Mother Suzanne reflects on how God used Caesar Augustus's census, intended for taxation and control, to fulfill ancient prophecies about Jesus's birth in Bethlehem. The true miracle of Christmas is found in God's surprising ways—choosing to reveal the birth of the King of Kings to lowly shepherds rather than the powerful, and coming not as a mighty ruler but as a vulnerable infant, offering grace and new beginnings to all who seek Him.

The Gospel                                                                                                                        Luke 2:1-20

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn.

In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for see-- I am bringing you good news of great joy for all the people: to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying,

"Glory to God in the highest heaven,
 and on earth peace among those whom he favors!"

When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger. When they saw this, they made known what had been told them about this child; and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds told them. But Mary treasured all these words and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

Mother Suzanne reflects on the powerful encounter between Mary and Elizabeth, two women in impossible pregnancies whose faith transformed shame into songs of praise and defiance. Through their story, we are challenged to consider what leaps for joy within us and whether we can trust that God is with us, even in our most difficult circumstances.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                             Luke 1:39-45   

 In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth.

When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord."

Artwork: The Embrace of Elizabeth and Mary, St. George Church, Kurbinovo, Macedonia

In this Advent sermon, Mother Suzanne explores how God's word came to John the Baptist in the wilderness rather than to the powerful leaders of the day. She reminds us that while wilderness experiences are painful and often avoided, they become sacred spaces of transformation where God meets us, makes our paths straight, and guides us toward salvation—if we accept rather than fight against these difficult seasons.

THE GOSPEL        Luke 3:1-6                                                                                                                       

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,

"The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

'Prepare the way of the Lord,
 make his paths straight.

Every valley shall be filled,
 and every mountain and hill shall be made low,

and the crooked shall be made straight,
 and the rough ways made smooth;

and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"

Artwork: St. John the Baptist Baptising the People, by Nicolas Poussin (1594-1665)

In this first Sunday of Advent sermon, Mother Suzanne shares how this liturgical season begins not with Christmas imagery but with apocalyptic messages that honestly describe our broken world. Through a deeply personal story of being comforted during her darkest moments, she illustrates how Jesus promises not to eliminate our suffering but to be present within it, fostering courage and calling us to show the same compassionate presence to others.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                           Luke 21:25-36

Jesus said, "There will be signs in the sun, the moon, and the stars, and on the earth distress among nations confused by the roaring of the sea and the waves. People will faint from fear and foreboding of what is coming upon the world, for the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then they will see 'the Son of Man coming in a cloud' with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, stand up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Then he told them a parable: "Look at the fig tree and all the trees; as soon as they sprout leaves you can see for yourselves and know that summer is already near. So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. Truly I tell you, this generation will not pass away until all things have taken place. Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

"Be on guard so that your hearts are not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may have the strength to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Artwork: Juizo Final, by Maerten de Vos - 1570

On Christ the King Sunday, the final Sunday of the liturgical year, this sermon explores how Jesus's kingdom "is not from here" (John 18:36) but operates through radical love and service. Mother Suzanne celebrates Grace's extraordinary impact through a mobile food pantry ministry that has distributed 3.5 million pounds of food over five years, demonstrating how Christians can order their world to align with God's kingdom values rather than worldly power structures.

THE GOSPEL                                                                 John 18:33-37

Pilate entered the headquarters again, summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you ask this on your own, or did others tell you about me?” Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.” Pilate asked him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice.” 

Artwork: Christ Before Pilate Again, by Duccio di Buoninsegna (c.1255/1260-c.1318/1319)

Mother Suzanne explores Jesus's apocalyptic vision in Mark's Gospel where He predicts the temple's destruction, revealing that God cannot be contained by physical structures. She reminds us that when we find ourselves amid life's rubble and ruin, we shouldn't fear, for God is present in our mess, bringing hope and new life through our struggles—just as birth pains lead to new life.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                                                            Mark 13:1-8

As Jesus came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”

When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birthpangs.” 

Artwork: Angkor Temple Ruins, by Kim Yoeung Seng

Mother Suzanne explores how Jesus's eyes are always drawn to those society overlooks, exemplified by the poor widow who gave her last two coins in Mark's Gospel. Unlike the scribes who "devour widows' houses," this unnamed woman gave her entire "bios" (life), foreshadowing Jesus's own sacrifice and teaching us the profound paradox that "life is gained and experienced more deeply by simply giving it away."

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                  Mark 12:38-44

As Jesus taught, he said, “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces, and to have the best seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets! They devour widows’ houses and for the sake of appearance say long prayers. They will receive the greater condemnation.”

He sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums. A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny. Then he called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance; but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.”

Artwork: Jesus and the widow's mite

Mother Suzanne explores the communion of saints—the whole family of God, living and dead—as we celebrate All Saints Day. She shares the powerful story of Saint Perpetua, an early Christian martyr, to illustrate how saints are not merely historical figures but companions who journey with us through time and space, spurring us toward love and good deeds through the indwelling of God's Spirit.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                                                            John 11:32-44

When Mary came where Jesus was and saw him, she knelt at his feet and said to him, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died." When Jesus saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, he was greatly disturbed in spirit and deeply moved. He said, "Where have you laid him?" They said to him, "Lord, come and see." Jesus began to weep. So the Jews said, "See how he loved him!" But some of them said, "Could not he who opened the eyes of the blind man have kept this man from dying?"

Then Jesus, again greatly disturbed, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, "Lord, already there is a stench because he has been dead four days." Jesus said to her, "Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" So they took away the stone. And Jesus looked upward and said, "Father, I thank you for having heard me. I knew that you always hear me, but I have said this for the sake of the crowd standing here, so that they may believe that you sent me." When he had said this, he cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come out!" The dead man came out, his hands and feet bound with strips of cloth, and his face wrapped in a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Unbind him, and let him go."

Artwork: The Raising of Lazarus, by Carl Heinrich Bloch (1834-1890)

Mother Suzanne shares her own gradual call to ministry alongside Bartimaeus's immediate call to discipleship in Mark's Gospel. She highlights how Bartimaeus, despite his blindness, recognized Jesus as "Son of David" and received healing through his persistent prayer, "Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me." Mother Suzanne challenges us to adopt this same prayer—"Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner"—when we need healing, direction, or forgiveness.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                  Mark 10:46-52

Jesus and his disciples came to Jericho. As he and his disciples and a large crowd were leaving Jericho, Bartimaeus son of Timaeus, a blind beggar, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout out and say, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” Many sternly ordered him to be quiet, but he cried out even more loudly, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” Jesus stood still and said, “Call him here.” And they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; get up, he is calling you.” So throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. Then Jesus said to him, “What do you want me to do for you?” The blind man said to him, “My teacher, let me see again.” Jesus said to him, “Go; your faith has made you well.” Immediately, he regained his sight and followed him on the way.

The Gospel of the Lord.

Artwork: Healing the blind man, by Václav Mánes (1793–1858)

In her sermon on Mark's Gospel, The Rev. Suzanne Smith explores how Jesus repeatedly taught his disciples about servant leadership while they failed to understand his impending death. She contrasts worldly ambition with "God's economy," where one becomes first by being last, emphasizing two essential truths: we are never alone, and we can never escape God's faithful love.

THE GOSPEL                                                                                                                                                            Mark 10:35-45

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came forward to Jesus and said to him, “Teacher, we want you to do for us whatever we ask of you.” And he said to them, “What is it you want me to do for you?” And they said to him, “Grant us to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They replied, “We are able.” Then Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you will drink; and with the baptism with which I am baptized, you will be baptized; but to sit at my right hand or at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.”

When the ten heard this, they began to be angry with James and John. So Jesus called them and said to them, “You know that among the Gentiles those whom they recognize as their rulers lord it over them, and their great ones are tyrants over them. But it is not so among you; but whoever wishes to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wishes to be first among you must be slave of all. For the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” 

Artwork:  Request by the mother of James and John, by The Classic Bible Art Collection (1866)