I came across this verse this morning. “(LORD) all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be.” Psalm 139:16 (NIV) Is it not a comfort to … Read More
Lenten sacrifices
This Wednesday, we begin the 40 days of Lent (Fastenzeit) leading up to Easter. (The 40 days are counted not including Sundays.) Lent is a season in which we especially remember to exercise the spiritual … Read More
Living in the present
This morning I was struck by the thought that I add enormously to my stress load each day by piling on stress from yesterday and tomorrow. In fact, it occurred to me I typically carry … Read More
Keeping Step with the Spirit
On a recent Sunday at Christ Church, we considered St. Peter’s two-pronged exhortation to abstain from the passions of the flesh (sinful desires) and to live good lives in the world. (1 Peter 2:11-12) In … Read More
It’s God’s Gospel
On Easter Sunday we considered that on the morning of the Resurrection Jesus’ disciples did not yet understand from the Scriptures that He had to rise again from the dead. The apostle John admits as … Read More
Perfect Peace – Nightsong Homily 4
3 You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.4 Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock. Our reading from Isaiah 26 is an excerpt from … Read More
Counterfeit Lion – Nightsong Homily 3
“Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, firm in your faith.” – 1 Peter 5:8-9 Our short text from Saint Peter’s first … Read More
The Blood of the eternal Covenant – Nightsong Homily 2
“Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you … Read More
Come to me – Nightsong Homily 1
“Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” Let’s consider for a few moments this verse from Matthew 11 by reflecting on its 3 parts. The first … Read More
Light in the Darkness
Every year I am impressed (even surprised) by how early it gets dark in Berlin in the winter months. Yesterday at 4:30pm, it was darker than it is at 9:30pm in the summer, and we … Read More