SSJE Sermons

“In a post-truth world, where truth isn’t truth and where facts are in the eye of the beholder, we exist in an alternate reality where alternative facts shape life and death decisions.We live in a post-truth world, and that’s a problem.” Br. James Koester delves into Pilate's question – "What is truth?" – and finds the answer staring Pilate in the face: Truth is manifestation of Jesus; it's a manifestation of love.

“Take this image of the house on which Jesus calls – it’s your house, your soul – to ponder and pray on your welcome to Jesus. You know the architecture of your soul. You name the rooms, and you speak the welcome. Or, if you find you can’t bring yourself to welcome Jesus into some rooms, why is that?” When he knocks at your door, do you tend to treat Jesus like a bill-collector, a plumber, a shopping assistant, or a formal guest? Br. Curtis Almquist invites us to open our whole house – our whole soul – to Jesus, who wants in on it all.

“We need to not be distracted by the death throes of the secular world or even the destruction of our temples of ego that we have constructed for self-admiration, but rather be engaged in the process of birthing new life set forth by Jesus with: confidence, hope, provocation, sanctification, and a sense of urgency. ” Br. Jim Woodrum encourages us to persevere through the birth pangs of transformation, longing toward the fulfillment Jesus promises in the restoration to come.

“If you’re anything like me, you may be inclined to heckle Jesus over the parable he tells us today. These words of Jesus do not always come to me as 'good news.' They may even bring up dread, anger, and even incredulity. And so I heckled Jesus this week.”Br. Sean Glenn confronts one of Jesus' challenging parables and finds in the example of Hugh of Lincoln the redemptive model of a servant working in love for the Kingdom of God.

“When we love we want to serve. We long to be given some task that will contribute to the good purposes of the one we love. A mother longs to serve her children – out of love. A husband longs to please his wife – out of love. We willingly set aside our own desires and preferences, we lay down our lives, for the sake of those whom we love.” Br. David Vryhof discovers in love the difference between servitude and service. What an honor and privilege it is to be a servant of Christ!

“What amazes me with each passing day, is how good things are, and often times in the most unexpected and un­predictable of ways: where you discover abject goodness, greatness, beauty, nobility, pro­vision in ways which you could never have even asked for or imagined. Life is positively amazing. When you think you’ve come to the end there is more.”Br. Curtis Almquist marvels at the endless provision of God's grace and the gifts of life, and he invites us to respond with boundless generosity, knowing that the more we give away, the more we will be filled.

“You are salt, created to give a distinctive flavor to life, you like none other. By your presence, your witness, your gifts, you help others 'taste and see that the Lord is good.'” Br. Curtis Almquist invites us to savor for ourselves the full complexity and invitation of Jesus' metaphor of the "salt of the earth."

“We, like the Saints of the Old Testament, may feel like we are light years away from the realization of the reign of God.  But through Jesus Christ, we hear the gospel message that the Kingdom of God is happening now, and is a process of redeeming and healing the Creation, to which we are being called to participate.” Br. Jim Woodrum invites us to look to the Saints of the Old Testament for the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen

“Giving grace changes us. Experiencing one more stranger as friend expands our vision of humanity and of God. How has grace expanded you? To whom might you reach beyond, to further invite?” Br. Luke Ditewig invites us to cast ourselves in Jesus' story of the great banquet, as we remember that everyone has a place at God's table.

“When we repent and let ourselves rest in God’s Kingdom within us, then we just naturally realize God’s Oneness, which in turn allows us to love the Holy One with our whole being, loving and serving all of creation, and loving our own beautiful selves.” Br. Nicholas Bartoli ponders God's Commandments and discovers in their stead a promise: that the Kingdom of God is so very, very nigh.