[RCL] Nehemiah 8:1-3, 5-6, 8-10; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 12:12-31a; Luke 4:14-21 Today’s gospel presents us with Jesus’ first act of public ministry, described for us in Luke’s gospel. Following his river baptism and his long wilderness fast and temptation, Jesus returns to his home country, Galilee. Reports about him have been spreading through the…

In many dioceses, this month marks an important time for annual meetings in congregations. At these times, we necessarily focus on “the Church” – how things have been going for the last year and what we plan for the next year. But at such meetings, we also often pause to remind ourselves about what the…

Today’s gospel presents us with Jesus’ first act of public ministry, described for us in Luke’s gospel. Following his river baptism and his long wilderness fast and temptation, Jesus returns to his home country, Galilee. Reports about him have been spreading through the population, probably the result of his healing miracles and his synagogue teaching….

On this the third Sunday after Epiphany we are presented with images of two public readings from the law and the prophets. These images are highly dramatic, and in visualizing them, we need to also feel some of the emotion of the context in which they were read and some of the excitement of the…

They’re rioting in Africa. They’re starving in Spain.There’s hurricanes in Florida and Texas needs rain. The whole world is festering with unhappy souls.The French hate the Germans; the Germans hate the Poles.Italians hate Yugoslavs; South Africans hate the Dutch,And I don’t like anybody very much. But we can be tranquil and thankful and proud,For man’s…

Our scripture readings are arranged in a three-year Lectionary cycle. The readings themselves were chosen by some committee years ago. Sometimes, the Lectionary is accused of being too rigid. It is not flexible enough, so goes the argument, to be relevant to our daily lives. Yet, what could be more appropriate than a lesson referring…

“Now you are the body of Christ and individual members of it.”I Corinthians 12-27 Because of the long tradition of American individualism, most of us have a hard time really understanding how the Bible sees us. How of have you heard someone say, I can worship God better in nature than I can in church?”…