Matthew 02:13-23 / 1 Christmas A / 26 December 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
There is a woodcut by Albrecht Duerer from the time of the Reformation depicting the infant Jesus in the manger. Angels are hovering overhead as Mary attend to Him. Joseph stands off to the left looking through a doorway.…
John 01:1-14 / Christmas Day / 25 December 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (Jn 1:1)
People struggle at Christmas to find the true “reason for the…
Matthew 01:18-25 / 4 Advent A / 19 December 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
“Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” (Is 7:14)
King Ahaz was nervous, literally shaking like leaves blowing in the wind. His enemies to the north, Syria and the northern kingdom, had…
Matthew 11:2-15 / 3 Advent A / 12 December 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
Last week, the wilderness. This week, Herod’s prison. How quickly things have changed. Last week we heard John preaching a baptism of repentance, calling Israel back to her wilderness roots. Today we hear the question from the depths of…
Matthew 03:1-12 / 2 Advent / 5 December 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
“Prepare the way of the Lord; make His paths straight.” Matthew 3:1-12
Imagine yourself standing in the wilderness across the Jordan river. You hear a voice calling, shouting, from a distance. “Prepare the way of the Lord!” You see a figure…
Matthew 21:1-11 / 1 Advent / 29 November 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden. Zechariah 9:9
It’s the beginning of Advent, the start of the new church year, the time of…
Oh give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
for his steadfast love endures forever! Psa. 118:29
Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
and his courts with praise!
Give thanks to him; bless his name! Psa. 100:4
Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name;
the upright shall dwell in your presence. Psa. 140:13
All your works shall give thanks to…
Luke 23:27-43 / Proper 29C / 21 November 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
“Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.” - Luke 23:43
It’s an odd reading for the end of the church year. Ordinarily, we’d expect a parable of judgment - the sheep and the goats or…
Luke 21:5-32 / Proper 27A / 14 November 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. So also, when you see…
John 08:31-36 / Reformation Sunday / 31 October 2010 / Holy Trinity - Hacienda Heights, CA
Today is Reformation Day, the eve of All Saints, all Hallows Eve, Halloween, and so a little bit of everything this morning. 493 years ago today, an Augustinian friar and professor at Wittenberg University named Martin Luther posted 95 theses…