Symbols of Christmas

Christmas Eve

Luke 2.1-20

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 27:50)

 

Symbols are important to us humans. They help shape and provide meaning in our lives. A couple of weeks ago, I ran across a video on the internet that left me in absolute disbelief. A video that illustrates the importance of symbols, how they can be misunderstood, and how incredibly important they can be. Particularly during challenging times. It was the story of a dispute between a couple in Raleigh, North Carolina, and their homeowners’ association. The couple placed a six-foot wooden cross on their lawn for Christmas. They had originally put up the cross for Easter. People in the neighborhood really liked it because they saw it as a symbol of hope. So, the couple decided to put it back up for Christmas. As the couple noted, for them, the cross stands for the birth, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. So why not put it up at Christmas?

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Where God Chooses to Dwell

Fourth Sunday of Advent (Year B)

2 Samuel 7.1-11, 16; Luke 1.26-38

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:15)

 

Here on the fourth Sunday of Advent, we take up the subject of God’s choice of dwelling places. We start with our Old Testament reading from Second Samuel, in which the prophet Nathan delivers a message from God to King David. David has ascended to the throne, succeeded in uniting the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, and established Jerusalem as the capital of the United Monarchy. David reasons that since he now has a nice palace built of cedar, it is not right that God should still be living in a tent. You see, during the time the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness, there was a designated tent, the tent of the meeting, where the Ark of the Covenant containing the tablets of the Ten Commandments was kept. The tent of the meeting was essentially the place of worship during the 40-year wilderness journey. As such, this tent was thought to be the place where God lived. Some 200 years later, since arriving in the Promised Land, God continued to live in the tent. David figured it was now time to build God a proper home.

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Bearing Witness in Word and Action

Third Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Isaiah 61.1-4, 8-11; John 1.6-8, 19-28

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:00)

 

Déjà vu all over again! Didn’t we just hear this Gospel reading last week? Well yes, yes we did. Sort of. Last week we heard Mark’s version of the same event: the religious authorities and others going out to see John the Baptist at the River Jordan. Although, today’s version from the Gospel according to John is more detailed. Of course, the question could be raised—and I’m sure some of you are thinking it—why didn’t the framers of our lectionary pick one or the other? Why have two versions of the same story taking up valuable scriptural real estate in Advent where we only have four Sundays to begin with? That’s a good question. And I wish I had a good answer. But I don’t. So, this is where we are. This is what we have to work with. And work with it we shall. While we may not be able to explain why we have essentially the same story two weeks running, we can look at this second go-round and see what more we can glean from our friend John the Baptist.

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The Beginning of the Good News. Just the Beginning.

Second Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Isaiah 40.1-11; Mark 1.1-8

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 12:45)

 

Like many ancient writings, the Gospel According to Mark starts off with a prologue—the first 13 verses—which, typically introduced the main characters and provided the basic knowledge needed for the hearer to follow the ensuing story. The prologue often gave a bit of a summary so that there were no surprises. The ancients did not like suspense, believing it caused the mind to wander. To prevent this from happening and to keep the audience engaged, the author needed to provide clues as to where the story was going.[i]

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Keep Alert, Now More Than Ever

First Sunday of Advent (Year B)

Isaiah 64.1-9; 1 Corinthians 1.3-9; Mark 13.24-37

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:00)

 

The season of Advent is all about anticipation, expectation, and preparation for Jesus Christ coming into our midst. Being the four weeks before Christmas, we tend to focus on this time being about anticipation, expectation, and preparation for the birth of our Messiah at Christmas. But this is only one of the “comings” that Advent anticipates. The first coming of Jesus at his birth in Bethlehem. But, as we see in today’s readings, Advent is also about anticipation, expectation, and preparation for the Second Coming of Christ at the end of the ages.

 

In this strange year that is 2020, anticipation, expectation, and preparation have a different focus than our usual Advent. For us, anticipation is about the anticipation that this pandemic will one day come to end, and we will be able to return to life as normal. Anticipation of an effective vaccine. For us, expectation is about the expectation of increased cases, increased death, increased restrictions and lockdowns. For us, preparation is sort of an impossible dream right now. How do you prepare for the future when things seem more uncertain than usual? Particularly this year when we thought that nothing else could possibly happen. And then something else did happen. In this year that has seen a global pandemic, social dis-ease, racial unrest, protests, looting, more wildfires than normal, more hurricanes than normal, and then an election that saw more divisiveness than any other in our history. What more could possibly happen? Don’t ask because there is still a whole month to go in 2020.

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Serving Christ the King

Christ the King (Year A)

Matthew 25.31-46

St. Gregory's, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 18:30)

 

Even though we live in a non-monarchical society, we are certainly accustomed to hearing of Jesus Christ referred to in royal language. We hear him referred to as “Lord” on numerous occasions in Scripture. Shortly after his birth, the Magi referred to Jesus as “King of the Jews.” This same title was used mockingly at his crucifixion. We often refer to him as the Prince of Peace, particularly around Christmas time—a reference to a description by the Prophet Isaiah of a future messianic king.  And we sometimes refer to Jesus as the “King of Kings.” But emphasis on this royal imagery—and certainly devoting a whole day to the image of Christ as King—is actually a fairly recent occurrence. It all started in 1922 when Pope Pius XI, in his first encyclical, laments that while the hostilities of World War I had ceased, there was no true peace. Pope Pius expressed his concern over the rise of class division along with exploitative consumerism, as well as increased secularism and the rise of nationalism. Considering these developments, the Pope held that true peace could only be found under the Kingship of Christ as the Prince of Peace. As the Pope stated in his encyclical, “For Jesus Christ reigns over the minds of individuals by His teachings, in their hearts by His love, in each one's life by the living according to His law and the imitating of His example.”[i]

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Keeping Our Lamp Burning

Twenty-third Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 27 (Year A)

Joshua 24.1-3a, 14-25; 1 Thessalonians 4.13-18; Matthew 25.1-13

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:15)

 

The readings appointed for the Sundays in November deal with “endings”—as we move toward the conclusion of the liturgical year and prepare for the season of Advent in just a few weeks.

 

The Old Testament reading from Book of Joshua is part of Joshua’s farewell address to the people of Israel. Moses had led the Israelites through the wilderness to the Promise Land. He was not, however, the one to lead them into the Promised Land. That job fell to Joshua. It was Joshua who oversaw their efforts to take control of the land, as promised by God. Now someone else needs to lead them as they settle in and establish a new life for themselves. As he prepares for his own death, Joshua addresses the people, reminding them of what God has done for them over the last 40 plus years. Reminding them of their covenant with God. Reminding them that they need to keep going. Reminding them that to do that, they must continue to obey God.

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Following in the Path of the Saints

All Saints’ Day (Year A)

Matthew 5.1-12

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 15:00)

 

There is something about All Saints’ Day and our Gospel reading of the Beatitudes coming just two days before Election Day—particularly Election Day 2020—that is a bit ironic? Paradoxical? No, poetic. What we see going on in the Gospel account of the Sermon on the Mount has some parallels to what is happening on the campaign trail. But also, some very stark differences. Parallels in that Jesus, like candidates for political office, is traveling around the countryside delivering his message, trying to get people to follow him, to buy into his vision of what things can and should be like. The differences are in how we get to that envisioned future.

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Love God. Love Others. Everything Else Takes Care of Itself.

Twenty-first Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 25 (Year A)

Matthew 22.34-46

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:15)

 

The temple authorities are at it again. Setting up yet another test for Jesus. Another hoop for him to jump through in their attempt to prove that he is a heretic. In today’s Gospel we hear the third and final in a series of such tests. The first, which we heard last week, was devised by the Pharisees in league with the Herodians: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?” (Mt 22.17). Then, in a section that our lectionary skips over, the Sadducees, who don’t believe in resurrection, ask Jesus a ridiculous question about marriage in the afterlife—the one about one bride for seven brothers. And then today, the Pharisees are back with “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” (Mt 22.36).

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Whose Image?

Twentieth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 24 (Year A)

Matthew 22.15-22

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:20)

 

Today’s Gospel reading finds Jesus between the proverbial rock and a hard place. Now, he’s been in sticky situations before. In fact, this whole section of Matthew’s Gospel finds Jesus in one sticky situation after another in his dealings with the temple authorities. Just to set the stage, at this point in the Gospel According to Matthew, Jesus is in Jerusalem mere days before his arrest, trial, and crucifixion. He had his triumphal entry just the day before and immediately went to the temple, where he proceeded to disrupt things by overturning the tables of the money changers and driving out those selling their goods in the temple complex. The next day, he returns to the temple to get into, or rather cause, what the late John Lewis called “Good Trouble.” He confronts the temple authorities and tells one parable after another that are clearly meant to condemn said authorities. The Pharisees are fed up, so they “went and plotted to entrap Jesus in what he said” (Mt 22.15). Only this time, they bring in reinforcements: the Herodians.

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Keep Calm and Carry On

Nineteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 23 (Year A)

Exodus 32.1-14; Matthew 22.1-14

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 16:00)

 

I’m sure most of us have seen signs and memes that say “Keep Calm and . . .” something or other. Keep Calm and Drink Tea. Keep Calm and Go Shopping. Keep Calm and Eat Bacon. You know what I’m talking about. Well, all of this stems from the original “Keep Calm and Carry On,” which was part of a series of signs created by the British Ministry of Information in 1939 to “rally and reassure [the] populace as World War II ramped up.”[1] Perhaps the Hebrews wandering in the wilderness following their escape from Egypt could have used some of those signs.

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Claiming a New Identity

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 22 (Year A)

Philippians 3.4b-14

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:40)

 

I have to chuckle when I read the opening verses of today’s Epistle reading. In his letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, “If anyone else has reason to be confident in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, a member of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew born of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless” (Phil 3.4b-6).

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It's Not About Us (Individually); It's About Us (Collectively)

Seventeenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 21 (Year A)

Exodus 17.1-7; Philippians 2.1-13; Matthew 21.23-32

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:15)

 

These days it seems like, no matter where you turn, you are going to find people pitted against each other. Each person, each group wanting things there way. We even see this in Scripture.

 

In our Old Testament reading, we hear part of a larger drama involving the Israelites. Finally free from the tyranny of their Egyptian overlords, they complain against Moses and even against God himself. Why? Because things are not going the way they would like. Things are not going the way they expect. They want to be to their final destination. They want the comforts they once had in Egypt. They want to have food. They want to have water. And they want it all now. They don’t recognize that there is a process. They don’t recognize that what is going on is ultimately for the greater good of the entire community. Being so wrapped up in their own wants and desires, perhaps they don’t want to recognize that it is not about them individually, but about what is best for them collectively.

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How Often Should I Forgive?

Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 19 (Year A)

Matthew 18.21-35

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:45)

 

There is something about us humans that we want to know exactly what the limits are. For some, it’s because of concern about crossing that threshold into the unacceptable; so, knowing the limits helps avoid doing so. For some, it is about having as much leeway as possible; so, knowing the limits gives an idea of just how far one can push the envelope. And for some, its about not having to go one inch further than absolutely necessary; so, knowing the limits provides a line in the sand. Which of these is behind Peter wanting to know the limit for forgiving someone?

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Connectedness

Fourteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 18 (Year A)

Exodus 12.1-14; Romans 13.8-14; Matthew 18.15-20

St. Gregory's, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 12:00)

 

This past week I watched a panel discussion entitled “Policing and a Just Society,” produced by Washington National Cathedral. One of the speakers was Sharon Pratt, Mayor of Washington, D.C. from 1991 to 1995—the first African American woman to hold that position. Actually, the first African American woman to serve as mayor of any major American city. Mayor Pratt is an Episcopalian and a member of the Cathedral congregation. In response to a question about the role of the church in our current social conversation about issues of racial injustice, Mayor Pratt gave voice to something I had been thinking and feeling for the last few months—ever since the murder of George Floyd in May. She said, “You almost have to believe, as horrible as this virus is, it’s almost like the Lord is at work to get our attention.” And while her comment captured my attention, as I said, giving voice to some of my own thoughts, what particularly grabbed me was the lead-in. She said, “With one pathogen . . . suddenly we all recognized we were interconnected . . . what else could have done that?”[i] It is the concept of interconnectedness that spoke to me in Mayor Pratt’s comments. And one that undergirds all our readings for today. Readings in which God is trying to get our attention about what it means to be connected to God and one another.

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Called to Action

Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 17 (Year A)

Exodus 3.1-15; Matthew 16.21-28

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 15:15)

 

Today’s Gospel reading is a pivot point in the life and ministry of Jesus. And in the life and ministry of those who follow him. Jesus reveals to his disciples for the first time what will ultimately happen to him. “That he must go to Jerusalem and undergo great suffering at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Mt 16.21). Upon hearing this, Peter freaks out and rebukes Jesus, because surely these things could not possibly happen to the Messiah. To which Jesus responds “Get behind me Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; for you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things” (Mt 16.23).

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Engaging Otherness

Eleventh Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 15 (Year A)

Matthew 15.21-28

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:00)

 

Struggles with how we think about and interact with those who are perceived as “other” is nothing new. It is not just something that has been brought to light in the aftermath of the murders of George Floyd or Breonna Taylor. It is not something that was brought to light with the Emancipation Proclamation or the abolition of slavery. It is something we have been struggling with as human beings for as long as we can remember. As part of the human story, it is something that no human is immune to. It’s just that the categories of classification, the nuances of engaging “otherness,” have changed over time.

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Getting Out of the Boat

Tenth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 14 (Year A)

Matthew 14.22-33

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 15:25)

 

It’s times like this that I really feel sorry for Jesus. He’s had a very long and emotional day. He just found out that his cousin John the Baptist had been beheaded in prison. In his grief, he withdraws to a deserted place, hoping to have a little alone time to process what has happened. But a crowd of people followed him, wanting to hear what words of wisdom he has for them. Being ever gracious, Jesus teaches them and even heals some of the sick. As the hour grows late, he demonstrates further compassion for the crowd by providing them with a meal—feeding 5,000 men, plus women and children. Now he is exhausted. He also recognizes that his disciples are exhausted. He puts them in a boat and sends them on their way while he dismisses the crowd. Finally, he can get a little alone time to recharge, both physically and spiritually.

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Struggling with God

Ninth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 13 (Year A)

Genesis 32.22-31

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:30)

For many years, Jacob has been hiding away from his brother Esau. As you recall, Jacob swindled his older brother out of his birthright. And then, to add insult to injury, Jacob conned their father Isaac into giving him the blessing that is reserved for the eldest son. As a result, Esau was furious and vowed to kill his brother. To protect her son, Rebekah sent Jacob to live with her brother Laban in Haran. Over twenty years later, Jacob now has two wives, eleven children by four different women, and vast wealth consisting of cattle, oxen, donkeys, goats, sheep, camels, and slaves. Now, Jacob wants to return to his homeland with his family. He sends messengers to Esau seeking reconciliation. As we pick up the story, Jacob has just sent his servants with gifts to appease Esau. Jacob sends his family on, hoping they will be safe, while he waits for the arrival of his brother, and for what may be a final reckoning. Now alone, Jacob has an encounter which will forever change the trajectory of his life and the lives of his progeny.

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The Kingdom of Heaven is Like . . .

Eighth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 12 (Year A)

Matthew 13.31-33, 44-52

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 14:50)

Today’s Gospel reading is a series of five parables, which is actually part of a longer series of seven parables—the first two of which we heard the last two weeks, along with their explanations. This series has a common theme: “the kingdom of heaven is like . . .” While the first two—the ones we heard the last two weeks—were much longer and more detailed, the ones we hear today are much shorter. Despite their brevity, they contain a wealth of information. It’s worth taking a critical look at these five parables to determine what truths they hold. Not only to provide us with an image of what God’s kingdom will be like in its fullness, but what it might take to help us get there.

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“Know That I Am with You and Will Keep You Wherever You Go”

Seventh Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 11 (Year A)

Genesis 28.10-19a; Romans 8.12-25

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 17:45)

When I hear our Old Testament reading—what is commonly referred to as the story of Jacob’s ladder—I cannot help but think of a song from my childhood and youth. A song we sang in Sunday School and at church camps and retreats: “We Are Climbing Jacob’s Ladder.” Perhaps you know the song.

The first verse goes:

    We are climbing Jacob’s ladder;

we are climbing Jacob’s ladder;

    we are climbing Jacob’s ladder;

soldiers of the cross.

Without the threefold repetition, the successive verses are:

“Every round goes higher, higher”

“Sinner, do you love my Jesus?”

“If you love him, why not serve him?”

And finally:

“We are climbing higher, higher.”[1]

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Seeking to Bear Abundant Fruit

Sixth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 10 (Year A)

Matthew 13.1-9, 18-23

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 13:40)

Jesus loves his parables. Simply put, a parable is “a short allegorical story designed to illustrate or teach some truth, religious principle, or moral lesson.”[1] For Jesus, parables were a proven way to teach about the kingdom of God using common images that his hearers could relate to. Part of the teaching process was that the hearers of the parable were expected to work for the answer. To struggle with the story presented and to figure out the gem hidden within. To figure out the truth Jesus was trying to convey.

Since our modern-day congregations do not live in the same circumstances or have the same worldview as the original hearers of Jesus’ parables, the job of the preacher (me) is to try to explain what Jesus meant, based on historical and cultural context. To translate the parable into terms more readily understandable to our 21^st century American perspective. But in today’s Gospel reading, Jesus makes that virtually impossible because he also explains the parable. Not to the original audience. That would take all the fun out of telling a parable in the first place.

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Take My Yoke Upon You

Fifth Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 9 (Year A)

Matthew 11.16-19, 25-30

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:20)

(Sermon begins at about 14:20)

“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11.28). How timely these words are. How in need we are of hearing them.

Even in normal times—you remember, that time BC: Before COVID—we were already weary and carried heavy burdens. The demands of work, with the pressures to meet unreasonable deadlines, to continually produce more and more. For some, the struggle to even just find employment. The demands of family life and running a household. The challenge of balancing work and home life. Concerns about finances—how to make ends meet, let alone how to save enough to hopefully retire one day. Struggles with health issues—both our own, as well as caring for loved ones with their own health concerns. For those who have lost a spouse, struggling with loneliness, and trying to build a new life without the one you thought you would spend the rest of your life with. For those who are older, being shut-in and having limited social contact.

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Take Up Your Cross

Third Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 7 (Year A)

Matthew 10.24-39

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 14:45)

Today’s Gospel reading is very complex. And, to be honest, a bit difficult to hear. Who of us is not uncomfortable with, even disturbed by, Jesus words: “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” (Mt 10.34)? And then he goes on to talk about family member being set against family member. These are uncomfortable words to hear. These are uncomfortable images that seem to go against what we know of and think about Jesus. After all, we refer to him as the Prince of Peace. We think of him as the Good Shepherd, lovingly caring for his sheep. He preached a message of love for all humanity. Yet here, what he says is completely counter to our comfortable and comforting ideas of who Jesus is. But before we go too far down that rabbit hole, let’s step back to the beginning of our Gospel lesson.

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Those Who Are Sent: "We've Got This!"

Second Sunday after Pentecost – Proper 6 (Year A)

Matthew 9.35—10.20

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:20)

As I read the Gospel lesson for today, I am reminded of the Gospel lesson for last Sunday. In the Gospel for Trinity Sunday, Jesus gave his disciples what is known as the Great Commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the ages” (Mt 28.19-20). These are Jesus’ final instructions to his disciples following his resurrection and immediately before his ascension. That they are to make disciples of all nations. ALL nations. Jews and Gentiles alike.

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The Trinity as the Model for Relationship

Trinity Sunday (Year A)

Matthew 28.16-20

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 14:00)

What is the Trinity? That is the question we ask ourselves every year on the first Sunday after Pentecost, when we celebrate Trinity Sunday. The Sunday dedicated to that unfathomable doctrine of the Church that, despite being completely incomprehensible, is so central to our religion. According to the doctrine of the Trinity, we believe in one God who is comprised of what theologians rather unfortunately refer to as three “persons.” “Persons” is really a misleading label, as we are not dealing with corporeal humans, Jesus notwithstanding. In actuality, the Greek term that we have translated as “person” is more aptly translated as “being” or “substantive reality.” Or, as applied to the Trinity, “individual reality.”

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"Receive the Holy Spirit"

Pentecost (Year A)

Acts 2.1-21; John 20.19-23

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 15:00)

Our first reading, from the second chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, presents the iconic image of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Namely, that the Holy Spirit arrived amongst a crowded assembly of the disciples and numerous other people from Jerusalem, where the disciples were staying. We are told that the Holy Spirit arrived with a sound like the rush of a violent wind. Following this, tongues of fire appeared over the heads of those present, indicating that each had received and been filled with the Holy Spirit. As a sign of this, they all began to speak in other languages. In response to some ridicule from skeptics—“They are filled with new wine”—Peter addresses the assembly, quoting the Prophet Joel. About how it was foretold that God will pour out his Spirit upon all people, with the result being that many will prophesy: sons and daughters, men and women, slave and free. And that the old will see visions and the young will dream dreams.

This is the image that we usually think of on this day. The image that we celebrate by wearing red and decorating the church with red streamers or with images of flames. This is the scene we attempt to reenact by reading the Gospel in multiple languages—either separately, or as we have done the last couple of years, all at once, creating a cacophony of sound that resembles that first Pentecost—the numerous voices speaking different languages, even resembling the sound of the rush of a violent wind. This is the image that we seek to recreate, on which we focus our attention. This is the imagery that is most often the focus of sermons on this day. But that is not where I’m going to go today.

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Preparing for What Comes Next

Seventh Sunday of Easter (Year A)

Acts 1.6-14

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 16:30)

There are those awkward moments in the church calendar where we don’t quite know what is happening. When something has happened, but we are in an in-between time waiting for what is to come next. When we are left with a feeling of, “now what?” When we are left with a feeling of uncertainty, maybe even emptiness. We went through one of those “moments” seven weeks ago—that awkward time between Jesus’ death on Good Friday and his resurrection on Easter morning. Holy Saturday, that time when the world was empty as Jesus lies in the tomb. Despite having been told by Jesus that he would be killed and then raised to new life, the disciples certainly felt that sense of being alone, of being abandoned. Sure, Jesus said he would return on the third day, but the disciples seemed a little uncertain as to whether that would indeed be the case. And even in our own time, this side of the resurrection, when we know exactly what happens, that time between Good Friday and Easter Day is still an empty, lonely time. Where it almost feels as if Jesus really is gone and we are left on our own.

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Seeking the One in Whom We Live and Move and Have Our Being

Sixth Sunday of Easter (Year A)

Acts 17.22-31; John 14.15-21

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 14:00)

As I ponder our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, I am struck by the similarities between first century Athenians and us 21^st century Americans. In Paul’s oration to the Athenians, we see rich imagery and theological truths that still speak to us 2,000 years later.

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How Can We Know the Way?

Fifth Sunday of Easter (Year A)

John 14.1-14

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 00:00)

The first part of our Gospel reading will sound familiar to many of you. Of course, we do hear it once every three years in our lectionary. But it will be particularly familiar to those who have ever attended one or more Episcopal funerals. This first part is one of the recommended Gospel readings for funerals. And, in my experience, it is the most popular. I don’t know how many times I have had to preach on this Gospel at funerals. Okay, I do know. Of the 45 funerals I have preached at, 31 used John 14.1-6 as the Gospel. I think the reason this particular Gospel is so popular—that it is so comforting—is its talk about us being welcomed into God’s realm, into heaven; that Jesus promises that he goes to prepare a place for our loved ones who have gone before and to prepare a place for us. When I preach on this Gospel, I almost always talk about how this passage is not about location—about dwelling places in heaven—but is really about relationship. About the ideal of relationship epitomized by that of Jesus and God; that we are invited into that relationship; and how the model of the relationship Jesus and God share is to inform our own relationships.

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Embracing Life Abundant

Fourth Sunday of Easter (Year A)

John 10.1-10

The Rev. Michael K. Fincher

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 11:20)

We all recognize the imagery of Jesus as the Good Shepherd in today’s Gospel reading, even though he does not actually refer to himself as the Good Shepherd. He does not even go there until the next verse after the end of today’s Gospel. Rather, today Jesus introduces the concept in a more subtle way. It is a positive image of the shepherd caring for the sheep, leading them out of the sheepfold to green pastures and fresh water, leading them into the sheepfold at night to keep them safe from predators. Because of this care given the sheep, there is a profound trust in the shepherd that is given to no other: “the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” We understand precisely what Jesus is saying about himself and our relationship with him. That he is the Good Shepherd who takes care of us with love and tender care. Since most of us have heard numerous sermons on the subject, since many churches have paintings and stained-glass windows devoted to one of the most beloved images of Jesus, we are clear on the concept. No need to really belabor the point.

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The Promise of the Road to Emmaus

Third Sunday of Easter (Year A)

Luke 24.13-35

St. Gregory’s, Long Beach

Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (Beginning at 15:00)

We just heard the last of Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances for this Easter season. Not the last appearance he would make as reported in the Gospels, but the last one we get in our Sunday lectionary for this year. And this is a fitting way to wrap up the appearances of the Risen Christ, as today’s Gospel provides a bridge between the Risen Christ appearing to his disciples and his appearing to us.

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Overcoming Doubts That Christ is Present Among Us

Second Sunday of Easter (Year A)
1 Peter 1.3-9; John 20.19-31
St. Gregory’s, Long Beach
Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 13:30)

Our Gospel reading for today opens one week ago, in our time—on the evening of the day that Jesus was resurrected. Earlier that day, Mary Magdalene had reported to Peter and John that Jesus’ body was missing from the tomb. They investigated and found that he was indeed missing. They returned home, leaving Mary at the tomb, where she then has the first encounter with the Risen Lord. After which she “went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’” (Jn 20.18). Today, we pick up the story where we are told that the remaining disciples, minus Thomas, were locked in the house “for fear of the Jews.” A strange statement, since they themselves were Jews. What is really meant by this is that the disciples are locked away for fear of the Jewish authorities. After all, it was the Jewish authorities who had Jesus arrested and then manipulated the system to have him tried and executed by the Roman authorities. The disciples are naturally fearful that now that their leader has been taken out, they will probably be next. Put an end to Jesus’ message once and for all by having his most loyal followers eliminated. They were naturally—and rightfully—fearful for their safety, for their very lives; unsure of what the future would hold, unable to even imagine their lives ever returning to normal.

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The Promise of the Empty Tomb

Easter Day (Year A)
John 20.1-18
St. Gregory’s, Long Beach
Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 17:30)

Ours is an incarnational faith. In other words, it is the faith of “stuff.” Not a faith in stuff, but a faith of stuff. A faith that relies on stuff, on the physical, the tangible, as symbols to help us understand just what our faith means, what we believe. God’s grace is expressed through the physical. Water poured on our heads at baptism as a sign of cleansing and the forgiveness of our sins; a symbolic going into the waters of baptism whereby we die to self and are born to new life in Christ. Bread and wine at Eucharist as symbols of the inward grace of Christ’s Body and Blood given for us for the forgiveness of our sins, to strengthen our relationship with Christ and one another, and to be a foretaste of the heavenly banquet that we will all one day share. The Peace, where we greet each other with a shake of the hand or a hug as a gesture of our reconciliation with one another so that we may also be reconciled with God as we approach his table. That’s just normal Sunday stuff for us.

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Living Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday
John 13.1-17, 31b-35
St. Gregory’s, Long Beach
Live Streamed on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 18:20)

On Maundy Thursday, we typically focus on two things. The Last Supper, in which Jesus instituted the sacrament that we refer to as the Eucharist, and Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. Although our Gospel reading for this day doesn’t quite bear that out. John’s version actually has a slightly different set of priorities.

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The Geography of Holy Week

Palm/Passion Sunday (Year A)
Matthew 21.1-11; Matthew 26.26-30, 36-56, 27.11-60
St. Gregory’s, Long Beach
Live Streamed  on Parish Facebook Page (beginning at 31:30)

Today we begin our journey through Holy Week. The journey we will travel with Jesus through the events of what we know as Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday. Most years, as I reflect on this journey, I am captivated by the radical changes and jarring reversals that occur in the short arc of this story. From the lightness and joy of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the darkness and despair of Good Friday. But this year, I am seeing the journey differently. Yes, there is still the radical shift in tone, the jarring reversals in temperament. But considering where we are as a world, I see Jesus’ Holy Week journey through the eyes of a people thrown straight into a Good Friday situation. Bypassing the joy and light and going straight to despair and darkness.

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