Preaching among the Palms

The Prologue to the Gospel of St. John is profound and mysterious, but it has a pastoral message that we need to hear at Christmas. Fr. Jeff grapples with some translation issues and explains how the light of Christ shines today, not just at the Incarnation, and he shows why the Incarnation is especially important to Anglo-Catholic piety.

Everyone knows the Christmas story—or at least everyone thinks they do. The angels who announce the birth of Christ to the shepherds in the vicinity of Bethlehem say they have "good news" for the whole world. But most people don't know what "good news" really means. Fr. Jeff explains the historical background of "good news," which reveals an even deeper level of meaning to the story of Christmas.

Fr. Grady explains the promise and proclamation of the advent season. The prophets have pointed the way toward Christ, and today's reading from Isaiah sets the stage for his virgin birth.

John the Baptist is a major figure in the Advent season, but we don't think about his unique role in history often enough. Fr. Jeff encourages us to emulate his example of pointing the way to Jesus.

John the Baptist preached a baptism of repentance and promised that Christ would baptize believers with the Holy Spirit. What is this baptism and how is it possible today? Canon Lester ministers the Word this Sunday.

Today's baffling Gospel likens the Son of Man to a burglar and speaks of disappearing people and the judgment of the world in the days of Noah. Fr. Jeff situates this passage in the whole lectionary sequence for the first Sunday of Advent and argues that this passage is less about the "when" of Jesus's coming and more about how we are to be ready for it, especially at this season in the church's life and witness.

Fr. Grady breaks down the kingship of Christ, showing how in him the promises of God proclaimed through the prophets come to fulfillment. The kingship of Christ is most clearly seen on the cross, where Jesus once again refuses the temptation of any shortcut to glory but makes it possible for us to freely choose salvation in him.

After a long journey Jesus arrives at the temple in Jerusalem. He praises the generosity of the widow who gives two copper coins to the treasury and foretells the destruction of the temple. Fr. Jeff applies the lessons of this passage from Luke's Gospel to the church today.

The scribes have been questioning Jesus, and now the Sadducees take a turn. Quoting from Moses, they maintain that there is no resurrection of the dead. Jesus puts forward his own unique interpretation of Moses and offers an enigmatic teaching on the resurrection. Fr. Jeff tries to explain how the sons of the resurrection cannot die, do not marry, and are equal to the angels.

In the Revelation to St. John the apostle has a vision of the saints in heavenly glory. Who are the saints? And where do they come from? Two questions posed by the elder St. John encounters; we explore the answers.