As usual, in preparing for this sermon, I read quite a few articles and commentaries on our Gospel passage. I was…let’s call it surprised, when only about 10% of them focused on the fact that the people receiving Jesus’ healing attentions in this passage are both women. And most of those noted only that Jesus […]

HOMILY—Pentecost 3—That Famous Mustard Seed “With what can we compare the kingdom of God, or what parable will we use for it?” In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity: Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Amen. I’ve learnt more about mustard and mustard seeds this past week than I ever thought I would, or probably […]

Great Spirit, may the words from my lips be ever pleasing to your ears. You who are before all else and who dwells in every object, in every person and in every place, we cry unto you. We summon you from the far places into our present awareness. (Prayer composed by Elder Noel Knockwood). Weliegsitpu’g. Welta’si na’ […]

And Jesus said to them, when you pray, say, Our Father in heaven, May I speak…. I can just remember when fathers were scratchy and mothers were soft.  My father wore a hard suit, his skin was prickly, his pockets were full of wallets and pens and keys which stuck into you, and he always squeezed my hand too […]

Sermon preached by Archbishop Fred Hiltz  (download) https://www.montrealcathedral.ca/wp-content/uploads/2015/06/Sermon-Ordination-of-Deacons-Christ-Church-Cathedral-Montreal.pdf  

When the Advocate comes, the Advocate will prove the world wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: Sin, righteousness, judgment, – not exactly the most encouraging words to begin my sermon – but how nice to be affirmed by Jesus that so many people, over the ages –  including us of course, have got it […]

a sermon on John 16:6-19 Saying good-bye is hard. Whether you’re the one leaving or the one being left, the anticipation of missing the ones we love makes us sad as we imagine our lives without them. But saying good-bye isn’t hard just because it’s sad – saying good-bye is hard because it’s a little […]

You did not choose me, – said Jesus – but I chose you. Which is not often how we think of our faith.  We like to think that we choose whether or not we believe, whether or not we come to church.  ….  how we live our life.  Jesus said :  You did not choose […]

HOMILY—3 May 2015—“That Outrageous Eunuch” In the name of the holy and undivided Trinity, one God, now and forever.  Amen. We were often asked when we were studying at Dio which scripture stories best exemplified our personal sense of calling.  For me, there were two: the first was the Road to Emmaus from the end […]

“We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us – and we ought to lay down our lives for one another…Little children, let us love, not in word or speech but in truth and action. And by this we will know that we are from the truth.” In today’s Gospel reading, […]

Sermon Easter 3   Luke 24:36b-48, Acts 3:12-19, 1 John 3:1-7, Ps. 4 About 2 weeks ago in a Bible study session in the chapel in the prison where I serve as chaplain, we spent some time on the Easter gospel text from John which we heard last week.  As the conversation had drifted into speculation […]