Readings: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13; John 20: 19-23 Preacher: Sheryl Zabel Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit to Jesus’ first followers, and their enthusiastic proclamation of the gospel to the people of Jerusalem, as well as the crowds of pilgrims who were there for a harvest festival. Christians have followed the writings of Luke, which state… read more →
Readings: Genesis 2:7-9; 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11 Preacher: Sheryl Zabel I was so moved last week when I saw on TV American physicians performing surgeries in tents in Turkey to save people’s lives. Surely, they were doing God’s will. And we all should be doing whatever God is calling us to do. But, as our first reading reminds us, sin… read more →
Readings: Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37 Preacher: Sheryl Zabel Why do we Christians listen to readings from Scripture when we come together for worship? Why do we pick up our own Bibles to read one or more passages from its many books? We do this because we believe that the important teachings found in the Bible come from God and… read more →
Readings: Revelations 11: 19A; 12: 1-6A, 10 AB; 1 Corinthians 15: 20-27; Luke 1:39-56Click here to download a PDF of this homily.Preacher: Sheryl Zabel On August 15th, we celebrate the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and, in a sense, we are celebrating all women of faith. In today’s first reading from the Book of Revelation, there is a vision… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 49:3, 5-6; 1 Corinthians 1: 1-3; John 1: 29-34Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Ruth Marchetti This move into Ordinary Time feels anything but ordinary. We live in extraordinary times with each day bringing astonishing shifts in normal weather patterns, frightening news of fragile international relations being negotiated through confrontation and bullying and increasing… read more →
Readings: Ecclesiastes 2:21-23; Colossians3:1-5, 9-11; Luke 12:13-21Click here to download a PDF of this homily.Preacher: Sheryl Zabel Today’s excerpt from the Letter to the Colossians contains two interesting, and perhaps challenging, quotes. “Think of what is above, not of what is on earth.” “Put to death, then, the parts of you that are earthly…” In the current issue of National… read more →
Readings: Isaiah 53:10-11; Hebrews 4:14-16; Mark 10:35-45 Click here to download a PDF of this homily. Preacher: Sheryl Zabel The author of Hebrews calls Jesus the “great high priest who has passed through the heavens.” Priests offered sacrifices, and Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice. He allowed himself to be killed in a painful and humiliating way. In Isaiah, he truly… read more →
Readings: Acts 3:13-15, 17-19; 1 John 2:1-5a; Luke 24:35-48 Click here to download a PDF of this homily, Preacher: Sheryl Zabel Today’s gospel from Luke tells of the risen Jesus joining his disciples in Jerusalem, after meeting with two of them on the road to Emmaus. “Peace be with you,” he said. Their reaction was anything but peaceful—Luke describes them… read more →
Readings: Ezekiel 18: 25-28; Philippians 2:1-11; Matthew 21:28-32 Click here to download PDF of this reflection. Preacher: Sheryl Zabel Actions do speak louder than words. Jesus’ parable about two brothers and the vineyard is a perfect illustration of this. Although the first brother said that he would not go to the vineyard and work, he changed his mind… read more →
Readings: Deuteronomy 30:10-14; Colossians 1:15-20; Luke 10:25-37 Preacher: Sheryl Zabel Today we hear once again the famous parable of the “Good Samaritan,” as we recall how shocking it must have been to Jesus’ first hearers. The one who was a true neighbor was the Samaritan—at a time when the Jewish people and the Samaritans had little love for one another.… read more →