Preaching the Scriptures

  The Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Luke 12:49-56   Healing Flames St. Eustice, Lake Placid   The dog defiantly held an empty raisin box in his mouth.   What we did not know was whether the dog discovered an empty raisin box, or whether the dog emptied the raisin box.   And the dog, being a dog, wasn’t talking.   But the answer to the question was important.   In fact, it carried life and death implications.     My wife quickly called the emergency line and was instructed to hastily head to the store for the medicine – in this case, hydrogen peroxide: to make the dog, the dog with the raisin box, vomit.   It was immediately and abundantly clear: this would not be the relaxing evening we had planned.   I am sure the dog, quite pleased with himself for finding that box, was puzzled by the concerned looks and panicked energy in the house.   Little did he know: his happy evening of box chewing and attention was a...

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Mark 7:24-37   Enemy Lines Why, Jesus, why?   Why did you have to go and say such a terrible thing?   And to a woman?   To a desperate, heartbroken woman?   She wanted her daughter to be made well.   She begged.   And you called her a dog. This is a tough Gospel.   It is hard to understand; commentators and preachers offer a variety of explanations – for me, every one leaves nagging questions unanswered.   One of the problems is that it is difficult to square this episode with what comes before and what follows it in Mark's Gospel.   In the lectionary today, the story of the Syrophoenician woman is paired with the healing story that follows it.   After the encounter with this woman, Jesus heals another gentile – also in gentile territory – but without a negative word, without hesitation.   And you might remember from last week's reading that before Jesus' encounter with the...