John 12:20-33 Some of you will recall that I began an exercise class in January. The first week I hurt all the time. And I do mean all the time. Oh, it didn’t hit right away. In fact, that first day I drove my hour’s commute to work feeling rather proud of myself and a little smug, thinking …
Category: Lectionary
Wearing My Sin on the Front of My Alb
John 3:14-21 It was, in fact, the first time I had ever preached on this Gospel text. I was in my first year of seminary and I was preaching that Sunday morning in my teaching parish at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in St. Paul. Since this would be the first time I actually stepped into …
Barriers and Broken Hearts
John 2:13-22 It was a long time ago now… an Easter morning, in fact, and my mother and I were heading out to church. We were visiting my sister and she had thought about joining us, but it was a particularly heartbreaking time in her life and she decided at the last minute that she …
On Cross-Bearing
Mark 8:31-38 This is a story that was passed along to us after my dad died. This is how it came to us: Two of my sisters, my two young nephews, my mother and I had traveled east to the town north of Boston which was my dad’s hometown. My sister, Sarah, especially wanted to go …
Usually Ashes Are Easy to Come By
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Usually ashes are easy to come by. In my most recent congregational call, our efficient Altar Guild would always make sure we had plenty of ashes on hand every year as Epiphany drew to a close and Ash Wednesday fast approached. Only as a much younger pastor, I wasn’t yet aware that ashes …
Uncharted Territory
Mark 1:9-15 I have to say that the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness could not have come at a better time for me for I have found myself in ‘uncharted territory’ these days. The call came at a little after 6 am last Thursday morning. My 81 year old mother who has always …
Puzzling Over the Transfiguration
Mark 9:2-9 I confess I’ve always puzzled over how to bring this particular story alive. For it’s not as though this is something that happens every day. In fact, many of us would assert that we’ve never experienced anything quite like this moment in time where a few chosen disciples join Jesus on a mountain …
Pity or Anger or Both?
Mark 1:40-45 A story for the 6th Sunday After Epiphany There are things going on in the words of the story before us today that aren’t readily apparent if we only read it in its English translation. In fact, as I understand it, the main controversy seems to center on Jesus’ mood and response to the …
Managing What Matters
Mark 1:29-39 I used to love to get on airplanes. No, not the packing or the rush to the airport or the hassle of getting through security. Rather, I loved actually getting on board and settling into a seat. I loved the fact that for the next few hours no one could reach me. For …
Wondering About Authority…
The 4th Sunday after Epiphany Mark 1:21-28 I find myself wondering at what they saw in Jesus in the synagogue that day… what it was that had them leaning in closer to listen. I wonder if they were puzzled at first but found that puzzlement turning to surprise and from feeling surprised to being utterly astounded. …