Preaching the Scriptures

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson 1 Peter 3:13-22   Reflections on the Water Last week, we witnessed eight baptisms, and today, yet another.   That is a lot of baptisms.   It is exciting to watch all these new Christians emerge from the water.   It's exciting to watch the Church grow.   And, so it seems to me that now is a good time to reflect on what we have witnessed, reflect on the sacrament of baptism.   I'm actually asked fairly often, probably because I am a priest: “ What do we believe about baptism? What does it mean? ”   It is a great question; it's also hard to answer.   And so my response is usually less than satisfying, usually something like: “ Well, it means a lot of things.   It's complicated. ” Which is true.   But also baptism is ridiculously simple – almost offensively so – like maybe it should be a lot harder to become a Christian.   Baptism is this simple water ritual.   It is putting a small amount of that which is most common on

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson John 10:1-10 Good Gate It is Good Shepherd Sunday but where is the shepherd?   Now, it’s true, we are in the middle of the city.   And our property doesn’t exactly lend itself to sheep farming – although I feel confident, if given permission, Mike Saccoccia could make it happen.   But really, because of our total lack of sheep and urban location, we are an unlikely candidate for a large shepherd population. But I did expect a shepherd today.   On this fourth Sunday of Easter, on this Sunday we traditionally call in the Church, “Good Shepherd Sunday”, I expected to find a shepherd.   I expected Jesus to hit the shepherd metaphor pretty hard.   Typically our Gospel reading on this Sunday is all about that wonderfully pastoral image of Jesus the Good Shepherd.   But while all the trappings are there, sheep and sheepfolds, the metaphor Jesus chooses is not the Good Shepherd; not this year.   This year Jesus is the Good Gate.   That is a wei