B 4 Pent 24 June 2012

1Sam 17: [1a,4-11,19-23] 32-49; Ps 9: 9-20; 2Cr 6: 1-13; MK 4:35-41

In the name of God, who created us from love…. AMEN.’

The stilling of the storm, like the mustard seed, is totally familiar, and it sounds like any sudden windstorm over any water, “The waves beat on the boat, so that the boat was already being swamped. But Jesus was in the stern asleep on the cushion, and they woke him up and said to him, ”Teacher, do you not care that we are perishing? He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was a dead calm. He said to them, “Why are you afraid? Have you still no faith?” And there were filled with great awe and said to one another. “Who then is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?”

B 3 Pent 17 June 2012 proper 6

1 Sam15: 34-16:13; Ps 20; 2 Cor5: 6-17; MARK 4: 26-34

In the name of God who created us from love…AMEN.

“With what can we compare the kingdom of God or what parable will we use for it? Jesus did not speak to them except in parables, but he explained everything in private to his disciples.” And off we go to the long green season until Advent, of hearing and considering the teachings of Jesus—so a little about these parables, a little more broadly about Jesus’ teaching and parables, and to begin, Paul’s comment, “We walk by faith not by sight.”

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.

Bowdoin Square Church, now Church of St. John the Evangelist

Bowdoin Square Church (formerly Lyman Beecher Cong., now Church of St. John the Evangelist) built 1830 or 1831, Solomon Willard [architect] 

Hawes, Josiah Johnson, 1808-1901 (photographer).

Picture taken around 1860. 

Source: Boston Public Library.  Some rights reserved.

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?