St. Aidan's Anglican Church, Kansas City - weekly talks

The last Sunday of the Epiphany contemplates the Transfiguration of Jesus Christ. We consider the unfolding mystery of our salvation as disfigured ones, transformed, from glory to glory. We catch a glimpse of Christ in us, the hope of glory. We hear the Father's voice to listen to the Son ... as he continues to speak and transform our lives, from strength to strength.

Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany:

Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Gospel

Mark 1:29-39

As soon as they left the synagogue, they entered the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. Now Simon's mother-in-law was in bed with a fever, and they told him about her at once. He came and took her by the hand and lifted her up. Then the fever left her, and she began to serve them. That evening, at sundown, they brought to him all who were sick or possessed with demons. And the whole city was gathered around the door. And he cured many who were sick with various diseases, and cast out many demons; and he would not permit the demons to speak, because they knew him. In the morning, while it was still very dark, he got up and went out to a deserted place, and there he prayed. And Simon and his companions hunted for him. When they found him, they said to him, "Everyone is searching for you." He answered, "Let us go on to the neighboring towns, so that I may proclaim the message there also; for that is what I came out to do." And he went throughout Galilee, proclaiming the message in their synagogues and casting out demons.

The ministry of Jesus introduced a collision of kingdoms, of light displacing darkness, exposing and destroying the works of the devil. He accomplished this out of the authority of his being ... Ex-Ouisa (Gk. word for authority). God's eternal and ultimate authority had come in the person and ministry of Jesus Christ.

Jesus spent over three years recruiting, training, deploying, monitoring and nurturing his apostles, the ones chosen to begin building his Church. He delegated this authority, out of the divine being, to His Holy Church to disciple all nations, displacing darkness by the advancing of his Kingdom, preaching the Gospel that Jesus is Lord, calling multitudes out of darkness into his glorious light.

Today we carry on this authoritative word of sending, "go into all the world and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the Triune name and teaching them to follow Jesus ... an advance of His Word and Sacrament, based on the promise of his real presence ... I will be with you even until the end of the age.

His apostolic Church contends and collides during the limited time of Satan's domain. Through the preaching of the Word and the illumination of the Holy Spirit, we deliver people from Satan's dark domain; through baptism and discipleship, people are transferred into the Kingdom of God (Colossians 1:12f), born anew through water and the Spirit. May we never stop proclaiming the name of Jesus, the only name by which we are saved from this present, evil age. Amen.

Third Sunday after the Epiphany

Give us grace, O Lord, to answer readily the call of our Savior Jesus Christ and proclaim to all people the Good News of his salvation, that we and the whole world may perceive the glory of his marvelous works; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

The three elements of this homily are about the stages of conversion:

1. To Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior

2. To the Church, his Body - committed to a local community of faith

3. To Ministry - everyone sharing their grace and gifts to serve the mission of Jesus.

Jeremiah 3:21-4:2

A voice on the bare heights is heard, the plaintive weeping of Israel's children, because they have perverted their way, they have forgotten the LORD their God: Return, O faithless children, I will heal your faithlessness. "Here we come to you; for you are the LORD our God. Truly the hills are a delusion, the orgies on the mountains. Truly in the LORD our God is the salvation of Israel. "But from our youth the shameful thing has devoured all for which our ancestors had labored, their flocks and their herds, their sons and their daughters. Let us lie down in our shame, and let our dishonor cover us; for we have sinned against the LORD our God, we and our ancestors, from our youth even to this day; and we have not obeyed the voice of the LORD our God." If you return, O Israel, says the LORD, if you return to me, if you remove your abominations from my presence, and do not waver, and if you swear, "As the LORD lives!" in truth, in justice, and in uprightness, then nations shall be blessed by him, and by him they shall boast. The foe from the north; a warning

Psalm: 130

De profundis

1 Out of the depths have I called to you, O LORD; LORD, hear my voice; *

let your ears consider well the voice of my supplication.

2 If you, LORD, were to note what is done amiss, *

O LORD, who could stand?

3 For there is forgiveness with you; *

therefore you shall be feared.

4 I wait for the LORD; my soul waits for him; *

in his word is my hope.

5 My soul waits for the LORD, more than watchmen for the morning, *

more than watchmen for the morning.

6 O Israel, wait for the LORD, *

for with the LORD there is mercy;

7 With him there is plenteous redemption, *

and he shall redeem Israel from all their sins.

1Corinthians 7:17-23

However that may be, let each of you lead the life that the Lord has assigned, to which God called you. This is my rule in all the churches. Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing; but obeying the commandments of God is everything. Let each of you remain in the condition in which you were called. Were you a slave when called? Do not be concerned about it. Even if you can gain your freedom, make use of your present condition now more than ever. For whoever was called in the Lord as a slave is a freed person belonging to the Lord, just as whoever was free when called is a slave of Christ. You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of human masters.

Mark 1:14-20

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good news of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news." As Jesus passed along the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea — for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me and I will make you fish for people." And immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went a little farther, he saw James son of Zebedee and his brother John, who were in their boat mending the nets. Immediately he called them; and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired men, and followed him.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

Jesus speaks to the True Self in Nathanael. Nathanael's own prejudice and scorn about anyone coming from Nazareth is soon removed as Jesus speaks to Nathanael's deep heart, the image of God within him. This too is the way forward for us, in following Jesus, we always speak to God's original intent, no matter who or whence the person. We are invited to come and see.

A helpful article about the balance of being polemical ... Fr. Lawrence Farley's article: https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/nootherfoundation/a-polemical-faith/

There's a time to confront, speaking the truth in love and there's a time to merely listen and appeal to the latent image of the creator God, in hopes of awakening the greater things! Amen.

Second Sunday after the Epiphany

Almighty God, whose Son our Savior Jesus Christ is the light of the world: Grant that your people, illumined by your Word and Sacraments, may shine with the radiance of Christ's glory, that he may be known, worshiped, and obeyed to the ends of the earth; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

John 1:43-51

The next day Jesus decided to go to Galilee. He found Philip and said to him, "Follow me." Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, "We have found him about whom Moses in the law and also the prophets wrote, Jesus son of Joseph from Nazareth." Nathanael said to him, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" Philip said to him, "Come and see." When Jesus saw Nathanael coming toward him, he said of him, "Here is truly an Israelite in whom there is no deceit!" Nathanael asked him, "Where did you get to know me?" Jesus answered, "I saw you under the fig tree before Philip called you." Nathanael replied, "Rabbi, you are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!" Jesus answered, "Do you believe because I told you that I saw you under the fig tree? You will see greater things than these." And he said to him, "Very truly, I tell you, you will see heaven opened and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man."

Jesus speaks to the True Self in Nathanael. Nathanael's own prejudice and scorn about anyone coming from Nazareth is soon removed as Jesus speaks to Nathanael's deep heart, the image of God within him. This too is the way forward for us, in following Jesus, we always speak to God's original intent, no matter who or whence the person. We are invited to come and see.

A helpful article about the balance of being polemical ... Fr. Lawrence Farley's article: https://blogs.ancientfaith.com/nootherfoundation/a-polemical-faith/

There's a time to confront, speaking the truth in love and there's a time to merely listen and appeal to the latent image of the creator God, in hopes of awakening the greater things! Amen.

The Epiphany or the visit of the Magi, recognizing him as the New Born King of the Nations, Lord of the whole world … leads us into ever unfolding epiphanies of Christ, where we continue to receive glimpses of his glory.

Today’s Gospel reading from Mark 1:7-11 describes the Baptism of Jesus, submitting to the Baptism of John, a baptism of repentance. What on earth is Jesus doing? John wonders the same thing. Other accounts contain John’s reluctance as saying, I have need to be baptized by you! Jesus tells John to plunge him under the water in order to fulfill all righteousness.

Today we contemplate the Theophany of God the Holy Trinity. The heavens are open to dance with God through union with Jesus Christ. We are his beloved children, loved and nurtured in Christ.

Collect for the First Sunday after the Epiphany:

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Epiphany or the visit of the Magi, recognizing him as the New Born King of the Nations, Lord of the whole world … leads us into ever unfolding epiphanies of Christ, where we continue to receive glimpses of his glory.

Today’s Gospel reading from Mark 1:7-11 describes the Baptism of Jesus, submitting to the Baptism of John, a baptism of repentance. What on earth is Jesus doing? John wonders the same thing. Other accounts contain John’s reluctance as saying, I have need to be baptized by you! Jesus tells John to plunge him under the water in order to fulfill all righteousness.

Today we contemplate the Theophany of God the Holy Trinity. The heavens are open to dance with God through union with Jesus Christ. We are his beloved children, loved and nurtured in Christ.

Collect for the First Sunday after the Epiphany:

Father in heaven, who at the baptism of Jesus in the River Jordan proclaimed him your beloved Son and anointed him with the Holy Spirit: Grant that all who are baptized into his Name may keep the covenant they have made, and boldly confess him as Lord and Savior; who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

The Prologue of St. John's Gospel provides an overture, cluing his readers into the rich, thematic tapestry to be unwrapped: Life, light and darkness, grace, truth and glory, for example.

Verses 1 and 18 provide bookends to which he drops thematic hints to be discovered throughout his unique story of Jesus. John is the one who laid his head on the breast of Jesus, a similar image taken from the pre-incarnate origins of the divine Logos ... in the bosom or womb of the Father. The Word was made flesh in order to draw us all back to our origins in the Father's heart, the womb of the Father.

In this intimate place, we find rest for our souls, we find our destiny in Christ, in communion with God and all the company of heaven!

The Prologue of St. John's Gospel provides an overture, cluing his readers into the rich, thematic tapestry to be unwrapped: Life, light and darkness, grace, truth and glory, for example.

Verses 1 and 18 provide bookends to which he drops thematic hints to be discovered throughout his unique story of Jesus. John is the one who laid his head on the breast of Jesus, a similar image taken from the pre-incarnate origins of the divine Logos ... in the bosom or womb of the Father. The Word was made flesh in order to draw us all back to our origins in the Father's heart, the womb of the Father.

In this intimate place, we find rest for our souls, we find our destiny in Christ, in communion with God and all the company of heaven!