Going Deeper With Christ Episcopal Church: Recent Episodes
Friends
These podcasts, drawn from sermons, Scripture readings and classes at Christ Episcopal Church in Canon City, Colorado, explore and support the depth of Christian experience and development. Our point of view is influenced by Fr. Richard Rohr, Fr. Thomas Keating, and other contemplative Christians as well as our own contemplative practice.
From Law to Love
Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23
In this sermon, Father Mark reflects on the confrontation between Jesus and the Pharisees from the Gospel of Mark, where the Pharisees criticize Jesus’ disciples for not following the traditions of washing hands before eating. Jesus responds by challenging their focus on external rituals rather than the internal condition of the heart, teaching that what truly defiles a person comes from within. Father Mark relates this to modern-day Christianity, pointing out how rules and boundaries, often enforced to protect religious identity, can lead to exclusion and self-righteousness, instead of fostering deeper connection with God and others.
He further explores the evolution of faith, using the Old Testament stages of development—from the laws of the Torah to the self-criticism of the prophets, and finally, to the wisdom literature that embraces mystery and paradox. Father Mark encourages the congregation to reflect on where they stand in their own spiritual journey: Are they still focused on laws and rules, or have they reached a place of wisdom where they embrace the complexity of life with compassion and understanding? Particularly during contentious times like elections, he emphasizes the need for Christians to avoid judgment and focus on repentance, humility, and love for others, especially those with opposing views.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Feeding on Love
John 6:56-69
Father Mark’s sermon explores the pervasive presence of “negative energy” in modern society, comparing it to a force that feeds on conflict and hate, much like the alien entity in a Star Trek episode. This energy is encouraged by “conflict entrepreneurs” such as news outlets, social media influencers, and politicians who profit from escalating discord. The message urges listeners to recognize this force as alien to our true selves and to choose instead to serve God, who restores us to love, sanity, and wholeness.
Drawing on biblical references, particularly from Joshua and Ephesians, the sermon speaks to the spiritual battle against “cosmic powers of darkness” and encourages a shift from hate to love. The preacher compares hate to an addiction that feels good temporarily but ultimately depresses the Holy Spirit within us. Following the steps of 12-Step programs, the path to healing begins with acknowledging powerlessness over hate and turning to God for restoration.
The sermon concludes with a call to abide in Christ, as depicted in the Gospel of John, where feeding on Christ means embodying his love and rejecting the divisive energy of hate. The imagery of the Star Trek crew overcoming conflict by recognizing the true source of their struggle serves as a metaphor for society’s need to unite as one Body in Christ, transcending differences and overcoming the force of hatred through love and mutual joy.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Manna
John 6:35, 41-51
Father Mark reflects on Jesus' declaration that He is the "bread of life" and the challenges this posed to His audience, who questioned His divine origin. He emphasizes that true sustenance and eternal life come through faith in Jesus, the living bread from heaven. This theme of divine nourishment is contrasted with the "do's and don'ts" found in the epistle reading from Ephesians. The passage presents a moral code that calls Christians to reject bitterness, anger, and slander, and instead embrace truthfulness, kindness, and forgiveness. These virtues are not just moral guidelines but reflections of God's own character, which believers are called to imitate.
Father Mark further discusses the idea of imitation, noting that as humans, we learn by mimicking others, whether consciously or not. He cautions against being influenced by modern-day social media influencers, whose influence may not always be positive or rooted in truth. Instead, Christians are urged to look to God, as revealed through Jesus Christ, as their primary example. By imitating Christ, they align themselves with their true identity, created in God's image, and live out their calling to be kind, compassionate, and forgiving, just as God is toward us.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Bread of Living
John 6:24-35
In this sermon, Father Mark reflects on two significant biblical passages: the feeding of the five thousand from the Gospel of John and Paul's letter to the Ephesians. In John's Gospel, Jesus confronts the crowd following Him not for His miracles but for the physical sustenance He provided. He urges them to seek spiritual nourishment that leads to eternal life, emphasizing that He Himself is the "bread of life" that quenches all hunger and thirst. This message underlines the importance of seeking spiritual fulfillment over earthly desires.
Father Mark connects this to Paul's exhortation in Ephesians, where Paul implores Christians to live a life worthy of their divine calling, characterized by humility, gentleness, patience, and unity. Despite the prevalent division and partisanship in today's society, Christians are called to embody the values of God's kingdom—mercy, kindness, and peace. He stresses that living according to the kingdom's values contrasts sharply with the world's mindset. This requires a conscious effort to be true to God's image within us, pursuing maturity and unity in Christ.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Abundance
John 6:1-21
In today's sermon, Father Mark delves into the Gospel of John, highlighting the symbolic and multi-layered nature of John's storytelling, which contrasts with the more straightforward narratives of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Father Mark emphasizes that John's Gospel often focuses on the spiritual realm and its intersection with the physical world. Using examples such as Nicodemus, the Samaritan woman, and Lazarus, he illustrates how Jesus' teachings point to deeper spiritual realities that are often misunderstood by those focused solely on the material world.
Focusing on the story of Jesus feeding the 5,000, Father Mark explains that Jesus' question to Philip about feeding the crowd was a test of Philip's awareness of the spiritual realm. While Philip and Andrew are fixated on the physical limitations of scarcity, Jesus introduces the abundance of the spiritual realm. Father Mark encourages the congregation to recognize and tap into the spiritual resources available through faith, emphasizing that the kingdom of God is always present within and among us. By aligning ourselves with this spiritual reality, we can experience renewal, abundance, and the ability to overcome seemingly insurmountable challenges.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Wholehearted Rest
Mark 6:30-34, 53-56
In his sermon, Father Mark emphasizes the importance of unity in worship, whether gathered in person or online, symbolized by the collective lighting of candles. He explores the theme of rest, using the story of Jesus and his disciples seeking solitude but finding a needy crowd. Jesus’ compassion for the crowd, despite his own need for rest, highlights the rejuvenating power of wholehearted service and divine compassion.
Father Mark introduces the idea of "Sabbath rest," which transcends mere physical rest and involves being sustained by God's creation and acting in harmony with the Creator's spirit. He references a conversation between poet David White and a Benedictine monk, underscoring that the antidote to exhaustion is wholeheartedness, not inactivity. Father Mark encourages the congregation to approach their tasks with open hearts, allowing God's love and grace to flow through them, thus finding true refreshment and renewal in their spiritual and daily lives.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Choosing God's Kingdom
Mark 6:1-13
In today's sermon, Father Mark reflects on the juxtaposition of Herod's gruesome banquet and the serene memory of golfing with his late father. He recounts the Gospel story where Herod, pressured by Herodias and her daughter, beheads John the Baptist to save face. This story illustrates the stark contrast between the worldly kingdom ruled by power and ego and the kingdom of God governed by love, integrity, and self-giving.
Father Mark draws parallels to contemporary events, lamenting the pervasive violence in society, such as the tragic shooting at a golf course and the recent assassination attempt on a former president. He emphasizes the need to reject the kingdom of this world, which thrives on polarization and hatred, and instead embrace the kingdom of God, where love and righteousness prevail. He calls on the congregation to seek God's kingdom first, urging them to live in a way that reflects God's love and provisions.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Embracing the Hidden Presence
Mark 6:1-13
In his sermon, Father Mark delves into the deep, often hidden presence of God within us and others. He emphasizes that while the townspeople of Nazareth recognized Jesus merely as a carpenter, they missed the profound divine essence and power within him. This oversight, Father Mark explains, was due to their unwillingness to see beyond their preconceived notions and biases. He encourages us to remain open and receptive to the divine possibilities within everyone, urging us to let go of our judgments and embrace the transformative love that flows from recognizing the image of God in ourselves and others.
Father Mark illustrates this with examples from the Bible, highlighting how God uses flawed, ordinary individuals to achieve extraordinary things. He challenges us to seek and serve Christ in all persons, recognizing the divine light within. Drawing from personal anecdotes and theological insights, he calls on the congregation to foster a deeper awareness of God’s presence in everyday life and to embrace the courage to let our own divine light shine.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Lessons From the Storm
Mark 4:35-41
In today's sermon, Father Mark reflects on the Gospel of Mark, where Jesus calms a violent storm while his disciples panic. He draws a parallel between this biblical event and his own personal experience with anxiety during a trip to Spain in 1975.
Father Mark shares how, as a young man, his sense of self-worth was deeply tied to external validation, leading to feelings of insecurity and fear of losing control. During a particularly anxious moment, he had a profound realization that peace and self-worth come from within, grounded in faith, rather than from external circumstances.
Father Mark further explores how Jesus' calming of the storm serves as a metaphor for finding inner peace amidst life's tumultuous events. He suggests that Jesus' questions to the disciples, "Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?" should be seen not as accusations but as invitations to deepen one's faith and trust in God.
By reflecting on these questions, we can understand the importance of being centered in God rather than being swayed by external forces. Father Mark emphasizes that true peace comes from within and that faith allows us to respond calmly to life's storms, just as Jesus did.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Trusting in Divine Growth
Mark 4:26-34
Father Mark's sermon focuses on the parable of the mustard seed from the Gospel of Mark, illustrating the mystery and divine nature of God's kingdom. He emphasizes that the kingdom of God grows automatically, without human intervention, symbolized by a seed that sprouts and grows while the farmer sleeps.
This innate fertility reflects God's generative power at work in creation, independent of human effort. Father Mark contrasts this divine growth with the common belief that success depends solely on human intelligence and hard work, reminding the congregation that true growth and life come from God.
Drawing from personal experience and scriptural references, Father Mark highlights the importance of recognizing our limited control and embracing God's providence. He recounts his own observations of a resilient plant in his backyard and St. Paul's message to the Corinthians, underscoring that it is God who gives the growth.
He encourages the congregation to shift from a mindset of willfulness to willingness, trusting in God's guidance and participating in the divine flow of life. This trust, he notes, brings freedom and peace, contrasting sharply with the anxiety of trying to control every aspect of our lives.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Spiritual Center
Mark 3:20-35
In today's sermon, Father Mark reflects on the Gospel of Mark where Jesus faces skepticism from his family and accusations from the scribes. Jesus responds to these challenges by questioning how a divided kingdom can stand, emphasizing the need for unity and strong foundational beliefs. Jesus' teaching centers on the idea that true family is defined not by blood but by a shared commitment to doing God's will.
Father Mark expands on this by discussing how, in ancient times, one's identity and honor were deeply intertwined with family. He contrasts this with Jesus' call for a radical shift in consciousness, encouraging followers to place their devotion to God above all societal and familial norms. He stresses the importance of having a strong spiritual reference point, much like a train needing a clear direction, to navigate life meaningfully and faithfully.
To maintain this spiritual center, Father Mark suggests daily devotional practices, reminding the congregation that without a strong commitment to God, people may find themselves devoted to less worthy pursuits. He concludes by urging everyone to regularly recenter their lives around God's will, ensuring that their primary allegiance is to the kingdom of God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reorienting to God
Mark 2:23-3:6
In today's gospel from Mark, Jesus challenges the Pharisees' rigid interpretation of Sabbath laws through two significant incidents. First, when His disciples pluck grain on the Sabbath and are accused of breaking the law, Jesus reminds the Pharisees of David eating the consecrated bread out of necessity. He asserts that the Sabbath is made to serve humanity, not to impose burdens. In the second incident, Jesus heals a man with a withered hand on the Sabbath, exposing the Pharisees' hypocrisy as they prioritize legalism over compassion and even plot against Jesus on the same holy day.
Father Mark emphasizes that, like the Pharisees, we can become self-righteous and judgmental, using religious or cultural laws to serve our own egos rather than God's will. He challenges us to re-evaluate our beliefs and actions to ensure they are life-giving and spirit-nourishing, aligning with Jesus’ example of compassion and love. In today's polarized world, Father Mark urges us to reorient ourselves towards God, rather than becoming entrenched in partisan identities that divide and harden our hearts. By centering ourselves in God's love, we can transcend our differences and fulfill the true purpose of God's laws.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Divine Dance
John 3:1-17
Father Mark's sermon focuses on the mysterious and profound doctrine of the Trinity, emphasizing that while it may seem irrational and incomprehensible, it holds significant truths about the nature of God and our relationship with Him. The sermon begins by acknowledging the mystery of the Trinity—one God in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Despite the apparent irrationality of this concept, Father Mark explains that it arises from humanity's experience of God and scripture, not mere rational thought. He emphasizes that the Trinity should not be seen as a definitive explanation of God, but rather as a metaphor that helps us grasp certain divine truths.
Father Mark highlights two key truths that the Trinity reveals about God. First, the diversity within the Godhead reflects the diversity of creation. This diversity is seen in the myriad of species and unique individual traits among humans, all of which mirror the varied yet unified nature of the Trinity. Second, the Trinity underscores the importance of relationships. The eternal dance of self-giving love among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exemplifies the perfect relational community, which humans are called to emulate. By transcending individualism and dualism, and entering into loving relationships, we reflect the divine unity and love of the Trinity.
To illustrate these concepts, Father Mark uses the metaphors of a circle of giving and receiving and a circle dance. The endless flow of love within the Trinity is like a continuous circle where each person gives and receives fully, and this divine dance invites us to participate. We are called to join this dance, embodying the love and unity of the Trinity in our lives and communities, thus fulfilling our divine purpose and reflecting the divine nature.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Ever-Present Spirit
John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15
Father Mark’s sermon focuses on the Holy Spirit’s presence in the lives of believers, drawing on biblical examples from both the Old and New Testaments.
He explains that the Spirit of God has always been with humanity, empowering individuals for extraordinary deeds and guiding them in truth. The sermon emphasizes that the Holy Spirit’s presence is not new or intermittent, but a constant force within us, as evidenced by Pentecost.
Father Mark highlights the significance of realizing and awakening to this indwelling Spirit, urging believers to live from the awareness that God’s Spirit is within them. This awareness can bring strength, comfort, and unity, helping us navigate life’s challenges and fostering a deeper connection with God and each other.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Axis of Devotion
John 17:6-19
In his sermon, Father Mark examines Jesus' prayer for his disciples before his crucifixion. Jesus asks God to protect the disciples from the world's ways so they may remain united in God's loving character. Father Mark notes that living according to God's ways is counter-cultural and often opposed by the prevailing worldly culture.
Father Mark highlights the difficulty of maintaining devotion to God when constantly surrounded by a culture with conflicting values and priorities. There is a tendency to confuse cultural devotion with devotion to God's teachings. Father Mark reminds us of Jesus' warning against trying to serve two masters simultaneously.
Drawing from Jesus' metaphor of the vine and branches, Father Mark emphasizes Jesus' call for his disciples to abide in him, drawing life from his spirit rather than the world's. Staying connected to God is crucial for bearing spiritual fruit. Father Mark poses the central question: are our lives spinning around devotion to God or devotion to other things?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Tuned In to God’s Love
John 15:9-17
Father Mark began by reflecting on Jesus' words in John 15:9-17, where Jesus says "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love." He noted that this passage is not just about intellectual understanding, but about feeling a deep sense of connection and love with God. He encouraged the congregation to imagine themselves as branches connected to the true vine, Christ, and to feel the stir of inward sap rising from their root, which is planted in the ground of love.
Father Mark used various metaphors and images from the Bible to illustrate how language about God can be symbolic and figurative, pointing towards the thing itself rather than being the thing itself. He noted that while analysis of these images can be helpful, they are often meant to convey spiritual truths beyond intellectual understanding. He encouraged the congregation to allow themselves to be receptive to God's love at a deep level, rather than just processing it with their minds.
Father Mark then explored the concept of resonance, using the image of two violins in tune with each other as an example. He suggested that when our hearts are tuned to the frequency of God's love, they resonate with that love, and that this resonance can spread to others.
He also used the concept of prayer as a way of retuning our hearts to sing God's grace, allowing us to resonate with the music of the spheres and feel connected to all of creation. Throughout his sermon, Father Mark encouraged the congregation to cultivate a deeper sense of connection with God and with each other, and to allow themselves to be resonated by God's love song.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Fruit of Love
John 15:1-8
Father Mark draws parallels between our physical bodies and our spiritual lives, noting that just as what we put into our bodies affects our health, so too does what we feed our minds and spirits affect our well-being. He emphasizes that our spirits were designed to run on God, not alternative fuels like entertainment or busyness. Instead of seeking happiness and peace through external sources, we should abide in Christ, the true vine, and allow His love to flow through us.
Father Mark uses the example of pruning rose bushes to illustrate how sometimes, even good things in our lives can become distractions and drain our energy away from God. He encourages listeners to examine their priorities and ask themselves if they are producing the fruit of love in their lives and in the world. He also reminds us that it is not always easy to let go of secondary branches or suckers, but that with prayer and guidance from the divine vine grower, we can learn to prioritize what truly nourishes our souls.
Ultimately, Father Mark's message is one of encouragement to abide in Christ and allow His love to flow through us. He notes that the fruit of discipleship is love for one another, and that this love is only possible when we are abiding in the true vine. By recognizing where we may be diverting our energy away from God and by seeking guidance on how to prioritize what truly nourishes our souls, we can become more fruitful disciples of Jesus Christ.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Following the Good Shepherd
John 10:11-18
In his sermon, Fr. Mark discusses the image of Jesus as the good shepherd, contrasting it with the hired hand who abandons the sheep in times of danger. He emphasizes the deep, loving connection between the good shepherd and his sheep, which mirrors the relationship between Jesus and his heavenly Father. Fr. Mark stresses that following the good shepherd is not always easy or comfortable, as it involves sacrifice and can be counter-cultural.
Fr. Mark then relates the message of the good shepherd to the current situation at Christ Church, where the vestry and he have been trying to follow and listen to the good shepherd's guidance for over two years. He acknowledges that this process can be painful and confusing for everyone involved, but he encourages the congregation to continue following Jesus, even when it is difficult.
Finally, Fr. Mark reflects on Psalm 23, noting that the psalmist's shepherd Lord leads him in roundabout ways rather than straight paths, through challenging situations like the valley of the shadow of death and in the presence of enemies. Despite these difficulties, the psalmist maintains an unshakable trust in the Lord, and Fr. Mark suggests that this psalm might serve as a guiding scripture for the parish during this time of uncertainty, encouraging them to keep trusting, listening, and following the good shepherd.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Dying to Live
John 20:19-31
In this sermon, Father Mark discusses the concept of resurrection and its relevance to our lives in the present. He shares a story about his friend who experienced the death of his relationship with his mother, only to have it resurrected after she survived a near-fatal heart attack. Father Mark emphasizes that the power of resurrection is not limited to Jesus' story from 2,000 years ago, but is available to transform our lives here and now, releasing us from deadly habits, thought patterns, and mindsets.
Father Mark explains that the risen Christ is present in our world, sharing our human life and enabling new resurrected life within us. He encourages the congregation to experience the mighty power that raised Jesus from the dead, even though it may involve letting go of old habits, customs, or relationships.
Father Mark asserts that without death, there can be no resurrection, and that God never wastes anything. He concludes by reminding the congregation that resurrection happens every time we love, trust, and refuse to become negative or cynical, and that we don't have to wait for it later.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Questions and Doubts
John 20:19-31
Reverend Wendy discusses the story of "Doubting Thomas" from John 20:19-31, emphasizing that it is normal and acceptable to have doubts and questions about faith. She shares her own experience of a crisis of faith following her divorce, during which she questioned and doubted God. Reverend Wendy points out that even in the Bible, figures like Job questioned and challenged God during difficult times.
The sermon highlights Jesus' gentle and compassionate response to Thomas's doubts, inviting him to touch His hands and side to confirm His presence. This act demonstrates Jesus' love for Thomas and serves as a reminder that Jesus is always present, even in moments of uncertainty and doubt.
Reverend Wendy relates the message to the congregation's current situation, acknowledging the uncertainties they face in the coming years. She encourages them to trust that Jesus is with them, inviting them to embrace His presence and love, just as Thomas did when he proclaimed, "My Lord and my God."
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Easter 2024
Matthew 28:1-10
Father Mark's Easter sermon focuses on the transformative power of the resurrection. He points out that in the Gospel accounts, Jesus' followers initially fail to recognize the risen Christ, signifying that something about Him has changed. This transformation extends to Mary Magdalene and the disciples, who are no longer just followers but become apostles, sent out to carry God's love and grace into the world.
Father Mark emphasizes that transformation often occurs when something old falls apart, forcing the soul to go to a new place. He suggests that in our personal and communal lives, we must be willing to let go of the past and embrace change, even when it is painful or disorienting. This is particularly relevant to the church, which is experiencing a time of upheaval and must adapt to new realities.
The sermon concludes by highlighting the radical newness of Jesus' teachings and actions, which overturn conventional human ways of living and relating. To be truly raised with Christ means setting our minds on things above, embodying forgiveness, compassion, and self-emptying love. The central question of Easter, then, is not what happened to Jesus in the past, but how the resurrection challenges and changes us in the present.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Full Immersion
John 12:20-33
Fr. Mark uses a humorous story about a woman trying to avoid full immersion baptism to illustrate how we often try to protect our vulnerable inner selves by staying on the surface of life, preoccupied with the external world. He says we need to die to our false surface self in order to find our true self in God.
Jesus himself felt the human fear of losing his individual self, but knew that fruitful, abundant life is found in union with God and others, not in individualism. His death and resurrection shows that dying to self leads to new life, just as a seed must die to produce a harvest. This applies not just to individuals but to communities and the church - we must die to our own needs and agendas to truly serve others.
Ultimately, we need to shed the "flotation devices" that keep us on the surface and let the waters of baptism do their transformative work in us. This means dying to our disconnection, tribalism and obsession with externals in order to build a new, connected world in Christ.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Love or Judgment?
John 3:14-21
Father Mark’s sermon revolves around interpreting the famous biblical verse, John 3:16, which states, "For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life." Father Mark discusses how this verse can be interpreted as either comforting or terrifying, depending on one's perspective. He highlights the contrast between viewing God as a loving, merciful being or as a demanding, uncompromising judge.
Father Mark emphasizes that interpreting the Bible involves drawing upon tradition, reason, experience, and other biblical passages. He suggests that the word "believe" in John 3:16 could be better translated as "trust," shifting the focus from holding specific beliefs to surrendering to the Spirit of Christ. He draws parallels with parables of the lost sheep, coin, and son, illustrating God's unconditional love and desire to seek out and rejoice over those who are lost.
The sermon invites the congregation to interpret John 3:16 as a message of God's love and healing rather than condemnation. Father Mark proposes understanding the word "saved" in verse 17 as being healed from various societal ills, aligning with God's desire to restore wholeness and union with the divine. He encourages interpreting the Bible through the lens of a merciful, forgiving, and infinitely loving God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Beyond the Marketplace
John 2:13-22
Father Mark's sermon focuses on the story of Jesus cleansing the temple. He argues that the act was driven by Jesus' frustration with the temple becoming a marketplace.
Traditionally, people brought animals for sacrifice, but the temple merchants inflated prices and prioritized profit over worship. This commercialization contrasted with God's free flow of grace and love.
The sermon highlights the dangers of a "marketplace mentality" even in our spiritual lives. We easily fall into thinking of God as someone we make deals with, expecting something in return for our actions. However, true faith involves accepting God's gifts freely, without needing to earn them.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Facing Ourselves
Mark 1:9-15
This sermon by Father Mark delves into the themes of self-examination and living a life centered on divine things, drawing on the Gospel of Mark and Sister Joan Chittister's book "Falling Upward." Father Mark emphasizes the importance of introspection and confronting our inner selves, challenging the tendency to blame others and avoid responsibility. He argues that true freedom lies in letting go of selfish desires and attachments, aligning our lives with Christ's teachings, and embracing the challenges that come with following His path.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Fast and Feast
Mark 1:9-15
Father Mark's sermon explores the concept of the wilderness as a place of testing and transformation, drawing parallels between the experiences of Jesus and those of the congregation during Lent. He emphasizes the presence of two opposing forces in our lives: the "divisive, oppositional, satanic spirit" that separates us from God and others, and the "life-giving, loving, compassionate spirit of Jesus."
The sermon encourages self-reflection during Lent, urging congregants to examine the motivations behind their thoughts, words, and actions. Father Mark highlights the subtle nature of negative energy, which can often masquerade as righteousness or even friendship. He emphasizes the importance of discerning this energy and choosing instead the loving spirit of Christ.
The sermon concludes with a call to action, urging listeners to "fast from the life-depleting energies and feast on the life-giving energies." Father Mark expresses hope that the congregation will learn to trust the energy of God's love during their Lenten journey.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Transfiguration
Mark 9:2-9
Christianity teaches that Christ can be born a thousand times in Bethlehem, but all are in vain until he is born in each individual. The meaning of the transfiguration is not just that Jesus was transfigured 2,000 years ago, but that we are called to say yes to our own transfiguration and metamorphosis into something greater than ourselves.
As we enter Lent, it is a time for us to courageously seek to become truer versions of ourselves, allowing ourselves to be transformed by the Holy Spirit and to see life from a different, larger, higher perspective through the eyes of Christ who dwells within us.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Weak and Strong
Mark 1:29-39
Father Mark's sermon delves into the narrative of Jesus' healing and exorcism activities in Capernaum, as described in the Gospel according to Mark, highlighting Jesus' deliberate choice to maintain the Messianic secret. He interprets Jesus' refusal to allow demons to reveal his identity as a strategic measure to prevent misconceptions about his messiahship, particularly against the backdrop of contemporary Jewish expectations of a military liberator.
Father Mark elaborates on the "Messianic secret" theme, suggesting Jesus aimed to redefine messianic expectations, focusing on servitude and spiritual liberation rather than political dominance. This redefinition is contrasted with prevailing cultural norms that valorize power and retaliation over forgiveness and servitude.
The sermon emphasizes the transformative power of Jesus' message and actions, encouraging a reevaluation of personal and communal values in light of the Gospel's teachings. It calls for a radical shift from cultural conformity to Gospel-formed lives, challenging listeners to embrace servanthood, forgiveness, and a reoriented understanding of strength as envisioned by Jesus.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Root of Authority
Mark 1:21-28
Father Mark's sermon focuses on the unique authority of Jesus as depicted in the Gospel story, where Jesus teaches and performs an exorcism in a synagogue. He contrasts Jesus' innate authority with the external, institutional authority of the scribes.
The people in the synagogue recognized Jesus' authority as emanating from his essence and connection with God, rather than from any official position.
Father Mark also explores how Christian authority has evolved, discussing the shift from institutional authority to scriptural authority during the Protestant Reformation. He introduces a balanced approach to understanding scripture, incorporating Scripture, Tradition, Reason, and Experience.
The sermon encourages embracing these diverse sources to grow in wisdom and deepen one's spiritual understanding.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Beyond Nets and Boats
Mark 1:14-20
In his sermon, Father Mark explores the Gospel of Mark, specifically the story of Jesus calling Simon, Andrew, James, and John to follow him. He discusses three ways to interpret this story: as a historical account, a rationalized narrative, or a personal, deeper message.
Father Mark emphasizes the importance of understanding "repentance" in its original context, as a call to change one's mindset and actions. He critiques the common reluctance to change, especially in political contexts, and challenges the congregation to consider how Jesus' message applies today.
Addressing the current challenges of the Christian Church, Father Mark suggests a shift in perspective: viewing church roles not just as tasks, but as part of God's larger mission of reconciliation and love. He encourages the congregation to listen to God's call with open hearts and minds, and to engage in the church and the world with renewed energy and a sense of divine purpose.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Come and See
John 1:43-51
Father Mark's sermon, based on the Gospel of John, delves into the theme of invitation and openness, using the story of Philip inviting Nathaniel to meet Jesus. He highlights how Nathaniel's initial skepticism about Jesus being from Nazareth reflects a common human tendency to prejudge and dismiss others based on superficial attributes like their origin, social status, or beliefs. Father Mark emphasizes that Jesus represents an invitation from God to see beyond such prejudices and to recognize the divine presence in all people and situations.
The sermon further explores how this story is relevant to contemporary perceptions of Christianity. With the Christian church often viewed skeptically due to various scandals and perceived hypocrisies, Father Mark suggests that, like Philip, Christians should invite others to "come and see" the true essence of their faith, rather than trying to argue or persuade. He points out that many people join churches because someone they know invited them, illustrating the power of personal invitation over argument.
Towards the end, Father Mark reflects on the characteristics that make the congregation unique, such as openness, inclusivity, love, hospitality, spiritual depth, and intellectual engagement. He encourages the congregation to consider what aspects of their church life they would want others to experience and to extend invitations accordingly. He concludes by suggesting that life itself is an invitation from God to participate in His work, urging his listeners to approach life with curiosity and openness, constantly asking, "What's the invitation here?"
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Baptism and Belonging
Mark 1:4-11
Father Mark's sermon focuses on the theme of identity in the context of the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. He explores how Jesus, at his baptism, was reaffirmed by God as His beloved son. This affirmation of identity, Father Mark suggests, is crucial before Jesus begins his earthly ministry and faces temptation. He draws parallels between this divine affirmation and our own understanding of identity through baptism.
Father Mark explains that baptism has both an objective and subjective element. Objectively, it asserts our status as God’s beloved children. Subjectively, it's about our personal acceptance and understanding of this truth. He emphasizes the ease with which we can forget this fundamental identity and seek validation through other means like occupation, social status, or political affiliations. These identities, he argues, are transient and do not define our true selves.
He further discusses how our perception of ourselves shapes who we become, citing studies on children who were believed to be gifted and consequently excelled. This highlights the power of perception and belief in forming our identity.
Father Mark also touches on the communal aspect of baptism, reminding us that as beloved children of God, we are also siblings to one another. This idea calls for unity and understanding amidst the divisiveness in the world. He concludes by reminding the congregation of the importance of remembering and living out our true identity as children of God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Discharging Our Loyal Soldier
Luke 2:22-40
Father Mark's sermon reflects on the biblical narrative of Simeon and Anna encountering the infant Jesus in the Temple. He explores the theme of transitions in life, using Simeon's experience as a metaphor.
Father Mark extends this metaphor to our lives, suggesting that we often struggle with identity and purpose after major life transitions, akin to the loyal Japanese soldiers post-WWII. He suggests that, like Simeon and the loyal soldiers, we must learn to let go of past roles and identities to embrace new callings and purposes.
This involves shifting from seeking a distant God to recognizing and surrendering to God's omnipresent nature. We have the opportunity to embrace the present presence of God in our lives here and now.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Story Power
Fr. Mark's Christmas Eve sermon reflects deeply on the power of stories, particularly the Christmas narrative, as tools for discovery and understanding. He begins by recounting the Gospel of Luke's account of Jesus' birth, emphasizing how stories, even those seemingly simple like the Christmas narrative, have profound impacts on us. He notes that our brains are wired for stories, as they engage multiple parts of our brain, not just the language-processing areas.
Fr. Mark draws parallels between the story of Mary and Joseph's journey to Bethlehem and current global issues, like the war in Ukraine and the situation in Gaza, highlighting how powerful decisions can affect the lives of distant individuals. He also connects this to the personal experience of powerlessness many felt during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The sermon emphasizes the concept of awe and how humans are hardwired for it. It discusses how moments of awe connect us to something larger than ourselves, which some may call God. This is illustrated through the shepherds' awe at the angels' announcement of Jesus' birth and the character Suzanne from Elizabeth Stout's novel, who experiences a deep sensation she associates with God.
Fr. Mark concludes by emphasizing how stories like the Christmas narrative have the power to shape our identity, imagination, and sense of belonging. He encourages listeners to let these stories resonate with them and evoke sensations that connect them to the divine.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Beyond Amazement
John 1:1-14
If we are to honor these texts, we cannot avoid personal involvement. All of these texts are “after our souls.” We must go beyond our initial amazement, which can block our deeper spiritual development.
We can harbor within us a pondering heart, which is the vital path of discipleship, as we reflect on the multiple aspects of Christmas which include the birth of Christ within the soul.
We discover that grace is the free flow of infinite, intimate Love, so we can share this with the lives we touch each day.
The child wrapped in swaddling clothes, in the inner house of Christmas, will be you.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Beyond Belief
Luke 1:26-38
Rev. Wendy's sermon starts with a personal anecdote about hearing the song "Mary Did You Know?" and transitions into exploring the theme of impossible pregnancies in the Bible. She connects Mary's miraculous conception of Jesus with other biblical stories of unlikely births, such as those of Elizabeth (John the Baptist's mother), Sarah (Isaac's mother), and Hannah (Samuel's mother). Rev. Wendy highlights the common thread in these stories: the idea that nothing is impossible with God.
The sermon delves into the Gospel of Luke, beginning with the angel Gabriel's announcement to Mary and the subsequent events. Rev. Wendy emphasizes Mary's initial confusion and eventual acceptance of her role, drawing parallels to Old Testament figures who also accepted divine calls. She discusses the Magnificat, Mary's song of praise, which is not included in the specific passage but is crucial to understanding Mary's journey.
Rev. Wendy further explores Mary's ongoing process of understanding and accepting her role as the mother of Jesus. She notes that Mary spent her entire life learning about and pondering the significance of her son. The sermon concludes by connecting Mary's experience to the congregants' lives, encouraging them to be open to the Spirit's prompting and to follow Jesus' way. The overarching message is about faith, acceptance, and the belief in the possibility of the impossible with divine intervention.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Preparing the Way
Mark 1:1-8
In the season of Advent, Father Mark's sermon takes us through a reflective journey, guided by the Gospel of Mark.
We are part of the continuing Gospel. We are real life characters in a Gospel that has no end. We must clear and straighten the path for the advent of Christ into our lives.
We can open the way for the coming of Christ into every moment of our lives. We do this by changing our hearts, minds and behaviors, and that which blocks the flow of Divine Life between God and us, and between us and our neighbors (including all of Creation). This opens us to Jesus’ banquet of Grace.
It’s not just a matter of exposure to Christ, but what we can integrate. What needs to happen to all of us so that Christ can flow in out of our hearts not just at Christmas, but in every day of our lives?
What is blocking the flow of Divine Life into and through us? Our response affects not only us, but the entire world, and adds our own chapter to the Gospel story that has no end.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Advent Hope Amidst Worldly Turmoil
Mark 13:24-37
Father Mark addresses the concept of apocalyptic predictions, referencing figures like Martin Luther and Christopher Columbus who foretold the end of the world. He clarifies that the term 'apocalypse' originally meant revealing hidden truths, especially God's love in dark times, rather than world-ending events. Father Mark relates this to the Gospel of Mark, written during the tumultuous Jewish-Roman war, suggesting that the gospel's apocalyptic passages offered hope amidst despair.
Father Mark then draws parallels to modern challenges such as climate change and political strife, likening these to the symbolic upheavals described in the gospel. He concludes with an Advent message of hope, urging the congregation to stay alert to Christ's hidden coming and participate in God's transformative work on earth.
The world of our childhood is shaking and crumbling beneath us.
Despite current turmoil and changes in the world and the church, he reassures that Jesus and his teachings remain a constant, guiding force for a hopeful future.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Becoming Little Christs
Matthew 25:31-46
This the last day of the church year, and we celebrate The Feast of Christ the King.
The kingship we celebrate is one of emptying oneself. God exalted Jesus because He emptied himself, humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death on the Cross.
This is Christ our King. He redeemed us not with His sword, but with His blood, by dying. “With deeds of love and mercy, the Heavenly Kingdom comes.”
In the parable of the sheep and the goats, neither group sees the Lord in the needy. Why, then, do the sheep help while the goats do not? Perhaps the sheep see themselves in the needy, or respect the dignity of the “least of these.”
Or perhaps the sheep are simply participating in the life and flow of God’s compassionate spirit, loving their neighbor from the depth of their souls. Their right actions are driven by their spiritual communion with God.
In participating in the flow of Divine life and love, we find our relationship with God strengthens. As we love God, we will love our neighbor, and as we love our neighbor more, the spirit of God will flow ever more within and through us. There is a seamless flow of Divine love and mercy, and we become “little Christs.”
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
How We See is How We Live
Matthew 25:14-30
The pieces of the puzzle in today’s Gospel don’t seem to fit together unless we look at it in the context of the Kingdom of Heaven.
What is analogous to the talents in the parable, that God hands over to us? God has handed over to us His own Spirit.
The third slave in the parable sees God as harsh and punitive, and lives his life not in faith but in fear and mistrust, which causes him to bury his talent. How he saw was how he lived.
If we see God through the eyes of Jesus, we see Him as a loving God who gives and empowers.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Choosing the Eternal Bridegroom
Matthew 25:1-13
The people of Israel faced a crucial time of discernment: who will they serve?
Jesus said that we cannot serve two masters.
Yahweh chose Abraham and his descendants as his own people, and Yahweh wanted them to choose Him, to love Him as much as He loved them. For this reason the analogy of marriage often is used.
We, the “wedding guests,” are invited to become one with Christ, to marry the bridegroom and to behave accordingly in the world. In this marriage, we give ourselves to Christ fully, in heart, soul, mind and strength.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Soul
Matthew 5:1-12
What is the soul? And where does it go when our bodies die?
One definition is that soul refers to the sacred depths of ourselves, the dimension of our being where we experience meaning, passion, and compassion. We are most alive when we are one with our soul.
Often we are not in touch with, connected with, our soul. One reason we meet in worship is to connect with the sacred depths of ourselves.
The kingdom of this world is governed by a very different spirit than in the Kingdom of God. When we are totally consumed by the kingdom of this world we can easily lose connection with our soul, even if we become wealthy, successful and admired. We can gain the world and lose our soul.
There are many signs of disconnection with our soul, including when we are judgmental, over-identified with our religion or political party, when our thoughts are obsessive and we have imagined conversations.
How do we reconnect with our soul? Stop, look, then go! First we stop, intentionally pause the hamster wheel of thoughts and be still. Then we look, we behold this moment and find what there is to be grateful for and what are the opportunities of this moment. Then, we go, and act on the insight that comes from our own insight and intuition.
And where does the soul go when we die? John O’Donohue says, “When the soul leaves the body it is no longer under the burden and control of space and time. It is free…the dead are our nearest neighbors….”
The souls of the deceased are here; we have falsely spatialized the eternal world which is not a place but a different state of being. The dead are in an invisible form, and can be sensed with the refinement of our soul. Soul sees soul. It is not known intellectually.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Currency
Matthew 22:15-22
The question of taxes is a divisive and heated issue, not just now but also in the time of Jesus as is seen in this week’s Gospel with the imperial tax.
The discussion was intended to put Jesus between a rock and a hard place, with nowhere to turn. But Jesus refused to play that game.
Jesus plays a different game, that of a life centered in God, the Kingdom of Heaven which has a different “currency” than does the kingdom of the world.
His currency is that of love, forgiveness, compassion. And what bears God’s image, and therefore belongs to God? You and me. We are to offer all of ourselves to God, which we do at each celebration of the Eucharist.
We tend to tell ourselves that if we get all of our worldly concerns met, we’ll have time for the concerns of God—loving and serving our neighbors.
That’s not the way it works in the Kingdom of God. We are to first seek the Kingdom of God, and to give first the currency of love, mercy, humility, compassion, and faithfulness to God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The King’s Invitation
Matthew 22:1-14
The parable of the king’s wedding feast is a parable about the Kingdom of God. We are invited to join the feast, and to enter into the Kingdom of God.
The religious leaders of the time rejected the invitation. They didn’t want to be changed, to be transformed. They preferred their familiar, routine, lives.
We are like this. We often prefer to remain citizens of the mundane world, to live our lives as usual under the reign of our own will.
Just belonging to the Church is not enough. We’re called to go beyond silent attendance. Hearing the call is easy. Marrying the Son of God is difficult, because this requires us to actually change our lives.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
What is Our Function?
Matthew 21:33-46
The contours of our lives can be shaped by our desire to know Christ, as we pursue what we know to be the function of our lives—to know Christ and the power of his Resurrection.
We can get so caught up with the form of our lives, of our church, that we forget the function. Outer form may be all important. This was the case of St. Paul until, for Christ’s sake, he suffered the loss of all things.
The outward forms of Paul’s life were not in service to his new function in Christ, and thus he considered them as loss. New wines require new wineskins, new forms.
We now live in what some call “the age of authenticity” in which people look inward to find their truth, with concomitant distrust of inherited institutions.
This is a liminal, threshold moment for Christ Church. We seek to discern God’s calling in our lives together, our function, in the days and years to come.
We will soon have an all parish retreat to discern our function and mission. We have the opportunity to let go of old forms, reckless in our love, so that new life might spring eternal.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
In Hard Times
Matthew 21:23-32
The chief preachers and elders feel threatened by Jesus, for a number of reasons. They challenged his authority. He responded with hard questions.
Unlike the chief preachers and elders, we have Jesus to be with us when we face hard questions. And God provides for us in hard times.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reward of the Vineyard
Matthew 20:1-16
This week’s Gospel is the parable of the householder, landowner, and the day laborers.
We who live out our lives in a market economy might have trouble with this parable. But Jesus begins this parable with “the Kingdom of Heaven is like…”
From the householder’s view, the point is not what you get, but the fact that you work in the “vineyard,” the spiritual reality that permeates our physical, mental and social life.
We are sent into the material world to manifest more and more the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. The work itself is the reward, the joy is in the contribution, in joining with the Lord of the Vineyard in creating a new and better world.
Isn’t this the joy for which we yearn? Jesus’ parable tells us that everyone who works in the vineyard receives “our daily bread.” The market/s tit for tat consciousness is replaced with the overflowing generosity consciousness of Jesus, God’s amazing, undeserved, grace.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Forgiveness
Matthew 18:15-20
Houston Smith, the great scholar of religions, said that forgiveness is most characteristic of Christianity.
Two-thirds of the teachings of Jesus are related to forgiveness, says Fr. Richard Rohr. Forgiveness was fundamental for Jesus. He forgave those who had tortured and crucified him.
But payback and its cousins is rampant in our world today. There has even been a popular TV show called “Revenge.” Revenge is seen as a virtue in many societies today.
There are evolutionary, biological bases for our predilection to strike back. But to act on such impulses is not good for us or for other. We can learn to rise above such instinctive responses.
In today’s Gospel, a king extended extravagant mercy, giving a slave and his family a future with freedom, hope and possibility. Yet this slave turned around and refused to forgive the debt of another, taking away the hope and future of the other.
Justice, alone, can take away a hope and a future. These often can only come through love, mercy, grace and forgiveness.
If we refuse to forgive others, this limits the flow of God’s mercy and forgiveness to and through us.
Are we willing to release our need to be right, and our need for retribution? Are we willing to break the cycle of pain, and follow Jesus in forgiveness?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
True Community
Matthew 18:15-20
Matthew was concerned with community. We all say we want it, and we generally have no idea it is to come by
The framework for reconciliation provided in this week’s Gospel is much harder than talking behind people’s backs. Many of us have no background in resolving conflicts. Walking away is what we know best.
In this week’s Gospel passage, Jesus is teaching a skill for reconciliation and restoration of community. A skill isn’t enough; there must also be humility and love, found in relationship with God.
A history of repentance is helpful in reconciliation. Our egos bend more easily. Prayer practices can prepare us for this.
Our world needs true community. Too often, we settle for a surface level or false community.
Communities often form around a negative view of an “out group”, and become oppositional groups which are not true communities but rather loose alliances of those with similar grievances.
Our Christ Church motto is “going deeper.” As we do this, we find that true community is not so much something we build, but something we discover in the deeper level of communion among the Trinitarian God.
God pulls us into community. When two or three are gathered to seek agreement, Christ is an active presence drawing them together.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Lose Your Surface Life
Matthew 16:21-28
Jesus rebuked Peter for setting his mind on human things, not Divine things.
Peter’s mind was rooted in the culture and beliefs of his day. We, too, are immersed in our culture and draw on human ways of doing things to solve our problems, not on God’s ways.
Our minds, hearts and will must be transformed to not be captured by the ways of our world.
How do we lose our surface life? We set our minds on Divine things by intentionally spending time emptying our minds of human things and steeping our minds in Divine things. Being in church is one of the ways we do this.
One hour on Sunday morning isn’t enough in light of the clamor of our culture. So we can spend time daily in prayer, devotions, noticing the presence of God in nature and creatures. We can catch ourselves when negative emotions arise, and ask ourselves if we’re focused on Divine things or human things.
We can learn to more and more live our lives from our deeper self, having lost our surface selves for Jesus’ sake and found our true life in Him.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Being Christ for One Another
Matthew 15: (10-20), 21-28
Was Jesus human, Divine, or some mixture of the two? Was He born knowing everything, or did He have to learn as all humans do.
Seven times in the Gospels, Jesus is described as “amazed.” If He already knew everything, how could He be amazed?
We’re also told that “Jesus grew in wisdom and maturity.” In other words, Jesus learned. He was truly human.
In today’s Gospel, Jesus not only learned but had His mind radically changed when a woman whom Jesus had insulted by calling her a “dog” responded from the fierce love she held for her daughter. He saw in her the same love He shared with His Heavenly Father. He was stunned, His mind was changed, and he repented. Her daughter was healed instantly.
Even Jesus was susceptible to falling into the trap of in-group superiority, prejudice and tribalism. Jesus models for us how to repent from initial hardheartedness. He allowed her to be Christ to Him, and to bring Him back to His own Christ identity.
Jesus teaches us humility.
Are we able, like Jesus in today’s Gospel, to repent from our culturally-conditioned mindsets, and to find our deeper, truer, identity as a beloved child of God?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Be Not Afraid
Matthew 14:22-33
The disciples were terrorized when their boat was battered, tormented, by the waves. The wind was like a demonic adversary fighting against them. Their fear of otherworldly beings was heightened by a “ghost” walking across the waves toward them. Then Jesus said, “It is I. Do not be afraid.”
Jesus’ earthly life is bracketed by warnings against fear. In our lives, fear can paralyze us, and turn us inward in unhealthy ways.
Peter courageously obeyed the command of Jesus when he sought to walk toward Jesus in the midst of the storm. Yet when his fear grew, threatening to engulf him, Jesus stretched out his hand to save him.
Jesus asked Peter, “You of little faith, why did you doubt?” This helped Peter to understand why he sank. His inner focus on the reality of Jesus was replaced by his outer occupation on his outer, threatening, circumstances. This happens with us as well, both individually and in the aggregate (corporately).
The invitation is for us individually, and as member of this church. What are we afraid of? What are we doing here? In whom will we place our trust?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Whose Transfiguration?
Luke 9:28-36
Humans memorialize great moments, mystical experiences, by building structures such as the church at the site of the Transfiguration. We don’t want to lose the experience of a Divine encounter.
The institutional structure of the Church, the New Testament, and Holy Communion, are efforts to preserve and pass down what originally were mystical experiences with the Divine.
But when the ritual becomes more important than the Living God which they are intended to convey, they can become roadblocks rather than passages to God.
Peter’s intention to outwardly memorialize the Transfiguration by building structures missed the point. In the living God we live, and move and have our being—not in any structure, building, bible, or liturgy.
Buildings, bibles, traditions, music, liturgies, can become objects of worship rather than the living God.
As C.S. Lewis observed, “The Church exists for nothing else but to draw men into Christ, to make them little Christs. If they are not doing that. all the cathedrals, clergy, missions, sermons, even the Bible itself are simply a waste of time. God became Man for no other purpose.”
Jesus’ transfiguration must become our transfiguration. We must remember today’s Gospel and its lessons as our congregation discerns what is next after Fr. Mark retires.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reprioritize and Recenter
Matthew 13:31-33,44-52
We explore more of Jesus’ parables of the Kingdom of Heaven, the Kingdom of God, this week.
We might be emotionally and energetically drained by events over which we have no control, like a power outage. Rather than being actors in the drama of our own lives, we might be re-actors.
Instead of being whole, much of the time we might be shattered, in pieces, despite the fundamental groundedness in God at the core of our own beings.
We can grow up into Christ and not be tossed every which way. In Christ we find freedom from the bondage of our outer circumstances, in the Kingdom of Heaven within.
This is the one true treasure, hidden within and buried within the field of ourselves. We can sell the “farm” and put our whole being into the Kingdom of God, desirable and priceless, within.
We can reprioritize all else, which we must do to recenter our lives in the love of God, in the Kingdom of God within.
By forsaking all things as “gods” to be worshipped, we regain them from our personal center in the Kingdom of Heaven within us. Thus we become actors rather than re-actors in the drama of our own lives.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Weeds and Wheat
The Gospel is Matthew 13:24-30,36-43
We explore another of Jesus’ parables this week.
Humans may tend to be compulsive weed-pullers—we want to pull out and get rid of whatever we don’t like. But, as in the parable, “wheat” and “weeds” often are indistinguishable.
Trying to pull up what we think are “weeds” may harm the whole, and this distracts us from positive activities including serving Christ in one another. He does not tell us to “pull up the weeds,” but rather to love one another.
One of the lessons we can learn from today’s parable is that many of the issues and questions of our lives are complicated, difficult and unclear. It’s not so easy for us to distinguish “true wheat” from “false wheat.” Indeed, our perspective on this may change as we mature.
Jesus Himself didn’t weed out all the “weeds” among those with whom he associated. Many of His close disciples exhibited weed-like behavior, and he did not pull these weeds. And how fortunate for us that Jesus does not pull out the weeds among us, for who among us is pure?
Let what appears to be wheat, and what appears to be weeds, grow together. The world, if we were to be spiritually honest, isn’t clearcut, even (and especially) in our own lives. There are ambiguities, uncertainties, and plenty of “both/and.” Paradox is rife in reality, requiring us to walk in darkness and in trust, in faith.
We must start with a “yes” of basic acceptance, letting and forgiving, to allow for God and Grace.
God is big enough to receive us with all our mixture. We don’t have to be bright, pure, or filled with anything. Not only are we save by Grace, we live by it as well.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Sowers, Seeds and Soil
The Gospel is Matthew 13:1-9,18-23
Today we explore the first of eight parables in this Gospel. The parables are not straightforward declarations; they initiate the process of changing our consciousness, how we see the world, ourselves, and God. They are transformative.
Rather than explaining the parable, we examine some of the features so that our consciousness may be transformed.
In this parable, the Word is the “seed,” which never loses the potential to sprout and grow. Yet it, like Jesus, is vulnerable to the environment into which it is introduced. The seed is eternally fecund.
God is the sower, who casts the Word out into the world indiscriminately. We are the soil, sometimes receptive and full of love for God and our neighbor, and sometimes like the inhospitable well-trodden, sun-baked path.
This parable opens our eyes to all the ways we resist, diminish and choke the seed of God. It initiates the process of changing our consciousness and laying bare the fertile, vulnerable soil at the center of our being.
We should not be discouraged if the soil of our self is inhospitable. At times the seed grows very slowly, and there is more seed to come.
Remember that we are created in the likeness and image of God, the sower. We too can be indiscriminate, prodigal and spendthrift, like God, in casting the eternally fecund seed.
There’s always the chance that there is an imperceptible crack into which the seed may fall, growing and breaking the harsh inhospitable soil, like the Resurrection breaking the very bonds of death.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
We Were Made for This
The Gospel is Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30
What does Jesus mean when he says, “I will give you rest"? What is he asking us to do when he invites us to “take my yoke upon you,” and to learn from him?
Rest happens when our true nature is realized, and we live in harmony with ourselves, our neighbors, nature and with God. He’s not inviting us to loaf, but rather to live from our true self, who we are in God.
Our ego self, our surface self, has its place in the first half of life, but it was never who we truly are in God. We can find rest from the constant effort of shoring up our small self.
The yoke, the work He asks us, is not onerous because we are yoked with Him in performing God’s work. We were created for the work He asks us to do, to bring forth God’s Kingdom on earth by loving God and loving our neighbors.
We come to know God by learning from Jesus, watching and imitating Jesus, so we in turn can become Christ for others and continually pour ourselves out for God and neighbor, receiving the same, again and again all in one Divine flow.
We long for this deep, intimate relationship with God and to return to our true self and His purpose of our lives. We were made for this.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Divine Hospitality
The Gospel is Matthew 10:40-42
The Gospel this week concludes the description of Jesus sending out the Apostles. They were to rely entirely on God and the hospitality of those they met.
There are two interconnected messages in today’s text. Do we identify with the Apostles, prospective guests, or the prospective hosts for them?
Do we identify with the message of hospitality to be a good welcoming host, for the Christ within the stranger?
But Jesus would have seen the whole matter of sending out the Apostles who would be needing welcome, as guests. They did not have the privilege of power, to welcome others or not. They were vulnerable. The Apostles had only the power of Christ within them.
Hospitality isn’t intended to change people, but to offer freedom not disturbed by dividing lines. The space of freedom is where host and guest meet.
Accepting a messenger of God is as good as being a messenger of God. Accepting help is as good as giving help. This is the balance of the “hospitality equation.” Guest and host are both needed, the helper and the one being helped are both needed.
Jesus makes clear that hospitality is an entrance to the Kingdom of God. It is the single most radical and transformative thing we can do in the world today.
Hospitality is the space of acceptance, freedom and love at the heart of God where change can take place. It is the freedom not disturbed by dividing lines, where we are free to be changed into our true Selves, who we are in Christ, Apostles to a bound and hurting world.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Our Calling to Love
The Gospel is Matthew 10:24-39
The Pax Roman wasn’t truly a time of peace, and dissent was brutally suppressed. During this time Jesus taught his path of true peace, maintained by the power of divine love and forgiveness.
A major theme of Matthew’s Gospel is the clash of kingdoms. Jesus’ nonviolent Kingdom of God was a threat to the worldly culture of that day, resulting in the murder of Jesus.
Jesus identified the consequences His followers could expect. His statement “I have not come to bring peace, but a sword” was not a call to violence. Rather, the commitment He calls for would be like a sword cleaving in two families, systems, and more.
In our time, people doing their jobs and staying true to their understanding of truth receive death threats to themselves and their families. This is the kind of consequence Jesus foretold for those giving themselves to his countercultural path.
We must choose where we will place our loyalty. The future holds more than rejection because of our embrace of Jesus’ countercultural way: we gain a new self that needs to grow and breathe in a natural way, and we may suffer along the way. If we lose the socially-approved but spiritually vacant life, we gain spiritual life.
Faith in God does not bring us safety. Danger still exists. As people of faith, we are invited to respond by loving, and our calling to love displaces fear.
What does this calling to love look like in our individual lives, and to Christ Church as we face an uncertain future?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Purpose
The Gospel is Matthew 9:35-10:8(9-23)
One definition of compassion is a deep feeling of sympathy for another’s suffering accompanied by a strong desire to alleviate that suffering. Jesus had compassion for the harassed and helpless crowds.
We’d expect him to take action to alleviate their suffering, but he did not do this. Instead, he commissioned his 12 disciples to do this work. This was a turning point in Jesus’ ministry; he wanted his disciples to participate with Him in the healing and redemption of the world.
At this point, the 12 disciples became “apostles”, which means “those who are sent out.” Their relationship with Jesus changed: they became his commissioned surrogates, His healing and transforming presence in the world. This is our calling also, as exemplified in our christening.
It is not a question of a good man who died 2000 years ago, but that of living man being, Jesus, being born in us as a new “little Christ.”
Thus we need to and learn to stand back from our habitual fussings and frettings, letting Him soak through us, permeate us.
The purpose of the Church is to draw us into Christ, to make us into “little Christs.” Our true selves are waiting for us in Christ, so we can fulfill our purpose and take the Gospel of God’s love and healing to the world.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Love Tenderly, Vulnerably and Fiercely
The Gospel is Matthew 9:9-13,v18-26
It is easier to define what is pure than what is holy, so we pretend these are interchangable.
Holiness is about “union with” and purity is about “separation from.” Jesus is holiness incarnate; the Pharisees were about purity codes.
There was no separation between Jesus and the bleeding woman. Jesus touched a dead girl and she came alive. In both instances, Jesus embodied holiness, uniting himself with those who were considered unclean, impure.
Jesus touched human bodies deemed unclean as if they were holy. He kept violating boundaries of “decency” to get to the people on the other side of the boundary. He cared about real holiness, the connection between things human and Divine.
The boundaries and rules may be intended to protect the sacredness of our being, but if they become more important than that which we seek to protect, they don’t serve us well.
In the second half of life, we have the opportunity to remove the barriers that protected our apparently vulnerable inner child of God, but which also walled us off from holiness, from connection. We can learn to love tenderly, vulnerably and fiercely.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Diversity in Unity
The Gospel is Matthew 28:16-203
God is three (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and also One. This is irrational in the minds of some.
We remain Trinitarians because this affirms a deep truth about God: at the heart of the Godhead are diverse persons, whose love is so close and intimate that they are One.
At the heart of the Godhead is diversity. We can look at Creation and see that God must love diversity.
It’s one unending flow of self-giving and receiving. God is perfect giving and receiving.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and imagine a fourth person, humanity in our aggregate. That’s how much God loves us, gives and receives with us.
Sadly, we often let our differences divide us, forgetting that we are created in the image of our Trinitarian God, Each of the persons of the Trinity is not a separate entity. They experience each other from the inside, not from the outside. They mutually indwell.
Jesus prayed that we may be one as He is one with the Father. What if we begin to live into our identity as the fourth members of the Holy Trinity? Wouldn’t this answer Jesus’ prayer?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Receive the Holy Spirit
The Gospel is John 20:19-23
Lay members of our congregation, Linda and Mike Smith, provide the sermon and practice today.
It took awhile for the disciples to understand what they had received. They surely reflected and prayed to come to a deeper understanding of the teachings of Jesus, not a one time event but an ongoing revelation of the kingdom of God as Love which opened them up and lit them on fire. New opportunities open for growth, and learning to see differently.
Each of us can be filled with Spirit, and more than once in our lives—perhaps during a sunrise, seeing children playing, in the challenge of daily living. Our task is to notice and welcome the Spirit when it comes.
The Body Prayer of Julian of Norwich can be helpful to us in opening to Spirit.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Participation in the Divine Life
The Gospel is John 17:1-11
Jesus came that we would have life, and have it abundantly, thus reconnecting the Creation to the Creator.
What is the Divine life, the eternal life, that Jesus conveys? That we may know God in Jesus, whom God sent.
This “knowing” is not head knowledge, but heart knowledge, intimate relationship. This participative knowing is eternal life, experiencing God and Jesus personally, and having the mind of Christ.
In Jesus, God’s name and true nature is made known to us, and participative knowing of God is eternal life.
As we participate thus, we are called to share the Divine Life with others. We are still in the world, and called to carry out the mission of the Father and the Son’s love. It is our glory that we are able to do so.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
God Our Mother
The Gospel is John 14:15-21
There is an epidemic of loneliness and isolation in the United States, and this has significant impact on our health. Too, a huge number of teens feel despair and suicidal.
We can be around people all the time, but feel lonely. We want to be around people who will be there for us, and who love us.
We need someone who will stand by us, encourage us, have our back. How many of us have these kind of people in our lives, and who are they? For many, this has been our mother.
Jesus served thus for his disciples. As he was about to leave them, he said “I will not leave you orphaned.” Jesus asked the Father to provide them another advocate, to love them forever.
Everything and everyone is held and sustained by God. It is love that is holding everything together.
We’ve not been left orphaned. The steadfast love of God our mother, our comforter, our counselor, is with us forever.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Way, Rich in Wild Mystery
The Gospel is John 14:1-14
Thomas and the disciples don’t know where Jesus is going, but Jesus has shown The Way in its many aspects.
The Way isn’t like roads on a map, but something, Someone, we can trust: Jesus is the way, the Truth and the Life. Some might call this the Way of Love.
We can let go our certainties, no longer cling to what we know and what is familiar, and we can trust in Him who is The Way.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Beholding the Risen Christ
The Gospel is Luke 24:13-35
The Risen Jesus wasn’t recognized at first. He didn’t first appear to his inner circle of disciples, nor in the holy city of Jerusalem, nor in the synagogue or temple.
He didn’t return in a blaze of glory, but more like a candle flame in the dark, flickering here and there.
God shows up in our normal, everyday lives, when we are not expecting the Risen Christ to show up, as he appeared on the road to Emmaus.
If we want to see Him, we need to be open in every way, including open to risk, to recognize the resurrected Christ in people, situations, breaking bread.
We can see Him not just in his resurrected body, but wherever there is Love, burgeoning new life, wherever our hearts are burning along the way.
How might we better recognize Him when he does appear? One thing is to take a “second gaze” at everyone and everything we might see, so our “true self” can see what the “false self” does not. With the “second gaze” we do not just see, but we “behold” what actually is. Thus the walls of our world can begin to expand.
We can behold, behold, behold, the Risen Christ, take a second gaze at everyone and everything, and become what we perceive and receive.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Known By His Wounds
The Gospel is John 20:19-31
Evidence, evidence, evidence. Is this what believing in the Risen Christ is about?
In today’s Gospel, Thomas isn’t demanding arguments that can be learned from a book. He didn’t demand to see Jesus, but to see and touch His wounds. This is the same thing that convinced the other disciples, after which they rejoiced in seeing the Lord.
Jesus knew that he would be known by His wounds. As the singer Beyonce says, “Show me your scars and I won’t walk away.”
Why did Jesus, after He was raised, still bear His wounds? These were signs of His love, but these marks of His pain were not what defined Him.
Our own wounds are not erased when we are raised with Christ. These wounds stay with us.
We are walking embodiments of our entire story, wounds and all. Resurrection is not about rewriting our past, or forgetting what happened. Resurrection is not reversal.
God revealed Himself in Jesus, even in Jesus’ wounds. This is a God who would rather die than be in the sin accounting business, who went to the depths of hell rather than be separated from His betrayers.
Our scars and our sorrow will always be part of our story, but will never be the conclusion of our story. There is no stone that God cannot roll away.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Easter 2023
The Gospel is John 20:1-18
How do we understand Easter? We cannot make sense of it.
The accounts of the Resurrection differ from one Gospel to the next, which highlights the skepticism of the first witnesses. They could not wrap their heads around the idea that Jesus was raised from the dead.
Jesus didn’t just arise from the grave alone. In the Eastern Church, he is depicted as pulling other people up with Him.
No explanation of the Resurrection is possible. It is incomprehensible. Christ didn’t come into this world that we might understand him, but that we might be caught up in the immense event of the Resurrection, and to live resurrected lives.
So, where is Jesus now, for us? Who are we now, and what must we become in the light of the Risen Christ? The proof of Resurrection is played out in our lives today, where Christ can be Risen in us.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Passion According to Matthew
The Gospel is Matthew 26:14- 27:66
On this Palm Sunday, our congregation reads aloud the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Need for Trust
The Gospel is John 11:1-45
“Believing” is a central theme of John’s Gospel. What does this mean? What does it mean to believe in Jesus?
The New Testament word translated as “believe” can just as well be translated as “trust.” Trust isn’t an intellectual process. Jesus didn’t want us to think the right things about God, but rather to trust in Him and thus open ourselves to the flow of Divine Love into our lives and into the lives of others.
The purpose of the Gospel stories is to help the reader to discover how the deep truths therein apply in our lives today.
This Gospel includes, “Jesus wept” which shows us Jesus’ humanity, compassion and love. He was weeping not just over Lazarus and those who loved him, but also us and our afflictions today. He raises us from our afflictions, “valleys of the dry bones,” today and now.
Trusting in Jesus is necessary to God’s love and spirit entering into us, moving through us, and out into the world. Ours now are the hands, the feet, the eyes of Christ.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Bridging the Split
The Gospel is John 9:1-41
How do we interpret the objective fact that a blind man is physically healed? The Pharisees interpreted this legalistically, as a violation of the Sabbath and therefore not of God.
No one in the story rejoiced with the blind man who could see after a life of blindness, not even his own parents. The “spin” on the event became more important than the miraculous healing itself.
As Nathaniel said, “Can anything good come from Nazareth?”
This seems absurd, yet we can see the same dynamic in our own polarized world. People cannot entertain the possibility that anything good can come from people on the other side of the split. We might say, “Can anything good come from the other side of the split?”
We can stop looking for someone to blame, and start seeing how God’s works can be revealed through every situation, every person.
It’s the mission of the Church, our mission, to refuse to enter into the game of labeling, vilifying, excommunicating, ignoring truths that challenge us. Let our light shine, to be the reconciling, healing and restoring ambassadors of Christ to a divided, partisan world.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Jesus Himself Gets a Drink
The Gospel is John 4:5-42
We can contrast the story of Nicodemus and Jesus, and the story of the woman at the well. Nicodemus was of high status, and the woman was of an ethnic and religious group despised by Jews and likely shunned by her own community.
Nicodemus didn’t see Jesus for who He was, but the woman at the well did see Him. He was full of himself, but she was empty and vulnerable.
Jesus constantly wants His Spirit to flow through us to others, but this flow often is blocked in us or those to whom the flow of Spirit could flow. This flow quenches Jesus’ thirst as well. Jesus Himself gets a drink!
People filled with this flow of living water move away from any need to protect their own power. This flow of love is all that they need, and transcends all thoughts and boundaries.
God gave His only Son so that all people might drink from the living water, and allow the living water to flow from Him and into our soul. We need to be open, not full of ourselves, to receive this flow of Spirit, of Divine Energy, of Life itself. This gives Jesus a drink as well as ourselves.
We can be observant of our own psychological blockages, often felt in our bodies, that hinder the flow of grace and mercy. We can notice when we are holding back, “sucking in”. Prayer brings us back into alignment with the Divine flow, and we should pray until we find “Yes” and our pettiness abates, and we let grace happen to us and through us.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Seeing With the Eye of the Heart
The Gospel is John 3:1-17
Jesus tells Nicodemus, “No one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven unless he be born from above.” Nicodemus misunderstands, interpreting this in a literal, physical sense.
The Kingdom of Heaven is within us and among us, to be seen with the spiritual eye, the “eye of the heart”, not with physical eyes. With the eye of the heart we see spiritual reality.
How do we train the eye of the heart? We can tone down the distractions bombarding our minds and hearts, we can be still, see with the eye of the heart, sense the spiritual reality within and without, and know God.
We can take time during our sometimes busy days to find silence, to be still. We can take out our earbuds, turn off our tvs, be silent, and turn our spiritual senses to our ever present God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Suffering, Humanity, Jesus and God
The Gospel is Matthew 4:1-11
In the beginning there was the Word…and the Word became flesh and lived among us. God became flesh and lived among us in the person of Jesus. He became truly human, like all os us. This understanding sets Christianity apart from many other religions, and is one of the most difficult parts of our faith to believe.
What if the perceived division between Divinity and Humanity were to dissolve? Jesus’ mission was and is to bring human beings and God together as One, God dwelling in us and we dwelling in God., mutually indwelling.
Thus Jesus could be human, with all the vulnerability of humanity, and still be the Son of God while suffering.
We feel that God should not allow suffering, yet the Cross is at the center of our faith. But it is through suffering that we are saved, reconciled, reunited with God.
Because, Jesus could suffer, hunger and die, and still be the Son of God, we can suffer, hunger and dies, and still be the Children of God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Ash Wednesday 2023
The Gospel is Matthew 6:1-6,16-21
Jesus argues with the pharisees about outwardly observing religious laws, some of which don’t make sense to us today. Therefore it is easy for us to dismiss Jesus’ teaching in today’s Gospel, and to miss His guidance on how to practice our religion.
Many elected leaders make a show of their piety, but their policies and actions don’t comport with their displays.
Outward expressions of our piety are not intrinsically wrong.
What is in our heart, what is our intention? If we wear ashes on our own foreheads all day, what is our intention? If this helps to humble our ego, and to remember our mortality, perhaps this practice has achieved its purpose.
Perhaps Ash Wednesday helps us to lay down our pretensions and to be freed, to be open and vulnerable in the deepest part of ourselves, to be open more and more to God, and to be transformed into the likeness of Christ which is our true Self.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Three Commands and Blessings
The Gospel is Matthew 17:1-9
What was the experience of the disciples during Jesus’ transfiguration on the mountaintop? Did they see with “Kingdom of Heaven eyes?”
The eyes of their hearts became enlightened about Jesus, and about themselves. This would have been a confusing, heady, exciting and uncertain time for them.
How do we interpret Jesus’ transfiguration? The three commands given to the disciples are key to this. These commands, these blessings, were:
-Listen to Him
-Get up (be raised up, be transfigured, be resurrected)
-Do not be afraid.
Claim the power you embody, the light, the life and the power of Jesus.Don’t hang onto it: let it flow, let it go. The world is dying to know the power of God’s love.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
What’s Gotten Into Jesus?
The Gospel is Matthew 5:21-37
What disturbs Jesus so that he would offer frightening language, using the common rabbinic technique of hyperbole, about our inner attitudes, passions, mindsets and beliefs?
He says these interior states are a kind of violence, and are more important than our external acts, because the external acts proceed from our inner states that may have been simmering inside for months or even years.
Jesus directs us to look inside our own hearts and deal honestly and unflinchingly with what we find there. We can have integrity and align our thoughts, words and actions. Purity of heart will lead to purity of action.
So Jesus says the Kingdom of God is at hand, change your hearts, and change your lives. This leads us to maturity, what St. Paul calls “the full stature of Christ.”
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Ye are…
The Gospel is 5:13-20
Why is Jesus so incensed about religious hypocrisy? Perhaps because it represents a missed opportunity to have the abundant life Christ wants for us. The glory of God is the human being fully alive. Such a person is a small thing that can make a big difference.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Blessed Are…
The Gospel is Matthew 5:1-12
What did it mean to be “blessed” in the time of the Bible? What are our contemporary, often implicit, beatitudes? How do the beatitudes of Jesus compare to each? Are we in touch with the already present blessedness that has not yet been fully revealed, and of which we’re often not aware?
Do we grasp that we are loved unconditionally, recipients of the freely given blessing of God, and act like it?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
One, One, One
We are brothers and sisters in the singular body of Christ.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
What Are We Looking For?
The Gospel reading is John 1:29-42
Jesus wants us to look inside ourselves to identify and name the source of our souls deepest desires. Our culture provides all kinds of substitutes for this. But what will truly satisfy that deep longing in our soul?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Jesus’ Baptism
The Gospel reading is Matthew 3:13-17
Why did Jesus need to be baptized, as He was without sin? “To fulfill all righeousness….” which had the import of alignment with God, one another, and the world. And all involved were part of that.
Instead of looking down on the crowd, Jesus threw away his innocence and separateness to take on the identity of struggling men and women, becoming in every way one of us. Christ became one with humanity so humanity might become one with God.
There are many signs of our reunification in our world, not withstanding all the fragmentation. In this we are living into the meaning of Jesus’ Baptism, and our own. In Christ there is no separation.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Mindset of Christ Jesus
The Gospel reading is Luke 2:15-21
Jesus’s identity and mindset reflected and expressed his name, which means “God saves.” We, too are called to bear the name of Jesus! It’s the very meaning of our baptism, to embody in our own lives his compassion, love and humility.
We are called to have the same mindset to Christ Jesus? Do we? If we look at our world, what do we see?
His name is in us. We can claim it, and live our lives in His name.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Christmas Day 2022
The Gospel reading is John 1 1:18
Will the Child wrapped in swaddling clothes, in the inner room of Christmas, be you?
A Christmas Blessing:
The light of the Christmas Star to you
The song of the heavenly host to you
The awe in Shepherd’s eyes to you
The trust of the Virgin Mother to you
The love of the newborn Christ to you
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Christmas Eve 2022
The Gospel reading is Luke 2:1-14 (15-20)
Christ is born today. “Is” not “was.” Today, this very day. We must live out this eternal message in our time, in our place, in our souls, in our flesh.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Not One and Done
The Gospel reading is Matthew 1:18-25
Matthew regarded Jesus as a new Moses, a new lawgiver, with a new law to be written on our hearts. Joseph found that to fulfill the law he had to go beyond it, to go beyond ordinary waking consciousness to the direct personal experience of Divine intentions and activity. Tradition told Joseph to divorce Mary, but Spirit told him to take her into his home as part of a deeper Divine plan.
We too are being called to perceive the Divine dimension of what is happening in our own time and place, and to unite with the Living Truth. If we do this, if we live a policy of Love, the world will be utterly changed. At the same time, God yearns to be in intimate communion with human beings.
The advent challenge is for us to follow Christ in becoming individually and together Emmanuel in our broken world. We can offer ourselves to be little Emmanuels in practical ways in our world. This is what Joseph was doing when he put aside the law that said for him to divorce Mary, and instead listened to God.
Christmas is not meant to be “one and done.” We can offer ourselves to be Emmanuel to and for one another.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
What Are We Looking For?
The Gospel reading is Matthew 11:2-11
John questioned whether Jesus was actually the longed for Messiah, because Jesus was not about conquest and domination. Perhaps Jesus felt what John really needed was not an answer, but a transformation of his expectations of Jesus and the nature of the Kingdom of God.
For John, the crowd, and for us, the big question is “what is the deepest yearning of your soul?”
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Changing the Way We Think and Act
The Gospel reading is Matthew 3:1-12
The heart of John the Baptist’s message of repentance is not a threat, but an invitation to enter the Kingdom of Heaven which is here, right now. But only the repentant will see it and reach for it.
We have the opportunity to turn to God, and change the way we think and act. This requires self-reflection and self-awareness, and truthful examination of our own inner life.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Staying Awake to the Invitation of God
The Gospel reading is Matthew 24:36-44
Today is the first Sunday of Advent, the season when we prepare for the coming of Christ—his birth and also the second coming of Christ.
Interpretations of the second coming of Christ are all over the board. Today’s sermon focuses on interpreting today’s Gospel reading.
What is the difference between those who are taken and those who are left behind? Inner vigilance and awareness make the difference.
The coming of Christ can be viewed as God’s invitation into the fullness of human life through Christ, and to that we can be alert amid the bustle and forgetfulness of our daily life. The Lord always is present; we need to be awake to the Christ who always is among us and within us.
The rush of the Christmas season works against the message of the season.The awareness of Spirt brings pleasure, passion and purpose.
How are we to keep aware amid daily activity? We may have the desire but lack the know how. This is where spiritual practices such as daily prayer and meditation, and partaking of spiritual material, are invaluable.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
What Did the Criminal See?
The Gospel reading is Luke 23:33-43
The crucified criminal, hanging beside Jesus, heard Jesus praying God’s forgiveness on those who had unjustly persecuted and crucified Him.
The Kingdom of God is contrasted with the kingdom of the world, and requires us to put aside our egos. God’s Kingdom is not of this world: love, compassion, service and reign. We are called to live in God’s Kingdom even as we live in this world.
These two kingdoms call on very different allegiances to two very different kings.
Jesus saved us not by vanquishing the enemy, but by loving the enemy even as God was revealed as vulnerability itself.
Surrendering to God we find ourselves in the Kingdom of God, where Christ is King.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Called to Bear the Beams of Love
The Gospel reading is Luke 18:9-14
Prophets in the Bible, having intimate connection with God, often see incongruity between God’s will and human activity, and make prophetic statements about the consequences if people do not listen to the prophecy and change their ways.
Prophecies are not forecasts of inevitable occurrences in the future, but rather guidance that can help change behavior and hence consequences. In other words, the future is contingent on the now.
Changing ourselves, of course, is difficult and painful. Thus we miss the opportunity to be transformed to our true selves, in God.
We resist the truths of the prophets. This is why Jesus was crucified.
Modern studies about climate change are modern prophecies, with observations about the tragic consequences if we do not change our waves. They tell us truths we don’t want to hear, and that would require us to change ourselves, our habits and our lifestyles.
We still can make these changes in time to benefit our children and grandchildren, and be better stewards of God’s Earth.
If we love as Jesus has loved us, if we bear the beams of Christ’s love, we will live and love as he did, pouring out our lives for each other, and change history by changing ourselves today.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
We Are All Sisters and Brothers
The Gospel reading is Luke 18:9-14
On this All Saints Sunday, Fr. Mark explains how we are all sisters and brothers, with human beings and all of Creation. He explains that to demonize others, to “cancel” them, is not consistent with Jesus’ teachings. Instead, we can learn to call one another home within the communion of saints, where there are no nationalities, religions, egos, elections.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Engage From a Place of Prayer
The Gospel reading is Luke 18:9-14
Fr. Mark offers guidance on how to understand the teachings of Jesus, and discusses the parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector. We are encouraged to be less full of ourselves, to make room for God’s grace, and to engage with others and the world from a place of prayer.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Never Give Up Praying
The Gospel reading is Luke 18:1-8
Don’t lose heart, turn up the volume. God “caves in” with persistent praying.
What does praying without ceasing mean? Prayer is not primary words, but an attitude. We can stay at all times within the attitude and mindset of Christ, keeping the channel open between God and the human person.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Seeing With the Eyes of the Heart
The Gospel reading is Luke 17:11-19
Seeing with the eye of the heart we gradually realize that the mystery is love, and we gradually realize the necessity of saying yes to it. We have the choice to say yes to this, and to enter into the energies that always are flowing from this mystery.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Be Reminded of What Faith Is
The Gospel reading is Luke 17:5-10
Is faith like a finite bank account, that can be depleted? Jesus commands us to draw deep from the water He gives, and never be thirsty. If we have even the smallest mustard seed of faith, the floodgates within will open up. We have what we need to live within the Kingdom of God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Don’t Hit Snooze
The Gospel reading is Luke 16:19-31
Who would hit the snooze button on God, saying “Later, Lord”?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Strengthening Our Spiritual Sight
The Gospel reading is Luke 16:1-13
Father Mark discusses the parable of the dishonest manager. We are both children of this age and children of light, and our default mode is to live as children of this age.
Can we see through the lens of worldliness and the lens of Spirit? Can we, as children of light, be as adept at maintaining and navigating our Gospel-based, spiritual life as well as the dishonest manager in the parable navigates the world of dishonest wealth? Can we get our priorities right?
Disciplined exercises, such as prayer, meditation, and spending time in nature, help us to strengthen our spiritual sight and enjoy enduring happiness.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Journey Forth in Faith and Trust
Father Mark addresses uncertainty, and the need for us to have faith and trust, and to let the life of the in-between time come into its own.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Cost of Discipleship
The Gospel reading is Luke 14:25-33
Reverend Wendy explains the Gospel in which Jesus speaks of the need to “hate” one’s family and even life itself, to be His disciple. What is needed, she explains, is to attain detachment from obstacles to our relationship with God, even if those obstacles are near and dear to us. Reverend Wendy says that this Gospel challenges us to ask ourselves “what can we detach ourselves from”, to experience the joy of being closer to Jesus, closer to God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
New Light is Streaming
The Gospel reading is Luke 14:1, 7-14
Today Christ Church enjoyed a shared service with Shepherd of the Hills Lutheran Church. Father Mark spoke of the way in which the human ego, the need for opposition, influences our politics and even our religion. He explained how today, in this place today, all are included, and how siloed Christianity must be over in the living Church of Jesus.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Release From Bondage
The Gospel reading is Luke 13:10-17
Father Mark discusses the inner and outer aspects of the Sabbath, and the fact that God does not want us to live a life of unrelieved burden. God wants us to be released from whatever bondage we are suffering.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Peace Lovers and Peace Makers
The Gospel reading is Luke 12:49-56
Father Mark discusses the parable of the prodigal son, and the distinction between Jesus coming to bring peace and today’s Gospel reading in which Jesus says he came to bring fire and division. Father Mark explains the “fire and division” as Jesus speaking of the response his teachings will bring from those who are “peace lovers” who love the false peace of the status quo, rather than “peace makers” who “rock the boat” by challenging the surface peace of the status quo and bringing the deep peace of the Kingdom of God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Open-Handed Waiting
The Gospel reading is Luke 12:32-40
In the Gospel reading, Jesus tells the disciples how to wait, how to be ready for the Son of Man.
Father Mark discusses “close-fisted waiting” and “open-handed waiting.” The former can lead to impatience throughout life, such as while waiting in a checkout line. We may tend to regard people and situations as impediments to our agenda and implicitly have the attitude of “my will be done.” The latter is open, not driven by agendas, looking to see Christ in all people and situations.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Participate in the Abundant Divine Life
The Gospel reading is Luke 11:13-21
We easily forget that the abundance in our lives is not our own. We are not our own. We have the opportunity to participate in the abundant Divine life. A spiritual exercise to help us to experience this is to imagine ourselves lying on the ground in a field of wheat, with the wheat growing up and through us, not even thinking of a barn into which we might stow the wheat.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Teach Us to Pray
The Gospel reading is Luke 11:1-13
Father Mark explains that prayer is not always answered, citing Jesus himself asking thrice that the cup of crucifixion be taken from him. Father Mark further explains that the Lord’s Prayer invites us into alignment with God in terms of being, and the world in which we live.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The One Thing Necessary
The Gospel reading is Luke 10:38-42
After the Gospel reading of the story of Martha and Mary, Father Mark explains the difference between ego-driven action, and action arising from our the indwelling Christ, divine love, deep within.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Gospel reading is Luke 10:25-37
After the Gospel reading of the well-known story of the Good Samaritan, Father Mark explores the difference being “head knowledge” and “heart knowledge” and explains his evolving perspective on gay marriage and abortion in this light. He emphasizes our opportunity not to be like the lawyer in the story, but rather for our actions to flow from and with divine love.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
God is Vulnerable Love
The Scripture reading is Luke 10:1-11, 16-20
Jesus sent the 70 out into the world not even permitting them sandals for the road, bidding them to eat what was set before them. Father Mark suggests that this was to help them to be vulnerable and humble, and to further recognize their utter dependence on God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Love of God in a Hostile World
The Scripture reading is Luke 9:51-62
Father Mark explains that as our true selves in God we are little Christs who spread by word and action the love of God in a hostile world.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Our True Identity in God
The Scripture reading is Luke 8:26-39
Jesus healed a man possessed. Father Mark discusses what it means to be possessed, how his anorexia as a young man became part of his identity and in a way possessed us, and how this takes us away from our true identity in God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Dance of the Trinity
The Scripture reading is John 16:12-15
On this Trinitarian Sunday, Father Mark discusses unity and diversity in daily life and in the Holy Trinity, which often is represented as a flowing dance among the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We are invited to participate in the never-ending flow of Divine Love that is the Dance of the Trinity.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Where Do We Find God?
The Scripture reading is Acts 2:1-12, John 14:8-17 (25-27)
On this Pentecost Sunday, Father Mark discusses the appearance of the Holy Spirit and its strange and powerful impact on the disciples, as well as where we look for and find God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Our hearts go out to all affected by the war in Ukraine. In this short episode, Father Mark leads the congregation in prayer for Ukraine.
Are We the Answer to Jesus’ Final Prayer?
The Scripture reading is John 17:20-26
Jesus’ last desire in prayer was that we be one in God, in the one body of Christ. We are, or can be, the answer to His prayer.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Continuing Presence of Christ
The Scripture reading is John 14:23-29.
Father Mark explains God’s will for us, that we are to embody Christ each in our own unique way. We are expressions of the continuing presence of Christ in our world.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Fifth Sunday of Easter 2022: Your Divine DNA
The Scripture reading is John 13:31-35
On this fifth Sunday of Easter, Father Mark discusses the last supper, and Jesus’ fond admonition to “love one another as I have loved you.” He points out that the context is important: he knows he will be betrayed and crucified, yet offers his vulnerable love so that we may love as He does. We human beings have animal DNA, yet we also have “Divine DNA” and we can practice feeding our divine qualities as we learn to be known by our love.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Fourth Sunday of Easter 2022: The Temple of Your Heart
The Scripture reading is John 10:22-30
On this fourth Sunday of Easter, Father Mark discusses modern equivalents of the temple in this week's Scripture reading. He reminds us that the word translated as “believe” in the New Testament could be translated as “trust,” and that what is asked of us is not to live up to a checklist of beliefs and behaviors, but to trust in God. Father Mark concludes by emphasizing that we are the temple of God, and that the true temple of God in in our hearts.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Third Sunday of Easter 2022: Beloved Child of God
The Scripture reading is John 21:1-19
On this third Sunday of Easter, Father Mark invites us to a sacramental breakfast from the risen Christ, at the dawn of a new day, and prays that our every act in the coming week will emanate from the place where we know we are a beloved child of God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Second Sunday of Easter 2022: When Your World is Rocked
The Scripture reading is John 20:19-31
Reverend Wendy discusses how Jesus responded to “Doubting Thomas,” not with criticism, not with anger, but with love. Jesus was there with Thomas, ready to meet him where he was. She also talks about her “spiritual autobiography”and how she dealt with the personal challenges of how a loving God permits evil in the world, leaving church during her own personal “season in the desert,” and coming back to find God and Jesus waiting for her with open arms.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is Luke 24:1-12
On this Easter Sunday, Father Mark discusses what we have learned with Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and today. Life is full of suffering, and yet are saved by a love so powerful that darkness, suffering and death cannot overcome it. We can count on that.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is John 18:1-19:42
On this Good Friday, Father Mark discusses the true meaning of who God is, the God of self-giving love, and how Jesus empowered us to sing God’s song.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is John 13:1-17
On this Maundy Thursday, Father Mark explains the humble love of Jesus even for those who betray him and let him down, and how in our lives we can offer this cherishing, nonjudgmental love to support others.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday 2022
The Scripture reading is Luke 22:14-23:56
On this Palm Sunday, Father Mark and members of the congregation together read aloud the Scripture.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
In this final episode of Father Mark's Lenten 2022 series, he summarizes the many things we might fruitfully let go of, and explains why we do this. He concludes that for Christians, the story doesn't end with Good Friday, but with Easter.
The Scripture reading is John 12:1-8
On this fifth Sunday of Lent, Father Mark discusses the the story of Lazarus, and the essential Christian message that death does not have the final word..
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Continuing the theme of “letting go” for this 2022 Lenten season, Father Mark discusses all the roles we might identify with: ”I am…a former NFL quarterback…a priest…an asthmatic…a member of a political party.” Some people just can’t let go of their total identification with their roles. But that doesn’t define us; it’s not our true self, and doesn’t survive our death. Our challenge and opportunity is to let go of our compulsive identification with the surface self.
The Scripture reading is Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32
On this fourth Sunday of Lent, Father Mark discusses the power of story in our daily lives and in our relationship to God, applies this to the parable of the prodigal son.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Father Mark tells how he used to judge his rose bushes based solely on their scent, then had an eye-opening experience that changed how he perceives and appreciates roses. He then explains how he, and we, can refrain from judging people and experiences, and appreciate what they offer.
The Scripture reading is Luke 13:1-9
On this third Sunday of Lent, Father Mark explores how our all-powerful, all loving God can let bad things happen to innocent people.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Using responses to his sermons as an example, Father Mark continues our 2022 Lenten theme of "letting go" by discussing how we can let go of desired outcomes, past and present, with the hope that God can use our offerings.
The Scripture reading is Luke 13:31-35
On this second Sunday of Lent, Father Mark explores our opportunity to be courageously vulnerable, as Jesus was.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
This Lenten season, our theme is "letting go." Father Mark, speaking from his own experience, discusses the background noise of our lives, how that keeps us from attending to God, and how to "turn down the volume" on the background noise.
The Scripture reading is Luke 4:1-13
On this first Sunday of Lent, Father Mark explores the temptation of Jesus, Jesus’ trust in God, and our own opportunity to trust in God.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is Matthew 6:1-21
Father Mark discusses modern outward displays of piety, including making a big thing of saying “Merry Christmas,” and contrasts such practices with doing the will of God as Jesus taught He encourages us to attend to what lies in our hearts, and our intentions..
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
In the first of a series of offerings for Lent 2022, Father Mark explores the theme of "Letting Go" and offers simple practices to support letting go.
The Scripture reading is Luke 9:28-36.
Father Mark recalls his traumatic memories of the Cold War era, and how present events in Ukraine are activating these. He contrasts actions motivated by vengeance with those motivated by love, and once again encourages us not to act according to the ways of the world, not to be among those who “know not what they do” but rather to be guided by the mind of Christ.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Our Life’s Calling
The Scripture reading is Luke 6:27-38
Father Mark explains that our life’s calling is to live from the Kingdom of Heaven within, and not according to the ways of the world. We can become free to embody the loved and loving identity that is our core.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is Luke 6:17-26
Father Mark discusses how prayer works, and how prayer enables us to see the world through “God-colored glasses.” He explains how Jesus emptied himself on the mountaintop, and opened himself to being filled by the Divine life of God. This is the path for us, letting go of our egos, our false selves, and then opening ourselves to being filled with God’s love, power and forgiveness.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is Luke 4:21-30
On this Stewardship Sunday, Father Mark explains what we are pledging financial resource for, and why we pledge.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is Luke 4: 14-21
Father Mark explains Jesus’ “mission statement” and how its realization depends on us both hearing this and acting on it.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is John 2:1-11
Father Mark explores the meaning of the word “wine” as used in Scripture, and explains how Jesus provides the “wine” of life.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
Father Mark explores the meaning of John the Baptist’s statement that the Messiah will burn the chaff in unquenchable fire, and explains that this does not suggest that a vengeful and angry God will torment souls for eternity, but rather that Jesus will burn away the chaff, our sins and the shortcomings of our false selves, to refine the gold of our souls. When God told Jesus, "you are my beloved child with whom I am well pleased" God was speaking to us as well.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture reading is Matthew 2: 1-12.
Father Mark compares the two year journey of the three Magi (“wise men”) to our journey with COVID. We’ve journeyed through COVID, and we journey to Bethlehem with Christmas. How were they changed by their journey, and how are we changed by ours?
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
This episode, about 13 minutes, is from the Christmas Day 2021 service.
The Scripture reading is the first chapter of the book of John.
Father Mark explains the meaning of Christmas: God found a new way to communicate His love for us. Jesus’ birth as a baby who needs us helps us to feel how much God loves us.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
The Scripture is Luke 3:7-18.
We’re all tired of COVID and its impact on our plans and expectations for Christmas celebration.
We tend to reject God’s good because we expected something else.
Mary couldn’t have expected what lay before her if she were to say yes. And yet, she said to the angel, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord, let him be with me according to your word.” She let go of the life she had desired to accept the life God desired for her.
Sometimes you have to let go of the picture of what you thought it would be like, and learn to find joy in the story, the reality, you’re actually living.
We can release expectation and invite appreciation, and then all the moments of our lives can become openings and opportunities. We can enjoy and rejoice in the Christmas God gives us.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
On this first Sunday of Advent, 2021, the Gospel reading is Luke 21:25-36:
Jesus said, "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.
"Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."
Father Mark contrasts literal interpretations of Jesus' words with the perspective that our present times, including the COVID pandemic, are times of great uncertainty of the kind to which Jesus referred. We call on the Lord to be with us, "Come oh come Emanuel." Knowing the presence of the Lord here and now, we can enter into eternal life here and now.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
In this brief excerpt from a sermon, Father Mark explains the crucial role of the Church in society, and how at Christ Episcopal Church we know that the teaching and example of Jesus puts first and foremost the values of compassion and love and hospitality and welcoming the stranger, and is a place where Christ’s vulnerable love reigns.
The episode was recorded on Christ the King Sunday, which is the last day of the year in the Church's calendar.
The Scripture reading is John 18:33-37.
This service was provided online due to COVID restrictions.
In this sermon, Father Mark contrasts the authority of the world with the authority of the vulnerable kingdom of the one true God of the universe. He describes Jesus as a witness to the truth, Jesus who lives within and reveals the ultimate relation of God and the Creation.
Father Mark then describes the mission of the Church, which is the reorientation to God and God’s Kingdom, and to reveal and manifest the Kingdom of God.
And he talks about the message of Christ Church, living from Kingdom of God values, and holding the world’s values up to the light of God’s Church, and to help us live into our Christ identity through, among other things, compassion, love, hospitality, and welcoming the stranger.
We are called to bring forth the rule of Christ the King in ourselves and in our community.
Scripture quotations are from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
In this episode, we're applying the Prayer of St. Francis to a common situation: someone has a sign asking for money. What are the reasons we often don't give to them? What do they need? What do we need? What guidance do the Prayer of St. Francis and Scripture provide?
prayerofstfrancis #prayerstfrancis #livingtheprayerofstfrancis
Father Mark explains how our foundations inevitably are shaken, both at a personal and cultural level. Transitions, sometimes traumatic, happen to individuals and even to our largest and apparently most robust institutions. There is important opportunity in the instability to stand on the new ground God provides us during the tumult.
The Scripture reading is Mark 13:1-8:
As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.” When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.”
Father Mark explores the profound meaning of Holy Communion, and the literal meaning of "Behold who you are, become what you receive." The Scripture reading is John 6: 51-58.
The Prayer of St. Francis states universal laws ("it is in giving that we receive" for instance), and offers a practice that harnesses these laws to bring us what we want, to erode our ego or false self, and to open us to eternal life while we still are living.
prayerofstfrancis #prayerstfrancis #livingtheprayerofstfrancis
"Be opened," said Jesus when healing the deaf man. When we are in any of the negative states mentioned in the Prayer of St. Francis--hatred, injury, doubt, and so on--we are not opened. We are closed off from God. This podcast discusses how we can "be opened."
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As we practice living the Prayer of St. Francis, we may be inclined to apply it to other people and situations. The statement attributed to Gandhi. "Be the change you want to see in the world," suggests that we start with ourselves.
"Lord, make me an instrument of your peace..." Who is the "Lord?" in the Prayer of St. Francis? The author clearly was referring to Jesus, yet those who are not Christians can pray to any form of Divinity with whom or with which they might feel connection.
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The Gospel reading is Mark 12 28:34:
One of the scribes came near and heard the Sadducees disputing with one another, and seeing that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, “Which commandment is the first of all?” Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” Then the scribe said to him, “You are right, Teacher; you have truly said that ‘he is one, and besides him there is no other’; and ‘to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the strength,’ and ‘to love one’s neighbor as oneself,’ —this is much more important than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.” When Jesus saw that he answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” After that no one dared to ask him any question.
Father Mark explores authenticity, what really matters, our true self and self-emptying. He encourages daily practices like Centering Prayer or gratitude to continue our self-emptying.
October 24, 2021
Father Mark Meyer reads Mark 10:46-52. The sermon explores the nature of being blind, and what it means to see. Although there is a literal interpretation of the words, there is a deeper meaning. “I came into this world,” Jesus says in John’s Gospel, “...so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” (Jn 9:39 NRSV) Blind to the worldly visions of glory and merit and ego, so that we might look up and see, with the eyes of our soul, the kingdom of God.
Welcome to Living the Prayer of St. Francis. In this podcast, we'll explore how to internalize the prayer, and live it by applying it internally and with others.