3/3/2019
Epiphany Last Yr C

Moses veiled his face to avoid scaring the people.  Even though this was a ‘reflection’ of God’s glory, the people felt fear from being so close to the power and glory of God. Years later, Jewish rabbis gave a name to the manifestations of God’s presence: the Shekinah – God’s visible presence – proof of God ‘dwelling’ among us.

2/17/2019
Epiphany 6C

Today’s scripture lessons all point to the truth that our Christian faith calls us to make a choice to live by a different and higher standard than the rest of the world.  In Luke’s Gospel, immediately before his Sermon on the Plain, Jesus had chosen the 12 he wanted to be his disciples. He gave this teaching to them – to his inner circle – about the choice they would need to make. It was an age-old choice.

2/3/2019
Epiphany 4C

Jesus knew that the people of Nazareth would not accept the idea of him teaching and healing anywhere except to the Israelites. They were very comfortable with their heritage as children of Abraham and the people of God. They were offended by the idea that this was not an exclusive status with God. Jesus was declaring that he would speak about God to anybody who would listen.

1/27/2019
Epiphany 3C

Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah, who wrote about the price that Israel would pay for their falling away from God, with defeat and exile – which happened in 586 BC. But Isaiah also wrote that God would ultimately return them to their homeland. There would be the feeling of a Jubilee Year – as Moses taught about in Leviticus 25:8-13: A time of release and restoration. Their release from exile happened in 538 BC, when the King of Persia started releasing them to go home.

1/20/2019
Epiphany 2C

John wrote that this was “the first of his signs”. This was a miracle, but the important part of what happened is that it was a sign that Jesus had the power of God; he could change things on the inside. It wasn’t just ‘red’, it was a very good wine.

1/6/2019
The Epiphany

Detail: This date, January 6, was celebrated in Egypt as the winter solstice, when the sun god made his appearance (epiphany). Third century Christians chose this date for the Lord’s Epiphany, and connected it with three Gospel ‘epiphany’ stories; the coming of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus (with God’s pronouncement), and the wedding at Cana.