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,…
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…
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 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 V (Bastille Day)July 13, 2025Amos 7:7-17 Colossians 1:1-14 Luke 10:25-37 I have never liked flags in churches, or even in front of churches. And I am very happy that when Nigel arrived at St. Esprit, he put ours away in the basement! Patriotism always seems out of place in a church to me. Flags…
Trinity Sunday June 15, 2025 Proverbs 8:1-4; 22-31 Romans 5:1-5 John 16:12-15 You have heard me speak about the 400th anniversary of Saint-Esprit in 2028; but this year, all Christian churches are celebrating a major anniversary: the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea. Every Sunday, we confess our faith with the words of this…
Sunday after the AscensionJune 1, 2025Acts 1:1-11 Ephesians 1:15-23 Luke 24, 44-53 A few steps from Saint-Esprit, on the same street between Park Avenue and Madison, is the Grolier Club. This club is the oldest and most important society of bibliophiles and graphic arts enthusiasts in the United States. It organizes exhibitions and maintains a…
Easter V May 18, 2025 Acts 11:1-18 Revelation 21:1-6 John 13:31-35 Many new things make us uncomfortable. Meeting new people, starting a new job or relationship, immigrating to an unfamiliar country… All of these things can be uncomfortable, even for the most outgoing of individuals. If you didn’t grow up going to church, what we…
Pâques II / Dimanche de la commémoration de la promulgation de l’Édit de Nantes27 avril, 2025 Actes 5:27-32 Apocalypse 1:4-8 Jean20:19-31 En ce dimanche dit « des Huguenots », nous célébrons l’héritage de ces protestants qui, aux XVIIème…
Vendredi Saint 2025 Des représentations de la crucifixion qui font semblant d’être fidèles aux événements « tels qu’ils se seraient passés » peuvent parfois être trompeuses. Une image comme celle sur notre bulletin d’aujourd’hui peut donner l’impression que la mort de Jésus est un événement hors du temps et solitaire, une sorte de concept lointain…