Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration of Jesus – February 27, 2022, preached at Holy Wisdom Monastery’s Sunday Assembly – Middleton, WI Texts – Exodus 34:29-35; 2 Corinthians 2:12-4:2; Luke 9:28-36 Back in early December while I was a away for a couple of weeks visiting friends and tying up the loose ends on my Hawaii church interim ministry gig, back at home, my husband took to some serious storage closet cleaning. He’s better at that kind of thing, or at least more committed to it than I am. He had, among other things, sorted and arranged a plastic …
Patti LaCross’s Homily from February 20, 2022
If you were raised hearing Bible stories, I wonder how you reacted to this one. Did you relate to Joseph or any of his brothers? Did any adult hold it up to you as a model of peacemaking? It seems I’ve always related to this story with familiarity. I remember thinking “He should’ve had sisters!” Our childhood was crowded with an increasing number of siblings, squabbles and household responsibilities. We older girls washed – when possible hung – 10 loads of laundry every few days. And ironed most of it. So “sending away” an annoying younger brother – or a …
How to Reserve a Meal Prepared by the Holy Wisdom Monastery Chefs
Our earlier article about the amazing chefs of Holy Wisdom Monastery from Weekly Wisdom resulted in requests for more information on how to reserve a meal in the Monastery Building. Without further ado, here are answers to the questions as well as some additional information on reserving a meal at Holy Wisdom. We are taking numerous precautions such as bringing in a continual flow of fresh, warmed outside air into the dining rooms and allowing plenty of space for individuals to spread out while eating. Meals are eaten in either the large guest dining room or smaller community dining room …
reSTORYation
“Words and names are the ways we human build relationships” -Robin Wall Kimmerer, Gathering Moss In this installment of reSTORYation, we invite you to deepen your connection to the land by exploring the place names given by others who have tended and honored this place. Phonetically spelled, Deyo-ha-waunee is the Ho-Chunk name for Lost Lake. Lake Mendota is called Wonk-sheck-ho-mikla. These names derive from Ho-Chunk oral traditions which can be further explored in the 1927 publication Lake Mendota Indian Legends. (attached) The map below animates some of the oral tradition behind the local Ho-Chunk place names, as relayed to Charles …
Jim Penczykowski’s Homily from February 13, 2022
If you have ever eavesdropped on a conversation (and I will not ask for a show of hands) you know that it is sometimes easier to take in the meaning and dynamics of the interaction than if you were engaged in it yourself. It might have something to do with listening intently and not rehearsing your own response or reply to what you are hearing. In the case of our Gospel passage today, we are listeners only along with the crowd as Jesus instructs the followers he has just “called,” namely the twelve. This is a significant point in Luke’s …
Holy Wisdom Monastery’s Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal Welcomes Scott Stoner as New Co-director
Middleton, WI—The Ecumenical Center for Clergy Spiritual Renewal (ECCSR) offers Christian pastors contemplative renewal experiences into the monastic rhythms of Holy Wisdom Monastery, and an ongoing community of resources and support. As the ECCSR begins its fourth year of bringing experiences of contemplative renewal to early and mid-career clergy, it is blessed to announce that The Rev. Dr. Scott Stoner will begin his work as a co-director of the Center. “I was blessed to have been on the planning team for the ECCSR and have been a small part of the cohort programming from the beginning. Thus, I know firsthand …
New books in the library—February 2022
Enrich your mind and spirit—visit the monastery library! February 2022 Winter is starting to loosen its grip this month. It may not seem like it at times, but spring is not far away. Remember that and dress warm when you come to the Monastery to walk the nature trails. The monastery library added the following books to its collection: Allen-McLaurin, Lisa. A Womanist theology of worship. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2021. Casey, Michael. The Promise of deliverance. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2021 Coloe, Mary. John 1-10. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 2021. Forest, Jim. Eyes of compassion. Collegeville, MN: Liturgical Press, …
Colleen Hartung’s Homily from January 30, 2022
The Demons Knew Homily on Luke 4: 31-41 Colleen Hartung The demons “… knew that he was the Messiah.” All four gospels, including the Gospel of Luke are constructed around the question of Jesus as the awaited Messiah descended from David. All four claim that Jesus is the Messiah but each goes on to qualify that claim with varying definitions of what that means. The author of Luke is talking to a community of gentiles who are followers of Jesus and as such this author, and his audience, are also preoccupied with another question; can one be a follower of …
David McKee’s Homily from January 23, 2022
THIRD SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME Week of Prayer for Christian Unity January 23, 2022 Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a Luke 4:14-21 Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing. This assertion by Jesus is the capping statement, the climax of our scripture readings this morning. It is also the first teaching that the adult Jesus gives as recorded in Luke’s gospel. He gives this teaching in his hometown of Nazareth. He goes there after two signal events: his baptism by his cousin, John, and, after the baptism, a 40-day solitary retreat in the desert. On that retreat, …
Roberta Felker’s Homily from January 16, 2022
Holy Wisdom Monastery January 16, 2022 The Wedding Feast at Cana Isaiah 62:1-5; I Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11 Roberta M. Felker__________________ In 1634, the wedding at Cana was the subject of a poetry contest at Cambridge University. Students were given three hours to compose a poem in Latin, based on the wedding story. At the end of the three hours, Richard Crashaw, known later as a metaphysical poet, handed in his paper. Upon it, he had written one line. Translated from the Latin, it read: “The shame-faced water saw its Lord, and blushed.” Crashaw won the prize. This morning’s readings celebrate …