Jesus Archives - LiftUpYourHearts

Two of the Seven

When it was noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. At three o’clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?’ which means, ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ When some of the bystanders heard it, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling for Elijah.’ And someone ran, … Read the rest

Law & Grace

March 26, 2025: Deuteronomy 4:1–2,5–9 Psalm 78:1–6 Matthew 5:17–19

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets,” said Jesus to the first-century equivalent of huddled masses yearning to breathe free. Rather like the European immigrants who passed by the Statue of Liberty on their way to Ellis Island, the Jewish people of Israel longed for … Read the rest

Amend, Amend, Amen

Lent 3C

“Why should it be wasting the soil?” asked the man with the unfruitful fig tree. I’m guessing he put himself in charge of DOGE, the Department of Gardening Efficiency. “If it’s not bearing fruit that I can see right now, cut that thing right down.”

The irony of this parable is that God is generally not that interested … Read the rest

Saint of Slavery & Freedom

Luke 6:27-38

In case you haven’t noticed, today is St. Patrick’s Day. Perhaps some of you are planning to go out for a not-very-Lenten Guinness later, or some cabbage and corned beef, or perhaps some are wearing green. Often your celebrants would be wearing green vestments: it’s the most common liturgical color in the church year, symbolizing growth. But today … Read the rest

The Miracle Between Us

Proper 25B

I’m both the daughter and the mother of physicists, so—even though I was never much of a scientist myself—I am fascinated with the intersection of scientific ideas and theology. I think that I share this interest with your priest, who has been kind enough to allow me to preach from her pulpit twice. Thank you, Mother Neli! Let … Read the rest

Pray. As You Can.

Proper 24B

When my two sons were young and we’d travel anywhere by car, they’d race to the driver’s side door calling “shotgun” at the top of their lungs. Honestly, I’m not really sure what the value of sitting in that front seat was. Because actually when they got a little older—and especially when their friends were in the car—nobody … Read the rest

The Questions Themselves

Proper 13B

Have patience with everything unresolved in your heart, and try to love the questions themselves as if they were locked rooms or books written in a very foreign language. Don’t search for the answers, which could not be given to you now, because you would not be able to live them. And the point is, to live everything. … Read the rest

Conspiracy Theory

Proper 11B

So I’ve been thinking about conspiracy theories this week. And no—before you start worrying about me—they have nothing to do with why the Secret Service didn’t heed warnings about a shooter climbing an adjacent building. Nor do they have to do with angels surrounding the former president nor with any divine anointing of his ear with blood. The … Read the rest

Freedom to be Family

Proper 10B

Since I haven’t been in the pulpit since I got back home, let me bring you greetings from the nearly 7,000 Episcopalians who gathered in Louisville Kentucky for the 81^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church. I was at there to serve as a hospitality volunteer for Latino ministries, which was a head-spinning and body-aching experience of … Read the rest

Only, Live Your Life

Proper 4B

Not gonna lie, this is a hard Sunday to preach. By now most of you know that I will be retiring before the end of this year, because my husband John is retiring from his career in public finance at the end of July. I love being a priest, and I especially love being your priest, but my … Read the rest