Preaching the Scriptures

  The Rt. Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Matthew’s Passion [26:14-27:66]   A Reflection on the Passion Gospel St. Thomas, Tupper Lake   Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my Lord?   Today we heard a story of unfathomable tragedy.   It is the story of an innocent man captured by the tremendous momentum of human violence.   It is the story of the one Roman crucifixion that is still worn around our necks.   And it occurred so long ago.   And so you, of course, were not there.   Because this tale transpired almost two thousand years ago, in a place far from here, a place still too familiar with violence and death.   The events of our Gospel took place long before St. Thomas Episcopal Church was founded.   Long before the Episcopal Church held its first Convention.  ...

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Luke 22:39-23:56   An Introduction to the Passion according to Luke   I am very sorry to tell you that the story you are about hear does not have a happy ending.   Not yet.   I don’t fault you if you expected better.   The Gospel story you heard just minutes ago, outside, in the garden, set, I suppose, unrealistic expectations.   You will soon hear the rest of that story.   And I feel I should warn you: it does take a shocking and horrific turn.   It all takes place on what feels like an impossibly small timeline. The entire story, beginning with the colt ride through Jerusalem, ending with the mysteriously vacant tomb, takes place over the course of just one week. The time between Jesus’ celebrated entry into the Holy City and his arrest is just a few days. And the arrest, trial, sentencing, and crucifixion: well, they all take place in just a matter of hours, before the earth can even make one complete ...

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson Mark 10:35-45 Passion Passion Passion Three times.   This has happened three times.   In the verses immediately preceding today's Gospel reading, Jesus predicts his passion and death for the third time.   And for the third time, his disciples just don't get it. After the first passion prediction in Mark's Gospel, Peter took Jesus aside and rebuked him – which Jesus did not love.   You might remember Jesus gave Peter the less-than-desirable nickname “Satan” after that little encounter.   Peter expected big things from Jesus; that is why he was following Jesus.   He was sure Jesus was selling himself short.   Surely he could do better than death on a cross.   That was a pretty low bar. The first try didn't take, so Jesus tries again.   Still not successful.   After the second passion prediction in Mark's Gospel, the disciples argue about which of them is the greatest; they spent the road ...

The Rev. Jeremiah Williamson The Passion according to Mark Lonely Jesus In the end, on the cross, he was alone.   Just utterly and completely alone.   Everyone else, all those who promised to stay, left and he died alone. It wasn't always that way.   There used to be crowds – not mocking crowds, not gawking crowds.   Adoring crowds, at least fascinated crowds.   They used to follow Jesus and listen to his words and marvel at his authority, his charisma.   Days earlier, just a few days earlier, when he entered Jerusalem, they greeted him like a Messiah, like their Messiah, with palm branches and shouts of joy.   They celebrated him.   But not now.   The city of his triumphal entry is also the city of his passion and death.   Some of the same people are still around – but now they are yelling out insults, making fun of this, making light of something infinitely heavy.   They are there but they are no longer with him...