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Uncover Your Face

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7 Feb 2013

Last Epiphany, Year C

Exodus 34:29-35
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-36, [37-43a]

One of my favorite passages in contemporary literature comes toward the end of Rick Moody’s The Black Veil.  The book is a memoir that explores a family myth that Nathaniel Hawthorne’s parable “The Minister’s Black Veil” was inspired by one of Moody’s ancestors, a guilt ridden puritan minister.  To understand the power of the black veil Moody wears one, and then riffs for pages on the power of the veil and its color.  Read more

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Nazareth

Rejoice in the Truth

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31 Jan 2013

Fourth Sunday after Epiphany
Fourth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jeremiah 1: 4-10
I Corinthians 13
Luke 4: 21-30

There has been a big build up to this Sunday – four weeks of waiting for the birth of Jesus, two weeks celebrating it, marking the Epiphany with the magi and the baptism of Jesus, the performance of Jesus’ first miracle of water turned to wine and finally his reading from the scroll of Isaiah in his home congregation to announce the arrival of God’s jubilee and of God’s Messiah. All eyes are on him now as he launches into his ministry. We have this Sunday only to contemplate what Jesus is up to in this part of his ministry before we leap ahead five chapters and a few years to the Transfiguration, Ash Wednesday and the preparation of Lent for the Paschal and Resurrection. This year, the season of Epiphany is about as short as it can get.

Much as a small section of a hologram contains all that is in the whole, we have such rich texts this coming Sunday that there is enough, more than enough, for our contemplation. Read more

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body of fruit

A Nose Hair in the Body of Christ

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21 Jan 2013

Third Sunday after Epiphany
Third Sunday in Ordinary Time



Nehemiah 8:2-4A,5-6,8-10
1 Corinthians 12:12-31
Luke 4:14-21

Last year,while visiting our dear friends,Sandie and Owen,and enjoying an evening of good food and even better conversation, Jill, my wife, said, only half in jest, “When I look at what other people accomplish, I can’t help thinking about all those other things I should be doing: working to stop the death penalty, saving starving children, reading the best books, having informed opinions.”

Sandie paused a moment to ponder Jill’s concerns, and said, “All those things are important, but we’re all part of the body of Christ, and we have a role, however small. So what if you’re the nose hair? You’re there for a purpose. You may not have any idea what good you’re doing, but that’s still your job: to be a nose hair in the body of Christ.”

In this week’s second reading, Paul’s too concerned with the interdependence of eyes, ears, hands, and feet to address the problem of nose hairs. Too bad. Read more

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wedding at cana

Blessing and the Christian Life

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16 Jan 2013

Second Sunday after Epiphany
Second Sunday in Ordinary Time


Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalm 36:5-10
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11

The Christian life is, or ought to be, an abundant life ever-rich in the centripetal blessings of God to God’s people and the centrifugal blessings of God’s people to God’s world. This pattern reaches back to the earliest chapters of Genesis as Abram is blessed to be the father of a nation which will in turn be a blessing unto the world. The pattern is then displayed throughout the rest of the Scriptures, as God’s people are blessed to be a blessing. The emphasis changes from time to time, as God’s people struggle to find their way: at times, blessing is poured out upon them, while at others, God’s people serve as a blessing, or are encouraged to fulfill their mission in blessing the nations around them. Read more

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Joachim_Patinir_-_The_Baptism_of_Christ_-_Google_Art_Project_2

Risky Waters

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10 Jan 2013

Baptism of the Lord

Luke 3:15-17, 21-22

Since leaving the pulpit three years ago to be a full time homemaker, our family has had more opportunity to worship with diverse strands of the Christian church and witness the baptisms of family, friends and strangers. Immersion, sprinkling, hot tubs, porcelain shells, flowing gowns, bathing suits, candles, vows, handshakes, testimonies, processions, and creeds. There is no standard form in which baptism is celebrated, and just below the surface a great deal of history about how we have fought and killed one another over the rite.

When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. (NIV)

It strikes me that Jesus isn’t alone. There are others there being baptized, and there is someone there to baptize Jesus. If anyone was qualified to baptize themselves and leave the whole messy religious system behind, it was Jesus. But that’s not what happened. Jesus isn’t a religious lone ranger. Read more

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