St. John the Divine Anglican Church

Last Sunday was known as Lataere Sunday, or Mothering Sunday, as I mentioned to you last week. This Sunday, which we know as the Fifth Sunday in Lent also has a name that is even more obscure. “Judica Sunday,” which refers to the first word of the introit, or entrance psalm for the mass on this day: Iudica me, Deus, from Psalm 43 in our Prayer Book: Give judgement for

Today, the fourth Sunday in Lent is known by some as Laetare Sunday, which in Latin means Rejoice. The word comes from the traditional mass introit, which comes from Isaiah 66:10. “Rejoice, O Jerusalem: and come together all you that love her: rejoice with joy, you that have been in sorrow: that you may exult, and be filled from the breasts of your consolation.” It is also known as Mothering

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 “God is faithful, and he will not let you be tested beyond your strength, but with the testing he will also provide the way out so that you may be able to endure it.” St. Paul wrote his two letters to the Corinthian Church to gently guide them into the truth of the Gospel. From his other writings to them we can discern that they were a

Luke 13:(22-30)31-35 24 “Strive to enter by the narrow door; for many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able 30 And behold, some are last who will be first, and some are first who will be last.” This Gospel reading is troublesome to many people. Maybe that’s why it is shown as optional in the 1979 Lectionary, and it is completely omitted from the Revised Common Lectionary

Luke 4:1-13 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted by the devil. He ate nothing at all during those days, and when they were over, he was famished. The devil said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become a loaf of bread.” Jesus answered

There is a saying I have heard more than a few times. “I don’t get mad. I get even.” Have you heard that one? In this crazy society where every kind of nonsense plays out in the broadcast media and on social media, the craving for revenge is just another news day. And for some really weird reason people want to become victims so bad that they will arrange it

Luke 6:17-26 The Sermon on the Plain The Gospel we heard today begins on a level place, sometimes called the Plain. Earlier in this chapter, we heard that Jesus had gone to a mountain to pray, and had called his disciples, whom he also designated his Apostles. As would become the norm, a large crowd gathered around Jesus. He taught them, and he healed them. In fact so many were

Fishing for people Luke 5:1-11 I am not much of a fisherman. I have tried a few times, and while I enjoy being on the water, in a boat, with someone who is a good fisherman, I have a hard time seeing the joy in it. I have a couple of friends who really enjoy it. One has taken me out for the day, and I almost caught one fish.

1 Corinthians 14:12b-20 In this selection from the First Letter to the Corinthians, St. Paul is addressing a controversy that had arisen among them. It concerned speaking in tongues. As is typical with people, they had begun to compare each other, with some of them deriving some superiority over others. They had to break others down in order to feel good about themselves. Sounds familiar, doesn’t it? This is happening

1 Corinthians 12:12-27 I trust you remember the four marks of the Church that we say together every Sunday: The Church is One, Holy, Catholic, and Apostolic. The letter from St. Paul to the Corinthians that we heard today carries the theme of the first one, the Church is One Body. St. Paul said, just as the body is one, meaning a complete system of organs and blood, with many