On a clear day you can see the poor
Sixteenth Sunday after PentecostAmos 6:1a, 4–7; Psalm 146 (sung); Luke 16:19–31The Scots Kirk, Lausanne, September 28 2025 Four months after the late Pope Francis became the bishop of Rome, he made his first official trip outside the eternal city. In July 2013, he went to the island of Lampedusa, the southern-most part of Italy, just …
In praise of crooked managers
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost Amos 8:4–7; Psalm 113 (sung); Luke 16:1–13 The Scots Kirk, Lausanne, September 21 2025 Klyne Snodgrass says that the parable we have just heard from Ross is “notoriously difficult, so difficult that hardly anyone suspects it could come from the early church.”[1] It must come from Jesus himself, because it’s so …
Three days of Easter
Thirteenth Sunday after Pentecost Deuteronomy 30:15–20; Psalm 1 (sung); Luke 14:25–33 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, September 7 2025 Robert Redford leaves the office to pick up lunch for his six colleagues, but when he gets back, he finds that everyone has been shot dead. So begins Three Days of the Condor, a …
All manner of thing shall be well
Ninth Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 15:1–6; Psalm 33 (sung); Hebrews 11:1, 8–16; Luke 12:32–40 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, August 10 2025 In an early scene, Phillip Henslowe, the theatre owner, is explaining to Hugh Fennyman, his financial backer and irate creditor, about the economics of the theatre business: “The natural condition is …
Genocide and grace
Eighth Sunday after Pentecost Ecclesiastes 1:2, 12–14; 2:18–23; Psalm 49 (sung); Luke 12:13-21 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, August 3 2025 “We called the report Our Genocide because that’s exactly what it is. It is genocide against humans who live here, carried out by humans who live here.”[1] So says Yuli Novak, director …
Ask, seek, knock
Seventh Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 18:17–32; Psalm 138 (sung); Luke 11:1–13 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, July 27 2025 “You can’t put a price on a child’s laughter.” That’s how the commercial starts. I like to listen to music on Spotify: anything from Bach to the Beatles, Genevan Psalms to Joan Baez, Judy …
The better part
Sixth Sunday after Pentecost Genesis 18: 1–14a; Psalm 15 (sung); Colossians 1: 15–28; Luke 10:38–42 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, July 20 2025 The Church of Scotland has always ordained women as elders and ministers. Margaret Knox, the young second wife of the more famous John Knox, was one of the first women …
Jobbing preachers
Fourth Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 66:10–13; Psalm 66:1–9 (sung); Galatians 6:2–5, 7–11, 14–16; Luke 10:1–11, 16–20 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, June 29 2025 I started last week by putting on our website the five sermons preached here in June by Graham, Ewart, Mark, and myself. To head the webpage, we found a …
Together on the way
Third Sunday after Pentecost 1 Kings 19:15–16, 19–21; Psalm 16 (sung); Galatians 5:1, 5-6, 13–18, 22-26; Luke 9:51 –62 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, June 29 2025 Today, Jesus of Nazareth sets out on his final journey to Jerusalem. There, he will be welcomed by enthusiastic crowds waving palms, arrested by the Temple …
Casting out demons
Second Sunday after Pentecost Isaiah 65:1–9; Psalm 42 (sung); Luke 8:26–39 Church of Scotland, Geneva, Auditoire de Calvin, June 22 2025 It is unusual for a national church to make a confession of national guilt. But this is what the Protestant Church in Germany (EKD) did in 1945. Eleven church leaders met with representatives of …