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The difference between knowing, hoping, and recognizing.
A sermon on Luke 24:13-35 [for an audio recording of this sermon, click here][1] [Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash] It’s a well-used idiom that sometimes we need to laugh, or else we’ll cry. Today’s gospel offers us an invitation to laugh in the midst of a moment that was – at least for those whose story we hear – full of grief. The two disciples on the road were mourning, and also probably afraid. They had built their lives around certain expectations about who Jesus was a
Doubt, Welcome, and Peace in the Pain
A sermon on John 20:19-31 [for an audio recording of this sermon, click here]. Whoever you are and wherever you find yourself on your journey of faith, know that you are most welcome here, to receive God’s goodness, mercy, and love. Amen. I can’t think of another biblical story that better illustrates the invitation I just spoke than the story of Thomas: It’s the story of a questioning disciple who is in a different place on his journey of faith than the other people around h
Easter Transformation
A sermon on Matthew 28:1-10 [for an audio recording of this sermon, click here] Normally it is easy for me to find inspiration for an Easter sermon – Easter is kind of the point of my whole faith and ministry … but this year is not quite like any other year, is it? I know how desperately we all need a message of resurrection hope as we daily face the threat, or maybe even the reality, of death and mourning. But it’s hard to find the right note of celebration about an empty to
Meditation on Blessing
A meditation inspired by John 13: 1-17; 31b-35 [for an audio recording of this meditation, click here] We have heard the holy words of the gospel, let us now meditate on the blessing they hold for us. For they do hold a blessing. Even at a distance. Even without the meal, and the foot washing, and the hands lain on heads. Even without the physical presence and the ritual that we long for, there is a blessing in these words and in this night, if we will open our hearts to rece
Hosanna - Save Us Now!: A Palm Sunday Prayer
A sermon on Matthew 21:1-11 (for an audio recording of this sermon, click here) One word from today’s gospel has been echoing in my soul this past week: “Hosanna” It’s one of those “churchy” words that I usually try to avoid: words that we don’t use in normal life, so they can feel like they create a barrier between faith and daily living, as though faith happens on a different level, with a different vocabulary, than the experiences and emotions that we actually need our fai
