Luke 2:1-20 (The inspiration for this meditation came from Ephraim the Syrian, a 4th century Christian who wrote several excellent Nativity Hymns.) At Christmas the question sometimes arises, “What do you get for the man who has everything?” For us, the question is, “What should we give to a God who has everything and has done everything for us?” The answer is that we should give ourselves, body, mind, and soul, for it is more blessed to give than to... Read more
Luke 1:1-25 I love the opening of St. Luke’s Gospel because I feel, even more than in the other Gospels, that St. Luke is talking to me. “You talkin’ to me? You talkin’ to me?” we ask. St. Luke’s answer (which is really God’s) is, simply, “Yes.” Why do I feel as if St. Luke is talking to me? First, Luke is the only Gentile privileged to have been inspired to write a book of the Bible. In fact, he... Read more
Matthew 9:35-10:15 “But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd.” The compassion of Jesus never fails to move me to compassion. I want to see what He and feel what He felt, and what He saw was a multitude of people who were weary and scattered and were like sheep without a shepherd. What He felt was compassion. My favorite word in the Greek... Read more
2 Corinthians 5:5–21 Christ was born of flesh that we might be born of the Spirit. This is the message this morning, as the birth pangs of Christmas and miracle of the Incarnation come even closer to us. St. Paul doesn’t deal directly with the Incarnation here in 2 Corinthians 5, but in the context of the last days of Advent before Christmas, his message takes on a new and wonderful meaning. Christ was born of flesh that we might... Read more
Mark 6:1-6 As we approach our celebration of God made man in Jesus Christ, I find that this little passage in Mark 6 is a wonderful picture of the mystery of God made man. Although by the beginning of Mark 6 we have already seen ample evidence that Jesus is God, we see it here again: Jesus lays His hands on a few sick people and heals them. But perhaps the greatest miracle God ever performed, along with the Resurrection... Read more
Luke 12:35-48 Why the sudden change today from St. Mark to St. Luke in today’s lesson? Because today is marked out in the Church year as an Ember Day, more specifically Ember Wednesday before Christmas. Advent is often seen as a “Little Lent” in which we prepare for the feast of Christmas, and so the Ember Days are to be used as days of fasting and praying, and there is also a tradition of it being a time to give... Read more
Mark 5:21-43 This morning I’m a woman with a flow of blood. I’ve suffered with this terrible problem for 12 years. It’s funny the stages we go through whenever we have a big problem. First, there is the developing recognition of the problem, and then the hope that it is really nothing. Then comes the growing acknowledgement that this might be a bigger problem than we realize, and then the hope that it will go away by itself. As things... Read more
Mark 5:1-20 Good morning, my name was Legion. So far in Mark I’ve been a fisherman and tax collector, a brother of Jesus Christ, a leper, and a paralytic. Today I am a demon-possessed man. Without Christ, we are like a demon-possessed man, even though very few are actually ever possessed. We lead shattered lives that cause us to torment ourselves and others. We are unable to be controlled by anyone but our own desires. We dwell among the tombs,... Read more
Mark 4:30-41 After several parables about how the Kingdom of God grows, Jesus returns to doing miracles. This time He demonstrates that He is God by rebuking the wind and commanding the sea to be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” The only possible answer is God Almighty. While there have been known cases of false healers throughout history (perhaps with the... Read more
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St. Stephen’s Day – December 26 – Acts 7:55-60
December 26 – Acts 7:55-60 Those of you who are following the Prayer Book lectionary will recognize that I have taken this morning’s lesson from the Epistle Lesson appointed for St. Stephen’s Day, and not from the daily lectionary. We are entering a brief but intense period in the lectionary when there are many special commemorations and therefore special lessons. At first glance, the life and death of St. Stephen may seem intended to produce a case of theological whiplash. ... Read more