Sermons by Rev. Jason S. Glombicki (Page 9)

That was an odd Gospel for Lent. We usually hear the resurrection stories after Easter not in the weeks leading up to it. Well, if you haven’t heard, today begins our 5-week experience with the Year W lectionary. The “W” stands for “women,” and the lectionary text are translated by Dr. Wilda Gafney with a lens towards women’s stories and experiences. So, the translations of the texts are going to feel a little different, and the types of stories we hear during Lent will be different as well. Perhaps this is the point of this experience!

Jesus said, “Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.” A key term here is “piety.” Which if we were translate it more literally, we’d get the term “righteousness.”…

There is no easy way around it. Today’s gospel reading is a tall order. “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you.” Or, to translate a bit differently from the Greek, “pray for those who insult or hurt you.” Jesus’ words are not standard practice in our world. Far too often, retribution, revenge, hatred, insult, rejection, intimidation, and the like seem to propel us further…