Pandemic What if you thought of it as the Jews consider the Sabbath— the most sacred of times? Cease from travel. Cease from buying and selling. Give up, just for now, on trying to make the world different than it is. Sing. Pray. Touch only those to whom you commit your life. Center down. And…
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Thoughts on 2nd Sunday in Lent, March 8, 2020 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com The final line of today’s Gospel is the directive of Jesus to Peter, James, and John who just experienced the Transfiguration of their new teacher. Jesus said, “Do not tell anyone of the vision until the day of resurrection.” This line…
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Thoughts on Ash Wednesday, February 26, 2020 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Homily delivered at the annual Ash Wednesday Eucharist celebrated jointly by the two communities, Wauwatosa Area United Methodist Church and Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles. At 2PM on Ash Wednesday a mass shooting leaving 6 persons dead in its wake took…
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Thoughts on 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 16, 2020 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Last week I mentioned that one underlying purpose of Matthew’s Gospel is as a message to the Jews, particularly the ones who lived away from Palestine, who found themselves curious about if not attracted to this Jesus and the story…
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Thoughts on 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 9, 2020 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Few lines of scripture are more often used, misused, and even abused than the theme of the city on the hill, especially in the USA. It seems to me this line, as we heard it in today’s passage from Matthew’s…
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Thoughts on Christian Unity Sunday, January 19, 2020 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com This morning I would like to consider the case that we have arrived in the 21st century at the point that religion and the practice of religion is a matter of cultural choice. Cultural, that is, in place of institutional. Remember when…
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Thoughts on the Feast of the Baptism of Jesus, January 12, 2020 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com This feast of the Baptism of Jesus marks the end of the Season of Light (Christmas-Epiphany-Baptism of Jesus) and the liturgical transition to that section of Ordinary Time that concludes with Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. …
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Thoughts on the 4th Sunday of Advent, December 22, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com A central irony of Advent-Christmas is that with all the necessary plans, the set gatherings of family and friends, the detailed lists and preparations as well as the scheduled ceremonies, with all that, what is celebrated is the barely known…
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Thoughts on the 2nd Sunday of Advent, December 8, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com This homily benefits from the contribution of Christina Gschwandtner in her reflection for the community on the phenomenology of Eucharist with attention to this Season of Advent. Her “Further Reflections” is a gift to the community as we begin liturgically…
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Thoughts on the Feast of Jesus Christ, Ruler of the Universe November 24, 2019 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Our faith, spirituality, religiosity thrives on imagery. Today’s feast has historical and liturgical roots in a view of what we formerly called the Church Triumphant. The images of our youth give way to mature ways of…
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