Sermons from 2024 (Page 3)
Second Sunday of Advent
Today we finish our year-long study of Mark’s gospel. It is the last time we’ll hear from Mark until November 29, 2026. This final reading wasn’t the chronological ending of Mark’s story– that was the empty tomb we studied on Easter. Nor did the lectionary bring us back to the beginning with a quote from Isaiah and John the Baptist – remember, there was no birth narrative in Mark. Rather, we are left in the middle of the gospel in what is often called the “little apocalypse.”…
First Sunday of Advent
In today’s reading, Jesus was in the temple. He had been teaching through parables and answering questions about taxes, the resurrection, the messiah, and the greatest commandment. Before he took a break, Jesus spoke about his primary challengers in Mark’s gospel, that was the scribes. The scribes were men who had a deep knowledge of the law and could draft legal documents, like contracts for marriages, divorces, loans, inheritance, and mortgages. These scribes curated a public reputation of being pious with lengthy prayers to convince people that they were trustworthy…
All Saints Sunday
Have you ever met people who have a quick answer when you suffer a loss? People who might say, ‘Oh, you’ll get over it quickly, cheer up’ or ‘It was for the best after all’. Or, especially when we mourn the loss of a child, ‘Now the good Lord has one more angel in paradise’. And maybe the worst: ‘You may not understand it now, but God has a plan’