October 4, 2026: Feast of St Francis

 
As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church

Tobit 4:5-11,16-21; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31; Matthew 11:25-30

Last week Br Luke challenged us to realize we are also commissioned by Christ to continue the work He was given by his Father. How do we proclaim this new life Jesus taught to all who believe?

Jane Goodall, who died last year on October 1, 2025, after spending her life first studying and then protecting Chimpanzees, has been quoted as having said, “We will have to evolve, all of us, from ordinary human beings into saints… or at least mini-saints.” St Francis, whose feast we celebrate today, reminded his followers that we are to be extensions and partners of the Source of goodness. We serve as conduits, channels through which the love of God is given to all with whom we come into contact. Created in God’s image, our fulfillment comes about when we allow the likeness of God to develop in us.

How do we do that?

The word of God is not revealed to us in a flash. Answers to our questions leave us wondering and wanting more.  God’s word is an invitation to go deeper.  Jesus said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and carrying heavy burdens… learn from me; for I am gentle and humble of heart… for my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” This morning’s Gospel reading
Part of wisdom is recognizing the limitations of our knowledge and understanding in dealing with the ultimate meaning of life. Wisdom manifests itself through humility.

Humility teaches us that we are not masters of our own destiny, nor can we control what happens around us. In accepting all of ourselves and our experiences, including suffering and failure, we learn to truly trust God. We can take each day and each moment as it comes, and seek to find our own life-giving path.

How do we allow the likeness of God to develop within us?

We can reflect that it is a gift from God to realize that God is Love. How many other gifts do we recognize as God’s gift to us? Our own ability to love others is a gift.  It is a gift to know that we are part of all humanity. When we pray, we are praying for all other humans who exist—for what we consider the bad as well as the good within everyone.  All humans are my brothers and sisters. Allowing ourselves to show anger or impatience towards another is hardly a way of being that conduit of love to which we are commanded. Those who scheme, hoard, withhold, and store up excess for themselves alone, who attempt to collect and keep everything for themselves, are motivated by fear, selfishness, and a disbelief in the providence and love of God.  Seeing ourselves as we really are, rather than what we wish to be, is a suffering. It can make us bitter or blame another, or it can help us be humble and turn to God for help. Besides noticing all the things we consider good in humanity and in creation itself, we may come to realize that even our sufferings are gifts. 

Let us give thanks to God for our many gifts and keep looking for ways to be the conduit of God’s love!

Christ is in our midst!

Sermon 221 September 27, 2026 Lk 4:16-24; 1Cor 15:1-11; Is 61:1-9. Fulfilled - Stages

 As Preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church

       Almost every western movie or TV show had some kind of travel going on in vehicles known as stage coaches. Travel was very wearying and dangerous in those days. In some ways it still is. Those vehicles were called stage coaches because they traveled in a succession of stages. Travelers where happy to make it from one stage to the next.

       Life is a journey, a procession. When we look back over our lives we more clearly see the various stages or milestones that marked our journey. As one stage concludes another begins.

       The scene described in today's Gospel from St Luke follows  Christ's baptism in the Jordan and the temptations in the wilderness.  Jesus goes to Galilee, to his hometown in Nazareth, to launch his ministry. On the Sabbath he went to the synagogue as usual where he is handed the scroll of the prophecy of Isaiah. He reads a portion of that text which in today's world one might call his mission statement. Then he tells the congregation this prophecy is being fulfilled on their hearing. When things are fulfilled, are we done?

       He is just embarking on his mission, so, what has been  fulfilled? The first verse of the quotation tells us what is fulfilled: "the Spirit of the Lord is on me." And yet, his mission lies ahead. The waiting for the Messiah is over, he has come and it is Jesus. But the journey is not over. The next stage is just beginning. The rest of the quoted prophecy is about what Jesus will do to carry out his "anointed" mission.

       Revealed at the Jordan, tested in the wilderness and now announced openly. He begins to proclaim the Good News outlined by Isaiah. The Lord's favor is being bestowed on those who have been marginalized by society: the poor, prisoners, the blind, the oppressed; now these are the favored ones. He says this to everyone because it is a call to a revolutionary change in the way society treats its members. Through teaching, healing, consoling, and uplifting he does the work of his Father. He was commissioned by the Holy Spirit at each stage of his life for this ministry. The voice at his baptism, the Spirit leading him into the desert and now the announcement through the prophet Isaiah.

       Then comes his passion and death. And while dying on the cross he says again that it is fulfilled. What is fulfilled? The work of his Father that was to be done by his son in person on earth, including his death on the cross. That is fulfilled. But that is not the end. What comes next is the resurrection and the commissioning of his disciples and followers, that includes us, to continue this work in the next stage. What remains to be fulfilled is to be fulfilled by each succeeding generation, commissioned by the Spirit, sent by the Father, as Christ says to his disciples.  Christ's resurrection is the culmination of his work, but it is the inauguration of our work.  It is the proclamation of new life to all who believe.

Exaltation of the Cross - September 14, 2026

Homily — September 14, 2026

Exaltation of the Holy Cross
by Sr. Rebecca
Holy Wisdom church

This morning we are celebrating the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross.

During this feast as well as on Good Friday, the liturgical chant is most moving and soul-penetrating. How does the meaning of this feast penetrate our lives?

One of the prayers during this feast expresses this: “Oh God, as we reflect on this mystery of the Exaltation of the precious cross, impress on our feeble minds how much we need to embrace the cross, in whose rough surface we see ourselves as we really are.”

The cross we are celebrating today is surrounded with beautiful, colorful flowers.

Over these past years the rough surface of the cross, not without the flowers, reflects the unspeakable tragedies, suffering, familiar to all of us. But this is only one side of the mirror of the cross; the flip side is what is mirrored within ourselves, our small selves. No one is spared feelings of powerlessness to change the situations that we are facing, each one of us personally and globally.

One of Richard Rohr’s readings addresses this reality: “The well-prepared mind forgets the suffering inflicted from without to the guidance to what has been contemplated within.” I’d like to unpack this phrase: the first part – ‘suffering inflicted from without’: if our minds are stayed on the surface we will be inclined to indulge in anxiety, worry, blaming, accusing, explaining, trying to make logical sense of our personal and global plights. We tend perhaps to go to our heads, to try to figure things out.

However, when we allow ourselves to go deeper—the reading continues: “looking at suffering from what has been contemplated within”, we will see with clarity how our ego-small selves are trying to control what is not in our control. On a very personal level, what is going on in my mind when I come into contact with what upsets my planning, what bruises me, what challenges me in my daily life? These are examples of a multitude of situations where we are not in control of our lives. Our ego impulsive reactions are mirrored to us when we cannot do what we want or need to do in any given situation. I personally find that paying attention to the small gritty sides of life makes me aware of willfulness rather than willingness to face life’s ‘crosses’ consciously, intentionally in the light of Christ’s presence which never leaves us. When we find ourselves succumbing to irritation, anger or any other negative reaction, it is not God who is absent, it is our mind that is absent, the “unprepared mind” as the saying above expresses. Unprepared mind: it is staying on the rough surface of my attention and especially when glued into my ego-mind.

The crosses are most often not ones we choose but ones that are thrust on us through life’s circumstances. When we look beneath the veneer of our attitudes, our impulsive reactions, we quickly see a kind of self-centeredness that persistently puts our personal needs and agendas before the well-being of others.

These attitudes are perhaps one of the biggest obstacles to the manner of perceiving and hearing the ‘word of God’ within us. To really listen to our soul consciousness. Practicing soul consciousness allows us to see blessedness around us; the illuminous beauty of the cross enables us to experience what is most precious in life: Love, to notice the subtle sensitivity around us, to feel connected with ourselves and in our relationships with others and creation. Paradox of paradoxes: what is felt as death-dealing is in fact life-giving. Isn’t this why we surround the cross with flowers during this feast? The cross perceived in this light is blessedness in the deepest sense of the word. Bliss! It is transformative into the Risen Christ: within and without.

Christ is in our midst!

August 9, 2026: Sunday after Transfiguration

 As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church

Malachi 2:5-7, 3:20-24, Acts 13:25-41, Mark 9:2-13

We have heard so many inspiring words this past week. What will we take with us on our own journey through life?  

In the first reading from Malachi this morning the warnings are quite dire. Yet it all ends with Israel leaping with joy like a calf being released from its stall. As Malachi preached for the ones who revere the name of God and keep God’s law are the truly happy ones. What Jesus came to teach is the law of love.

How do we acquire the wisdom to live this law of love? Some people think that Jesus wasn’t really sure that the suffering he saw coming was really what God willed for Him. That is why he went up the mountain to pray. Moses and Elijah spoke with Jesus during his Transfiguration, and, we think, assured him he was correct in his understanding. Then the three apostles were told to listen to Jesus, and surely, having seen Moses and Elijah and the Transfigured Christ, they were more open to Jesus’ teaching than before. Their previous understanding of the Messiah was not what Jesus had been teaching them. We see by the length of time the apostles took to really accept Jesus’ teaching of what their Messiah is, how difficult to change our thinking as well. It was not until Pentecost they were convinced of this law of love.

The law of love entails work on our part. In today’s world, the effect of whatever work each of us does—intellectual, artistic, social, communal, or individual—must be good for the globe: that is, for all creation, as well as for our particular area, ourselves included.

 A spirituality of work has many components. Work is our gift to the world. It can build the human community, which needs to be based on mutual service, respect, gentleness, and equality.  It can and does lead to self-fulfillment. It can save one from total self-centeredness. It gives a reason to exist that is larger than oneself. It enables the Creator to go on creating.

A spirituality of work is that by which we come to know that our work is God’s work, unfinished because God intends it to be finished by us. As a society, we depend greatly on the support of those around us and when this is lacking, faithfulness to our deepest beliefs becomes more difficult. Some seasonal variations in one’s inner life by having to exist in an environment that does not nourish our deepest aspirations can shrivel up one’s spirit and self-esteem. To the extent that we live in such a situation, we need to strengthen our faith by a constant remembrance of God’s word as we interact with an ever-changing world.

Some of the words spoken by Dr. Popa yesterday can help steer us in a helpful direction.  The law of love entails being mindful of God’s presence in our life. Our creating God continuously lures us toward being all that we can be: images of Christ in union with God. In our enthusiasm to carry out this law of love, remember to take care of ourselves as well.

Jesus’ mission to his followers was to preach that the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. How to do it was to do what Jesus did: to respond to human needs. Work sanctifies by calling us to save the globe for others and to save others for the sake of the globe.

Christ is in our midst!

Sermon 220 August 8, 2026

 As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Churc

Lk 9:28-36; 2Cor 3:5b-8, 12-18; Wi 7:25-8:1 Pilgrimage. Seeing in a new light.  

 

       When I was a kid in school learning vocabulary, one common exercise was to give students a new word, or words, to be used in a sentence. This was to help us understand, and maybe even remember, the new word. That word for us today is Transfiguration. I suspect, outside of this feast, we don't use that word very often, if at all. It is specific to the event the apostles Peter, James and John experienced with Jesus on the mountain not long before his passion. Maybe we can bring the wonder of this into our ordinary life experiences. We might think of it as seeing something in a new light.

        The apostles had been living with Jesus during his entire ministry. They could see him in daily life as an ordinary person, the son of man, spoken of in scripture. A teacher of remarkable wisdom. But they were constantly struggling with the reality beyond worldly reality, of Jesus as divine, as the perfect reflection of God, the creator of all things. Whether it was about the calming of the stormy sea, healing all kinds of diseases, turning water into wine, multiplying the loves of bread or driving out demons, they remained mystified, openly wondering who is this man?

       So Peter, James and John were given an insight not shared with the other apostles, a vision of Jesus beyond earthly boundaries. They saw him in a new light, literally. They experienced something so astonishing, they were thrown to the ground. They got a glimpse of God's cosmic reality. But even that was too much for them to fathom. And maybe for us as well.

       It is not unusual to hear of Jesus referred to as the Cosmic Christ. For me, this is simply another way to understand that God is the author, the creator, of all things. It is hard to conceive cosmic more broadly than that. What Christ was opening up to Peter, James and John on that mountain was a vision of the connection between this created world and the creator of this world. Christ was revealed in this new light as the fulfillment of the law and the prophets as represented by Moses and Elijah who appeared with him. And yet, it all vanished in a cloud in an instant.

       But it is not gone. Our eyes can really see that connection in all that we experience in our seemingly ordinary lives if we let God transfigure our hearts. Our interior disposition has to be open to this possibility. We at New Skete are fortunate. Here on this mountain we are graced with the natural wonders of creation.  We are embraced by God's creation when we walk around these grounds or hike our trails and allow our senses to be open to penetrate the divine reality beyond the immediate visual and sensory experience. And by breeding German Shepherd dogs, we participate in the birth and early growth of their puppies, living beings. Seeing creation's constant wonder unfold, literally, in our hands. This is soon to happen again as one of our brood bitches is carrying 10 puppies and is due to give birth any day now.

       Our speaker today, Ioana Popa, will take us on a journey into the realm of scientific inquiry grounded in faith. A journey to help us better appreciate that scientific research and discoveries do not deny God but help us understand a little better the enormity of God's creation. We humans will never be able to wrap our minds totally around the wonder that is God, but every scientific breakthrough takes us another step further along that path. 

Homily for the Feast of the Transfiguration, Aug. 6, 2026

 As preached by Brother Christopher
Holy Wisdom Church 

 

“But Jesus came and touched them saying, ‘Get up and do not be afraid’. (Mt 17:7)

 

I’ve always felt that this feast of the Transfiguration takes place on two levels: bad news, good news. On the one hand, it occurs immediately in the gospel after Peter’s confession of faith that Jesus is the Messiah, then Peter’s subsequent misunderstanding of that which earns Jesus’ stern rebuke, and then Jesus patiently explaining his coming destiny of suffering, to be put to death by the elders and chief priests. Only then, ultimately, will he be raised to life. But even more, he explains that true discipleship means that we, too, share in the cross. Remember his words: “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” Only then is there the proper and broader context to understand the real mystery of the Transfiguration. Because Jesus knows that he is traveling to his death. On this level, the Transfiguration ratifies both his destiny and identity.  The broader picture is good news, the ultimate triumph of the Kingdom of God, a world bathed in divine light. But the immediate path is through suffering and death. Do we truly appreciate that tension?

Moses and Elijah, flanking Jesus, have often been seen as a sign of the Law and the Prophets confirming that Jesus indeed is the one who they have been waiting for. But I believe there is an additional meaning which, while not contradicting the first, adds a fuller dimension to their presence. For both Moses and Elijah were considered to be prophets who were initially rejected by the people but ultimately vindicated by God. Their presence foreshadows what Jesus will soon face in Jerusalem: rejection, suffering and death. At the same time, the heavenly vision, the radiance that is the transfiguration of Jesus points to an aftermath of glory and triumph. The heavenly voice confirms this: “this is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” And while Peter, James and John are thrown face down in fear at this revelation, Jesus simply touches them and tells them to get up and not to fear. It is with the lightness of that touch that the 14^th century mystic Julian of Norwich perceived so tellingly: “All shall be well, all manner of things shall be well.”

              But there is another level of this feast that has been picked up by tradition and which has helped make the Transfiguration one of the most popular feasts of the year: the deeper perception of a world bathed in divine light. The icon of the feast depicts this, the divine light radiating from Jesus not only on the disciples, but on the rocks... plants... in effect on all creation; Creation is illuminated in its pristine beauty and shares in this deifying vision. That is part of the grace we experience here on this property. From the time of our beginning in 1966, to the building of our monastery on this property from scratch, we have been immersed in a natural beauty that reminds us constantly of the divine light that fills all creation. It has helped us break open the mystery of the Transfiguration, so much so that it is the patronal feast of New Skete. May our prayer only serve to increase our ability to see the reality of this manifestation in ever deeper ways.

 

6th Sunday after Pentecost - July 12, 2026

 As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church

2 Kings 4:25-37, Romans 8:1-11, Matthew 9:18-26

The Gospels of Mark and Luke both give longer and more detailed accounts of the two miracles in today’s gospel. What are we to make of this very brief description from St. Matthew? It seems that Matthew is attempting to make a point of Jesus’ concern for each of these individuals. Matthew does not dwell on either person’s motivation for seeking help. By extension, he would like us to realize Jesus’ concern for each of us, whatever our motivation is. It does not matter how we come, no matter how inadequately or how imperfectly we come—only that we come seeking help. We come to Christ exactly as we are, and Christ’s Spirit is able to make us what we are able to become. We can always say no to our inspirations, since God does not force us but does continually give us other chances to be Christ-bearers.

 

In today’s Epistle, St. Paul’s admonition to the believers was that when a person became a Christian, there came to them the surging power of the Spirit of God. Sinful human nature makes it easy to be absorbed in all kinds of things that appeal to and are dominated by the flesh. The flesh making us prone to envy, murder, jealousy, anger, selfish ambition, sexual immorality, idolatry, greediness, covetousness, and malice.

 

Paul taught that If the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in us, then our mortal bodies, our flesh, are Spirit-controlled, Christ-controlled, and God-focused. We then come to realize that Jesus became human to show us the way. The way is to see the goodness in all that God created. It is when our mortal bodies unite with our spirit that we are truly Christian.

 

In Matthew’s rendition of these two miracles, it is clear that Jesus is responding to the need of others. In following this Christian way and responding to other’s needs, our actions can bring about hardships for us. Christ’s self-emptying, exemplified by his life on earth, are lessons in self-giving we can aspire to as our own lives progress.

 

If our communities are based on mutual service, respect, kindness, and equality, these are virtues exemplified by love. The domination of one sector of society by another, or the notion that violence can be solved by violence, or the failure to examine all aspects of every question, or the attempt to use one group of people for the comfort and convenience of another, is destructive to any society.

 

 Communities are composed of individuals. In our day and age, individuals can be in danger of getting lost. People tend to become numbers in the social security system, or members of any association or union or ethnic group, rather than the individuals we are. God loves each of us individually because we are all unique from one another.

 

The woman in today’s gospel was not simply a poor woman obscured by the crowd; she was someone to whom Jesus gave of himself wholeheartedly, for it seemed that nothing but her need existed.

 

Christ is aware of each of us in our need. So it does not matter how we come, no matter how inadequately or how imperfectly we come. We come to Christ exactly as we are, and Christ’s Spirit is able to make us what we are able to become.

 

When we remember that we are loved, we are prompted to be able to love the other and respond to their needs.

Christ is in our midst!

 

Sermon 219 July 5, 2026 Mt 8:28-9:1; Rom 6:8-18; Is 65:1-10. Demons.

 As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church

“The devil made me do it!” We may laugh when we hear this excuse for someone’s behavior today, but when Jesus walked this earth, being demon-possessed was no laughing matter. People strongly believed that strange behaviors and illnesses were often the work of demons. Sin was also viewed as the cause of ailments. And sin might be the invitation to the demons. Our understanding of medical science has brought us a long way from those views, but the feeling of being out of control of one’s own behavior is still a reality and it has a biblical pedigree as St. Paul reminds us this morning and laments in the next chapter of Romans that he doesn’t do what he wants to do and does what he hates. [Romans 7:15]

The opening of this gospel scene presents us with a powerful image of Jesus’ battle with evil in our world. Jesus didn’t just happen to run into these demon possessed individuals, he went to this place on purpose. And the demons knew it. They accused him of coming to destroy them before time. And what time was that? Kairos time. In God’s time, the demons had already lost their battle, but not here on earth in kronos time. Not yet. All the images presented in this passage are of a place that was polluted, the demoniacs were living among the tombs, the village inhabitants were not Jews but pagans and they were raising pigs, thought to be dirty as well. And Isaiah warns us of this too. The dialog in Matthew is virtually all by others, the demons and the townspeople. Jesus says only one word: go! And by showing these villagers that the evil of this world must GO, they responded as we often do, instead of heeding his warning, they ask Jesus to leave. And he does.

         Jesus can help us battle our demons, personal, communal, and societal, but we need to say yes. Yes, to his teachings. And we might think that should be easy, but we often find that it is not. When I am engaged in a discussion with another person with whom I have differences, how do I bring the peace of Christ to that situation? Listen. But my inner voice, [maybe my ego?], is telling me I’m right, why do I need to listen? But the better question is: why do I need to be right? That is where my inner work is. Agreeing or disagreeing isn’t the problem, needing to be right and for the other to accept that I am right is at the forefront of the dispute. And how far can the dispute go? A shouting match? As scary as the demoniacs in Gadara? Or a fight or a rupture of relationships. And this little drama can be carried out at any level of society all the way up to war between nations, as we see in many places today.

         In the Gadara story, and equally in our lives and our world, Jesus seeks out evil to combat it. But those caught up in the moment need to be willing to accept Jesus’s example. Jesus said go and the demons went and took other evil forces with them. But if people or nations are more concerned about power, money, and influence over others, then they will complain about the loss of the pigs [the things they think are valuable] rather than celebrate the healing of the “demon possessed,” the peace of Christ.

         True medical illnesses need the wisdom and skills of trained medical professionals. This story is not about a magical cure, this is much more basic. It is about confronting and combatting evil. Jesus didn’t come to bring peace but a sword. [Mt 10:34] In other words we do not make peace with evil, but the combat with evil is about following the teachings of Christ that conflict with the ways of the world. The more aligned with Jesus’ teachings the more likely true peace will grow in us and in our world.

Pentecost May 31st, 2026

 As Preached  by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church

Joel 2:23,3:5 Acts1:11, Jn 7;37-52,8:12

A question I have had since my youth is why does Scripture in most translations state there was no Spirit? We know the Spirit is referred to often in the Hebrew Scriptures. I have found only one older translation that was -no Spirit given or, as in this mornings reading, no Spirit as yet-which makes more sense.  Jesus needing to be glorified by being taken up to join the Father first before the Spirit could be given still leaves me wondering what these words all meant.

However, the important thing to understand from this morning’s gospel is that the Spirit was given to Christ’s followers and caused them to be fearless and courageous in spreading the Good News that Christ had been teaching them.

We too, have been given this same Spirit. I t is the living water Jesus promised us.

The words of the prophet Ezekiel;  A new heart I will give you and a new Spirit I will put within you … “I will sprinkle clean water on you and you shall be clean from all your idols. The prophet’s words are very powerful as they remind us of the continuous temptations to worship idols and false gods even in our own day if we can but recognize them.

It is so easy to have vengeance in our hearts and acid in our souls. A new heart can save us from any desire to hurt as we have been hurt. To punish another if we have been punished or to terrorize if we have been terrorized. The living water Christ is giving us is the strength it takes to listen rather than to judge, to trust rather than to fear, to try again to make peace even if peace seems to elude us.

An ancient elder taught that the first task of the spiritual life is learning to see our own reactions clearly. When angry, how quickly do we justify it? When fearful, we like to think it is being wise. Do we truly know our motivations for what we do and don’t do? Some of us live in this world as if we are already in the next.  We remove ourselves from things that are so called worldly in order to aspire to heavenly things, rather than seeking justice for all people or care for the oppressed or confronting evil. There is a tension between what is considered profane and what is spiritual. The holy life, if Jesus is our model, means pursuing spiritual fulfillment in the midst of the sacred secular.

This living water of Christ enables us to be builders of the human community rather than destroyers. This living water helps us understand the Joyful Sorrow of the Cross. The cross teaches us how to celebrate without arrogance, how to hope without cruelty, how to speak of victory without being triumphalist. This living water centers us in God. It does not mean we have no other interests but God but all other interests are meant to bring us closer to God. They do not take God’s place in our lives but enables the Spirit to enhance the meaning of everything.

When we reach the point where we can look beyond ourselves, we find God in the rest of creation. Life spills over with the wonder and awesomeness of God.  We find the fullness of the Spirit for which we have been looking and searching.

Once we begin to recognize God at work in us, everything becomes holy, becomes life -giving. God is a sense of life now and of life to come.

Christ is in our midst!

Sermon 218 - Jn 11:47-52, Ep 3:4-7; 14-21 Ac 11:1-18 Council Fathers - Honesty or Expediency?

 As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church

I'm not sure if it was planned or just worked out that way but putting this gospel reading with the commemoration of the First Ecumenical Council in Nicaea [in 325] highlights the inner workings of decision-making bodies, both religious and political. The Council Fathers crafted the Nicene Creed but only after a lot of inevitable wrangling and the exclusion of some alternative viewpoints [Arius in particular]. The Sanhedrin came to the conclusion that Jesus's teaching was appealing to so many people that it put the whole Jewish nation in jeopardy of being destroyed by the Romans and so he had to die. Was that the only reason? Or were they more concerned about losing their power to this upstart teacher over whom they had no control?

       Both councils had political objectives. The Ecumenical Council was convoked by the political authorities not the church. They wanted clarity on doctrine so that the church would be a force for unity and control in the empire. The Sanhedrin was concerned about their power. Pointing to Rome as the threat allowed them to use the fear of Roman power to reinforce their own power. But expediency as a motive for the gathering and outcomes of both councils, did not overturn God's plan. The Good News of Jesus Christ is about God as love not power. But also that love can overcome power.

       Caiaphas, the High Priest at that time, explained Christ's death as a necessary way to save the nation. This was also God's plan but in a larger sense. Through God's plan, salvation became available for all people as God entered into our human reality fully. Through his suffering, death and resurrection, Jesus opens for us the way out of bondage to suffering and death. Abraham preparing to sacrifice his son Isaac at God's command, prefigures Jesus's passion. Abraham trusted God's promise that many generations would flow from Isaac, and so, Isaac would have to live, for that promise to be fulfilled. Isaac, and the generations that issued from him, including David and his line, were saved by God's action.

       The Nicene Creed may not explicitly refer to God as love, but  the doctrine codified by the council lays out the path for the salvation of all people, which is the ultimate objective of God's love. How we get there is based on how we live in this world where God has placed us for a while. This is the message of St Matthew's gospel reading on Judgment Sunday at the beginning of the lenten, passion and resurrection cycles of the church year.

       So for us, God's power to transform human weaknesses or misguided motives into building blocks for his larger goal, should never be minimized. When we face crises or challenges that seem overwhelming, don't conclude that God is absent. God's ways are beyond our fathoming, deeper than our minds will ever be able to go. Turning logic upside down, deflating our egos, undermining our presumptions, stepping in when all seems lost, healing our brokenness, all are God's specialty. When we get out of the way, and let God be God, then we experience in our own lives the fullest meaning of Jesus' Ascension that we have been celebrating this week.

       Glory be to Jesus Christ

Third Sunday after Pascha

As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church

May 3, 2026  

1 John 3:16-24; Acts 3:1-16; John 5:1-15 (Pool of Bethzatha)

Χριστὸς ἀνέστη! (Khristós anésti! Христос Воскресе! (Khristos Voskrese!) 

This morning’s gospel was about the third miracle that Jesus did after coming from Judea to Galilee in his public ministry. The first was changing water into wine. The second was healing the royal official’s son from afar. Early on, Jesus show us his attitude towards those in need as well as to those he befriended.

Was Jesus alone when he saw the man in one of the porticoes near the pool?  No mention is made of anyone with him, only that he was on his way to Jerusalem, keeping the law that on three of the major Jewish feasts, all men within a certain distance from the temple had to worship in and pay tribute to the temple.

 Jesus asked the man if he really wanted to be cured, knowing that some invalids can get quite comfortable being cared for. The man’s answer was immediately -- yes. He explained that others could make it into the waters before him, since it took him so long to drag himself there. Since he had been there for 38 years, it seems that miraculous (looking) cures had taken place during those years. According to history, people of those generations believed in the miraculous powers of water. Wouldn’t you hold that belief, if for no apparent reason the still waters of that deep pool bubbled up?

In the gospel account, the man believed that Jesus could heal him. So strong was his belief that he picked up his pallet when directed by Jesus and started on his way, only to be challenged by others who saw him disregarding the Sabbath laws. When Jesus saw him later in the temple, he counseled him to not make the same mistakes as he had before, as even worse things might happen to him. (I don’t think Jesus was saying that all diseases and misfortunes are due to our mistakes, or sins, but in this case the man had caused his misfortune by what he had done.)

When we have no thought of God,  I see a miracle in how God so often seeks us. No other religion or belief system has the vision of a seeking God. When we are approached by God, do we open the door of our hearts?  In the letters of St John verse 20 the Risen Christ says: “I am standing at the door and knocking.”

St Bernard, back in the 12^th century, often said this in his discourses to the monastics: “However early they might wake and rise for prayer on a cold morning, or even in the dead of night, they would find God… waiting for them.”

Can we learn to translate the day-to-day happenings in our journey through life as Christ knocking at our door?  Difficulties in our lives are often seen as obstacles to faith or punishment or disapproval by God. Yet, so often, they can help us realize our dependence on God when we find we cannot control everything around us, when we find the strength needed to endure pain and hardship, when we learn to enjoy all creation and our life.

Besides the miracle of realizing Christ is knocking at our door, do we see happenings in our own lives or in others as miracles? Like the paralytic, may we believe in the miracle of Jesus Christ being with us to help us love one another by truly wishing the well-being of our neighbor.

Christ is Risen!

 

Sermon 217 April 19, 2026 Jn 20:19-31, Col 1:13b-20 Ac 2:22-36 Thomas Sunday

 As preached by Brother Luke
Holy Wisdom Church

Christ is Risen!, Christos Aneste! Christos Voscrese!

 

       How do we move beyond the unavoidable painful experiences of life? Denying them or convincing ourselves that they never happened is not the answer, even though our head and heart may want to choose one of those paths. Holding onto them and never letting go, like scratching at an old wound, constantly obsessing over every slight, injury, abuse, ... is also a dead end. Today's gospel lesson gives us an insight into how, in St. Paul's words, Christ strengthens us to do anything, [Philippians 4:13] including to move beyond the pain.

       What was behind Thomas's refusal to believe his brothers when they told him they had seen Christ? The proof he wanted to see was not just Jesus, but to physically touch the wounds in his hands and side. Without those wounds, it couldn't possibly be the real Christ, the one who suffered and died for us. But the wounds were there and Thomas touched them and cried out: my Lord and my God.

       Christ emerged from his crucifixion and death, not unscathed but undaunted. The evidence of his trials and suffering were still there, they were real marks from his suffering, but he had overcome them. They did not disappear. They were the marks of his life, but not impediments to his goals. He still needed to accomplish his goal to energize his apostles and disciples to spread the Good News far and wide.

       Thomas was not alone in needing to be convinced of Christ's resurrection. On another occasion, [Jn 20:18] recounted in the passage preceding the one we read today, all the disciples had refused to believe Mary Magdalene and the other women when they told the disciples they had seen Christ. Christ's visit to the apostles, when Thomas was absent, was needed to reinforce the truth of what Mary Magdalene had reported. 

       Christ's wounds proved to Thomas the reality of the resurrection. His appearance to Thomas and the other apostles rekindled their belief in and commitment to the message of the Good News. Thomas went on to proclaim the Gospel deep into Asia where ultimately he died a martyr in India. The other apostles also preached the Good News in many other lands and many died as martyrs.

       The realities of life inevitably inflict wounds on all of us. Christ's return visit to the apostles in response to Thomas' skepticism, also fulfilled Isaiah's prophecy, "through his bruises, you have been healed." [Is 53:5; 1 Peter 2:24] He shows Thomas, the other apostles, and us, that even though we may still carry the scares of life's wounds, we can emerge from those trials in a better place.

       He is calling us to rely on him and on his experience to help us rise above the unavoidable trials and sorrows of this life. For  the life Christ is calling us to, here and now and in the future, is one of joy beyond all imagining. He is with us, to help us move beyond the immediate challenges so that we can truly experience the life prepared for all of us. When we shout Christ is risen, it is not just a proclamation of the good news about Christ, it is a clarion call by all of us join with Christ in the risen life, the destination we are called to.

Christ is Risen!

Sermon 216 March 22, 2026 Is 59: 12-20; Rom 13: 8b-14; Lk10: 25-37 “Good Samaritan – Go and do likewise.”

 As preached by Brother Luke

Holy Wisdom Church

       When we hear the story of the good Samaritan it is easy to be drawn into the praiseworthy character of the hero of the story. In history and even in current news stories, people acting like the Good Samaritan can lift our spirits, especially in the midst of tragedies and despair. In our tradition the Good Samaritan represents Jesus Christ. And that is the model we are invited to replicate in our own lives. At the end of the story, what did Jesus say to the lawyer who identified neighbor as the one who showed mercy? “Go and do likewise.”

However, as we ponder this story, we dare not forget the stories of the other characters, which may touch us in ways that bring up moments in our own lives when we acted like the priest or the Levite, or felt more like the poor unfortunate traveler: pummeled, robbed, striped naked and left for dead by the circumstances of our lives or psychologically debilitated by the oppressive realities of the world today. So, we can see two different sides to this story played out in our lives: Lenten repentance and paschal resurrection.

When we see someone in need, we have the option to help or turn away, as did the Priest and the Levite. If we turn away, then our Lenten journey opens the door for our repentance. This is when we can devote additional time for prayer and recollection around some of our past decisions and actions. It can be a time to seek forgiveness from others or even ourselves. We may even feel the presence of Christ bearing a light to guide us to repentance, forgiveness and new behavior when the next opportunity arises. And when it does, to make ourselves available to others in need. Our change in ourselves is a resurrection.

When we are the ones in need, we may pray for someone to help us, or at least listen to us. When this happens and others come to our aid in our time of need, might we see this as our prayers being answered, as Christ moving through others to come to our aid? Also a resurrection for us.

How we respond to such a situation can depend on how we understand the situation. This brings us to the central image of the story: who is my neighbor? When Christ refers to the two most important commandments to live by: love God and love your neighbor, neighbor takes on a character that is expansive and all inclusive. It’s not just our next-door neighbor, though it could be, nor our neighborhood.

       The resurrection reality strikes home to us when we finally realize that everyone is our neighbor and the world is one human community and we need our neighbor and they need us. In the Good Samaritan story, all the characters are one human reality. Even though the Samaritan is outside the Jewish clan, Jesus, as Jew takes on that role to obliterate the barrier. Even the robbers are part of the “family”. Their story is part of the fabric of the human condition. Repentance and resurrection are offered to all. God’s purpose and Jesus’s actions and teachings are intended to show all humanity the path to the Kingdom which begins with each one of us right here on earth.

       No screening process is to take place. After all, who was the person who was robbed? We don’t know. And the Samaritan? An outsider. The person God places before us who is in need is our neighbor. And when we respond like the Good Samaritan, then we are living our baptismal pledge to “put on Christ,” as we show mercy and “go and do likewise” as Jesus commands us to do.

Glory be to Jesus Christ!

 

February 15, 2026 Judgement Sunday

 As preached by Sister Cecelia
Holy Wisdom Church

Job 22:1-11,31:16-23,29-37; Colossians 3:5-17; Matthew 25:31-46

We have heard many sermons about the sheep and goats and while this morning’s Gospel reading might lead one to believe that God will judge us according to how we live the gospel teachings, I believe the emphasis isn’t on the judgement. It is on how well we embrace the message that all humanity is the Christ.

How do we treat the Christ in one another? The meaning of the parable is not that evil will be punished and good rewarded. But it is the love of Christ through loving one’s fellow beings that Christ is urging us to embrace. Jesus taught that God doesn’t judge our sins; but, like the father of the Prodigal Son, God only has love for us.

Jesus did not urge the crowds to disobey either the civil or the religious laws. He said to follow the law but to know that obedience to the law is not the way to the Kingdom of his Father, our God.  Jesus stressed that all the laws are fulfilled when we come to the place in consciousness where we will be able to love God and our neighbor as ourselves: our whole selves—our psychological selves, our physical selves, our mind, and all our senses. The meaning of the parable is not that evil will be punished and good rewarded, but that we love Christ through loving our fellow beings.  

Now, the question in my mind: How do we go about achieving this Christ Consciousness?

It seems to me that in ancient times the emphasis on being good was mainly how one took care of orphans and widows. Cultures change, and the emphasis in recent times is taking care of the poor, the downtrodden, and the hungry—and being just. The Epistle to the Colossians this morning has whole lists of what to cultivate within ourselves and a list of what not to embrace. 

Is being good the emphasis we need to achieve this Christ Consciousness? We think of sin as being the opposite of good. It has been said by a contemporary Greek Orthodox mystic, Spyros Sathi, that there is no sin; there is only experience. All humans will grow spiritually until the attainment of theosis—the realization that one is an integral part of God, the God within.

 It’s also been said we are the temple of God.  Would the thought that I am the temple of God enable me to love more as God loves? I hope it would help me to be more understanding rather than inclined to bitterness, envy, or cynicism which are attitudes we are inclined to think of as not being good.

To achieve this Christ Consciousness might require relooking at the idea of good and evil. Most people who we might think are evil, think they are doing or being good. Growth is needed, and sometimes it is by making mistakes that we grow. It is the experience of living, making choices, and thereby growing.

Achieving this Christ Consciousness takes time. It takes waiting, which  is something most of us would like to avoid. It is spiritually challenging but is an essential part of life. “Be still before the Lord and wait patiently” and “Those who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength” are refrains from the Psalms and there are many more.

Recently I came across something that applies to this thought of Christ Consciousness:

Two little fish were swimming along toward a spot where they might find food. Along came a bigger, older fish going the opposite direction. As he came along beside them, he said “Good morning little ones. How’s the water?” They each continued on their way but eventually one little fish said to the other, “What the heck is water?”

Christ is the water.

This coming Lent is an opportunity to be still and realize that waiting in faith is what God asks us to do as we strive to understand to really see the Christ in everyone we meet.

Christ is in our midst!