Sermons on Maundy Thursday:

Faith Needs A Setting Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Mar 29, 2014

what is communicated in the Church, what is handed down in her living Tradition, is the new light born of an encounter with the true God, a light which touches us at the core of our being and engages our minds, wills and emotions.

Thursday of 4th week of Lent 2014 Lumen Fidei The name “Israel” was given to Jacob, son of Isaac and Rebecca, after an incident in which this patriarch wrestled all night with a divine being. That name means “God-fighter,” and it applied well to his descendants. Our OT ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 32:7-14

Denomination: Catholic

Baptism Is A Gift We Receive Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 4, 2014

God loved us so much that He gave up His only begotten Son, as the blood-price of our justification. You and I first enter that covenant when we, or our parents and godparents, make covenant promises to God at our baptism.

Thursday of 5th Week in Lent 2014 Lumen Fidei The Gospel of John, more than the Synoptics, clearly states what the Church has always and everywhere taught–Jesus is the fleshly manifestation of the same God who made a covenant of love and fidelity with Abraham. Although Israel turned its ...read more

Scripture: Genesis 17:3-9

Denomination: Catholic

Praying That Politicians Relish What Is Right Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 12, 2015

The coming of Our Lord Jesus Christ encourages us to work to restructure society around the Law of God, especially as that pertains to our stewardship of earth.

Thursday of 3rd week in Advent 2015 December 17 Joy of the Gospel Today is one of those pivots that our liturgical year turns around. In the first part of Advent, we look forward to the return of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, and the general judgement and resurrection that He promised. In other words, ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:1-17

Denomination: Catholic

Free To Serve, Or Not Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 14, 2015

We will be judged on our service to the poor--but do our social systems make it easy or difficult to do so?

Thursday of 33rd week in course 2015 Joy of the Gospel Two things tie our Scriptures together today. The obvious one is that they are texts written in or about a time of injustice and disaster. In the first reading, the Syrian king Antiochus IV has decreed that all his subjects would act like ...read more

Scripture: Luke 19:41-44

Denomination: Catholic

The Joy Of The Gospel And The Option For The Poor Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Nov 24, 2015

When we act in favor of the poor–either by providing housing and food and medical care or by helping them to build systems that provide those things–we are acting as the Father and Son have done for us.

Thursday of 1st week in Advent 2015 Joy of the Gospel During the time of Advent, we look forward to the return of Our Lord Jesus Christ. The prophet Isaiah speaks of this “day of the Lord” as one based on the security provided the faithful by the Rock, the Lord God. The haughty and ...read more

Scripture: Isaiah 26:1-6

Denomination: Catholic

Discerning A Turning Point In History Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Dec 13, 2014

Christians must discern whether changes in the culture are actually movements of the Spirit, or not.

Thursday of the 3rd Week in Advent 2014 Joy of the Gospel Yesterday we began the second phase of our Advent preparation. We ceased calling on Christ to return in glory, and we began our proximate preparation for the commemoration of the humble birth of the righteous branch who grew up to reign as ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 1:18-25

Denomination: Catholic

Mary, The Church And The Joy Of The Gospel Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Aug 12, 2017

"He [God] will dwell forever in the knowledge and love of each faithful soul”

Thursday of 19th Week in Course 2017 Joy of the Gospel The story of Joshua and the people of Israel crossing the Jordan River in flood season, on dry land, is reminiscent of the crossing of the sea by Israel in the time of Moses. We needn’t concern ourselves with just how it happened. Into the ...read more

Scripture: Joshua 3:7-17

Denomination: Catholic

What's In A Name--The Divine Name? Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on May 9, 2024

Jesus is standing between the Father and the people, very much like Moses on Sinai or in Jordan before they cross over into the land of promise.

Seventh Sunday of Easter 2024 Today we celebrate the Seventh Sunday of Easter, so we have had six full weeks since our Resurrection day. Most US Catholics today celebrate the Ascension of Jesus, but we operate here on the calendar that prevailed for almost two thousand years, until the US bishops, ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 20:7, Acts 1:15-26, 1 John 4:11-16, John 17:11-19

Denomination: Catholic

Inclusion Is What We Need, Not Power Hungry People

Contributed by Michael Koplitz on Aug 11, 2021

Jesus rebuked His disciples because they wanted to keep the power of healing for themselves. This is happening in church today even though Jesus said it is wrong!

I think that it is sad that when I read this narrative, it made me think about the control the church has held over people for almost 2000 years. The church used only one verse, thus out of context, to control people. Catholics could not own a Bible until 1964 CE. The idea that a person has to ...read more

Scripture: Mark 9:38-41

Denomination: United Methodist

The Celebration Of Passover Series

Contributed by Roshelle Brenneise on Apr 7, 2025

Evening arrived and all the disciples were there. A sense of expectation filled the room – something special was about to happen – they just knew it!! Maybe Jesus was FINALLY going to establish his kingdom and announce his cabinet (which, of course, would be them).

April 05, 2025 The disciples had been with Jesus for more than 3 years. They had listened as he taught and watched as he worked. They had witnessed the feeding of the 5,000, the raising of the widow’s son, the healing of the lame, the restoring of sight to the blind. Peter had even walked with ...read more

Scripture: Exodus 12:11-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

Denomination: Seventh-Day Adventist

The Greatest Saint Meets The Greatest Criminal Series

Contributed by W Pat Cunningham on Apr 14, 2025

We don’t know what was going through Judas’ mind as he took the bread and wine offered by Jesus as His Body and Blood, but we can be pretty certain that he didn’t think he was doing evil.

Wednesday of Holy Week 2025 Is it possible for the greatest criminal not to know he’s doing evil? Today we have a case study from Scripture on the greatest saint who ever lived, and the greatest sinner. The saint, of course, is Our Lord Jesus Christ. The sinner—and we are all sinners, after ...read more

Scripture: Matthew 26:14-25, Isaiah 50:4-9

Denomination: Catholic

It’s Party Time - Mark 2:18-22 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Jul 29, 2023

Jesus is asked why his disciples don’t engage in the expected fasting like John’s and the Pharisees. Answer: his presence is the arrival of God as bridegroom bringing salvation to Israel, so fasting would be inappropriate.

Mark 2:18 Now John’s disciples and the Pharisees were fasting. Some people came and asked Jesus, “How is it that John’s disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees are fasting, but yours are not?” 19 Jesus answered, “How can the guests of the bridegroom fast while he is with them? They cannot, so ...read more

Scripture: Mark 2:18-22

Oh God, Why? - 1 Peter 2:19 Series

Contributed by Darrell Ferguson on Dec 21, 2024

Job responded to horrible suffering with worship. How could you learn to respond like that?

Thursday evening after I put the finishing touches on my sermon, I went out for a walk with all the prayer cards to pray for you all, and about ten minutes into my walk I received the most painful phone call I have ever received. One of the dear sisters in our church went to be with Jesus at age ...read more

Scripture: 1 Peter 2:19

To Have Endurance For This Life You Have To Keep Your Eyes Focused On Jesus

Contributed by Ernest Canell on Jan 23, 2001

runinng the race with endurance

Intro- prayer – open your bibles with me to; Hebrews 12: 1-3 “ Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on ...read more

Scripture: Hebrews 12:1-3

Denomination: *other

No Compromise On Holiness Series

Contributed by David Petticrew on Mar 16, 2004

An introduction to the book of Daniel and a look at the first chapter where we learn that we are not to compromise our personal holiness.

Introduction Well it had to come sooner or later. I’ve tried to avoid it as long as possible. But I seem to be left with no choice, today I have to face it. Yes it’s time to look at the Bible story that’s all about eating your vegetables, or is it? I guess those of you that know my life style ...read more

Scripture: Daniel 1:1-21

Denomination: Holiness