Presiding bishop preaches at New York’s Trinity Church
[Episcopal News Service] Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe preached Dec. 7 at New York’s Trinity Church, describing the Gospel story of John the Baptist as a surprisingly appropriate set-up for the seasonal anticipation of the coming of Christ.
“No [better] way to get into that Christmas spirit than hearing about broods of vipers and chaff and unquenchable fire,” Rowe said with a smile, eliciting chuckles from the congregation. John the Baptist is “like the one relative” who is willing to tell “inconvenient truth” at the family’s dinner over his “locust casserole.”
But John the Baptist also was following his ministry in the wilderness and calling for repentance at “a good time to be a prophet,” Rowe said, when there was much for the people to complain about.
“The kingdom of God was appealing in a way that the world was not,” Rowe said, drawing connections to today’s troubled times.
“The wheat and the chaff grow together. None of us are entirely good or entirely bad,” Rowe said. “But the love of God — and this is the gift of judgment — the love of God is so bright, the love of God burns so strong, that when judgment comes it is about the chaff in all of us that will burn away, and all that will be left of us is what is of the kingdom, what is of God what is of love.”




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