Delivered for Noon Prayer, 2.19.2020, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Enid, Okla., in observance of the Feast of Frederick Douglass (20 February). “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” That line, from our very brief Gospel reading today, is one of the most popular quotes from Scripture. But, what … Continue reading The uncomfortable path of truth
Faith
Replacing laws of oppression with the law of Love
C. F. Andrews and Gandhi Laws. As humans, we love laws. The ancestors of our faith had 613 commandments in Mosaic Law. That was a lot, and it was, in fact, impossible to comply with them all. We’ve come a long way since then. Today, if you wish to have a copy of the U.S. … Continue reading Replacing laws of oppression with the law of Love
Listening to Creation
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they reveal knowledge. They have no speech, they use no words; no sound is heard from them. Yet their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the … Continue reading Listening to Creation
Be the bridge of reconciliation
"If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation." 2 Corinthians 5:17-18 One of the first people I met in nursing home ministry was Bruce, … Continue reading Be the bridge of reconciliation
Good news — You may now be dismissed
This past Sunday was the Feast of the Presentation of Our Lord — recalling Joseph and Mary presenting the infant Jesus at the Temple (Luke 2:22-40), to dedicate him, as their firstborn, to God. I love this feast day because it includes one of my favorite passages from Scripture, the Nunc dimittis, or Song of … Continue reading Good news — You may now be dismissed
Remembering is not enough
Monday was Holocaust Remembrance Day, marking the 75th anniversary of the Soviet liberation of the Nazi death camps at Auschwitz. As is usually the case, today has been marked by a flurry of social media memes, articles and public statements by politicians and religious leaders, all urging us to remember the victims of the Holocaust, … Continue reading Remembering is not enough
Answer the call, and be present, in love
Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since you have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.” The Lord said to him, “Who gave human beings their mouths? Who makes them deaf or mute? Who gives them sight or makes them blind? Is … Continue reading Answer the call, and be present, in love
The Holy Name that Saves
This sermon was delivered for the Feast of the Holy Name, Jan. 1, 2020, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Enid, Oklahoma. Today we remember the Feast of The Holy Name, known in other traditions as the Feast of the Circumcision. This feast day recalls the bris for Jesus – the traditional Jewish ceremony in which … Continue reading The Holy Name that Saves
May Christmas transform our hearts and our society
The Christmas season is upon us — in the traditional Church calendar, Christmas began on Dec. 25 and ends at Epiphany on Jan. 6 (followed by the beginning of the Orthodox Christmas season Jan. 7). Regardless of when you believe Christmas begins and ends, the season is, at its best, a time of family, … Continue reading May Christmas transform our hearts and our society
Living at the intersection of faith and science
Astronomy instructor lives out his faith through teaching the astronomical signs of the Nativity ENID, Okla. — For many Americans, faith and science seem incompatible. According to a 2015 Pew Research Study, almost one-third of Americans say science and their personal religious beliefs are in conflict, while 59% say “science and religion often conflict.” But, … Continue reading Living at the intersection of faith and science
