John 20:1-18 Mary of Magdala’s love is deep. Just like her grief. That is why I am so surprised that when Mary finally sees Jesus; she does not recognize Jesus. Literally the text says, “She turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.” Why do you think […]
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John 10:1-18 There is something about this Easter, that feels closer to the actual Easter, when Mary of Magdala, stepped out of her residence to walk to the tomb, to grieve her teacher, Jesus. That day, she did not know what would happen; nothing was guaranteed to her. She walked that inky pre-dawn hour to […]
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John 1:29-42 “The only thing is love; Everything else is advertising.” That is a benediction said each week at a church in Cape Cod. I have been pondering its meaning this week: “The only thing is love; Everything else is advertising.” It seems an apt quote in light of the Scripture this week, where Jesus […]
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Matthew 3:13-17 Before I begin, I want to share with you the poem “Last Fragment” by Raymond Carver, “And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so? I did. And what did you want? To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.” Whoa. To feel myself beloved. Isn’t that […]
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A Christmas Eve Sermon This year is the 300th anniversary of the writing of “Joy to the World”. I have been trying hard, all week, to write a sermon for you on that carol, but it kept eluding me. Joy for some reason felt out of reach. This December, I listened to the Christmas songs […]
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Luke 18:9-14 “How is it with your soul?” A trusted advisor asks this question of Rozella Haydee White1 , a thirty-something Black woman in ministry. The words catch White off-guard. She takes a deep breath. “How is it with my soul?” She repeats back, “I don’t know that anyone has ever asked me that question. […]
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Luke 18:1-8 They have given up. Today’s story features a exhausted, worn-out judge who has given up on God and humanity. Disheartened, they have closed up shop, extinguished the lights and refuse now to open the door. Knock, knock. “Do not disturb me!” They bellow. And yet, despite their loud protest, the disturbance continues: Knock, […]
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Jeremiah 23:23-29 Luke 12:49-56 What do you see when you look at this photo? What do you notice about the light, and the shadows? — Fear sweeps over me as I navigate myself through the jagged fissure in this cliff. This rock rift is a well-known attraction in the Hudson Valley, known as the Crevice, […]
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John 20:1-18 Walk in beauty. I heard that phrase this week, and have been wondering what it means. How do we walk in beauty? Most importantly: How do we walk in beauty when we feel like giving up? I have been thinking about this painting this week. Do you know what it is of? … […]
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Isaiah 58:1-12 I have been doing an unofficial sermon series on my colleague’s, Brother Anthony Zuba’s, song, “After the Summons.” Tonight, I want to share with you one last verse. In his song, Zuba writes, “Many years I trod until I heard you call my name Many voices and I thought that yours was just […]
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