SSJE Sermons

“As a people we are beginning to ask ourselves what kind of freedom our common life enshrines. One of the many assumptions our culture relies upon is the idea that freedom is chiefly about “choice.” The Spirit asks us to consider the freedom we rightly celebrate as Christians, compared with the world’s many pseudo-freedoms.” Br. Sean Glenn returns to Genesis for a revelation of what freedom really looks like.

“We have lost touch with the power of the natural world to speak to us of God. We have become alienated from the natural world. The deepest danger is that we lose our sense of the sacredness of the world.” In this ode to the natural world, Br. Geoffrey Tristram invites us to rediscover God's glorious creation and be touched by the very hand of God.

“The version of the Gospel which probably has greatest authority for you is the Gospel according to You. What has been revealed to you, what has proven inviting and necessary for you? What is the essence of Jesus’ work and words embodied within you? That is so important for you to hear, remember, and claim. It’s your vocation. It’s why you are still alive, today.” Br. Curtis Almquist urges us to listen for our vocation, which means accepting our true self.

“There is a lesson for us and for our culture in this morning’s gospel, and it requires us to train ourselves to let go of the control we think we have. It asks us to admit we need one another.” Br. Sean Glenn recognizes our deep need for relationship and cooperation with others, who teach us, challenge us, and reveal God to us.

“Wisdom is not a skill, it does not form on demand, it is not a pill to swallow, nor gleaned from an academic course or best-selling book. Wisdom is a gift from God, a gift that needs to be cultivated.” Br. Curtis Almquist offers practical suggestions for cultivating God's gift of wisdom.

“The providence, provision, and protection of God is ours, not because of what we are, but whose we are. It is so easy to fall into the sin of national exceptionalism and assume that God favours us, not because God’s nature is one of universal and overflowing love, but because of our creed, our race, our gender, our orientation, our ethnicity, our citizenship, our politics.” Br. James Koester hears in the words Jesus speaks in the synagogue of Nazareth a challenging message with strong echoes today.

“Where is Jesus’ presence in your life shining new light? Where is his touch completing the temple of your life?” Br. Sean Glenn invites us to see the part we play in the completion of the Temple as bearers of the divine image.

“We don’t pray to icons. We pray in their presence. Rather than always closing our eyes and folding our hands in prayer, we lift up the eyes of our hearts in the presence of an icon. Icons feed the imagination in a very good way.” Br. Curtis Almquist invites us into prayer with an icon of the Holy Trinity.

“The reason we revisit these great stories each year and why the season of Epiphany is so important to the life of the church is because they tap into our own desire to know and be in relationship with God and how he is manifest in our lives in the here and now.” Br. Jim Woodrum reflects on the meaning of the season of Epiphany and how Jesus is made manifest to us in the Sacraments and in our lives.

“We are unwell. There’s something about our own life that is significantly damaged, broken, unmanageable, scarred, fearful, or traumatized that needs healing. We’ll need the healing care of Jesus, the physician, for the rest of our life. Our need is that great.” Br. Curtis Almquist invites us to cast our lives into the hands of our Great Physician.