Reading: Genesis 18:20-32; Colossians 2:12-14; Luke 11: 1-13 Preacher: Lourdes Perez-Albuerne The disciples saw Jesus pray and the uniqueness of that prayer. Even, sometimes, during or after prayer, Jesus was able to perform miracles.  We have in the Gospels, the curing of the sick, the Transfiguration and other instances.  It was, therefore, to be expected that they would ask Jesus to… read more →

Readings: Genesis 18: 1-10a; Colossians 1: 24-28; Luke10: 38-42 Preacher: Christine Nowak Kvam The weekend my son was baptized we had a house full of guests.  That Saturday evening, my mother-in-law and father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-in-law, and nephew, and two dear friends from grad school with their 1 1/2-year-old daughter were gathered around our too small dining room table.   Within a few… read more →

Readings: Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37 Preacher: Sheryl Zabel Why do we Christians listen to readings from Scripture when we come together for worship?  Why do we pick up our own Bibles to read one or more passages from its many books? We do this because we believe that the important teachings found in the Bible come from God and… read more →

Readings: Isaiah 66: 10-14c; Galatians 6: 14-18; Luke 10:1-12, 17-20 Preacher: Ruth Marchetti This time of year, my husband and I take most of our meals in the screened gazebo on our back deck. We don’t want to miss an hour of the summer’s beauty. Everything is green, the breeze is soft, the days are long. In the temperate climate of… read more →

Readings: 1 Kings 19:16b, 19-21;Galatians 5:1, 13-18;Luke 9:51-62 Preacher: Deirdre McKiernan Hetzler Today, as we begin following Luke’s story of Jesus’ journey to Jerusalem and the cross, we’re invited to reflect on the mystery at the heart of our faith. Who—and whose—are we? Discipleship. Commitment. These are the challenges our readings put before us.  Elisha, at first, appears not quite ready.… read more →

Readings: Genesis 14: 18-20; 1 Corinthians 11: 23-26; Luke 9: 11b-17 Preacher: Gloria Ulterino I have a question.  We go to Mass.  We hear the same words of institution.  The body of Jesus, given for us.  The blood of Jesus, poured out for us.  Here, then, is my question: do we really hear these words?  Do we really take them in? … read more →

Readings: Proverbs 8:22-31; Romans 5:1-5; John 16: 12-15 Preacher: Marlene Bessette It was a bit intimidating to be asked to provide the reflection for Trinity Sunday. I mean, who really wants to try and talk to one of the greatest mysteries of our faith?  But I put on my floaties and jumped into the deep end of the pool of homiletic… read more →

Readings: Acts 2: 1-11; 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13; John 20: 19-23 Preacher: Patrick Fox We are living in a time of angst.  There seems so much focus on violence and it is hard to understand how one human being can act in ways that are so callous and seemingly void of any sense of living a life in light of… read more →

Readings: Acts 7:55-60; Revelations 22: 12-14, 16-17,20; John 17: 20-26 Preacher: Susan Howard Participating in Divine Oneness, the Glory of God, is the ultimate gift. It’s not a commodity that you can touch or feel, not something we earn. It is a pure thing, a spiritual reality. It can come in a split second of spiritual conversion or over time and… read more →

Readings: Acts 15:1-2, 22-29; Revelations 21: 10-14, 22-23; John 14: 23-29 Preacher: Sonja Livingston The class I teach on Monday nights was struggling a few weeks ago. We’d reached that point in the semester—almost, but not quite, the end—where a break does not seem possible but is precisely what’s required. Besides managing their other classes, part-time jobs, relationships and looming uncertain… read more →