Hebrews is one of the harder books of the Bible to understand, yet at the same time, thanks to its poetry and allusiveness, I find it often compellingly attractive. This evening, as we return to the 12th chapter (we did the first half of it two weeks ago), the writer (who is anonymous) launches into […]
Sermon Topic: Grace
Thanksgiving
I read once that Thanksgiving is the most uniformly observed of the American holidays. Its popularity crosses regions and political parties, even cultures and religions. It is a truly democratic holiday, meant for everyone, wherever your ancestors came from, and whenever and however you got here. Just today, there is an article in the newspaper, […]
Is it Easy to Go to Hell?
Alleluia. Christ is risen. This evening’s gospel, which comes towards the end of the Sermon on the Mount, includes encouragement to persist in prayer—Ask, and it shall be given you—as well as the very familiar Golden Rule: Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them—a teaching that Jesus […]
The Church is...Holy
Good evening. I am delighted to be here with you this evening for Choral Evensong and to reflect upon the word of God with you. Thank you Fr. Turner for your invitation and hospitality and to the staff for their welcome and preparation. I have been asked to give a Lenten reflection on what it […]
Grace and Good Works: The Premises of the Christian Faith
First things first, this morning: a person cannot earn salvation. Salvation is given for free, in Christ, and received by faith. This is what we call grace. And it is grace alone that saves. First things first. This can be a startling claim. An example, in another register. The parking garage across from our building […]
Grace is Sufficient
One of the most notable characteristics of the Christian New Testament must be the highly unusual relationships it suggests between strength and weakness, between success and failure. You can see that in the life of Jesus, of course: his crucifixion being his crowning moment. But it’s just as true of the apostles he sent out […]
The Rock of Grace
It’s probably not news to you that Christians can be a contentious lot. The divine command that we all be one, as Christ and the Father are one, has not prevented a fair bit of internal squabbling. But I imagine that there’s one thing in which most all Christians, worldwide, are of one mind. I’d […]
Advent Waiting
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. The tone of the season of Advent, these few weeks before Christmas, is one of expectation, a time of waiting and excitement. Many of us wait with joy for Christmas Day – the crowds on Fifth Avenue swelling, the bustle of families preparing for […]
Love in the Great Commandment
In the Name of God: Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. We don’t hear a reading from the Gospel this Evensong, but this is one Sunday afternoon that you can say we may as well have. “Hear O Israel… You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, […]
Christ's Joke on Saul
And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest… […]
