Tag: easter

A sermon for The Invention of the Holy Cross, by Fr. Dan Suelzle.

The apostle Paul declares that he would boast in nothing except the cross of Jesus Christ. At first glance, perhaps this focus seems narrow. Why not boast in Christ’s mercy, His resurrection, or the sacraments? The reality is that these gifts are inseparable from the cross of Jesus. As we reflect on the feast of the “Invention”, or discovery, of the Holy Cross, we are reminded that our salvation is not a vague, ethereal concept, but a historical reality rooted in time and space. God enlisted the creature, wood, to be the means upon which his only-begotten Son is crucified for the sin of the world. Thus, the cross becomes the Tree which gives life, undoing the effects of the tree which brought death in the garden.

While historical accounts like St. Helena’s discovery of the True Cross ground our faith in history, they also serve as a cautionary tale. Just as the Israelites eventually turned the bronze serpent into an idol, we are prone to chasing relics rather than the Redeemer. Our boast is not in the inherent power of a piece of wood, but in the promises God attached to Christ’s sacrifice. Today, we don’t need to hunt for ancient slivers of timber to find God’s favor. Instead, Christ continues to deliver the fruits of the cross by connecting them to other creatures: the water of Baptism, the Bread and Wine of the Eucharist. We honor the cross by putting ourselves in proximity to these gifts to receive them in faith, where the victory won at the cross is delivered directly to us today.

Listen to the homily below.

A sermon for Jubilate (the third Sunday after Easter), by Fr. Josh Leigeber.

In this Jubilate sermon, the promise of the Gospel of John 16 stands at the center: “a little while” of sorrow gives way to lasting joy in Christ. Jesus prepares His disciples—not only for His death and resurrection, but for the whole span of the Church’s life between His ascension and His return. Christians live as “resurrection people,” united to Christ in Baptism, bearing present struggles with a sure and living hope.

Drawing on Augustine of Hippo, the sermon reflects on jubilate as a joy that exceeds words—a gladness that spills over in song, especially in the Church’s Alleluias. This Easter joy persists even amid suffering, because it is grounded in Christ’s victory over sin and death.

Jesus’ image of childbirth frames the Christian life: real sorrow now, but a joy that overwhelms it when the new life is revealed. This applies to the disciples’ grief at the cross, the Church’s present longing during Christ’s hidden reign, and even the groaning of all creation (as in Epistle to the Romans 8) awaiting restoration. The Church herself is seen as a mother, bearing new life through Word and Sacrament and rejoicing in the new birth of her children.

The result is a life marked by confident, communal joy—expressed in the Divine Service and overflowing even into fellowship together. Even now, amid temporary suffering, Christ’s people sing: Jubilate Deo.

A sermon for Misericordias Domini, by Fr. Dan Suelzle

The image of Jesus as the Good Shepherd is not a sentimental metaphor. Sunday’s Gospel reading (John 10:11-16) reminds us that Christ’s work as our Good Shepherd is gritty, life-saving work in the face of actual spiritual peril. We are not merely wayward lambs but often obstinate ones, pursued by the wolves of sin, death, and false doctrine that seek to scatter the flock. To be the Good Shepherd, Christ did not simply offer worldly comfort; he stood in the breach, laying down his life to atone for our iniquities and rising again, slaying the wolves of sin and death. His Shepherding doesn’t stop there, however. He continues to shepherd his flock even now, through his Church. Today, the protection of our Good Shepherd isn’t found in vague spirituality but in the actual pastures of the Word and Sacraments, where the Shepherd’s voice sounds forth through his undershepherds, forgiving sins, granting wisdom, and nourishing us with his body and blood.

Listen to the homily below.