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Lenten Midweek 2

on March 12, 2025

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Christmas Day

The Gospel for Christmas Eve is from Luke 2 – a detailed account of the events of Jesus’ birth. The Gospel lesson for Christmas Morning is John 1, an image of a cosmic Christ that echoes Genesis 1. “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth,” says Moses in Genesis. But John sees something more, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” He wants us to see Jesus’ birth connected to the great story of our salvation that began when He loved us so much that He created us. What is more, John wants us to see that our Creator loved us so dearly that when we rebelled against Him, He sought us out and redeemed us. In Genesis, God says, “Let there be light,” and there was light. John tells us that the light is a life-giving Word. “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” (That is, Jesus is the life-giving light for all people.) No wonder the glorious multitude of the heavenly host cry out, “Glory to God in the highest...

Advent 4 - December 22, 2024

In 2004, a CitiBank commercial portrayed two women at the grocery store. They are in the produce aisle looking at the apples when the first woman looks at the other. She slowly starts to smile and says, “Ooooh! You must be having a boy! When are you due?” as she reaches down to pat the other’s belly. The other woman responds, “I’m not pregnant!” “You’re not?” “No! Why?” You can watch the commercial here . A word to the wise. Don’t do that! Many women begin to "show" sometime in the second trimester, between 12 and 16 weeks into a pregnancy. She gets that little telltale bump, which is, I hear, as much evidence to her as it is to the world that she is pregnant. In our gospel reading, Elizabeth is in the sixth month. She probably had a good baby bump by then. Mary, however, is very early in her pregnancy. There is no visible sign. It must have been a little unreal to her. (Not that she didn’t believe what Gabriel had told her, but try to wrap your mind around being ...

Easter 2024

Easter 2024 The oppressive gloom of the grave, Darkness and the smell of worms, Cocoon the corpse in hopelessness, And then … His heart beats! Decay was driven back as His blood Raced through His veins. Living lungs expanded Having inhaled death He exhaled life. His recently deaf ears heard the grinding Of the sepulchral stone Rolling away from the tomb’s mouth, The one who lay within burst forth. Bright eyes viewed the early morning. It was the first day and death was defeated. His pulse quickened as The very blood that paid the price Of atonement, Forgiveness, Salvation, Courses once again. The victory was won! He could not lay here any longer, So He rose triumphant To find His own To tell them Good News; “The three days are done!” Women, who came to do for the dead, Became messengers for the Living One. Disciples, cowering in an upper room, Were restored and sent as witnesses to testify. The message would get out. ...

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