Deacon Sheila delves into the Law and Agape for a week of High Fidelity, Neighborly Love.

This week Fr. Brad takes us through the slippery riddle of State and Pious alignment. Who is Caesar Augustus to man? Who is Christ? And, seriously, who is Jesus Barabbas? Stay tuned, Brothers and Sisters.

Bring along your best party clothes. Fr. Brad takes a look at the rich tradition of the Wedding Feast in the Jewish community of First Century Palestine.

Fr. Brad spends some time reflecting on the Las Vegas tragedy.

Psalm 23

The Divine Shepherd

A Psalm of David.

1 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

3 he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

for his name’s sake.

4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me.

5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

my whole life long.

ON the night of Fr. Brad's Instillation, we heard Abbot Elaine Harris speak to his personal stories and strengths.

Thomas Merton's Final Prayer

Oh God! We are one with you

You have taught us,

that if we are open with one another,

you dwell in us;

help us to preserve that openness.

Oh God! In Accepting one another wholeheartedly, fully, completely

we accept You, and we thank You, and we adore You

And we love You with our whole being;

because our being is in Your being.

Fill us then, with love.

And let us be bound together with love,

as we go our diverse ways.

United in this one spirit, which makes you present in the word

and which makes you witness to the ultimate reality--that is love.

Love has overcome.

Love is victorious.

Amen.

Fr. Brad speaks to the power of symbols and to the importance of giving symbols their specific meaning.

St. Pauls: Who Do You Say I AM? by a podcast from St. Paul's Episcopal - Milwaukee

Father Brad Toebben reads the Gospel according to Matthew (15:21-28) and preach a sermon that helps illuminate its meaning.

Fr. Brad brings us to the seedy underbelly of language--Biblical, Social, and its use for Justice.

A Prayer of St. Chrysostom

Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one

accord to make our common supplication to you; and you

have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two

or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the

midst of them: Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions

as may be best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of

your truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. Amen.

ON September 10th, St. Paul's Episcopal celebrated Festival Sunday! If you hear a child crying during the sermon, it is because we also celebrated the baptism of little Devin Sobek (congratulations!).

Fr. Brad speaks to the theme of Authority in Christian Expression.