Featuring Aaron’s sermon from Sunday, a new recording from the Parish Choir, some suggested reading from our community, Go and Do!, and links to several of our content clearinghouses for all your SJC content needs!
Featuring Rob’s sermon from Sunday, an anthem from the Parish Choir, Diocesan News, Go and Do!, and links to all our content!
Featuring Anne’s sermon from Sunday, and a piece of original artwork on the theme.
Featuring Aaron’s sermon from Sunday, as well as links to several of our content clearinghouses for all your SJC content needs!
“Were our hearts not burning within us while he was talking with us on the road.” This is such a powerful statement within this reading from Luke’s Gospel that is known as the Road to Emmaus. I have begun to discover that it is not God that comes and goes, but rather, it is my attention that comes and goes. It is not that I have to wait on God, but more likely I have to practice my life in such a way recognizing God is not just a possibility, but a likelihood.
“The Dude abides.” Abide is not a word of our culture, yet the Big Lebowski made it famous for a time. Yet, as we sit and process life as we are asked to stay home for the safety of all, abiding may be making a comeback. The Collect of Day hopes that we “may abide in his presence and rejoice in the hope of eternal glory.” Abiding requires stillness, attention and patience.
“Do not be afraid.” Jesus says that a lot. It is at the heart of the Gospel. This isn’t an invitation to some sort of Holy denial but rather a reminder that we are loved with a love that is stronger than death. It is a reminder, especially during a crisis such as this, that we are the beloved community of God and our job is to reach out in love, in whatever way we can, to remind each other that God is with us and that we will get through this together.
Today is Good Friday, we are living in a Good Friday moment...a time of uncertainty and waiting and hoping and loving. The writer to the Hebrews reminds us that Jesus give up his life, suffering death on a cross, for you and for me, and for all. The once-and-for -all sacrifice has been made, and we are free, free to love God and love each other and love ourselves, as a new and living way of being is opened up by Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
By his death and resurrection generations of people would be drawn to Jesus, and follow him, and serve him and shine light and love into places of darkness and suffering. We don’t know how the story we are living at the moment will unfold, but Jesus invited those who didn’t know how their story would end to become ‘children of light’ and Jesus invites us who don’t know how our story will unfold to do the same.
Beauty in the midst of disaster. In the final days of Jesus’ life, he takes time to sit and have dinner with Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, to enjoy the company of friends. And when Mary anoints his feet with expensive and fragrant oil, he doesn’t chastise her, or feel guilty about the cost. He savors the smell that filled the house and reminds his disciples to appreciate the present moment, the time they have with him.
God is ready to listen, ready to see, ready to love us with a love beyond our dreams. I invite you, during this strange time of isolation, to lean into that Home with God. Now, more than ever, we and the world need to remember that God, Love and Home are still present to us, and we can share that with good news with others.
That first crowd cut palms and put them before Jesus because that’s what they had available. For centuries, people who live in places where palms are not native have connected to the story with whatever they had available. So, this year, we encourage you to harvest what you can – pine boughs, birch branches, beech twigs, forsythia – and to decorate your doors and homes for Palm Sunday! Ann Tarlton offers a DIY tutorial!
I believe that by holding the world in prayer, we are doing something. That’s not to say that we shouldn’t be writing letters, making cards, or offering donations – those things are important too. I hope we can see our prayer as our gift to the world, one of many ways we can continue to radiate God’s love into a world and time that desperately needs it.
