February 23, 2025
Seventh Sunday after Epiphany – Year C – Bill Harkins
The Collect
O Lord, you have taught us that without love whatever we do is worth nothing: Send your Holy Spirit and pour into our hearts your greatest gift, which is love, the true bond of peace and of all virtue, without which whoever lives is accounted dead before you. Grant this for the sake of your only Son Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Gospel: Luke 6:27-38
Jesus said, “I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you…
In the Name of the God of Creation who loves us all…Amen.
Deep River,
My home is over Jordan.
Deep River, Lord.
I want to cross over into campground.
The words of this powerful spiritual speak so well to us and to the life and ministry of so many,
February 16, 2025
Sixth Sunday after Epiphany – Year C – Bill Harkins
The Collect
O God, the strength of all who put their trust in you: Mercifully accept our prayers; and because in our weakness we can do nothing good without you, give us the help of your grace, that in keeping your commandments we may please you both in will and deed; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
The Gospel: Luke 6:17-26
In the name of the God of Creation who loves us all…Amen. Good morning, and welcome to Holy Family on this sixth Sunday after Epiphany. I have been thinking about the beginning of the Gospel text for this morning…the part where Luke tells us that Jesus came down from the mountain after naming the Twelve, and stood on a “level place” with a large crowd of disciples and others waiting for him. I found myself thinking about the implications of this act…particularly since Matthew’s “Sermon on the Mount” includes similar teaching but takes place on the mountaintop. Matthew’s version is also more “spiritualized.” He says, for example, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” Luke’s account, on the other hand, begins with “Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God.” Somehow the fact that Jesus came down from the mountain to this level place seems important.
February 9, 2025
5th Sunday after Epiphany – Year C – Bill Harkins
Collect
Set us free, O God, from the bondage of our sins, and give us the liberty of that abundant life which you have made known to us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.
The Gospel: Luke 5:1-11
Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gennesaret, and the crowd was pressing in on him to hear the word of God, he saw two boats there at the shore of the lake; the fishermen had gone out of them and were washing their nets. He got into one of the boats, the one belonging to Simon, and asked him to put out a little way from the shore. Then he sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. When he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch.” Simon answered, “Master, we have worked all night long but have caught nothing. Yet if you say so, I will let down the nets.” When they had done this, they caught so many fish that their nets were beginning to break. So they signaled their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both boats, so that they began to sink.
February 2, 2025
The Feast of the Presentation of our Lord – Year C – Bill Harkins
The Collect
Almighty and ever living God, we humbly pray that, as your only begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
The Gospel: Luke 2: 22 – 40
Almighty and ever living God, we humbly pray that, as your only begotten Son was this day presented in the temple, so we may be presented to you with pure and clean hearts by Jesus Christ our Lord; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
In the Name of the God of Creation who loves us all, Amen. Good morning, and welcome to this Holy Eucharist in observance of Presentation Sunday, the fourth Sunday after the Epiphany. The story of the Presentation is in many ways a result of showing up and being present for mundane, ordinary rituals. I find myself intrigued by this, and especially today, as we have been about the business of being and doing church. The characters in Luke’s Gospel account are going about the business of what is required of them by Torah, the Law of Moses. They are presenting their firstborn to be dedicated to God.