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Epiphany Proclamation Of Easter 2022

The ancient Church had a practice of announcing the dates of Easter as well as other feasts and fasts that do not have a fixed date. Since the Epiphany is a fixed date feast (January 6) and also the...

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A Sermon Collection From Advent-Christmas 2021

Today brings us to the end of the Christmas season and, with tomorrow's Feast of the Epiphany, the beginning of the Epiphany season. Here are some ways to enter more deeply into the meaning of the...

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What About The Fourth Wise Man?

As you know, the Feast of the Epiphany commemorates the magi or wise men visiting Jesus in Bethlehem and bringing gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:1-12). Holy scripture does not tell...

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The Star Knows The Way – An Epiphany Sermon On Matthew 2:1-12

Photo by Sven Scheuermeier on Unsplash Since the start of the new year Cyndy and I have returned to some familiar questions and conversations about our lives individually and as a couple. Where are we...

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Winnowing Our Life – A Sermon On Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Photo by Gaelle Marcel on Unsplash As you may know, today is the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus. This year we hear Luke's version of that story (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22). And in a few minutes we will, as...

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What Are You Whining About? – A Sermon On John 2:1-11

"The Wedding at Cana" by Lawrence OP is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 What are you whining about these days?  I’m not asking that question to condemn, criticize, or judge anyone. It’s a serious...

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Today Is The Day – A Sermon On Luke 4:14-21

I went home from work one evening last week and told Cyndy, “I had the best afternoon. I was doing what I love and, I don’t mean to brag, but I did it really well.” I suspect you’ve had days…… Read...

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Raging At Jesus – A Sermon On Luke 4:21-30

Photo by Andrew Haimerl (andrewnef) on Unsplash When was the last time Jesus just really ticked you off? When have you been filled with rage at Jesus for something he said or did? And what was that...

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Woah To Us Who Just Want To Be Happy – A Sermon On Luke 6:17-26

I have some big problems with today’s gospel (Luke 6:17-26). I’d rather be rich than poor. I’d rather be full than hungry. I’d rather laugh than weep. And I’d rather be spoken well of than be hated,...

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Living Large – A Sermon On Luke 6:27-38

If you heard a political candidate espousing today’s gospel (Luke 6:27-38) as her or his agenda would you vote for her or him? Is today’s gospel the platform on which your political party stands and...

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Bursts Of Light – A Sermon On Luke 9:28-43

Photo by Hayden Scott on Unsplash Today’s gospel (Luke 9:28-43), the transfiguration, is one of those big stories from scripture, a mountaintop experience. I wonder where that story fits in your life....

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Pulling Back The Husks On My Life – An Ash Wednesday Sermon On Matthew 6:1-6,...

Photo by Ahna Ziegler on Unsplash Most weeks as I am preparing my sermon at some point I call a retired priest who, for almost thirty years, has been my spiritual director, mentor, and one of my two...

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Facing Our Greatest Temptation – A Sermon On Luke 4:1-13

Detail of the Fall of Man by By Hugo van der Goes, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons What comes to mind when you think about temptation? What tempts you? What is your greatest temptation today?   I ask...

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Pray For Ukraine, And Then Act

I often remind myself that if I am going to pray for something I also need to align my life and actions with that prayer. It’s a way of giving existence to the insistence of my prayer.  I hope you……...

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Gaining Some Clarity – A Sermon On Luke 13:31-35

Photo by Paul Skorupskas on Unsplash The thing that strikes me about Jesus in today’s gospel (Luke 13:31-35) is his clarity. Jesus is absolutely clear about who he is and the task before him. He is...

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Reimagining Our Lives – A Sermon On Luke 13:1-9 and Exodus 3:1-15

Photo by Sage Friedman on Unsplash As I reflected on today’s gospel (Luke 13:1-9) and prepared this sermon I thought about the Russian war on Ukraine, the six million covid deaths worldwide, the...

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Coming Clean With Ourselves – A Sermon On Luke 15:1-3, 11-32

Several years ago I was teaching a class about today’s gospel (Luke 15:1-3, 11-32), the Parable of the Prodigal Son. As soon as class was finished a man who had been sitting in the back of the room...

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Smelling the Fragrance of Beauty – A Sermon On John 12:1-8

"Spring fragrance" by César Poyatos is marked with CC BY-NC-SA 2.0. I want to think with you today about poverty and that last line from today’s gospel (John 12:1-8) in which Jesus says, “You always...

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The Things That Make For Peace – A Sermon Luke 19:28-40 For Palm Sunday

Jesus Weeps Over Jerusalem (detail) by Enrique Simonet - Museo del Prado, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons Did anything strike you as strange about today’s first gospel reading (Luke 19:28-40)? Did it...

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Sometimes It’s Hard Being True To Ourselves – A Sermon On John 12:1-11 For...

Jadas Iscariot by Eilif Peterssen - Own work Themightyquill, Public Domain, Wikimedia Commons Today’s gospel (John 12:1-11) is the one we hear every year on Monday in Holy Week, and every year it...

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