Preaching the Scriptures

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Psalm 51   Repentance   When this season opened – Lent, we call it – I remember there was unexpected snow. We came to this place, to this lawn, to be marked with the dust of death; we walked to our cars drenched in the water of life.   The snow was another symbol, washing us as we were cleansed – white flakes mixed into our black ashes.   Something about how In the midst of life we are in death.       And as we received our mixed messages from the heavens, we committed ourselves, once again, to a holy Lent.   We said words about repentance.   And mourned the 40-day loss of chocolate.       In the snow and ashes, our souls once again tried to digest the heaviness of the Lenten Exhortation, with its complex invitation and its intimidating expectations.   And the choir was singing, from the inside out, Psalm 51.     Today is the fifth Sunday of this season, the fifth ...

  The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson John 3:14-21   At Home in the Dark   Are you afraid of the dark?   I must admit: when I was a child I was.   I was afraid of the dark for the very reason Jesus gives in today’s Gospel.   Because darkness gives cover to the evil deeds of nefarious people.   And when I was a child I was afraid one of those depraved individuals would break into my house while I was sleeping.     You see, we lived beside a junkyard, actually shared a driveway with the junkyard.   And from my bedroom, which was at the end of the house closest to the drive and farthest from my parents, I could hear the cars creeping over the gravel through the darkness.   In those chilling moments of the night my body would tense, my breathing would slow, my ears would become as attentive as those of potential prey: I wanted be ready in the event that my house was indeed the intended destination.   Most importantly, I ...