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Showing posts with the label Year C Proper 14

Sermon - Trinity XVII, 2026 - Luke 14:1-11

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The Peasant Wedding , Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1567 Honor in the Kingdom of Heaven The exalted ones are humbled The humbled ones are exalted “ When you are invited by someone to a wedding feast, do not sit down in a place of honor, lest someone more distinguished than you be invited by him, and he who invited you both will come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this person,’ and then you will begin with shame to take the lowest place. But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when your host comes he may say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all who sit at table with you. ” Jesus isn’t just talking about party etiquette. Sometimes Jesus uses ridiculous parables to teach a heavenly truth, other times He uses ordinary and relatable and uniformly understood parables to teach a heavenly truth. Today Jesus uses a well understood and practiced social custom about seating at wedding feasts. Everyone knows, regardless of you...

Sermon - Proper 14, Year C, 2025 - Luke 12:22-40

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The Martyrdom of Saint Lawrence , Jose Juarez, 1650 Be faithful, so that you may obtain a better treasure Faithfulness under trial Example of Lawrence The better treasure we are looking forward to What it means to be faithful today “ Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. ” Take heart, brothers and sisters in Christ, and do not be anxious about the cares and worries of life. Trust me, I’m fully cognizant that there are many things which make us anxious, and for good reason. The Lord knows about all of these things as well, which is why He speaks as He does; the Lord, knowing your griefs and worries, encourages you to be faithful in the midst of so many sorrows, so that you may obtain a better treasure than could be found on earth. Jesus admonishes us: “ Stay dressed for action. ” Or quite literally, He says: “Let your loins be girded.” This is battle language meant for a soldier, or instructions for someone about to engage in hard physica...