Sermons on Anglo Catholic:

New Year’s And The Way To God’s Kingdom

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 31, 2009

Force, violence and recession are all just external means to get attention, but the way to bring God’s kingdom begins with a conversion of heart.

New Year’s Homily Isaiah 4:2-3 The words from Isaiah today are the comforting part of a longer passage that I would like to quote in full. Isaiah is speaking for God, and talking about the day of judgement: Seven women will take hold of one man on that day, saying: “We will eat our own food and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 4:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

The Suffering Servant: At Odds With The World Series

Contributed by Andy Payne on Jan 3, 2010

“In a world where success is the measure and justification of all things, the figure of him who was sentenced and crucified remains a stranger.” —Dietrich Bonhoeffer, German theologian, pastor, and martyr (1906–1945)

The Suffering Servant “” Isaiah 52:13-53:9 INTRO: By all accounts Jesus is the complete opposite of what you would expect of a religious or political figure, let alone a military commander or battlefield tactician. In reality he was none of these things. He failed to bring about the military ...read more

Denomination: Baptist

Beatitudes: A Program Of Life Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 30, 2010

Our worship must be an authentic and total gift of self in the spirit of the Beatitudes

All Saints Day Nov 1 2010 The Spirit of the Liturgy Today is part of what we might call a great cosmic convergence, at least for our nation. Yesterday was both Hallowe’en, and, for Protestants, what they call Reformation Sunday, the anniversary of the great religious revolution that split ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:1-12

Denomination: Catholic

Open To Obedience Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 6, 2010

Jesus is the true sacrifice which we re-present in our worship; he is a perfect sacrifice of obedience to the Father's will

Monday of 32nd Week in Course November 8, 2010 Spirit of the Liturgy What the New American Bible calls “things that cause sin,” and the RSV translates “temptations to sin,” is the word skandala, which is lousy Greek but good Hebrew. The word “scandal” means a ...read more

Scripture: John 17:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

Religious Freedom, Fundamental Human Right Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 9, 2016

Religious freedom is a fundamental human right that is not restricted to the confines of a church.

Thursday in Third Week of Easter 2016 Joy of the Gospel Those of us who are blessed to be in the Catholic church for many decades tend to take for granted our sacramental realities, especially the Blessed Eucharist. I recall reading about a Muslim who, though totally without faith in the ...read more

Scripture: Acts 8:26-40

Denomination: Catholic

Gather Up All Things In Christ Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Oct 28, 2016

We generate history, not by politics and war, but by service to the poor and helpless.

Thursday of the 30th Week in Course 2016 Joy of the Gospel Every time we turn a page in the New Testament, we are–if we are sensitive–struck by how counter-intuitive the Christian message is. Consider St. Paul’s life. He was, by his own account, a super-Jew. He observed every ...read more

Scripture: Philippians 3:3-8

Denomination: Catholic

Preparing For The Coming Of Christ Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 5, 2016

An authentic faith – which is never comfortable or completely personal – always involves a deep desire to change the world

Thursday of the 31st Week in Course 2016 Joy of the Gospel We stand now very close to the conclusion of our liturgical year, our holy year of grace and mercy that concludes on the Feast of Christ the King. I’m doubly blessed because I get to celebrate Christ the King Sunday twice. In the ...read more

Scripture: Philemon 1:7-20

Denomination: Catholic

We Must Serve The Poor Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 25, 2016

The church ministered to the poor. If we lose that character, we are no longer the true church.

Fifth Day of the Christmas Octave 2016 Joy of the Gospel St. John the Evangelist is the apostle and evangelist of love, but he can write in very black-and-white manners. In his first epistle his language is stark: if you obey the law to love your brother you are walking as Jesus did. If you say ...read more

Scripture: Luke 2:22-35

Denomination: Catholic

"The Intersection Of Faith And Doubt"

Contributed by David Henderson on Dec 29, 2016

We know from previous passages of scripture that Jesus had given them the authority to heal and they had been successful many times. But this time they seem to be in over their heads. They pray and nothing happens.

"The Intersection of Faith and Doubt" Mark 9:14-24 We find in the scripture that nearly 40 times Jesus performed an act of healing. Water to wine. Fed 5000 without very little food. He healed the blind, the deaf; the lame. And the reason was simple: it was never just about the healing…it was ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:14-24

Denomination: Baptist

How Much Must We Do? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 30, 2016

It’s ironic that when dealing with these positive commandments, we don’t ever come to a point when we can say, “I have fulfilled them.”

Thursday before Epiphany 2017 Joy of the Gospel St. John teaches us today in both Epistle and Gospel: “By this we know love, that [Jesus] laid down his life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But if any one has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet ...read more

Scripture: 1 John 3:11-21

Denomination: Catholic

Becoming On With Christ Series

Contributed by I. Grant Spong on May 13, 2017

Let’s see how that Christians belong somewhere very special and how we get there.

Intro Have you ever felt like something is missing? What are we looking for? Jesus offers us an answer. Purpose Let’s see how that Christians belong somewhere very special and how we get there. Plan Let’s examine John 14:1-14 to see our permanent home and the way there. John 14:1-2 The ...read more

Scripture: John 14:1-14

Denomination: Baptist

The Road To Easter Runs Through A Cemetery

Contributed by Mari Larson on Apr 23, 2014

Good Friday was a necessary part of the Easter journey. The sermon shares a Leonard Sweet story about bell-ringing. (Each person who came to worship received a bell as they entered.)

They thought it was over. Jesus was dead and buried. The religious folks sighed with satisfaction. His followers wept in grief. But they were wrong! They were all wrong! From this side of Easter, we can call Friday “Good” because we know that it was not over, all had not been ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 28:1-10

Denomination: Lutheran

Mission And Suffering Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 29, 2014

We must not marvel that we suffer pain and persecution when we carry the message of Christ to our culture.

Thursday of the 14th Week in Course Lumen Fidei Pop singers and bands engage in a ritual–they all do. There’s a warmup act, usually a second or third rate band. It’s their Introit and Gloria, except the praise is of the human act to follow. There’s audience ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 10:8-14

Denomination: Catholic

What Is Our Action In Worship? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 4, 2011

Our action in the Holy Mass is to become one with Christ, to become holy through His grace, and to preach the truth of the Gospel.

Monday of 7th Week in Easter Spirit of the Liturgy At Ephesus, there were some disciples. They were probably emigres from Palestine who had settled in Asia Minor. They had received the baptism of repentance that John the Baptist had preached three decades earlier. This shows that there was a ...read more

Scripture: Acts 19:1-8

Denomination: Catholic

The Sign Of The Cross Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 19, 2011

We make the sign of the cross in our worship to show the embrace of the Blessed Trinity around our persons and our community.

Monday of 12th Week in Course June 20, 2011 the Spirit of the Liturgy Abraham, first called Abram, is named as our father in faith in the Roman Canon. What that means as we look back on him from the perspective of Jesus is that he offered himself as a gift to God more than he offered his sheep ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 12:1-9

Denomination: Catholic