Category: Liturgical Feasts and Fasts
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Blessing Candles on the Feast of the Presentation (Candlemas)
Forty days after Christmas the infant Jesus was presented in the temple of Jerusalem and placed in the arms of the old man Simeon (Luke 2:22-40) who declared: Lord, you now have set your servant free to go in peace as you have promised; For these eyes of mine have seen the Savior, whom you… Read more
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A Blessing Specific to the Feast of the Presentation
The Book of Occasional Services, one of the liturgical books in the Episcopal Church, offers several blessings specific to seasons and feast days. It does not, however, offer a blessing specific to the Feast of the Presentation, a major feast in the liturgical year. The following blessing has been prepared based upon the collects and… Read more
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Into What Then Were You Baptized? – A Sermon on Mark 1:4-11
I remember someone saying to me many years ago, “I’ve had a bad decade. There are things I wish I could re-do. I’d make different choices. So many words I wish I hadn’t said. Relationships that I’d do differently.” It probably doesn’t take a lot of imagination to know what he means. It may not… Read more
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When a Star Isn’t a Star – An Epiphany Sermon on Matthew 2:1-12
“For we observed his star at its rising.” Wise men from the East have followed this star to Jerusalem. They will follow it to Bethlehem. They will be overwhelmed with joy when it stops over the house where the child is. For they have come to pay homage to this child who has been born… Read more
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A Star Powered Epiphany
St. Romanos the Melodist was a sixth century Byzantine hymnographer. Regarding the star that the magi followed (Matthew 2:1-12, the Feast of the Epiphany in the Western Church) he writes that Christ uttered in spirit to his mother: To all appearances, it is a star; but in reality, it is a power. It went with… Read more
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Epiphany Proclamation of Easter 2015
The Church has a couple of important and meaningful traditions related to The Feast of the Epiphany: the blessing of homes and the Epiphany Proclamation of Easter. I have previously written about Epiphany house blessings using chalk blessed during the Epiphany liturgy. The ancient Church had a practice of announcing the dates of Easter as well… Read more
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Epiphany House Blessing with Chalk
The Church has a custom of blessing homes (as well as proclaiming the date of Easter) on the Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) and the week following. Family and friends gather to ask God’s blessing on their homes and those who live in or visit the home. It is an invitation for Jesus to… Read more
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From Fact to Meaning – A Christmas Day Sermon on Luke 2:8-20
So what’s next? The crowds have dispersed, the hymns have been sung, and Christmas Eve has given way to the dawn of a new day. This morning’s light has overcome the night’s darkness. The waiting is over. The child has been born and the angel has announced the good news of great joy. So now… Read more
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The Manger of Christ Never Disappoints – A Christmas Eve Sermon on Luke 2:1-14
“To you is born this day in the City of David a Savior, who is the Messiah, the Lord.” (Luke 2:1-14) That says it all. That’s the Christmas truth. It’s the only thing that needs to be said or really even can be said. And it’s the only thing I have to tell you tonight.… Read more
Interrupting the Silence 