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New Wineskins – Br. Jim Woodrum
Matthew 9:14-17 When I was younger, the analogy Jesus uses about wine and wineskins was lost on me. This ‘loss in translation’ could have been because I was not at the age where I could drink and had...
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Feast of St. Macrina, Monastic and Teacher – Br. Jim Woodrum
Matthew 11: 27-30 Sometime during my ‘Tween’ years (that terribly awkward period of time spanning from ages 10-12) I remember approaching my parents rather seriously to let them know what I wanted for...
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Sermons for the Beach: The Soul of Sound and Silence
During the month of August, while the Chapel is closed, we are reposting sermons that we hope will inspire you to embrace play, silence, solitude, and recreation. Br. Jim’s sermon, “The Soul of Sound...
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Staring Mercy in the Eye – Br. Jim Woodrum
Luke 16:19-31 When I began studying our gospel lesson for this morning, the first thing I thought of was an event from this past week that made all the major newspapers and has been circulating as a...
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Laudato Si’ – Br. Jim Woodrum
Feast of St. Francis of Assisi Today, we celebrate in the calendar of the Church, Saint Francis of Assisi who died on this day in the year 1226. Born 44 years earlier to wealthy parents, Francis grew...
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Climbing Trees – Br. Jim Woodrum
Luke 10:1-1 Every time I hear the story of Zacchaeus, I can’t help but to think of the maple tree in the front yard of my grandmother’s house. I grew up an only child and since my dad was...
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The Radical Practice of the Real Presence of Christ – Br. Jim Woodrum
1 John 4:7-21; Psalm 63:1-8; Luke 24:13-35 Like the founder of our Society, Richard Meux Benson, I grew up in an Evangelical tradition of the church. The word ‘evangelical’ comes from the Greek...
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Choose Life! – Br. Jim Woodrum
Deuteronomy 30:15-20 Matthew 5:21-37 When I first began to study the lessons appointed for today, I couldn’t help but to think back to one of my favorite commercials from the 1990’s. The setting is...
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Rock of Ages – Br. Jim Woodrum
Mark 8:27-33 As you can tell from the name of our Society, we brothers have a special affinity to the beloved disciple which tradition suggests is John. There is an icon in the statio that you pass...
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Turning Discipline into Discipleship – Br. Jim Woodrum
Ecclesiasticus 2:1-11 Psalm 112 Mark 9:30-37 The autumn of my 4th grade year I had the sudden desire, much to the surprise of my parents, to play football. I say my parents were surprised because I...
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Lent: A Journey Toward Easter – Br. Jim Woodrum
Isaiah 58:1-12 2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 If I were to walk up to you and wish you a Happy Ash Wednesday, how would you react? If I were to say ‘I hope you have a great Lent,’ I...
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Exceeding Expectations – Br. Jim Woodrum
Matthew 21:1-11 It is hard to believe that a week from tomorrow marks one year since my brothers Curtis, John, Luke, and I embarked on a journey to the Holy Land to lead a pilgrimage. Each of us...
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Easter Doubt – Br. Jim Woodrum
John 20:19-31 This morning we hear one of the most quintessential stories in all of the gospels; so definitive in fact that it has given birth to a term that is used to label a person we deem as a...
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What’s the Next Right Thing? – Br. Jim Woodrum
John 14:6-14 When a man first comes to the monastery to test his vocation, you may be surprised to know that he does not get a large ‘how to’ manual on being a monk. Nor does he receive a week-long...
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Longing for Nourishment – Br. Jim Woodrum
1 Peter 2:2-10 Those of you who have had an opportunity to stay with us here at the monastery or have had an occasion to join us for a Sunday meal know that I am a foodie. I enjoy cooking and eating...
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Do Not Fear! – Br. Jim Woodrum
Matthew 10:24-33 On August 20, 1965, Jonathan Myrick Daniels, an episcopal seminarian did an amazing thing. When confronted by a white man with a 12 gauge shot gun, Jonathan jumped in front of 16...
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Thistle Theology – Br. Jim Woodrum
Isaiah 44:6-8; Romans 8:12-25; Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Our gospel lesson for today made me recall what I remember as the very first theological conundrum of my childhood. I was probably 7 or 8 years...
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