Sunday, June 7Proper 5, Year A, RCL, Track 1 Romans 4:13-25Matthew 9:9-13, 18-26 The Pharisees we read about are not priests. They are highly educated lay people who interpret the Torah and sometimes set precedents for the priestly class. The Pharisees were popular leaders of the Jewish people, yet they were often in conflict with the priests and Sadducees. The Pharisees knew every detail of the Hebrew Bible. (The Law being the first five books.) They knew what you did was ei

First Sunday after Pentecost: Trinity Sunday, Year A, RCL Genesis 1:1-2:4aCanticle 13 Trinity Sunday. A day that strikes fear into every seminarian who has to preach this day. In part, it is often difficult to preach about a concept. A concept that goes beyond traditional physics and philosophy. Three individuals forming one being: God. Three in one and one in three. If you’re into quantum mechanics, you may be able to start wrapping your head around such an idea, but frankly

Sixth Sunday of EasterYear A, RCL Acts 17:22-31Psalm 66:7-181 Peter 3:13-22John 14:15-21 Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? This is Peter’s the opening argument about living an upright life, a life of “doing what is right.” Peter put forward that no one would want to harm you if you are following Christ’s ways. Yet, he quickly changes tack, knowing that following in Christ’s footsteps will make others uncomfortable or angry. So, he tells us not to fear wha

Fourth Sunday of EasterYear A, RCL4/26/2026 Acts 2:42-47Psalm 231 Peter 2:19-25John 10:1-10 Last week, Peter told us of the 3,000 people who joined the church and were baptized. Today, baptism is still the entry into the Church. Anyone who would like to be baptized or become a Christian can be. As we see in our reading from Acts, baptism is not the end of our Christian journey. It’s only the beginning. After the 3,000 were baptized, they devoted themselves to the apostles’ te

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany Year A, RCL Micah 6:1-8Psalm 151 Corinthians 1:18-31Matthew 5:1-12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went up the snowy mountain and said to them: Blessed are those who have winter parkas, for it is cold outside. Blessed are those who have money to purchase one if they do not have one. Blessed are those who have a roaring fire or a furnace to heat their home, for you might freeze to death. We might like to hear blessings such as these, but clearly

Second Sunday after Christmas1/4/2025, based on 2014 Matthew 2:13-15, 19-23 For many of us, Christmas is a time for traveling. Whether we travel to our relatives or they come to us, being together seems to be part of the season. Likewise, the stories we hear this season also involve travels. Mary and Joseph journey to Bethlehem, to be recorded in the census. After the birth of Christ, the shepherds and the Wise Men visited Jesus. And after the Magi's visit, Mary, Joseph, and