• Why the Church Uses Incense

    This post is part of a new “Why We Do What We Do” series, explaining the biblical and historic practices of the Church. THE CHURCH HAS RECEIVED THE USE OF INCENSE as part of her worship from the beginning of her life. Long before denominational divisions, long before the modern suspicion of ceremony, the Church… Read more

  • Receiving the Body of Christ with Reverence

    This post is part of a new “Why We Do What We Do” series, explaining the biblical and historic practices of the Church. FROM THE EARLIEST CENTURIES OF THE CHURCH, Christians have approached the Holy Sacrament with fear, love, and deep reverence. The way we receive the Body of Christ is never a matter of… Read more

  • Your Life Isn’t Yours

    A sermon for the Sunday within the Octave of Epiphany, by Fr. Dan Suelzle. The Church is the body of Christ; a holy and set apart community who recognize that we are not our own. All that we have and all that we are is a pure gift from our merciful Father. In light of… Read more

  • The Epiphany of Our Lord

    Epiphany proclaims that Christ is revealed to the nations, and that the Gospel must continue to go out—and be heard. From the visit of the magi to the Church’s gathering today, Epiphany teaches where Jesus is to be found and why His presence matters. Just as King Herod sought to destroy the Christ Child, the… Read more

  • The Almighty Word Who Leaped Down from Heaven

    Though the Christmas season nears its close, we still marvel at the mystery of the Incarnation—the moment God’s eternal Word “leaped down” from his royal throne to dwell among us. By looking at the promises made to Jeremiah and the faithful waiting of Simeon and Anna, we see that Christ’s incarnation wasn’t an afterthought, but… Read more

  • Evil Will Not Stop God

    A sermon for the Feast of the Holy Innocents, by Fr. Jerome Leckband. The birth of Christ brings true joy and light into the world, yet it also exposes the darkness that still resists Him. Soon after the Magi worship the newborn King, the Child must flee into Egypt, pursued by Herod’s murderous fear. Evil… Read more