RoboPreacher

that the right song / can't make it better a sermon on Jesus' out-and-out glory on that mountainside The film, Banshees of Inisherin , a contender for this year’s best motion picture and probably a lock for my favorite film of the year depicts, without flinching and yet full of pathos, life devoid of Christ’s hearty redemption . The movie takes place on a fictional island, on the coast of Ireland, at the tail end of the Irish Civil War. In this movie, two drinking buddies come to an abrupt impasse. The rift emerges when one of the friends can no longer bear the prattle that passes for conversation in the pub. Colm, played just excellently by Brendan Gleeson, decides he no longer has the time to while away the hours. Instead of spending his afternoons idly at J. J. Devine’s, the local tavern, Colm determines to dedicate himself to more meaningful pursuits, primarily composing music on his fiddle. This sounds simple enough, but as you and I know, such things rarely are...

how do i look now The holy Gospel according St. Luke the 9th chapter! (v. 28-45) Every year, just before Lent, we have the Transfiguration . The account of Jesus clothed in all his glory . Often this is presented as the vision that sustains the disciples. Sustains them through the journey to the cross ALL the way to the exaltation of the resurrection. The “life-application” being that it’s no different for us . The mountaintop experiences of faith can sustain us through the tough times, too. It’s easy to see why this sort of sermon has so much traction . It has the ring of truth to it. Doesn’t it? This is how it goes in real life. If you want to accomplish anything, you’ve got to set your sights on the finish line through every obstacle that might get in the way. This narrative isn’t just repeated back to us in sermons , either. It’s the stuff of self-help, Hollywood, sports, and the like.   Of course, the really good ones subvert this trope. Self-help that eschews obje...

consider what's to come... The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke ! It had been a long day... So when the rabbi suggested a hike to go pray, the thought of relaxing instead, sounded more appealing.  Up on the mountain, as per usual, Jesus’ prayer stretched on. After not long, their minds began to wander, and then their eyes grew heavy... Before they could fall asleep, though, their attention was snatched. Jesus, right before their eyes, was changing . His clothes dazzled, his continence transformed.  Then , lo and behold! Moses and Elijah standing with him, talking about his Exodus in Jerusalem … Can you imagine ? It could have been hours, but you know it only felt like seconds. No sooner had they arrived, than they were leaving. Peter can’t just let this moment just pass him up. After all, it is too good for them to be up there, with these two holy men and their leader in his glory. "Let us build three dwellings,” he blurted out. We don't k...

i'm looking for something else to see The Holy Gospel according to St. Luke:   The transfiguration is an important event in the church-year. It always comes right before we head into that season of Lent. It is that final epiphany before we mount up our journey with Jesus to that cross. Transfiguration is that promise that the one we follow to the cross is indeed God's chosen one. Yes, the transfiguration is important.   The transfiguration is important because we remember that there are occasions when an instant seeing something changes everything, forever. Yes, this story always seems to capture our attention. When we hear that Jesus gets Peter, James and John together for a jaunt up that hill, we lean forward. For as many times as we have heard this story, we still imagine Jesus' clothing and face begin to dazzle as he prays. For all of the sermons we have heard preached on this transfiguration of Jesus, we still find it all too easy to i...