Christ Church Sermons by The Rev. Cara Spaccarelli (Page 2)

John the Baptist is not shy about calling everyone who comes to him to change. “May you have the wisdom to enter generously into your own unease.” (From For Longing, by John O’Donahue)

In the introduction to John the Baptist, we see the past, present, and future of God’s work come together.  It is a moment that encourages us to have faith today that God who has begun a good work in us will see it to completion, even when it doesn’t look that way.   

Practicing gratitude involves putting aside the worries of tomorrow that are distracting us from the joys of today.

The first chapter of Samuel gives an intimate view of a married couple burdened with the pain of infertility.  Faithfully they walk with the unsettled ache of grief and, in doing so, help us reflect on what to do in times when we or someone we love is deeply grieving.

In this Bible study style sermon, Jesus, a skilled debater whose techniques would fit right in with political debates today,  reminds us of what the most important thing is even in contentious times.

In the Old Testament story of Job, God responds to the perennial question – why do the good and faithful suffer?  Perhaps it is not the response, but that God responds that is the answer.

When Jesus encounters the rich man yearning for eternal life, he sees a man whose wealth has blinded him to looking beyond himself.  Jesus invites us to live another way.

With the backdrop of the past week in Washington (Ford/Kavanaugh hearings), the story of Esther resonates in a myriad of ways and leaves us with the question – “for just such a time as this” what do we do?

If taming the tongue is impossible like James says, why and how should we pay attention to our words?

Jesus encounters his own prejudice when confronted by a Syrophoenician woman and changes his behavior.  What about us?