Readings: Acts 3: 13-15, 17-19; 1 John 2: 1-5a; Luke 24: 35-48 Preacher: Deni Mack Peter says to us what he said to those who first heard him – “I know that you acted out of ignorance.” But we’re ignorant only some of the time. Other times we’re repentant and dependent on God. Our dependence on God wipes away some of… read more →
Readings: Leviticus 13: 1-2, 44-46; 1 Corinthians 10: 31-11:1; Mark 1: 40-45 Preacher: Deni Mack “I turn to you God in times of trouble.” That’s the beginning of the Psalm we just sang. We turn to God when we’re in need and when anyone is in trouble. At a seminary conference in 1977, Yolanda, a 79-year-old Mexican woman, told me she… read more →
Readings: Zechariah 9: 9-10; Romans 8: 9, 11-13; Matthew 11: 25-30 Preacher: Deni Mack Jesus invites us to come to him when we are heavily burdened. Rochester is burdened with smoke so heavy we are advised to stay inside or limit our time outside and wear a mask. I listened to eleven young adults talk about the air quality alerts. First,… read more →
Readings: Jeremiah 20: 10-13; Romans 5: 12-15; Matthew 10: 26-33 Preacher: Deni Mack Jesus said to the twelve and to us: Fear no one. Jesus’ advice to his disciples is not what we say to our kids going off to college or to our staffs or colleagues or task forces or friends. To our college bound children, we might say, “make good… read more →
Readings: Sirach 15: 15-20; 1 Corinthians 2: 6-10; Matthew 5: 17-37 Preacher: Deni Mack Among the saints named Valentine, was a bishop martyred in the year 269 for breaking the law against marrying couples! What? Yes, Claudius II banned marriage, thinking that would provide him with soldiers. Soon after Valentine was put to death, his jailer’s blind daughter, Julia received a… read more →
Readings: Amos 8: 4-7; 1 Timothy 2: 1-8; Luke 16: 1-13 Preacher: Deni Mack As I prayed with these readings from Amos, Timothy and Luke, I succumbed to a distracting temptation—I read my texts. Little did I think the scriptures would come alive on my iPhone in a most horrific way! A family we love is being evicted! The wage earner,… read more →
Readings: Acts 13: 14, 43-52; Revelations 7:9, 14b-17; John 10:27-30 Preacher: Deni Mack Jesus’ words are timeless: “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” We thirst for God’s Word. Each week we come to hear the Word of God tugging at our souls, inviting, cajoling, begging, demanding us to see the kingdom of God more glorious,… read more →
Readings: Jeremiah 17: 5-8; 1 Corinthians 15: 12, 16-20; Luke 6: 17, 20-26 Preacher: Deni Mack My mother’s father, John Monaghan, at age fourteen, promised his father on his deathbed, to educate his sisters. He was a blessing to his poor family as he worked to support them. No longer poor, his sisters Kate and Mary blessed hundreds of New York… read more →
Readings: Joshua 24:1-2a, 15-17, 18b; Ephesians 5: 21-32; John 6: 60-69Click here to download a PDF of this homily.Preacher: Deni Mack Remember when your children were little? Many of us could have said with Joshua, “As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” Now, some of our grown children no longer attend church but we know our… read more →
Readings: Exodus 24: 3- 8; Hebrews 9:11-15; Mark 14: 12-16, 22-26Click here to download a PDF of this homily.Preacher: Deni Mack Think for a moment of the time when you felt most alive in your faith. Was it when you held your newborn child? Was it when on retreat? Was it as you gave communion to a loved one? Any… read more →