4 January 2015 – Epiphany Sunday 1 Kings 10:1-13, Ephesians 3:1-12, Matthew 2: 1-12 The Queen of Sheba brings gold and precious stones to Solomon. The Magi bring Jesus gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Paul brings “news of the boundless riches of Christ” to the Ephesians. Having paid my property taxes and given my granddaughter pennies, nickels, dimes, quarters, half-dollars, and dollars in equal amounts for each of her two piggy banks, I may not have much left to give you today. Certainly nothing like the Queen of Sheba brought to Solomon or the Magi brought to Jesus. And I …
Patti LaCross’ Homily, December 28, 2014
Merry Christmas! It’s good to be back here with you today, praying – and singing. I can’t seem to get enough that this week. Wednesday afternoon we slipped into a packed church with my parents, to a corner behind the trumpet, drums and the children’s choir at their parish. It’s the custom there for everyone to bring bells to ring during the Glorias, which adds to the festivity, and entertains the little ones. All quite lovely. But this is home. It’s hard to imagine Christmas without children. In case there is anyone here who hasn’t yet heard, our family’s movement …
Libby Caes' Homily, December 24, 2014
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while (Quai-RIHN-ih-us) was governor of Syria. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her …
Patti La Cross' Homily, November 2, 2014
Feast of All Saints and Souls, November 2, 2014 Holy Wisdom Monastery Revelations 7:9-17; 1 John 3:1-3; Matthew 5:;1-12 Patti La Cross Today’s worship has so much to take in! Truly evocative selections from the scriptures, and much ritual to follow. Did you get some lift, just following the image of a global, victorious, massed robed choir of praise singers? Did you sense that we briefly joined their ranks for Psalm 34? Singing is one image of the kingdom of God that we find coming through the Epistles in descriptions of early gatherings of followers of Jesus’ …
Earthkeeping and con-servancy
Homily by Calvin DeWitt, October 19, 2014 Readings: Genesis 2:4-9,15; Colossians 1:15-20. Our readings today from Genesis and Colossians help us to learn about our privilege and responsibility to care for the land God has entrusted to our care. Genesis 2:15 gives the commission to avad the Garden and to shamar it. And the hymn of Colossians, (1:15-20) tells us that is through Jesus Christ that God creates, sustains, and reconciles ta panta. The Hebrew word avad in Genesis is variously translated, till, tend, cultivate, work, and serve. It is a word with a constellation of meanings all centering …
Leora Weitzman's Homily, October 12, 2014
28th Ordinary Time • 10/12/14 • Isaiah 25:1-9, Philippians 4:1-9, Matthew 22:1-14 • Leora Weitzman Today’s Isaiah and Gospel readings contain a disturbing mixture of violence and grace. In order to be able to embrace them fully as good news, I needed a way to reconcile the violent images with a totally loving God. There is some precedent for treating ancient stories allegorically, as portrayals of the community within the self. For example, I’ve heard the story of the Israelites’ liberation from enslavement by the Egyptians interpreted as an allegory for our liberation from enslavement to sin or …
Libby Caes' Homily, August 30, 2014
Matthew 16: 21-28 August 30, 2014 If you haven’t figured it out yet, my homilies tend to be autobiographical. I am preaching to myself as I meditate on the text and write my homilies. If what I have to say is not relevant for me, I assume it won’t be relevant for you either! Heaven forbid! I am indebted to two of Cynthia Bourgeault’s texts as I have pondered today’s gospel: The Wisdom Way of Knowing and Love is Stronger than Death. Let’s begin with this parable from the wisdom literature. Listen with the ears of your heart! Once …
Joseph Wiesenfarth's Homily, August 3, 2014
Isaiah 55:1-5, Romans 9:1-5, Matthew 14: 13-21 I thought about bringing a prop with me today: an English edition of Georges Auguste Escoffier’s Le Guide culinaire (1903), the equivalent of the Old Testament for those among us who like to cook. Or perhaps I could have brought Julia Child’s New Testament, Mastering the Art of French Cooking (1961), which would have served just as well, maybe even better. But since I haven’t used a prop since 1984, when I gave my first homily at St. Benedict Center, I thought that I’d be true to myself and leave both books …
Jim Penczykowski's Homily, July 20, 2014
Who here has had his or her patience tested in the past week? Show of hands! Now grade yourself on how patient you were when your patience was tested. If you think you should get an “A” raise your hand. If you think you should get a “B” raise your hand. If you think you should get a “C” raise your hand. I won’t ask for anymore hand raising beyond a “C”. God’s ways are not our ways is not a new notion to anyone here. Our gospel account is predicated on this. The parable of the weeds and the …
Libby Caes' Homily, July 13, 2014
Matt 13: 1-9, 18-23 What I love about today’s Old Testament and Gospel readings is that they draw on images from creation. The sower sowing seed. Rocky ground, thorns and thistles, paths, fertile soil Seed that produces 30x, 60x, 100x The moutains and hills bursting forth in song. The trees clapping their hands. Cypress and myrtle rather than thorns and briers. Today’s passages resonate because we are outside a lot in the summer: Gardening, swimming, biking, camping, working or relaxing. The world around us: Do we take it for granted and not see it at all? Or, do we experience …