The Parish of St. Matthew

“In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed.” Our Epiphany theme signalled, not by illumination present but by light’s absence. “And Simon and his companions hunted for him.”  This doesn’t suggest the typical male “hunt” for something in the fridge where after a brief scan of 5 seconds or so, the desperate male calls, “honey, where’s the milk; I can’t find it.”  No, hunting suggests really looking, not at first finding, but eventual success; Again, our Epiphany theme signalled: not an easy access to Christ, not the light of Christ falling on our way, our minds and hearts without any active cooperation of ourselves, but in, through and by our determination to find him in our common life; to hunt for him with our companions.

Sermon on Epiphany 5 Year B 2012

Hebrew Bible             Deut. 18:15-20

Psalm                           Psalm 111

Epistle                          I Corinthians 8:1-13

Gospel                          Mark 1:21-28

The beginning of today’s text is classic to Mark’s approach, “Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God…  It’s hard to find an analogy for this; maybe something like announcing your candidacy just after your chief of staff, who has introduced you to the wider public, is indicted.  More personally, it may be like saying in the midst of personal tragedy, “now the good times are about to begin.”   My fumbling for analogies demonstrates just how odd Mark can sound at times; in the middle of the same old, same old, the elitist politics of the day silencing the prophet of equality: the popular hope of the people, John the Baptist, Jesus begins his ministry; Jesus begins to point to God and say, don’t be fooled; God’s way of doing things is right beside you; it’s here to be encountered, entered into and responded to.  The fact that this gospel, which means good news, comes to us in the middle of things can be an encouragement for each us, for this parish, to expect the nearness of God’s rule right where we’re at.

Sermon on Epiphany 3 Year B 2012

Today is the Second Sunday after the Epiphany, the season of the Church year that follows our celebrations of Christ’s birth and the beginning of his ministry at his baptism which we celebrated last week… Our most recognizable cultural association with the word epiphany is the cartoon drawing of a light bulb above someone’s head, the “aha moment.” The light bulb at least hints at Epiphany’s meaning and theme: light dispelling darkness, the mind being enlightened with new insight. Since light is a primary biblical metaphor for God’s wisdom, the cartoon image is actually vague cultural remembrance that certain important insights come from God. Of course, now, in cultural discourse, when we say “someone’s had an epiphany” we refer to a purely human affair; a person “waking up to a new idea or possibility.” What the Christian Church proclaims, however, is something more mysterious; for us, Epiphany is not simply neurons crashing into each other in novel ways, but the ongoing effect of God’s light, God’s wisdom transforming people and communities over time….

This Sunday we celebrate the baptism of our Lord.

Readings for this Sunday jan 8, 2012 are:

Hebrew Bible   – Genesis 1:1-5

Psalm                 – Psalm 29

Epistle               – Acts 19:1-7

Gospel               – Mark 1:4-11

This sunday, Jan 1, 2012, we celebrate the Feast of the Naming of Jesus

Readings for this Feast

Hebrew Bible   – Numbers 6:22-27

Psalm                 – Psalm 8

Epistle               – Phil 2:5-11

Gospel               – Luke 2:15-21

This week we light the fourth  candle—the candle of love. With this flame we signify the love of God that  surrounds and fills us at all times, but that we recognize in a special way in  the Christmas story. There is no greater power than love. It is stronger than  rulers and empires, stronger than grief or despair, stronger even than death.  We love, because God loves us.

Readings for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

Hebrew Bible   – Isaiah 9:2-7

Psalm                 – Psalm 96

Epistle               – Titus 2:11-14

Gospel               – Luke 2:1-20

Yesterday we lit the third Advent candle, the candle of joy. This should be the easy one, because joy is all around us—in the children, the lights, the music, the gathering together. But how often do we let our preparations—or our memories—push joy to the side? Joy is like an underground spring that wells up within us, but joy is also a choice, an attitude. Like a muscle, it needs to be exercised. So today we open ourselves to joy, trusting that God has already planted it in us. All we need to do is give it care and offer it to share.

Loving God, we open ourselves to you, trusting that this is how you made us:  you created us for joy-filled hearts and lives. Show us the creative power of hope. Teach us the peace that comes from justice. Fill us with the kind of joy that cannot be contained, but must be shared. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, that we may walk in the light of Christ.             Amen.

As we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ let us join in celebration with the global Body of Christ

Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for Sunday Dec 18, 2011

Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)                   II Samuel 7:1-11

Psalm                                                                 Psalm 89:1-4, 19-26

Epistle                                                               Romans 16:25-27

Gospel                                                               Luke 1:26-38

Last Sunday we  lit the candle of peace. We light it knowing full well that peace is elusive, and in  some parts of the world, it is almost completely absent. Yet in this season of  Advent, we trust that God is never absent from us. God is always preparing  something new. And even where there is war and discord, whether between  countries, within families, or within our own hearts, God is present, gently  leading us to new possibilities.

Loving God, in this time of preparation  and planning, we thank you for the hope and peace you  unfailingly offer us. Show us the creative power of hope. Teach us the peace that comes from  justice. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, That we may walk in the light of  Christ.

As we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ let us join in the global Body of Christ

Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for Sunday Dec 11, 2011

Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)                   Isaiah 61:1-4

Pslam                                                                 Pslam 126

Epistle                                                               I Thessalonians 6:16-24

Gospel                                                               John 1:6-8

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, gives his reflections on Advent: “It is a time of expectation and a time of hope. A time, therefore, also of quiet”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8DWu6HfDaA

We welcome you to join us, wherever you may be in your spiritual journey.

Advent…

Last Sunday we  lit the candle of peace. We light it knowing full well that peace is elusive, and in  some parts of the world, it is almost completely absent. Yet in this season of  Advent, we trust that God is never absent from us. God is always preparing  something new. And even where there is war and discord, whether between  countries, within families, or within our own hearts, God is present, gently  leading us to new possibilities.

Loving God, in this time of preparation  and planning, we thank you for the hope and peace you  unfailingly offer us. Show us the creative power of hope. Teach us the peace that comes from  justice. Prepare our hearts to be transformed by you, That we may walk in the light of  Christ.

As we prepare our hearts for the coming of Christ let us join in the global Body of Christ

Readings from the Revised Common Lectionary for Sunday Dec 11, 2011

Hebrew Bible (Old Testament)                   Isaiah 61:1-4

Pslam                                                                 Pslam 126

Epistle                                                               I Thessalonians 6:16-24

Gospel                                                               John 1:6-8

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, gives his reflections on Advent: “It is a time of expectation and a time of hope. A time, therefore, also of quiet”.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8DWu6HfDaA

We welcome you to join us, wherever you may be in your spiritual journey.

Diocese of New Wesminster

Anglican Church of Canada