Sermons on contemplate:

Faith Seeking Understanding

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 1, 2014

God redeemed the world through suffering, and we can understand, if not fully comprehend, the mystery.

Thursday after Ash Wednesday 2014 Lumen Fidei On this first day after the solemn beginning of Lent, as we begin our forty-day retreat, the Church gives us some stark words. Deuteronomy tells us that the choice is between life and death, between blessing and curse. Honor and obey God alone, and ...read more

Scripture: Luke 9:22-25

Denomination: Catholic

On The Festival Of Purim Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 8, 2014

Theology is faith seeking understanding. It can help us see the relevance of God's Word to our lives, especially when we don't get what we pray for.

Thursday of the First Week of Lent 2014 Lumen Fidei In the Jewish calendar, which is a lunar, or thirteen-month calendar, spring is the time of Purim, the minor feast of deliverance. The story is well-known in all the world, to Jews and Christians. A Persian king had, in God’s design, an ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 7:7-12

Denomination: Catholic

Glory In The Midst Of Suffering

Contributed by Christopher Holdsworth on Jan 1, 2014

Even our friends might let us down, but God never will.

GLORY IN THE MIDST OF SUFFERING. 1 Peter 4:12-14; 1 Peter 5:6-11. I. Suffering, and the Christian’s response to suffering, has been a recurring theme throughout Peter’s first letter. This is in keeping with the whole tenor of Scripture: ranging from the trials of patriarch, prophet and Psalmist ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 5:6-11, 1 Peter 4:12-14

Denomination: Evangelical/Non-Denominational

Just Like Jesus And Mary Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 28, 2014

We need to understand what it means for the Word to become flesh, and dwell among us.

Seventh Day in the Christmas Octave (December 31) Thirteen Days of Christmas Every so often you’ll find a columnist or author complaining or inferring that God has no sense of humor, or that the Church is too serious. Today’s readings, on this last day of the year, prove that to be ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-18

Denomination: Catholic

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

Your Child Will Live Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 9, 2013

Wisdom gently attracts the mind of humans to a quest and a love for what is true and good through the beautiful. The modern mind no less than the ancient mind needs God.

Monday of 4th Week in Lent 2013 Gaudium et Spes Most commentators–even those who wrote in the first millennium–believe that John’s Gospel was the last one written. The historian Eusebius quotes Clement of Alexandria as saying that John, aware of the other three Gospels, wrote a ...read more

Scripture: John 4:43-54

Denomination: Catholic

Seeds, Part Ii: The Use Of Compost In The Spiritual Life Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 23, 2013

The seed that needs to die to bear much fruit needs nutrients; these come from composting the great temptations in our lives.

Tuesday of Holy Week 2013 Seeds 2 “Unless a grain of wheat fall to the ground and die, it remains alone; but if it die, it yields much fruit.” As we continue our Holy Week contemplation of the death of Jesus, we encounter the prophecy of Isaiah about the Messiah. This is a later ...read more

Scripture: John 13:21-28

Denomination: Catholic

The Mystery Of The Incarnation Made Real

Contributed by Michael Hopkins on Jan 4, 2013

A short sermon contrasting a new born baby with the depth of the wonder of God's nature.

As some of you know, my wife and I had our first baby in August - Joanna. She’s such a little thing: defenceless, can’t move very far on her own, can’t feed, drink or clothe herself, can’t talk, and doesn’t know the Christmas story. But she has got out attention, not ...read more

Scripture: John 1:1-14

Denomination: Presbyterian/Reformed

Scripture In Relation To The Church's Living Tradition Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jan 28, 2012

Our respect for the Word of God must always be subject to our understanding that the Bible is the Church's Book.

Monday of 4th Week in Course 30 January 2012 Verbum Domini In the OT, there are very few persons who are totally devoted to listening to and living out the Word of God. Abraham, Moses, Elijah, and then this wonderful, conflicted soul David, were four of them. Yes, they all had their weaknesses, ...read more

Denomination: Catholic

Your New Life Part 2 Series

Contributed by Andy Payne on Dec 12, 2010

Paul outlines what he expects as evidenve of a regenerated life in Christ.

INTRO: Tonight we conclude our series on Romans 1. The mega-theme: Because of sin the whole human race (Jews and non-Jews) need to be put right with God—Through Jesus Christ 2. Everyone are sinners – believers and non-believer – no difference between them 3. God has made a way ...read more

Scripture: Romans 12:1-8

Denomination: Baptist

The Purpose Of The Exodus Is Worship Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Sep 11, 2010

Liturgy is play of a special kind, the play of a child dependent on God; the purpose of being led out of slavery is right worship as God wants it, for our good.

September 13, 2010 The Spirit of the Liturgy Memorial of S. John Chrysostom Jesus came to gather together the dispersed tribes of Israel, and not Israel only, but the whole world. This is why St. Paul was so insistent that there be no factions at the celebration of the Eucharist. In the ...read more

Scripture: Luke 7:1-10

Denomination: Catholic

Mirror, Mirror. (Hix) Series

Contributed by Jimmy Haile on Sep 25, 2011

“Too many Christians mark their Bibles, but their Bibles never mark them!”

Mirror, Mirror Sept. 25, 2011 James 1:22-25-But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural ...read more

Scripture: James 1:22-25

Denomination: Baptist

Perfect Interplay Between The Word And Faith Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 26, 2012

The love that is the Holy Spirit is the power that saves us, and empowers us to be like Christ in the world.

Monday after Pentecost Memorial Day Verbum Domini Before the reform of the Roman liturgy back in the 70's, Pentecost had its own octave, culminating in Trinity Sunday. Whatever we may think of the change, we are now taken from the mountaintop experience of the commemoration of the coming of the ...read more

Scripture: Mark 10:17-27

Denomination: Catholic

Fulfilling Our Commitments As Evangelization Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 14, 2016

Doing what we should do can bring us joy, but we must still do it even if it leaves us dry.

Thursday in Pentecost Week 2016 Joy of the Gospel There are still some pundits and preachers out in the hinterland who insist that Jesus was just a great man, a great philosopher of love, that fire and brimstone have no place in religion, and that everyone goes to heaven. I suppose they ripped ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:41-50

Denomination: Catholic

Infinite Love For Infinite Sadness Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Jun 10, 2017

To enjoy infinite love curing our infinite sadness, we need to live by the moral code Jesus taught, the code of loving even our enemies.

Thursday of 2nd Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel “Our infinite sadness can only be cured by an infinite love.” Those words of Pope Francis ended our reflection last Thursday on the encyclical Joy of the Gospel. Now God’s love is unconditional. He loves even jerks, even sinners like me and ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 5:20-26

Denomination: Catholic