What’s The WORD?
December 25, 2014
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
Christmas III
Isaiah 52:7-10; Hebrews 1:1-4; John 1:1-14
John’s gospel account of Jesus coming into the world is powerful and poetic. It doesn’t tell of the birth of a child in a stable in a little town called Bethlehem, but instead, the opening words of John’s gospel bring to mind the creation story of Genesis, which begins:
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light. And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day. (Gen 1:1-5, NRSV)
But, John’s gospel backs up even farther. It doesn’t begin with the creation of the heavens and the earth, but instead, with the nature of God. In light of the incarnate Jesus, God can no longer be understood in the same way God was understood before. After the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, there was a deeper understanding of the complexity of God – that this one-God whom the people of Israel followed is actually a three-in-one-God: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
Now, while this doesn’t seem too complicated to you and me, having heard of this Trinity God from the beginning of OUR religious context, this was pretty radical stuff a couple of thousand years ago; certainly for the people of Israel. One thing that set them apart from the gentiles was their devotion to ONE God, not may gods. Remember, the first commandment brought down by Moses from Mt. Sinai was:
I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods besides me.” (Ex. 20:2-3)
So, then comes Jesus, and Houston, we have a problem! Read the rest of this entry »
From Anguish to Alleluia!
August 17, 2014
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
Proper 15 – RCL Year A
Genesis 45:1-15; Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32; Matthew 15:21-28
Jesus left Gennesaret and went away to the district of Tyre and Sidon. Just then a Canaanite woman from that region came out and started shouting, “Have mercy on me, Lord, Son of David; my daughter is tormented by a demon.” But he did not answer her at all. And his disciples came and urged him, saying, “Send her away, for she keeps shouting after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” But she came and knelt before him, saying, “Lord, help me.” He answered, “It is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.” She said, “Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their masters’ table.” Then Jesus answered her, “Woman, great is your faith! Let it be done for you as you wish.” And her daughter was healed instantly. (Mt 15:21-28)
I don’t know about you, but lately I’ve been overwhelmed by the onslaught of tragic stories in the news. For the last several months there has been an increase of unrest, or at least that’s the way it feels. At first this seemed to be concentrated in the usual areas far away – the Middle East, Afghanistan and the Ukraine to name a few.
We’ve been hearing more and more about about the escalating attacks and death-counts in Gaza. Then, on July 17th we were stunned to learn that a commercial jetliner had been shot down over Ukraine, killing almost three hundred innocent victims. And all the while the Ebola virus has been spreading deeper and deeper across West Africa.
Immigration protesters on both sides of the debate staged rallies at a California Border Patrol station last week, in response to the child migrant crisis. Photo: Sandy Huffaker /Getty
And lest we think all the hardships are in far-off lands, we have our own issues to deal with. There are constant reminders of the young children seeking refuge in the U.S., fleeing their homeland due to violence and danger. This crisis has been met with mixed feelings and angry voices on both sides of the issue. Add to that the random shootings in offices and shopping malls, not to mention the endless bickering of a divided Congress, where finger-pointing rules the day. Read the rest of this entry »
Both Shepherd and Lamb
April 18, 2014
Christ Church Episcopal, Norcross, GA
Good Friday, April 18, 2014 – Year A
Isaiah 52:13-53:12, Hebrews 10:16-25, John 18:1-19:42
If you were here this past Sunday, you heard me explain that these narratives about Jesus’ death are called “The Passion” because the Latin root of the word is passio, which means suffering.
Throughout the Passion narrative from Matthew read on Sunday, we got a sense of the suffering Jesus endured, yet today’s account from John is quite different. In John’s gospel Jesus is the one directing the course of action, from beginning to end, and this is reflected in the Passion story, as well.
In today’s reading, after Judas brought the soldiers and temple police into the garden where Jesus was, instead of Judas kissing Jesus on the cheek, as told in Matthew’s version, here we have Jesus stepping forward on his own. He asks the soldiers who is it they seek, and when they say “Jesus of Nazareth” Jesus responds, without hesitation, “I am he.” Read the rest of this entry »
John’s Gospel: A Compelling Case
April 9, 2014
Candler School of Theology – Episcopal Studies Eucharist Service
Lent V – Wednesday
Daniel 3:14-20, 24-30; John 8:31-42
Today is my first day back from vacation… and it’s great to be back here with familiar faces at Candler after of day of working through a week’s worth of e-mails!
I spent most of last week in the quiet of a small cottage at St. Mary’s Convent in Sewanee, TN. On Wednesday morning I ventured onto campus, just a few miles up the road, to take in 9 holes of golf and then attend the sung-Eucharist service at the seminary. And for those who might judge me for putting a bit of golf in my contemplative retreat, rest assured, God’s name was invoked more consistently in that short period of time than any other while I was on the mountain.
After a few days of quiet reflection, I returned home on Saturday, just long enough to unpack and re-pack before Alice and I headed east on Sunday, to another altar of sorts – the immaculate fairways of the Augusta National golf course, host of The Masters.
My sister, Nancy, was able to get tickets to Monday’s practice round and Alice and I were invited to join in the fun! Though Monday ended up being a wash-out for the golfers and fans, the flower guild is still to be commended for their amazing work! Read the rest of this entry »
