In the Parish

Pentecost 5A -- Schrödinger's Weeds

Reading: Matthew 13: 24-30, 36-43 Jesus tells the parable of the wheat and the weeds, where he touches on the problem of evil in the world.  While he does not touch on the cause of the evil or answer why God might allow it to continue, the promise inherent is that there will be judgment and that the evil will be cast out.

Pentecost 4A -- A Tree Grows in Granite

Reading: Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 The parable of the sower takes a common image of farming and gives a strange twist.  The sower casts seed about seemingly wastefully.  The sower gives an image of God's abundance when it comes to spreading the gospel and our act of faith when doing so, trusting that the seed will not return empty.

Pentecost 3A -- True Freedom

Reading: Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 On the day before Independence Day, Jesus' invitation to take his yoke upon us might seem ironic, but his yoke is our true freedom

Holy Trinity -- Individuals and Fellowship

Readings: 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Matthew 28:16-20 While we live in a hyper-individualized society, the triune God is a complete and perfect fellowship which has opened up his life to us out of sheer love.

Pentecost Yr A -- Rivers of Living Water

Readings: Acts 2:1-21 John 7:37-39 Jesus promises rivers of living water  flowing from the Holy Spirit through the hearts of believers.  These waters flow out for the sake of the world..

Easter 6A -- Apocalypse Now But Not Yet

Reading: John 14: 15-21 Despite the failed prediction of the rapture by one group of Christians, Jesus is still coming to take us to be with him and the Father.  In the meantime, we live in the tension  of "Now...but Not Yet."

Easter 4A -- Messy Adventures

Reading: John 10:1-10 Jesus the Good Shepherd leads his sheep out not into the fold.  Jesus invites us on a grand adventure.

Easter 3A -- Pattern Recognition

Reading: Luke 24:13-35 Jesus meets disciples of his on the road to Emmaus, and they do not recognize him until he breaks the bread.  Disciples today follow in his pattern continuing to make Christ known.

Rapture or Resurrection?

I am rerunning a discussion we had during Advent on the notion of rapture.  Enjoy May 22 everyone!

Easter 2A -- The New, The Old, The Eternal

Reading: 1 Peter 1:3-9 We are brought into a living hope through Jesus' resurrection and an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.