Skip to main content

Posts

Matthew 16 --- Jesus' prediction, Peter's expectation, and The Princess Bride

The Princess Bride is a movie that was not popular when it was released in 1987, but it became beloved, and continues so to this day. The characters are cherished, the story is timeless, and the quotes keep finding their way into modern life.    So we are going to play a respond game.   Fill in the word at the end: “As you wish .”   “Have fun storming the castle .” “Think it will work?   It will take a miracle …” Last one is a whole sentence response, but I know at least Karen (our Senior Warden) knows it since she said it to me after I used this word in a sermon.     “Inconceivable!!!”   (“You keep using that word.   I do not think it means, what you think it means.”) During the pandemic, the movie took a prophetic turn when a line emerged in pop culture….   The hero Westley was asked, “Why you wearing a mask? Were you burned by acid or something like that?”   And he replies, “Oh no. It's just they're terribly comfortable. I think ...
Recent posts

Merry Christmas even in January: a sermon on the Second Sunday after Christmas

Merry Christmas everyone! I love the fact that we keep saying Merry Christmas well into January!   Yes, it’s true that H-E-B has its Valentine’s Day stuff already, but we celebrate the full twelve days of Christmas! Today is the second Sunday of Christmas, and the eleventh day of Christmas.(That’s eleven pipers piping, in case you were wondering). There are two options for a Second Sunday after Christmas Gospel lesson:   there is the great story of Jesus as a 12 year old, who gets left behind in Jerusalem.   His parents frantically return to the huge city in a state of panic and don’t find the tween until after three days.   And when they find him, he is, oblivious to their distress, discussing, debating, and even teaching in the Great Temple among the adults.   That’s Luke story though, and since it is Lectionary Year A, the year we hear mostly from Matthew, it makes sense to choose the other option that comes from Matthew’s Gospel.   As I said in my Trini...

Restore what is lost, celebrate what is found

Today’s Gospel (Luke 15:1-10) contains two little parables, one of which is well known.   The depiction of Jesus and the lost sheep is a favorite of many artists. Those of you who have been down to my office may have seen this icon. I love this icon.  I love the way Jesus is looking at the person looking at him.  And I love the sheep, who I believe has had a  rambunctious and uncertain  journey, is now resting contently knowing the safety of Jesus' shoulders. Such depictions are often referred to as “Jesus the Good Shepherd”, and until this week I have always thought of it as such. And yet it illustrates a touch of misunderstanding here:   “I am the Good Shepherd” is a text from John’s Gospel.   It is one of the seven “I am” statements found only in that Gospel.   That’s a sermon for another day. The story of seeking the lost sheep from the flock of 100 is a different, only Matthew and Luke story, and in Luke’s version the unique lost coin parabl...