Sermon: C Easter 7 12 May 2013

Acts 16:16-34; Ps 97;Rev 22:12-14,16-, 20-21; JOHN 17: 20-26

Do not leave us comfortless, but send your Holy Spirit to strengthen us. Amen. 

This Sunday, Easter 7, three days after Ascension Day, a week before Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, is the scariest Sunday of the Christian year, at least for me. The whole ten days from the Ascension to Pentecost are both challenging and lonely, and test us and our faith. These days remind us about heading into the unknown and what it takes from us to trust in promises that sound fine, but actually who knows, who can know? Such promises risk sounding too good to be true, and that makes us wary, but Jesus says, “I will not leave you comfortless,” and promises to send the Holy Spirit. Whatever can the disciples have made of that promise? What’s the Holy Spirit; what’s a Paraclete, and what would an Advocate look like or be?

Sermon: B Last Pentecost Proper 29 King of kings 25 November 2012

2 Sam 23: 1-7; Ps 132: 1-13; Rev 1: 4b-8; JOHN 18: 33-37

Grant, O God, that all may be brought under the most gracious rule of your Belov’d Son, King of Kings AMEN

Chip our seminarian, who defines a providential gift as a Field Ed person, is graciously being our parish musician this morning. He was a good sport about giving me apt travel music, from Messiah, “King of kings and Lord of lords, and he shall reign forever.” Some of the music for Jesus as King and Lord, is some of our most familiar and favorite, even if on careful word-checking, we’re less enthusiastic about some of the ideas that go with such august positions as King of kings. The kingly images in music are ones that have leapt out at me this week, rather than visual ones.

Meditation for September 30 & The Feast of St. Michael & All Angels: Pursuing Peace and Radical Thanks-giving

The Gospel for Sunday exhorts us to practice hope and curiosity by recognizing that “whoever gives you a cup of water to drink, because you bear the name of Christ” may be the face of Christ and  teach us to practice and receive mercy and pity. And more radically the Gospel suggests that if we “have salt in [y]ourselves,” we should “be at peace with one another.” Praying the collect for St. Michael and for this Sunday are helpful channels.

Everlasting God, you have ordained and constituted in a wonderful order the ministries of angels and mortals: Mercifully grant that, as your holy angels always serve and worship you in heaven, so by your appointment they may help and defend us here on earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

O God, you declare your almighty power chiefly in showing mercy and pity: Grant us the fullness of your grace, that we, running to obtain your promises, may become partakers of your heavenly treasure; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

June 10 2012, Pentecost 2

A sermon preached at the Church of St. John the Evangelist on June 10, 2012 by The Rev. Thomas Eoyang.

Trinity Sunday

Is 6: 1-8; Cant 13; Ro 8: 12-17; JOHN 3: 1-17

Glory to you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit; we will praise you and highly exalt you forever. AMEN.

We don’t say we’ll understand you now or soon. Kathryn Piccard suggested that I show this lovely Andrej Rublev ikon and preach with or about it, because it’s often referred to as his Holy Trinity ikon. It’s a particularly good place for me to have started my thinking, since it wasn’t named “The Trinity,” but the “Hospitality of Abraham,” who’s not present in today’s readings, the ikon, the Trinity, or in Christianity— so a clarifyingly confusing place to start.

Meditation for Pentecost

 "When the day of Pentecost had come, there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind... and among them divided tongues as of fire." Both images describe the way the disciples felt experiencing the liveliness of the Spirit's presence newly apprehended in their lives. What they came to hear and accept was what Jesus said, "When the Spirit of Truth comes, it will guide you into all truth. For it will glorify me, because it will take what is mine and declare it to you."

B Pentecost 27 May 2012

Acts 2: 1-21; Ps 104; Ro 8: 22-27; JN 15: 26-27, 16: 4b-15

Come Holy Spir’t, our souls inspire, and lighten with celestial fire. Thou the anointing Spir’t art, who dost thy sevenfold gifts impart. AMEN.

Spirit and fire, diving dove and drifting dove, a jumble of voices reuniting the Tower of Babel’s alienation of languages, tribes, and people, and yet “if we hope for what we do not see we wait for it with patience.” The bold and showy scale of wind and fire, the sudden ability to understand everyone, combine to be far from the finger-crossed hope Paul made to those gathered in Rome. What do we make of Pentecost?

B Easter Vigil 7 April 2012

 “Alleluia, Christ is risen. The Lord is risen indeed; Alleluia.”

“Why is this night different from all others? —And you shall explain to your child on that day, ‘It is because of what the Eternal did for me when I went free from Egypt.’ And this shall serve you as a sign on your hand and as a reminder on your forehead-in order that the Teaching of the Eternal may be in your mouth-that with a mighty hand the Eternal freed you from Egypt. You shall keep this institution at its set time from year to year” (Exodus 13:8-10). It is what the Eternal did for me when I went free from sin, and so here we are.