English Pentecost XVI September 28, 2025Jeremiah 32:1-3, 6-15 1 Timothy 6:6-19 Luke 16:19-31 When in church, we often read Jesus’ stories in a very devotional way, which sometimes keeps us from seeing that they are often caricatural, humorous, or even biting. Much of his social critique and his moral insightsare expressed in this manner. We tend to listen to or to read Jesus’ words as if they were the oracles of a deity—and,…
Français Pentecôte XV 21 septembre 2025 Jérémie 8:18-9:1 1 Timothée 2:1-7 Luc 16:1-13 Lorsque j’ai été ordonné prêtre en Angleterre il y a plus de trente ans, l’une des critiques les plus courantes à l’égard des prêtres était que nous étions « tellement tournés vers le ciel que nous n’étions d’aucune utilité sur terre…
Pentecost XIVSeptember 14, 2025Jeremiah 4:11-12, 22-28 1 Timothy 1:12-17 Luke 15:1-10 Our two little parables from Luke’s gospel are very appropriate for Rentrée Sunday today. Not only do they talk about finding something that was lost or gone astray. More specifically in the case of the lost sheep, we hear a story about coming home.…
English Pentecost XIII September 7, 2025Jeremiah 18:1-11 Psalm 139:1-5, 13-18 Philemon 1:1-21 Luke 14:25-33 I am often struck by the gap between the way the first disciples, like Paul, lived the Gospel and the way we live the gospel today. Many times, the words of Jesus themselves seem very much at odds with how we…
English – Click to open Pentecost XIIAugust 31, 2025Jeremiah 2:4-13 Hebrews 13:1-16 Luke 14:1, 7-14 Most encounters with angels and the voices delivering their messages are a little more obvious than those recommended to us in the reading from the book of Hebrews. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that,…
Pentecost XI August 24, 2025 Jeremiah 1:4-10 Psalm 71:1-6 Hebrews 12:18-29 Luke 13:10-17 Before the invention of the steam engine powered by coal, most of the pulling force needed to handle very heavy objects relied on animal or human strength (often enforced), and on two major technical innovations: the lever and the pulley. It is…
Pentecost XAugust 17, 2025Isaiah 5:1-7 Hebrews 11:29-12:2 Luke 12:49-56 I have been trying to grow a grapevine in a corner of the little roof garden above my apartment. I had a vision of sitting underneath its shade; making stuffed vine leaves, and maybe picking a bunch of grapes or two. Nearly twenty years ago, I…
Pentecost IXAugust 10, 2025Isaiah 1:1, 10-20 Psalm 50:1-8, 23-24 Hebrews 11:1-3, 8-16 Luke 12:32-40 August 10 is a special kind of anniversary for me—what I like to call my “Americanniversary.” It’s the day I first set foot in the United States: August 10, 2016! I had been offered a position to teach French for a year…
Pentecost 8August 3, 2025Hosea 11:1-11 Colossians 3:1-11 Luke 12:13-21 Do you remember the story of Midas? He may (or may not..) have been the king of the Phrygians in Turkey at the time of the second Assyrian Empire. Dionysus, (the god of merrymaking) had a foster father, Silenus. Silenus became so drunk that he fell…
Pentecost 7 / Afrique fêteJuly 27, 2025Hosea 1:2-10 Colossians 2:6-19 Luke 11:1-13 When or where do you find it easiest to pray? Does it depend on your mood? Do you have to feel relaxed to pray, or do you pray only when you feel a pressing need for God’s help? The answer is different for…