SSJE Sermons

“Frideswide, is perhaps an odd saint for us to commemorate, but it is her connection as patron saint of Oxford that places her in our calendar, and in our windows. Her legend is quite fantastic, at least to modern ears. It involves virgins, royalty, attempted seductions, near escapes, vows, miracles, and holy wells. In other words, the works. But beneath the legend, is a story of dedication, devotion, mercy, and healing.” Br. James Koester honors a surprising saint, who was a meaningful connection to SSJE and a message about our universal human needs.

“Worldly weakness, not worldly strength, enables us to encounter God. The structures of human hierarchy, whether social, economic, political, sexual, or religious, are worldly things, passing away, because it is the universal order established by God, and that has its being in God, that persists eternally. By rejecting worldly power and ambition, we may be open to the guidance of God’s Spirit, and be led to encounter God face-to-face in the person of Christ.”

On the Feast of Saint Luke the Evangelist, Br. Lucas Hall celebrates the message underpinning Luke's Gospel: that God can do wonders with our weakness.

“God is always present in the midst of conflict. That is really good news. God does not go away when people are angry at one another. There is always room for prayer no matter how much anger is in your heart or in the air. But please do not take my word for it, try it for yourself. Try praying for someone who really bothers you.” Br. Jack Crowley finds in the Gospel scene of conflict between Jesus and the "sons of thunder" a hopeful message – and a helpful practice – for all of us struggling with conflict in our relationships.

“'Blaspheming against the Holy Spirit…' I can still remember stumbling across this Gospel passage when I was a young boy. Yikes. It nearly frightened me to death. For several years of my young life I lived in a kind terror that I would accidentally blaspheme against the Holy Spirit and go straight to hell.” Br. Curtis Almquist tackles a thorny passage from Jesus' teachings and discovers grace waiting in the questions.

“Whatever we pray, in whatever capacity, is ultimately a response to something already initiated by God in the depths of our hearts. To know this—as Teresa knew—is to rest in the faith that, whether we feel anything or not, God has already initiated something within us whenever we pray.” On the Feast of Saint Teresa of Avila, Br. Sean Glenn ponders the true meaning – and source – of prayer.

“I often wonder, as people who read the Scriptures in a world and a context so far removed from the ones in which they were written, how much we lose, or have lost, in our comprehension of them. Can we really comprehend what they are saying, if we don’t have some understanding of the world in which they were written?” Br. James Koester considers how important it is for us to understand the context of the Scriptures as we unpack their meaning, enabling them to communicate to us the faithfulness of God.

“Antony’s encounter with Christ certainly changed him, and in changing him, the history of the Church was changed, because Antony went on to become what his is often referred to as, the Father of Christian Monasticism. Had Antony responded to the gospel in the same way that the rich young man did, you and I might not be here today. We are here today in this monastery chapel because others were here before us. In today’s case we are here today because Antony was there nearly two thousand years ago. Who will be here in a week or a month or a century because you and I are here today?” The Gospel demands a response from us; Br. James Koester asks: "What will your response be?"

“God is not a vending machine.  God is not a bureaucrat.  God is not a trickster.  Jesus tells us he is our heavenly Father, capable of giving good gifts like we would give our own children. God is our good shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.  God is the great physician in the business of healing the sick. Prayer is nothing less than active participation in the divine life of the Trinity.” Br. Todd Blackham finds in Jesus' teachings on prayer the invitation into new and unending life.

“Think of it. One man. One life, cut short at 44 years.  Like Jesus, he never owned a home or acquired wealth.  Like Jesus, he never wrote a book, or earned an academic degree, or held a political office.  He refused to pursue worldly status and power.  He chose instead to live as a poor man, as Christ did, giving himself to the care and service of the most needy.  And yet, his life is a shining light that has illumined the whole world.  Millions have dedicated their lives to following his example of complete and utter devotion to God.” Br. David Vryhof marvels at the profound influence and inspiration Saint Francis of Assisi has had on the world.

“This covenant, the Law which been put into our hearts, and written on our minds is an inexhaustible gift of the revelation of the incarnate Word, Jesus himself.  This sacrament of the Word, which leads us to the Sacrament of the Table is nourishing fare that is worth recollecting and cherishing.  In it we find Christ and all things necessary to salvation.  Praise God for the gift of God’s word who came to us in Christ Jesus, and who remains with us always in the scriptures, in the language of our hearts.” Br. Todd Blackham celebrates how, in the Scriptures, the Word of God comes to us in the language of our hearts.