Readings: Isaiah 2: 1-5; Romans 13: 11-14; Matthew 24: 37-44 Preacher: Brigit Hurley This weekend we mark the beginning of the liturgical year and the first Sunday of Advent. When I read the Gospel to prepare this reflection, I was surprised. In my 60+ years of church-going, I never remember kicking off the season of Advent with stories of robberies and… read more →

Readings: 2 Samuel 5: 1-3; Colossians 1: 12-20; Luke 23: 35-43 Preacher: Margot Van Etten “King of the Jews” the sign over him said. Over the bleeding, battered, dying man who had done no wrong yet was crushed by Imperial might, colluding with religious elites who should have honored him and the mob who should have loved him. Bound and helpless… read more →

Readings:  Malachi 3: 19-20a; 2 Thessaloniansn3: 7-12; Luke 21: 5-19 Preacher: Sr. Joan Sobala Chicken Little had been dozing in the barnyard, when an acorn fell on its head. In fright, Chicken Little told Henny Penny, Cocky Locky and Turkey Lurky who all became equally distressed. They headed off to give the news to the king when they ran into Foxy… read more →

Readings: Ezekiel 47: 1-2, 8-9, 12; 1 Corinthians 3: 9c-11, 16-17; John 2: 13-22 Preacher: Sr. Karen Dietz Last week, while swimming laps at my local Y, I found myself composing an email to every member of Congress. Of course, this was in light of the current (as of this writing) government shutdown. Regardless of your politics, I hope that like… read more →

Readings: Wisdom 3: 1-9; Romans 5: 5-11; John 6: 37-40 Preacher: Christine Kvam Nowak Although it’s not particularly catchy or vibrant, the hymn “The Kingdom of God” does a great job of putting the essence of this weekend’s feasts into a few short phrases.  Listen to these simple yet profound lines from verse 2: “The kingdom of God is mercy and grace. The captives are… read more →

Readings: Sirach 35: 12-14, 16-18; Timothy 4: 6-8,16-18; Luke 18: 9-14Preacher: Sr. Barbara Moore The words Jesus uses to describe the pharisee at prayer remind me of attitudes you and I often see, hear or sense about individuals or groups who live among us.  Or perhaps thoughts that reveal what we have felt at times.  “O God, I thank you… read more →

Readings: Exodus 17: 8-13; 2 Timothy 3: 14-4:2; Luke 18: 1-8 Preacher: Sonja Livingston Is anything as formidable as a persistent woman? She is like water lapping at rock, her constancy slowly wearing it away. Despite such power, cultural depictions of persistent women are largely unflattering. While our Gospel writer is kind enough to omit such terminology, we understand that the… read more →

Readings: 2 Kings 5: 14-17; 2 Timothy 2:8-13; Luke 17: 11-19 Preacher: Susan K. Roll “Are you having any trouble crossing the border these days?” ask a few of my friends who know that I cross between the U.S. and Canada regularly.  I tell them, fortunately no, I’m always asked more or less the same simple questions and then I’m on… read more →

Readings: Habaukkuk 1:2-3,2:2-4; 2 Timothy 1:6-8,13-14; Luke 17:5-10 Preacher: Deni Mack The film Cabrini shows us a woman who had more faith than I can imagine.  My faith feels smaller than a mustard seed; Mother Cabrini’s faith was gigantic!   Mother Cabrini (Born 1850, Died 1917) knew God called her to service among poor people and Pope Leo XIII knew where she… read more →

Readings:  Amos 6:1a, 4-7; 1 Timothy 6: 11-16;  Luke 16: 19-31 Preacher: Marilyn Catherine Raise your hand if you want to be poor.  I’m not raising my hand.  In our world of “haves” and “have nots” being poor conveys a life of struggle, stress, lack.   It’s not the side I want to be on; is that the side God wants… read more →