Readings: Leviticus 19: 1-2, 17-18; 1 Corinthians 3: 16-23; Matthew 5: 38-48 Preacher: M. Lourdes Perez-Albuerne “Be perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect.” What a great challenge! It seems impossible to rise to Jesus’ challenge. But Jesus lays a very concrete way to go about living this way. Most of us live by a completely opposite principle: “Love your… read more →
Readings: Sirach 15: 15-20; 1 Corinthians 2: 6-10; Matthew 5: 17-37 Preacher: Deni Mack Among the saints named Valentine, was a bishop martyred in the year 269 for breaking the law against marrying couples! What? Yes, Claudius II banned marriage, thinking that would provide him with soldiers. Soon after Valentine was put to death, his jailer’s blind daughter, Julia received a… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 58: 7-10; 1 Corinthians 2: 1-5; Matthew 5: 13-16 Preacher: Patrick Fox This Sunday the portions of Scripture we meet are about how one ought to live. Isaiah offers a model of care for the hungry and naked and oppressed. We are comforted by words that assure us that by acting in such a manner our light will rise… read more →
Readings: Zephaniah 2: 3; 3:12-13: 1 Corinthians 1: 26-31; Matthew 5: 1-12a Preacher: Sr. Barbara Moore Mountains in scripture are often presented as locations for God’s presence. Matthew records Jesus’ Beatitudes taught from a mountain, an event which reminds us of Moses’ encounter with God on Mount Sinai. Matthew says he went up on the mountain, whereas Luke records a similar… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 8:23-9:3; 1 Corinthians 1:10-13,17; Matthew 4:12-23 Preacher: Deirdre McKiernan Hetzler Have you ever stopped to marvel at this gospel story? To wonder what it was about this encounter with Jesus that prompted four grown men to drop everything instantly? To leave the security of job and family? And embrace a totally unknown future? Not normal. At any level. Normal… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 49: 3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3; John 1: 29-34 Preacher: Gloria Ulterino I love music. Sometimes, in fact, readings will evoke the words to a hymn. Like this hymn, in response to today’s readings. “Glory and praise to our God, who alone gives light to our days. Many are the blessings God bears to those who trust in… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 60: 1-6; Ephesians 3: 2-3a,5-6; Matthew 2: 1-12 Preacher: Marlene Bessette As I reflected on today’s Gospel, I kept returning to the verse that recounts the reaction when the magi’s quest to find the newborn king of the Jews led them to Jerusalem. “When King Herod heard about this, he was greatly troubled and all Jerusalem with him.” What… read more →
Readings: Numbers 6:22-27; Galatians 4: 4-7; Luke 2: 16-21 Preacher: Susan Howard A dear friend sent me a Christmas gift a few weeks early. She’s very organized and thoughtful like that, worried about slow mail and lost gifts, but it arrived safely and I put it under the tree to wait until Christmas. So with eager expectation now at its peak… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 9:1-6; Titus 2:11-14; Luke 2:1-14 Preacher: Irene Goodwin The Angels sing, “Peace on earth, good will to all on whom God’s favor rests.” Our Christmas readings are so well known that we hardly consider their impact on our lives. I see the readings for Christmas like a Matryoshka doll (Russian Nesting Doll). Each doll is split in the middle.… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 7: 10-14; Romans 1: 1-7; Matthew 1: 18-24 Preacher: Sr. Joan Sobala One of the common misconceptions among Christians is that the Christmas stories—indeed, Christmas itself—is best celebrated by children. It’s true that children love Christmas with exuberance and delight in the stories of Jesus’ birth. They learn early about the generosity of our God who came to be… read more →