Proper 7: June 20, 2021

Texts: First Reading 1 Samuel 17:32-49 Psalm 9:9-20 Second Reading 2 Corinthians 6:1-13 Gospel Mark 4:35-41 Manuscript: Last week, we talked about the connection between the story of Cinderella and David’s anointing. Both Cinderella and David are under-appreciated siblings, sent to do the unappealing work while their siblings, or stepsiblings, participate in the social, civic, and religious life […]

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Proper 6: June 13, 2021

Texts: First Reading 1 Samuel 15:34-16:13 Psalm 20 Second Reading 2 Corinthians 5:6-10 (11-13) 14-17 Gospel Mark 4:26-34 Manuscript: I suspect we all know the Cinderella story. Countless variations exist across cultures. The core of the story is a young woman, usually a princess or, at least, an aristocrat, who, one way or another, is separated from her parents […]

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Proper 5: June 6, 2021

Texts: First Reading 1 Samuel 8:4-11 (12-15) 16-20 (11:14-15) Psalm 138:1-8 Second Reading 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:1 Gospel Mark 3:20-35 Manuscript: Have you ever seen someone doing something stupid and then instantly pay the price? Perhaps you were driving and someone recklessly passed you, maybe even honking or shouting as they went by only for you to pass them a […]

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Trinity Sunday – May 30, 2021

Texts: First Reading Isaiah 6:1-8 Psalm 29:1-11 Second Reading Romans 8:12-17 Gospel John 3:1-17 Manuscript: In the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke we hear of an encounter where Jesus summarizes the whole of the Hebrew Scriptures into two commandments: Love God, love your neighbor (Matthew 22:535-40, Mark 12:28-31, Luke 10:25-28). John’s gospel, in this sixteenth verse of the […]

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Pentecost – May 23, 2021

Texts: First Reading Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:24-34, 35b Second Reading Romans 8:22-27 Gospel John 15:26-27, 16:4b-15 Manuscript: In this country, the secular, cultural celebrations of holidays have their own status, often wildly disconnected from the ecclesial or liturgical meaning of the day. Christmas is, of course, the prime example. The cultural forces around Christmas are […]

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