SSJE Sermons

“Christianity is really all about mending. That’s what redemption means; mending something that is torn or broken. And that is what each one of us is called to do – to share with God in mending that which is broken. Mending our relationship with God, mending our relationship with one another, mending our relationship with our broken planet.” As Lent unfolds, Br. Geoffrey Tristram invites us to share with God in the great work of mending.

“We might do well to renew the wonder, awe, and even trembling fear that reminds us of the true magnitude of the Almighty’s nature.  Stay near to Jesus.  It’s easy to drift away to important work, slogans that inspire, or spiritual satiety.  We may need to return to Jesus, our lover and redeemer, not our employer.  We might need to expand our language when we’ve let catchy phrases limit our relatedness to the Person of Christ who cannot be easily tamed.  And we may need to rekindle our spiritual hunger in the light of God’s immensity.  Stay near to Jesus.” On the feast of the Transfiguration, Br. Todd Blackham invites us to stay near to Jesus – with awe, fear, and trust.

““What are you looking for?” It’s a profoundly simple question which has successive levels of depth. Plumb the depths. Let that question form your prayer to Jesus. He asks you, “What are you looking for?” And you respond.”

Br. Curtis Almquist probes two significant Gospel encounters and urges us to follow their model for how we might engage with Jesus: by being really present.

“The Epiphany, the manifestation of Christ, is really a collection of vignettes that inaugurate the incarnate life of God.  The visit of the Magi, the Baptism of our Lord, and his first miracle at the wedding at Cana, form a kind of triple feast.  And each one of them is a scene of the ordinary meeting the extraordinary. Of the natural touching the supernatural, of humanity meeting divinity.” Br. Todd Blackham celebrates our encounters with the supernatural life of God, breaking into our world.

“But what does “home” mean, really?  Is it a place we can return to, or is it more of a longing?  For many of us, the word “home” summons up a whole range of things that are past and that cannot be retrieved. For us, “home” isn’t a specific place anymore; it’s more like a whole set of longings… or a treasure chest of memories that combine to make us feel safe and loved.” Br. David Vryhof marvels that while "home" seems at the heart of Christmas, it is actually – at its heart – about homelessness.

“Our own name is what uniquely distinguishes us from others. However our name also connects us to others because knowing our name marks a relationship. People who know us will call on us by our name. With someone knowing our name, they can identify us, include us, and have a certain claim on their relationship with us. Everything important is given a name. And in the name and in the naming, there is the power of both identity and relationship. ”

On the feast of the Holy Name, Br. Curtis Almquist invites us to call on Jesus by name.

“In Advent, we embrace the mystery of God’s plan of salvation. Wrapped in that mystery, we wait. With God’s own humility, we watch. God’s response grows in the deep womb of time, until Christ is all in all.” Br. Keith Nelson shares a powerful image from his own prayer: the testimony of a lost lamb, rescued by the Son of Man.

“The destination and end of our walk with Christ is to finally meet God face to face, dwelling in light inaccessible.  To know even as we are known.  To behold the beatific vision of the Triune God, and there to dwell, to make our habitation.  But there is no direct flight, and the trek is often uphill.” As Advent begins, Br. Todd Blackham invites us to consider where we are on our pilgrimage of faith.

“Again and again in the gospels, we see Jesus perceiving the intentions of the heart, whether for good or for evil, and responding in ways that reveal the truth. The Triune God sees and knows everything about us, even what we keep hidden from others. When we realize that God sees it all and still loves us with an unwavering love, we can risk being honest in our prayer.” Br. David Vryhof urges us to be truthful with God in prayer, in response to the loving truthfulness with which we are seen and known by our loving God.

“It seems that “softening” and “allowing” are vital elements in the practice of Christian endurance. To put it another way: there is a subtle interplay between striving and trusting, with the accent on trust. Trust calls forth a softening and allowing of reality as it is even as striving calls for a firmness or rootedness in the face of immense pressure.” Br. Keith Nelson teases out the complex interplay of the Christian call to endurance and striving, which find their fullest expression in trust.