Are We There Yet?
In Jesus’ time, wedding guests would gather at the home of the bride to be entertained while everyone waited for the groom to arrive. When the bridegroom was close, the bridesmaids and the guests would go out to greet him. And with their lamps lit, they would form a procession to the groom’s house for the ceremony and the multiple day feast!
Listen to or read Ryan’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
Rupture and Reconciliation: Walking the Way of Love
It is also a story of a clash of two different world views or mindsets, imaginations of how this world should operate. One mindset is the one of the brothers, who are afraid. It is a mindset of punishment, revenge, vengeance, an eye for an eye justice. They know they did wrong, they know they should be punished for it, and are afraid of what that punishment is going to look like. That is their view of how things are probably going to go.
The other mindset is the one that Joseph has, which is the imagination of forgiveness, of mercy, of grace, of reconciliation. I think the brothers’ mindset is probably where most of the world is. A lot of the time, most of us feel that same way, too.
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
The Intentional Practice of Love
Jesus is teaching us the Gospel message to love. I know it is not always easy. In fact, it is rather difficult sometimes. We think of love as being that feel good feeling, but love is so much more than that. Love is the very intentional practice of caring about another person, even when there doesn’t seem to be very much to care about. Love is that act of blessing and not cursing that Paul talked about last week. Love is not an easy thing. It is one of the most challenging things to do sometimes.
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
A House of Prayer for All People
We have quite an interesting story in today’s gospel. It’s certainly NOT the typical picture of Jesus we are used to. First, context is key. Jesus has been talking to the crowds and arguing with the religious elite about ideas of purity, about what makes someone clean and what makes them impure.
Listen to or read Ryan’s entire sermon by clicking “Read More.”
The Feast of Saint Mary
Over the past several weeks St. Mary’s has held Quinceañera services here in the church in celebration of girls’ 15th birthdays. A Quinceañera is a tradition with both Mexican and Spanish roots, celebrated throughout Latin America and elsewhere. It marks the passage from girlhood to womanhood, emphasizing the importance of family and community in her life, and her changing responsibilities to them.
Listen to or read Deacon Nancy Crawford’s entire sermon by clicking “read more.”
Pilgrimages, Mountaintop Moments, and the Feast of the Transfiguration
This past week I returned from England where I was helping lead our youth pilgrimage. We had a wonderful time. We visited London and Canterbury and York and other small towns nearby. It was a wonderful pilgrimage.
What is a pilgrimage? Scholars who study pilgrimages say the word is hard to define. There are definitions that cover different aspects, but every definition leaves something out. The scholars say pilgrimage is a rather slippery term. But for today’s purposes, let’s define pilgrimage as a physical journey one takes to a place with the goal, the intention of some sort of spiritual deepening, growth in faith, encounter with the divine, seeking God.
Listen to or read Bingham’s entire sermon by clicking “read more.”
