Vocations Newsletter

I think of today’s readings as a gift. Rarely do all three scriptures have a unifying theme, but this Sunday they do, perhaps a gift for the preacher—meaning me. But I think a gift for all of us seeking direction in life. And that is what I call the Gift of Purpose.Each reading tells us about someone finding purpose through some action of God… people as different from each other as Isaiah is from Peter and Peter from Paul. And I from you. What we learn today is that God’s action in our lives does not have to be dramatic or extraordinary, although it can be. After all, Isaiah prophesied the coming of the Messiah. But let’s remember, Peter was a fisherman and Paul was a kind of policeman of his day. Neither was on retreat or deep in prayer while fasting when they heard the voice of God. They were just at work doing the things that society expected of them. The way you and I do.Today’s readings remind us that the Gift of Purpose in our lives is not only unpredictable but it’s also unmerited. Nothing indicates that Isaiah, Peter or Paul are called because of their character,…
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“How do we really know that God cares when Black people are still getting killed? How long do we have to wait for the justice of God? I get it, that Christ is Black, but that doesn’t seem to be helping us right now.” These questions from her son prompted theologian Kelly Brown Douglas to undertake this soul-searching reflection. The killing of George Floyd and the ongoing litany of Black victims raised questions about the persistence of white supremacy in this nation, leading her to reflect on how a “white way of knowing” has come to dominate American identity and even to shape the consciousness of Christians.In exploring the message of Confederate monuments and the “Make America Great Again” slogan, she examines the failures of even “good white Christians” and struggles with the hope that “Black Lives Matter,” before reaching deep into her own experience and the faith of Black folks to find her way back to Resurrection Hope. Learn more about the book: https://www.orbisbooks.com/resurrection-hope.htmlAbout the Author:The Rev. Canon Kelly Brown Douglas is the Canon Theologian at the Washington National Cathedral. In 2017, she was named Dean of Episcopal Divinity School at Union Theological Seminary, NYC. She is considered a…
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“If I speak in human and angelic tongues, but do not have love, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal.” 1 Corinthians 13:1Charity begins at home. At least that’s what the Nazarenes thought about the doings of their favorite son. They wanted Jesus to work a few miracles in their own backyard—and maybe send a message to their enemies to boot.Knowing human nature as he did, Our Lord was ready for the challenge. “Physician, cure yourself” is doubtless the proverb he expected to hear—and he did. His neighbors and relatives wanted him to do the things they heard he had done in Capernaum. That demand did not go over well. Jesus admonished the crowd, suggesting that they take up the challenge to cure themselves instead. What he meant was care for one another… place your own needs and concerns after the stranger’s and those who are suffering. To make matters worse, Jesus specifically referred to God’s kindness toward Israel’s enemies: the widow from Zarephath, and Naaman the commending general of Aram’s armies. That was too much for the Nazarenes to hear. They drove Jesus out of town with the intention of actually killing him.
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Today this scripture passage is fulfilled in your hearing. (tb confirmed)Luke 4:21Jesus, as we know, was a very great teacher and preacher. During his public years, he attracted crowds throughout Galilee as he taught in synagogues throughout the land. The crowds, St. Luke tells us, celebrated his message, not just his preaching skills.In today’s Gospel, Jesus is in his hometown, Nazareth, where he joins the elders of the community as a scripture reader at the Sabbath service. A fellow worshipper gives Jesus a scroll of readings drawn from Isaiah and the words are prescient. In sum, the message goes something like this: “The spirit of the Lord is upon me. I have been appointed to bring good news to the poor. I have been sent to release the prisoners, to recover the sight of the blind, to comfort those broken into pieces, and to proclaim a year acceptable to the Lord.”
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