while, it’s good to rededicate ourselves to what matters most. Each Lent, the clergy of the Diocese gather for a retreat and reaffirm our Ordination vows. Some couples choose to do the same with their marriage vows. Each Sunday, we reaffirm our faith in the words of the Nicene Creed. The Hebrew people were entering a new generation of leadership. Moses has brought them out of Egypt and Joshua had been their leader after Moses’ death. And now, as Joshua is nearing the end of his life, he calls the people to remember who they are. He invites them to choose whom they will serve.