19 Pentecost, Proper 23 – October 11, 2020 Matthew 22:1-14 So, this is a really difficult parable to understand. It’s an odd story about a king offering an extravagant banquet for his son’s wedding. Yet the invited guests do not come. Three times the king sends messengers out to bring them to the wedding […]
18 Pentecost, Proper 21 – October 4, 2020 Matthew 21:33-46 This parable begs the question, “whose land is it, anyway?” Culturally, in the first century, the leasing of land to tenant farmers was a common experience. Landowners could expect tenants to turn over a portion of the crop and those who failed to meet […]
17 Pentecost, Proper 21 Matthew 21:23-32 Jesus told a story about a man with two sons. The father asked the first son to go to work in the vineyard, and the son said that he would ––but he didn’t. The father asked the second son to go to work in the vineyard, and the second […]
15 Pentecost, Proper 19 – September 13, 2020 Matthew 18:21-35 “How many times do I need to forgive my brother or sister?” That’s the question which prompts the parable of the unmerciful servant that we hear today. This passage follows on last week’s reading, which Jesus concluded by assuring us that wherever two or […]
14 Pentecost, Proper 18 – September 6, 2020 Matthew 18:15-20 Wherever two or more are gathered….well, it can be really hard to get along. Right? Today’s gospel caused me to say Oh, no!, when I first read it. But then, I realized this is relevant to what we’re going through right now. This exhausting […]
12 Pentecost, Proper 16 – August 23, 2020 Matthew 16:13-20 Today’s gospel is a bit intimidating. Jesus is calling Peter a “rock” and blessing him with a mighty blessing. I wonder how Peter felt at the time….I would guess he thought to himself….’”what? I’m no rock and I don’t want that power you’re talking […]
Fear
9 Pentecost, Proper 13 – August 2, 2020 Genesis 32:22-31 and Matthew 14:13-21 This morning we have one of my favorite stories – Jacob wrestling with an angel. It is close to my heart as I am reminded of the times I have wrestled with God in my own life. And we have the […]
8 Pentecost, Proper 12 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 Our gospel this morning presents us with five short parables about the kingdom of heaven: the mustard seed, the leaven, the hidden treasure, the priceless pearl and the net. Of interest in these parables, are the diverse socioeconomic settings represented there: a sower of seed, a woman baking […]
6 Pentecost, Proper 10 – July 12, 2020 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 The story line in our gospel today seems simple enough. A sower goes out to sow, and casts seed extravagantly, abundantly, so that they land in four kinds of places, with four different results. The seed that lands on the hard path is […]