Bible Readings:Romans 8:18-23 http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=485772628Mark 16:14,15 http://bible.oremus.org/?ql=485772672 It is said that when St. Francis could not find people to listen to his preaching, he preached to the birds and they listened. The 13th century book “The Little Flowers of St Francis” says that on one occasion he saw a great flock of birds who seemed to be attentive to him so he preached to them of God’s love for them and told them they must sing to show their gratitude and to praise…
This morning’s readings are so full and rich that it’s difficult to know where to start. When that happens, I find it useful to look at the collect, the prayer for the day. “God, who in the Paschal mystery established the new covenant of reconciliation, Grant that all who have been reborn into the fellowship of Christ’s Body may show forth in their lives what they profess by their faith.” That sums up the readings pretty well doesn’t it –…
Isaiah 25:6-9 Acts 10:34-43 John 20:1-18 It’s interesting how each of the four gospels tells a slightly different story of the disciples discovering the resurrection; but in every one it is the women who go early in the morning, even before dawn, to the tomb. In two of the gospels they take spices with them – spices because Jesus body had been hurriedly laid in the tomb as the sabbath was fast approaching. They planned to properly anoint his body…
Last week while on retreat, I read several books. One of them was Falling Upwards by Richard Rohr. In it he says among many other things that “salvation is sin turned on its head and used in our favor.” Salvation is sin turned on its head and used in our favor. That is what we are remembering today – the ultimate example of sin turned on its head and used in our favor. On the cross Jesus took the sin…
