1st Sunday of Lent 2020 The first thing that I thought when I learned that I would be preaching on the First Sunday of Lent, was that this is now my 65th Lent. Is there a senior discount? And then, I thought, if I have had 64 Lents so far, why is there still SO MUCH work to do. I mean, to be honest, I’ve usually taken Lent pretty seriously-forgoing for forty days, at various stages of life, beer, coffee, meat, sweets and even one Lent, swearing. I’m sure I’ve a hundred pounds and, over time, added almost everyone one …
Patti La Cross’s Homily from February 16, 2020
In concluding his roughly 15,600-word farewell discourse, MOSES finally distills his wisdom to the clear choice and invitation that summons us each morning: LISTEN, LOOK, SEE: LIFE calls. WALK, oh WALK with God in God’s ways and you will live to future generations. If not, only death awaits. In the time I spent recently with today’s readings, particularly the Gospel, I was seeking that life. This morning I’m happy to share with you what I encountered. Today’s reading from Matthew appears soon after the Beatitudes, with the Salt and Light teaching as transition. One commentator described the Beatitudes as Jesus …
Leora Weitzman’s Homily from February 9, 2020
5 Ord 2020 • Is 58:1-9a • 1 Cor 2:1-12 • Mt 5:13-20 • February 9, 2020 Those of us who came to Holy Wisdom as refugees from churches we found oppressive sometimes feel like a community of rebels and misfits. We wouldn’t be here if we didn’t want to honor the Spirit of the law, but do we really have to obey every stroke of every letter? The community of rebels and misfits gathered around Jesus may also have chafed at these words of his. What Jesus says next, however, makes clear that he is not trying to create …
Roberta Felker’s Homily from February 2, 2020
Holy Wisdom Monastery The Beatitudes February 2, 2020 Corinthians 1:18-31; Micah 6:1-8; Matthew 5:1-12 Today’s Beatitudes, as recorded by Matthew, are probably the most famous verses of the Sermon on the Mount, and perhaps one of the most well known passages of the New Testament. For many believers as well as non-believers, they epitomize Christianity. But as we know, being famous cuts both ways. Biblical scholar, John Meier, speaks directly to this: “ The most dangerous passages in the Bible are the familiar ones, because we do not really listen to them. … No periscope in the Gospels is …
Colleen Hartung’s Homily from January 26, 2020
“The ‘I want to be more like Jesus’ List” 1 Corinthians 1:10-18 and Matthew 4:12-23 Colleen D. Hartung For anybody who watches the show Chopped on the Food Network, you know that when you get an ingredient in you basket like a fully prepared Kobe beef hamburger, you don’t’ have to use the whole thing. You will not be eliminated for failing to use that item as long as you use one part of the fully assembled burger – the bun, the bacon or the coveted Kobe beef patty. In today’s readings, the gospel is probably the Kobe beef …
Jerry Folk’s Homily from January 12, 2020
January 12, 2020 (Baptism of Jesus) Holy Wisdom Monastery, Madison, WI This morning we commemorate the baptism of Jesus, so I’d like to reflect on the story of that baptism in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 3. In the first two chapters of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus is an infant in a poor, homeless Jewish family, but in those chapters, Mathew reveals that this infant is God’s special agent in the world. His mission is to make the reign of God real here and now. In today’s Gospel Jesus, now a grown man, has come from Galilee to the wilderness …
Lynne Smith’s Homily from the Epiphany, January 5, 2020
Matthew 2:1-12 Epiphany – January 5, 2020 This gospel passage has special resonance with me ever since I made a retreat in 1985, during the week between Christmas and New Year’s in Concordia, KS. I had been ordained for three years and was serving my first church as assistant minister. I had begun to feel as if I had lost myself in the role of minister. I was searching for something; I wasn’t sure what. The notion came to me to make a retreat. So I registered for a personal retreat at Manna House of Prayer run by the Sisters …
Joseph Wiesenfarth’s Homily from December 29, 2019
Joseph Wiesenfarth Homily 12.29.2019 Isaiah 63:7-9, Hebrews 2:10-18; Mt. 2:13-23 Today’s three readings are about people being saved. Isaiah tells us about “God’s gracious deeds,” including Israel’s being saved. And given the season, we can appropriately add this from Isaiah, which is all about salvation getting us beyond Israel: “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be upon his shoulder and his name will be called Wonderful, Counsellor … Prince of Peace” (9:6). The epistle to the Hebrews is precisely about such a messiah. It is written to Jews …
Terry Larson’s Homily from Christmas Day, December 25, 2019
Christmas Day, Holy Wisdom Monastery Terry Larson December 25, 2019 Luke 2:1-21 Blessed Christmas! Christmas is a wonderful time of year. It’s a time to celebrate the amazing fact that God is with us! What did we hear just this past Sunday from the prophet Isaiah? – ‘a young woman shall bear a son and he shall be called Immanuel, God with us!!’ That’s what we are celebrating. God is with us. And in the Gospels we hear the glorious responses of the heavenly host, the sturdy shepherds, and the sages from afar to that wonderful news. It’s truly good …
David McKee’s Homily from Christmas Eve, December 24, 2019
CHRISTMAS EVE 2019 Isaiah 9:2-7; Titus 2:11-14, 3:4-7; Luke 2:1-20 In those days a decree went out from the Emperor Augustus… Such familiar words; almost like Once upon a time…– a trigger for so many memories, both joyous and painful. For many of us, there are memories of many midnight masses and many Christmas pageants in the parish hall, with children costumed as angels and shepherds, as Mary and Joseph, and as all manner of people in 2000 year-old Middle Eastern garb. And also for many of us, there are painful memories of old cycles of family …