Chickmonks: Recent Episodes
Heather Lawrence
Christendom is directly opposed to the reign of Christ
Today's homily is based on the following lectionary readings selected for Christ the King Sunday:
Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24
Thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be leader among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.
Matthew 25:31-46 (The Inclusive Bible)
31 “At the appointed time the Promised One will come in glory, escorted by all the angels of heaven, and will sit upon the royal throne, 32 with all the nations assembled below. Then the Promised One will separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. 33 The sheep will be placed on the right hand, the goats on the left. 34 “The ruler will say to those on the right, ‘Come, you blessed of my Abba God! Inherit the kindom prepared for you from the creation of the world! 35 For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me; 36 naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me; in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 Then these just will ask, ‘When did we see you hungry and feed you, or see you thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or clothe you in your nakedness? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison and come to visit you?’ 40 The ruler will answer them, ‘The truth is, every time you did this for the least of my sisters or brothers, you did it for me.’ 41 “Then the ruler will say to those on the left, ‘Out of my sight, you accursed ones! Into that everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and the fallen angels! 42 I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you gave me no welcome; naked and you gave me no clothing. I was ill and in prison and you did not come to visit me.’ 44 Then they in turn will ask, ‘When did we see you hungry or thirsty, or homeless or naked, or ill or in prison, and not take care of you?’ 45 The answer will come, ‘The truth is, as often as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.’ 46 They will go off to eternal punishment, and the just will go off to eternal life.”
Welcome, Chickmonks! If you’ve ever wondered “why religion? or why church?” I think this conversation will resonate with you.
If you’ve ever wondered what the heck the Episcopal church is, you will learn so much in this conversation, and, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s (really) like to be a priest or clergy person,
or if you’re feeling like the only person in your field who sees the potential and you’re up against the momentum of “the way we’ve always done things”
Contact Heather
Contact Mary Lynn
A homily based on the following lectionary reading for the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin:
Luke 1:46-55
Mary said:
“My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior. For you have looked with favor
upon your lowly servant,
and from this day forward
all generations will call me blessed.
For you, the Almighty, have done great things for
me,
and holy is your Name.
Your mercy reaches from age to age
for those who fear you.
You have shown strength with your arm;
you have scattered the proud in their conceit;
you have deposed the mighty from their thrones
and raised the lowly to high places.
You have filled the hungry with good things,
while you have sent the rich away empty.
You have come to the aid of Israel your servant,
mindful of your mercy—
the promise you made to our ancestors—
to Sarah and Abraham
and their descendants
Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible (pp. 2220-2221). Sheed & Ward. Kindle Edition.
A homily based on the following reading:
If you love me
and obey the command I give you,
16 I will ask the One who sent me
to give you another Paraclete, another Helper
to be with you always—
17 the Spirit of truth,
whom the world cannot accept
since the world neither sees her nor recognizes her;
but you can recognize the Spirit
because she remains with you
and will be within you.
18 I won’t leave you orphaned;
I will come back to you.
19 A little while now and the world will see me no more;
but you’ll see me;
because I live,
and you will live as well.
20 On that day you’ll know
that I am in God,
and you are in me,
and I am in you.
Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible (pp. 2325-2326). Sheed & Ward. Kindle Edition.
A homily based on Matthew 27:11-54, read from The Inclusive Bible
Looking for spiritual support? Have questions? Comments? Feedback? Contact Heather
A homily based on John 4:5-42 (read from The Inclusive Bible by Priests for Equality)
Questions? Responses? Comments? Looking for spiritual counseling or mentorship? I love hearing from you!
Reach out to Heather here.
A homily based on the following reading from the Revised Common Lectionary:
Luke 6:20-31
Jesus looked up at his disciples and said:
“Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets."
"But woe to you who are rich,
for you have received your consolation.
"Woe to you who are full now,
for you will be hungry.
"Woe to you who are laughing now,
for you will mourn and weep.
"Woe to you when all speak well of you, for that is what their ancestors did to the false prophets.
"But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you.
A homily based on the following reading from the revised common lectionary: Matthew 1:18-25
Now the birth of Jesus the Messiah took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been engaged to Joseph, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. Her husband Joseph, being a righteous man and unwilling to expose her to public disgrace, planned to dismiss her quietly. But just when he had resolved to do this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife, for the child conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what had been spoken by the Lord through the prophet:
“Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son,
and they shall name him Emmanuel,”
which means, “God is with us.” When Joseph awoke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him; he took her as his wife, but had no marital relations with her until she had borne a son; and he named him Jesus.
My approach to understanding Advent, Christmas, and the second coming of Christ.
A homily based on the following reading from the revised common lectionary: Matthew 24:36-44
Jesus said to the disciples, “But about that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”
A homily based on the following reading from the Revised Common Lectionary, followed by a guided practice of meta bhavana (lovingkindness meditation):
Luke 17:11-19
On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. As he entered a village, ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, they called out, saying, "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!" When he saw them, he said to them, "Go and show yourselves to the priests." And as they went, they were made clean. Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. He prostrated himself at Jesus' feet and thanked him. And he was a Samaritan. Then Jesus asked, "Were not ten made clean? But the other nine, where are they? Was none of them found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well."
A homily based on the following reading from the Revised Common Lectionary:
Deuteronomy 30:15-20
Moses said to all Israel the words which the Lord commanded him, "See, I have set before you today life and prosperity, death and adversity. If you obey the commandments of the Lordyour God that I am commanding you today, by loving the Lord your God, walking in his ways, and observing his commandments, decrees, and ordinances, then you shall live and become numerous, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land that you are entering to possess. But if your heart turns away and you do not hear, but are led astray to bow down to other gods and serve them, I declare to you today that you shall perish; you shall not live long in the land that you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess. I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him; for that means life to you and length of days, so that you may live in the land that the Lord swore to give to your ancestors, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."
Sarah Kye Price is a blended priest, professor, and social worker in Richmond, VA. She speaks with me about vocation, justice, service, and avoiding burnout.
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A homily based on the following lectionary readings from the Revised Common Lectionary:
Luke 11:1-13
Jesus was praying in a certain place, and after he had finished, one of his disciples said to him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John taught his disciples." He said to them, "When you pray, say:
Father, hallowed be your name.
Your kingdom come.
Give us each day our daily bread.
And forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.
And do not bring us to the time of trial."
And he said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and you go to him at midnight and say to him, Friend, lend me three loaves of bread; for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.' And he answers from within,Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he needs.
"So I say to you, Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for a fish, will give a snake instead of a fish? Or if the child asks for an egg, will give a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"
Genesis 18:20-32The Lord said to Abraham, "How great is the outcry against Sodom and Gomorrah and how very grave their sin! I must go down and see whether they have done altogether according to the outcry that has come to me; and if not, I will know."
So the men turned from there, and went toward Sodom, while Abraham remained standing before the Lord. Then Abraham came near and said, "Will you indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will you then sweep away the place and not forgive it for the fifty righteous who are in it? Far be it from you to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?" And the Lord said, "If I find at Sodom fifty righteous in the city, I will forgive the whole place for their sake." Abraham answered, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord, I who am but dust and ashes. Suppose five of the fifty righteous are lacking? Will you destroy the whole city for lack of five?" And he said, "I will not destroy it if I find forty-five there." Again he spoke to him, "Suppose forty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of forty I will not do it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak. Suppose thirty are found there." He answered, "I will not do it, if I find thirty there." He said, "Let me take it upon myself to speak to the Lord. Suppose twenty are found there." He answered, "For the sake of twenty I will not destroy it." Then he said, "Oh do not let the Lord be angry if I speak just once more. Suppose ten are found there." He answered, "For the sake of ten I will not destroy it."
We can't be the church in the world if we don't first acknowledge where we came from.
This is an essay I wrote in response to the prompt: "Describe your commitment to anti-colonial leadership," that turned out to be not just an essay, but a pretty solid sermon, too.
Contact Heather:
https://www.chickmonkspodcast.com/about
A homily based on the following scripture from the revised common lectionary:
John 6:56-69
Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.
On hearing it, many of his disciples said, “This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?”
Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, “Does this offend you? Then what if you see the Son of Manascend to where he was before! The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him.
“You do not want to leave too, do you?” Jesus asked the Twelve.
Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and to know that you are the Holy One of God.”
This episode begins with a fly-by definition of some recurring church words: liturgy, lectionary, liturgical calendar
to give context to when this sermon was preached (versus when it’s being released into the wild, wild internet). Send your questions to Heather here!
The gospel reading and homily begin at 8:30
Luke 3:1-6, NRSV
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled,
and every mountain and hill shall be made low,
and the crooked shall be made straight,
and the rough ways made smooth;
and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’”
I am so excited to introduce you to The Rev. Dr. Natalie Vail. Natalie is an ordained spiritualist minister, celtic shaman, acupuncturist, reiki master, among SO many other credentials and specialties. Needless to say, This episode is loaded with information, I seriously catch something new from Natalie every time I listen through this conversation.
We talk about a WHOLE lot of rituals and spiritual practices that may be new to you, we talk embodiment and holistic well-being, and dig deep into Celtic earth-based spirituality.
One thing I want to highlight is that about halfway through you’ll hear us talk about St. Brigid and her feast celebration called Imbolg, which happens to fall tomorrow night, February 1! So if you are listening before that, and feel inclined to participate, maybe you make a ritual out of leaving a scarf out for the Spirit of Brigid to bless tomorrow night.
No matter what you’re carrying, what questions you hold, and what path has brought you here, I am confident there’s something striking in this conversation with Natalie Vail for you.
find out more about Natalie: https://www.natalievail.com
A homily based on the following Gospel reading in the Revised Common Lectionary, originally preached at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church in Ordina, CA
Mark 10:17-31:
17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him, and asked him, ‘Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?’ 18Jesus said to him, ‘Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19You know the commandments: “You shall not murder; You shall not commit adultery; You shall not steal; You shall not bear false witness; You shall not defraud; Honour your father and mother.” ’ 20He said to him, ‘Teacher, I have kept all these since my youth.’ 21Jesus, looking at him, loved him and said, ‘You lack one thing; go, sell what you own, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ 22When he heard this, he was shocked and went away grieving, for he had many possessions.
23 Then Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, ‘How hard it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!’ 24And the disciples were perplexed at these words. But Jesus said to them again, ‘Children, how hard it is to enter the kingdom of God! 25It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.’ 26They were greatly astounded and said to one another, ‘Then who can be saved?’ 27Jesus looked at them and said, ‘For mortals it is impossible, but not for God; for God all things are possible.’
28 Peter began to say to him, ‘Look, we have left everything and followed you.’ 29Jesus said, ‘Truly I tell you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields, for my sake and for the sake of the good news, 30who will not receive a hundredfold now in this age—houses, brothers and sisters, mothers and children, and fields, with persecutions—and in the age to come eternal life. 31But many who are first will be last, and the last will be first.’
A homily based on the following Gospel reading from the Revised Common Lectionary:
Meanwhile Herod, the ruler of Judea, had heard about Jesus, whose reputation had become widespread. Some people were saying, “John the Baptizer has been raised from the dead, and that is why such miraculous powers are at work in him.” Others said, “He is Elijah;” still others, “He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.” When Herod heard of Jesus, he exclaimed, “John, whom I beheaded, has risen from the dead!”
Now it was Herod who had ordered John arrested, chained and imprisoned on account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, whom Herod had married. For John had told Herod, “It is against the Law for you to have your brother’s wife.” As for Herodias, she was furious with John and wanted to kill him but was unable to do so. Herod feared John, knowing him to be good and holy, and kept him in custody. When Herod heard John speak he was very much disturbed; yet he was moved by John’s words.
Herodias had her chance one day when Herod on his birthday held a dinner for the court circle, military officers and leaders of Galilee. When the daughter of Herodias came in and danced, this delighted Herod and the guests so much that he told the young woman, “Ask me anything you like and I will give it to you.” And Herod swore an oath, “I will give you anything you ask, even half of my entire realm!”
She went out and said to her mother, “What should I ask for?” Herodias replied, “The head of John the Baptizer.” The woman hurried back to Herod and made her request: “I want you to give me the head of John the Baptizer on a platter.”
Herod was deeply distressed by this request, but remembering the oath he swore before the guests, he was reluctant to break his oath to her. So Herod immediately sent one of the bodyguards with orders to bring John’s head. The guard beheaded John in prison, then brought the head in on a platter and gave it to the young woman, who gave it to her mother. When John’s disciples heard about this, they came and took the body away and laid it in a tomb.
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Katherine Spearing is the founder of Tears of Eden, a nonprofit community of support and recovery resources for the many of us who are healing from spiritual abuse. She also the hosts Uncertain podcast, where she highlights stories of survivors, and imagines a better future for spiritual community.
We talk about spiritual abuse in this episode. A lot. So take care of yourself if that touches something tender from your own experience. Pay attention to your responses, because all those emotions want is your attention and your compassion and your love.
We also talk about doubts and lies, Mary Magdalene, sex, the Bible—you know, the usual docket for Chickmonks. It gets heavy, but we also have a lot of fun! You know…because as we talk about in this episode, the capacity for two often go hand in hand.
Feedback? Questions? Looking for guidance? Contact Heather here!
A reading and homily based on the following gospel from the Revised Common Lectionary:
John 15:5-17
Jesus said to his disciples, "I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Abba is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become[c] my disciples.
“As my Abba has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. And you will abide in my love if you keep my commandments, just as I abide in Abba God’s love and have kept God’s commandments. I tell you all this that my joy may be yours, and your joy may be complete. This is my commandment: love one another as I have loved you. There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.
"And you are my friends, if you do what I command you. I no longer speak of you as subordinates, because a subordinate doesn’t know a superior’s business. Instead I call you friends, because I have made known to you everything I have learned from Abba God. It was not you who chose me; it was I who chose you to go forth and bear fruit. Your fruit must endure, so that whatever you ask of Abba God in my name God will give you. This command I give you: that you love one another. "
Ginny Barker is one of those people you can count on to keep it real, and because of that I have loved her from the moment I met her. She was a part of the church plant I helped start in Asheville, North Carolina. We went through a lot of church trauma together, and this conversation is about all of that. Spiritual trauma, dark night of the soul, narcissism in spiritual leadership, and so much more. If this topic touches you personally, I think you can brace yourself for some lightbulb moments, and stick around to the end, because we talk about how to heal as individuals, and whether a healthy church community is even a thing. As you hear Ginny’s story, may you find healing, hope, and maybe even a few giggles.
Ginny's blog: Cheetos for breakfast
Ginny's piece on Tears of Eden
She’s also an avid reader, so there’s an extensive book list of her recommendations that you’ll hear her cite throughout, and most of which are included here:
Ecaping the Maze of Spiritual Abuse by Dr. Lisa Oakley and Justin Humphreys
In the House of Friends by Kenneth J. Garrett
When Narcissism Comes to Church by Check DeGroat
Something's Not Right by Wade Mullen
Narcissism in the Church by David Orrison, PhD
The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse by David Johnson and Jeff Van Vonderen
Broken Trust by F. Remy Diederich
A Church Called Tov by Scot McNight
Redeeming Power by Diane Langberg
Soul Repair by Jeff Van Vonderent and Dale and Juanita Ryan
Healing Spiritual Wounds by Carol Howard Merritt
James Fowler's stages of spiritual development
A homily based on the following reading from the Book of Common Prayer daily office lectionary:
Luke 4:16-30
When he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, he went to the synagogue on the sabbath day, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to bring good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives
and recovery of sight to the blind,
to let the oppressed go free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
And he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant, and sat down. The eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. Then he began to say to them, “Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” He said to them, “Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, ‘Doctor, cure yourself!’ And you will say, ‘Do here also in your hometown the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum.’” And he said, “Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s hometown. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.” When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way.
The Rev. Hannah Wilder joined me several weeks ago and I know you’re going to love her. Hannah is ordained in the Episcopal Church and among her many roles in the Diocese of San Diego, she is a curate at St. Mark’s City Heights. Hannah is a passionate leader in the work of reconciliation and inclusion, and man, you should hear her preach about justice. We are so lucky to have her as a priest in the Episcopal Church.
Hannah and I talk about death, dying, racism, patriarchy, and what the hell we do with our feelings. Enjoy the abrupt beginning, the pure joy of friendship, the multitude of f-bombs, the invitation to examine your beliefs and the chance to offer yourself some grace, some compassion, and some good old fashioned self-love.
We both love you, and would both love to hear from you if you have anything to share in response to this conversation.
Contact Hannah @ St. Mark's City Heights
Contact Heather @ Chickmonks
Click here for the referenced clip from Rich Roll podcast interview
A homily based on the following lectionary readings for the second Sunday of Lent, year B:
Mark 8:31-38
[Jesus] began to teach them that the Son of Man must undergo great suffering, and be rejected by the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.He said all this quite openly. And Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him. But turning and looking at his disciples, he rebuked Peter and said, “Get behind me, Satan! For you are setting your mind not on divine things but on human things.”
He called the crowd with his disciples, and said to them, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it. For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life? Indeed, what can they give in return for their life? Those who are ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of them the Son of Man will also be ashamed when he comes in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.”
Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, “I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless. And I will make my covenant between me and you, and will make you exceedingly numerous.” Then Abram fell on his face; and God said to him, “As for me, this is my covenant with you: You shall be the ancestor of a multitude of nations. No longer shall your name be Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you the ancestor of a multitude of nations. I will make you exceedingly fruitful; and I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you. I will establish my covenant between me and you, and your offspring after you throughout their generations, for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your offspring after you.”
God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. I will bless her, and moreover I will give you a son by her. I will bless her, and she shall give rise to nations; kings of peoples shall come from her.”
Romans 4:13-25
The promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith. If it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. For the law brings wrath; but where there is no law, neither is there violation.
For this reason it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his descendants, not only to the adherents of the law but also to those who share the faith of Abraham (for he is the father of all of us, as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”)—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Hoping against hope, he believed that he would become “the father of many nations,” according to what was said, “So numerous shall your descendants be.” He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was already as good as dead (for he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. No distrust made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, being fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. Therefore his faith “was reckoned to him as righteousness.” Now the words, “it was reckoned to him,” were written not for his sake alone, but for ours also. It will be reckoned to us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was handed over to death for our trespasses and was raised for our justification.
A homily based on the following reading from the daily office readings in the Book of Common Prayer:
Galatians 4:1-7 (NIV, audio is read from New English Bible)
"What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father.So also, when we were underage, we were in slaveryunder the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son,born of a woman, born under the law, to redeemthose under the law, that we might receive adoptionto sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir."
Thoughts? Questions? Suggestions? Looking for spiritual guidance? Reach out to Heather at the Chickmonks website
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Nicole Gheorghe is one of the best yoga teachers I know, and an all-around gift of a human. She and her husband Jeremy have started an incredible online yoga studio called Dope Yogi that is all about authenticity over perfection.
Nicole’s classes at Dope Yogi are approachable, flexible, and transformative, and are perfect for all levels of experience. Your membership will include over 90 on-demand classes, as well as weekly live zoom yoga.
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Based on the following passage from today's daily office lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer:
James 1:1-15 NIV
James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ,
To the twelve tribes scattered among the nations:
Greetings.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.
Believers in humble circumstances ought to take pride in their high position. But the rich should take pride in their humiliation—since they will pass away like a wild flower. For the sun rises with scorching heat and withers the plant; its blossom falls and its beauty is destroyed. In the same way, the rich will fade away even while they go about their business.
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.
When tempted, no one should say, “God is tempting me.” For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each person is tempted when they are dragged away by their own evil desire and enticed. Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, gives birth to death.
Today’s guest is Julia Brown, an artist, entrepreneur, recovering fundamentalist Christian, and a living example of the mystical wisdom of the artist. Julia drops wisdom left and right in this conversation as she shares how she’s learned to navigate capitalism as an artist, and how her faith directs and influences her creative work. We talk about the limits of language, embracing mystery, and choosing compassion instead of judgement for ourselves and others. Julia has her own pottery business, and previously started an art studio for adults with disabilities in Nashville, TN. Julia and her husband live and work on the farm they created, the Tiny Giant Farm in Kalamazoo, MI.
Connect with Julia's art and life
Connect with Julia's craft and business
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Did you hear? I'm now offering one-on-one spiritual guidance. If you're interested in diving deeper Into the work of God in your life, and feel like a guide would be helpful, you can learn more about spiritual guidance and get in touch with Heather on the Chickmonks website.
Julia's references:
Deviate: The Science of Seeing Differently, Beau Lotto
The Faithful Artist, Cameron J. Anderson
Changing Signs of Truth, Crystal Downing
How Postmodernism Serves My Faith: Questioning Truth In Language, Philosophy, and Art, Crystal Downing
Bezalel's Body: The Death of God and the Birth of Art, Katie Kresser
Psychology Today's Narcissism series (my favorite line: "So, if there is an increase in narcissism, maybe it’s not such a bad thing.")
A homily based on the following reading from the daily office lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer:
Luke 4: 14-30 (NIV)
Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about him spread through the whole countryside. He was teaching in their synagogues, and everyone praised him.
He went to Nazareth, where he had been brought up, and on the Sabbath day he went into the synagogue, as was his custom. He stood up to read, and the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to him. Unrolling it, he found the place where it is written:
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners
and recovery of sight for the blind,
to set the oppressed free,
to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.”
All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his lips. “Isn’t this Joseph’s son?” they asked.
Jesus said to them, “Surely you will quote this proverb to me: ‘Physician, heal yourself!’ And you will tell me, ‘Do here in your hometown what we have heard that you did in Capernaum.’”
“Truly I tell you,” he continued, “no prophet is accepted in his hometown. I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah’s time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. And there were many in Israel with leprosy in the time of Elisha the prophet, yet not one of them was cleansed—only Naaman the Syrian.”
All the people in the synagogue were furious when they heard this. They got up, drove him out of the town, and took him to the brow of the hill on which the town was built, in order to throw him off the cliff. But he walked right through the crowd and went on his way.
Professor Betsy Coughlin is back for the first episode of "Heather and Betsy talk about sex," where Heather and Betsy talk about talking about sex.
In this conversation we talk about the history of the Church, how we understand the Bible, and, spoiler alert: the patriarchal values that shaped both.
Please, please reach out to Heather via Instagram or the Chickmonks website, or connect with Betsy if you'd like to respond directly to her.
Did you hear? I'm offering Individual spiritual guidance/coaching sessions. If you're craving a more meaningful path and a more fulfilling spiritual journey, consider working with me to discern next steps to clear the path for your bright future. It is truly the most life-giving part of my life to work with you as you discover your direction. Contact me to find out more.
A homily based on the following Daily Office reading from the Book of Common Prayer:
John 11:1-16
Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”
When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”
“But Rabbi,” they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you, and yet you are going back?”
Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light. It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”
After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep; but I am going there to wake him up.”
His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.
So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”
Then Thomas (also known as twin) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”
This episode is a beautiful and vulnerable interview with my friend Valerie Hernandez-Sigamani. We cover big, important injustices in our experiences of Christianity and our hopes for what the future could be like for communities of people following Jesus, but doing it differently--especially making the church better for women and people of color.
Connect with Valerie
Valerie's work: Wild Faith Co.
Connect with Heather
{NEW} Chickmonks website!
Did you hear? I'm offering Individual spiritual guidance/coaching sessions. If you're craving a more meaningful path and a more fulfilling spiritual journey, consider working with me to discern next steps to clear the path for your bright future. It is truly the most life-giving part of my life to work with you as you discover your direction. Contact me to find out more.
There is a love that is so strong, it is present even in the most isolating and agonizing darkness. This love has been represented in the feminine form for millennia across spiritual traditions, so it’s no surprise that the love that accompanied Jesus into his agony is represented by these three women.
Referenced:
Christena Cleveland, author, theologian, activist
A homily preached from the following daily office reading of the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer:
Matthew 27:55-66 (NRSV)
Many women were also there, looking on from a distance; they had followed Jesus from Galilee and had provided for him. Among them were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.
When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who was also a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. So Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn in the rock. He then rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember what that impostor said while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ Therefore command the tomb to be made secure until the third day; otherwise his disciples may go and steal him away, and tell the people, ‘He has been raised from the dead,’ and the last deception would be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers; go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went with the guard and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone.
Rev. Emily Hook and I grew up in Richmond, VA, both in Southern Baptist churches, and both had our own adult journeys into a contemplative, liturgical tradition. Emily tells her story on that path, and spoiler alert: she is now ordained to ministry in the Presbyterian Church.
We scratched the surface on perfectionism, the community aspect of liturgy in worship, and the path of personal, contemplative faith through it all.
And I especially hope you enjoy hearing Emily reflect on the unique balance of motherhood and pastoring, a beautiful and challenging and necessary role in the church. I’m so grateful we have women like her modeling the Divine Mother love of God within a historically patriarchal tradition.
Connect with Emily
Connect with Heather
Resources/ books Emily mentioned or recommends:
Liturgy of the Ordinary- Tish Harrison Warren
How to Be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job: An Invitation to Oblate Life- Brother Benet Tvedten
Celtic Daily Prayer: Prayers and Readings from the Northumbria Community
Common Prayer: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals- Shane Claiborne, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, Enuma Okoro
PCUSA Daily Prayer
*Episcopal Book of Common Prayer
Sacred Ordinary Days Planner*
The Cradle of Prayer (For daily prayer on the go)
Shannon Hillenmeyer, LCSW is a counselor at Rooted Counseling Center in Nashville, TN, a powerful and gentle spiritual leader, and is one of the most formative yoga teachers I’ve ever experienced, so I can’t wait for you all to hear from her today
Our conversation was thwarted by internet connection issues, which means we sometimes talk over each other and the flow is a bit unnatural—but honestly if that isn’t your new normal right now, I don’t know if we’re living in the same reality. Interruptions aside, Shannon and I got into some really beautiful spaces about growth and ego work. We talk specifically about this spiritual path of transformation through yoga, teaching and leadership, counseling, and internal work.
Shannon and I return over and over to the concept and gift of presence. Presence to ourselves, presence to the people we love, presence to the task in front of us. There are SO many things we as humans let get in our way of presence—we fill up our schedules, we distract or numb ourselves, we give ourselves to the anxiety and fear that seem to offer us relief, only to find that when we buy into their false promises, our lives are ruled by that anxiety and fear.
Presence is the key to our freedom from this enslavement. When we practice presence, we start to make a home with ourselves. We start to engage in our lives with intentionality, and not simply trying to quiet the fear. Presence with ourselves allows us space to notice our reactions to the circumstances around us. And if, in that presence, we can offer ourselves acceptance, if we can find compassion and receive the truth of the present moment,
eventually the voices of fear, of anxiety, and of judgment start to settle down, and we find peace.
Connect with Shannon on Instagram
Connect with me on Instagram
This conversation with Rachel Zolensky, and this will stir up all the things in you. Rachel is a social justice activist by trade and by conviction, but she’s also one of the most thoughtful, introspective people I’ve crossed paths with, and she has a gift for seeing and understanding the way things work and then explaining it to the rest of us.
Rachel and I talk about change and transformation. Societal Transformation is only a hopeful ideal until it takes root at an individual level. One word that surfaces many, many times in this conversation is grief. Because this is hard work! For new things to be born, old things have to die, and that comes with grief.
One of my favorite parts of this conversation is when Rachel reminds us that a world without white supremacy is better for white people too. When we climb over each other and press others down, everyone loses. Everyone dies. But it doesn’t have to be this way, and transformation begins with your heart.
Resources:
Rachel's work with Tennessee Institute for Higher Education
Sonya Renee Taylor
5 ways to get involved with local government
SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice) SURJ is an organization specifically directed towards facilitating white action towards racial justice
Connect with Rachel on Instagram
Connect with me on Instagram
Light and Peace to you.
A homily based on the daily office lectionary reading from the Book of Common Prayer:
1 John 3:9-18
The children of God and the children of the devil are revealed in this way: all who do not do what is right are not from God, nor are those who do not love their brothers and sisters.
For this is the message you have heard from the beginning, that we should love one another. We must not be like Cain who was from the evil one and murdered his brother. And why did he murder him? Because his own deeds were evil and his brother’s righteous. Do not be astonished, brothers and sisters, that the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love one another. Whoever does not love abides in death. All who hate a brother or sister are murderers, and you know that murderers do not have eternal life abiding in them. We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and yet refuses help?
Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in truth and action.
This conversation with Allie Utley (PhD candidate in homiletics and liturgy at Vanderbilt University, professor at Presbyterian Theological Seminary) is very much about the Church as a whole—you’ll probably even learn some new vocabulary. But this conversation is also about what we do as members of the Church—or any worshipping community, for that matter—when we can’t gather.
Spoiler alert: it hurts. It calls for grief. And it calls for something new and creative from Christian circles.
Allie and I talk in-depth about what on earth the Church as a worshipping community can do while public worship isn’t available. Also note that this episode is explicit for a reason.
Connect with Allie: @aeutley
Connect with Heather: @theheatherlawrence
We’re ready to hear from you if you have thoughts, ideas, responses, questions—consider this an open invitation to connection and conversation.
A homily based on the following daily office reading from the Book of Common Prayer:
Matthew 7:1-12
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
“Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets."
Delaney McBride is a massage therapist, registered yoga teacher, and personal cook, and has combined her skills and passions in an instagram account called Hand to Heart Wellness, where she promotes a balanced approach to health and wellness through connecting your mind, body, and gut. Definitely give her a follow—@handtoheartwellness.
We talk about creative work, our relationships with food and exercise, and really, all of life as a way of knowing ourselves and being freed from our egos into greater Love. We talk about presence and self-awareness and spiritual practice, and all the things that have changed during this season of shifting and changing and canceling and slowing down.
I thought I was going to talk to Delaney about food This interview picks up right away—we started catching up and I realized the material was too good to not record, so brace yourselves cause we’re jumping right in.
A homily based on the following reading from the daily office lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer:
John 15:1-12 (HCSB)
“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vineyard keeper. Every branch in Me that does not produce fruit He removes, and He prunes every branch that produces fruit so that it will produce more fruit. You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. Remain in Me, and I in you. Just as a branch is unable to produce fruit by itself unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in Me.
“I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me. If anyone does not remain in Me, he is thrown aside like a branch and he withers. They gather them, throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you want and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this: that you produce much fruit and prove to be My disciples.
“As the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you. Remain in My love. If you keep My commands you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commands and remain in His love.
“I have spoken these things to you so that My joy may be in you and your joy may be complete. This is My command: Love one another as I have loved you.
Betsy Coughlin is an adjunct faculty member in the department of theology and religion at Belmont University in Nashville, TN, where she also earned her Bachelors in English and Religion, and received her M.Div from Boston University.
In this conversation Betsy and I talk about her evolving faith and religious practice, pain and healing associated with growing up in the conservative church of the South, and the role emotions play in our faith and understanding of God. There are so many good moments in this conversation that I think will connect the dots for many of us who have started to see our faith pull apart at the seams, especially faith in the angry, masculine God and his supporting theology that so many of us have been handed as ultimate truth.
I hope and pray this conversation brings healing and hope and more conversation into your life.
A homily based on the following daily office reading from the Book of Common Prayer:
Mark 9:30-41 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)
They went on from there and passed through Galilee. He did not want anyone to know it; for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is to be betrayed into human hands, and they will kill him, and three days after being killed, he will rise again.” But they did not understand what he was saying and were afraid to ask him.
Then they came to Capernaum; and when he was in the house he asked them, “What were you arguing about on the way?” But they were silent, for on the way they had argued with one another who was the greatest. He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, “Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all.” Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them, “Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.”
John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not stop him; for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon afterward to speak evil of me. Whoever is not against us is for us. For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.
A homily preached from the following reading from the daily office lectionary from the Book of Common Prayer:
Mark 1:1-13 (NRSV)
The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
As it is written in the prophet Isaiah,
“See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you,
who will prepare your way;
the voice of one crying out in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight,’”
John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, “The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And just as he was coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens torn apart and the Spirit descending like a dove on him. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”
And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness. He was in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan; and he was with the wild beasts; and the angels waited on him.
Grace or judgment, you get to choose.
A homily preached from the following reading from the daily office lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer:
John 7:53-8:20, NRSV
Then each of them went home, while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him and he sat down and began to teach them. The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery; and making her stand before all of them, they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders; and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”]]
A homily preached from the following Daily Office lectionary reading from the Book of Common Prayer:
John 3:16-21 (NRSV)
“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.
“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Those who believe in him are not condemned; but those who do not believe are condemned already, because they have not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil. For all who do evil hate the light and do not come to the light, so that their deeds may not be exposed. But those who do what is true come to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that their deeds have been done in God.”
At Christmas we encounter a lot of "shoulds" and disappointments. This is one of the reasons the idea of Advent is so powerful to me. The church calendar includes a 4-week period of longing. While the world around us hosts Christmas parties and celebrates the season, the church steps into a season where all we have is our desire that things were different.
Advent speaks to our longing. It gives room to be in the darkness. It gives us a season to grieve that things don’t seem to be as they should. Advent is a space for those of us who have been disappointed in this life.
And Advent gives us an opportunity for hope.
Song: "I Heard the Bells On Christmas Day"
I heard the bells on Christmas day
Their old familiar carols play;
In music sweet the tones repeat,
of peace on earth, good will to men.
I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.
And in despair I bowed my head:
“There is no peace on earth,” I said,
“For hate is strong, and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.”
Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
“God is not dead, and does not sleep,
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
with peace on earth, good will to men.”
A homily on the following Scriptures from the daily office lectionary In the Book of Common Prayer:
Matthew 17:14-20 (NRSV)When they came to the crowd, a man came to him, knelt before him, and said, “Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic and he suffers terribly; he often falls into the fire and often into the water. And I brought him to your disciples, but they could not cure him.” Jesus answered, “You faithless and perverse generation, how much longer must I be with you? How much longer must I put up with you? Bring him here to me.” And Jesus rebuked the demon, and it came out of him, and the boy was cured instantly. Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?” He said to them, “Because of your little faith. For truly I tell you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” But this kind does not come out except by prayer and fasting.
Psalm 95 (NIV)Come, let us sing for joy to the Lord;
let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.
Let us come before him with thanksgiving
and extol him with music and song.
For the Lord is the great God,
the great King above all gods.
In his hand are the depths of the earth,
and the mountain peaks belong to him.
The sea is his, for he made it,
and his hands formed the dry land.
Come, let us bow down in worship,
let us kneel before the Lord our Maker;
for he is our God
and we are the people of his pasture,
the flock under his care.
Today, if only you would hear his voice,
“Do not harden your hearts as you did at Meribah,
as you did that day at Massah in the wilderness,
where your ancestors tested me;
they tried me, though they had seen what I did.
For forty years I was angry with that generation;
I said, ‘They are a people whose hearts go astray,
and they have not known my ways.’
So I declared on oath in my anger,
‘They shall never enter my rest.’”
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A homily based on the following Scripture from the daily office lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer:
John 9:18-41 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”
So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him. Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
A homily based on the following Book of Common Prayer daily office lectionary reading:
Matthew 13:44-52 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which someone found and hid; then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding one pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.
“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the furnace of fire, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.
“Have you understood all this?” They answered, “Yes.” And he said to them, “Therefore every scribe who has been trained for the kingdom of heaven is like the master of a household who brings out of his treasure what is new and what is old.”
A homily based on the following Book of Common Prayer daily office reading:
Matthew 13:1-9 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat beside the sea. Such great crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat there, while the whole crowd stood on the beach. And he told them many things in parables, saying: “Listen! A sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seeds fell on the path, and the birds came and ate them up. Other seeds fell on rocky ground, where they did not have much soil, and they sprang up quickly, since they had no depth of soil. But when the sun rose, they were scorched; and since they had no root, they withered away. Other seeds fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up and choked them. Other seeds fell on good soil and brought forth grain, some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. Let anyone with ears listen!”
A homily based on the Book of Common Prayer daily office reading:
Matthew 11:25-30 (NRSV)At that time Jesus said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
One of my old favorite homilies from the (pre-podcast) Lenten season, based on BCP daily office readings:
Jeremiah 2:1-13 (NRSV)The word of the Lord came to me, saying: Go and proclaim in the hearing of Jerusalem, Thus says the Lord:
I remember the devotion of your youth,
your love as a bride,
how you followed me in the wilderness,
in a land not sown.
Israel was holy to the Lord,
the first fruits of his harvest.
All who ate of it were held guilty;
disaster came upon them,
says the Lord.
Hear the word of the Lord, O house of Jacob, and all the families of the house of Israel. Thus says the Lord:
What wrong did your ancestors find in me
that they went far from me,
and went after worthless things, and became worthless themselves?
They did not say, “Where is the Lord
who brought us up from the land of Egypt,
who led us in the wilderness,
in a land of deserts and pits,
in a land of drought and deep darkness,
in a land that no one passes through,
where no one lives?”
I brought you into a plentiful land
to eat its fruits and its good things.
But when you entered you defiled my land,
and made my heritage an abomination.
The priests did not say, “Where is the Lord?”
Those who handle the law did not know me;
the rulers transgressed against me;
the prophets prophesied by Baal,
and went after things that do not profit.
Therefore once more I accuse you,
says the Lord,
and I accuse your children’s children.
Cross to the coasts of Cyprus and look,
send to Kedar and examine with care;
see if there has ever been such a thing.
Has a nation changed its gods,
even though they are no gods?
But my people have changed their glory
for something that does not profit.
Be appalled, O heavens, at this,
be shocked, be utterly desolate,
says the Lord,
for my people have committed two evils:
they have forsaken me,
the fountain of living water,
and dug out cisterns for themselves,
cracked cisterns
that can hold no water.
Romans 1:16-25 (NRSV)For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.”
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.
A homily based on the following daily office reading from the Book of Common Prayer:
Matthew 9:1-8 New Revised Standard Version (NRSV)And after getting into a boat he crossed the sea and came to his own town.
And just then some people were carrying a paralyzed man lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven.” Then some of the scribes said to themselves, “This man is blaspheming.” But Jesus, perceiving their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Stand up and walk’? But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—he then said to the paralytic—“Stand up, take your bed and go to your home.” And he stood up and went to his home. When the crowds saw it, they were filled with awe, and they glorified God, who had given such authority to human beings.
Homily preached from the following Book of Common Prayer daily office reading:
Matthew 7:1-12
“Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get. Why do you see the speck in your neighbor’s eye, but do not notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your neighbor, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ while the log is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your neighbor’s eye.
“Do not give what is holy to dogs; and do not throw your pearls before swine, or they will trample them under foot and turn and maul you.
“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Is there anyone among you who, if your child asks for bread, will give a stone? Or if the child asks for a fish, will give a snake? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good things to those who ask him!
“In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets."
Homily preached from the following Book of Common Prayer daily office readings:
Matthew 5:27-48
[Jesus said,] “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away; it is better for you to lose one of your members than for your whole body to go into hell.
“It was also said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that anyone who divorces his wife, except on the ground of unchastity, causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of ancient times, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but carry out the vows you have made to the Lord.’ But I say to you, Do not swear at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, or by the earth, for it is his footstool, or by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. And do not swear by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. Let your word be ‘Yes, Yes’ or ‘No, No’; anything more than this comes from the evil one.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I say to you, Do not resist an evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue you and take your coat, give your cloak as well; and if anyone forces you to go one mile, go also the second mile. Give to everyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to borrow from you.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Homily preached from the following Book of Common Prayer daily office readings:
1 Corinthians 1:20-31Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, God decided, through the foolishness of our proclamation, to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom, but we proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
Consider your own call, brothers and sisters: not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification and redemption, in order that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
1 Kings 21:17-29Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying: Go down to meet King Ahab of Israel, who rules in Samaria; he is now in the vineyard of Naboth, where he has gone to take possession. You shall say to him, “Thus says the Lord: Have you killed, and also taken possession?” You shall say to him, “Thus says the Lord: In the place where dogs licked up the blood of Naboth, dogs will also lick up your blood.”
Ahab said to Elijah, “Have you found me, O my enemy?” He answered, “I have found you. Because you have sold yourself to do what is evil in the sight of the Lord, I will bring disaster on you; I will consume you, and will cut off from Ahab every male, bond or free, in Israel; and I will make your house like the house of Jeroboam son of Nebat, and like the house of Baasha son of Ahijah, because you have provoked me to anger and have caused Israel to sin. Also concerning Jezebel the Lord said, ‘The dogs shall eat Jezebel within the bounds of Jezreel.’ Anyone belonging to Ahab who dies in the city the dogs shall eat; and anyone of his who dies in the open country the birds of the air shall eat.”
(Indeed, there was no one like Ahab, who sold himself to do what was evil in the sight of the Lord, urged on by his wife Jezebel. He acted most abominably in going after idols, as the Amorites had done, whom the Lord drove out before the Israelites.)
When Ahab heard those words, he tore his clothes and put sackcloth over his bare flesh; he fasted, lay in the sackcloth, and went about dejectedly. Then the word of the Lord came to Elijah the Tishbite: “Have you seen how Ahab has humbled himself before me? Because he has humbled himself before me, I will not bring the disaster in his days; but in his son’s days I will bring the disaster on his house.”
Western Christianity has settled for a narrow perspective on faith and knowing God--a perspective in which being right was the ultimate source of security and truth.
When my spiritual path led me away from these constrictions and limiting beliefs, I discovered voices who had been knowing God through expansiveness rather than limitations--I found these voices in monks and contemplatives of modern orders all the way back to the ancient teachings of desert mothers and fathers. I encountered contemplative Christianity, and it brought me life to see Jesus as a teacher of this way.
I also had a lot of healing to do on my patriarchal perspective on God and religion. The Spirit began to nudge me to refer to God with feminine pronouns. I learned more about Mother God and the Divine Feminine, enlivened as I encountered this part of God who resonated so deeply with my experience of what it means to be Loved by Love itself, and to learn to Love in the way of Christ.
Chickmonks is all of the things that healed my faith rolled into one. It's a podcast full of conversations exploring contemplative Christianity from a female perspective. There will be a broad array of voices represented--yes, even men. But by emphasizing different voices and perspectives, Chickmonks aims to create a space for a fuller, truer, deeper encounter with God. Sometimes episodes will be interviews, sometimes there will be homilies, and sometimes there will be guided prayers. May you find grace, may you find compassion, and may the light of Jesus Christ make you more into Love.