Neli ML

  Betsey Moe Sermon March 26, 2023 St. Alban Episcopal Church Antigua, Guatemala “I am the Resurrection and the Life” Ezekiel 37:1-14 Psalm 130 Romans 8:6-11 John 11:1-45 If you have been following the readings and sermons this Lenten season, you know that each week, we listened in on an encounter that Jesus had with a particular person in the gospel of John. These encounters – with Nicodemus, with the Woman at the Well, with the Man Born Blind, have been opportunities for the gospel writer to reveal more and more about Jesus and his purpose for coming into the world. Today, Jesus has an encounter with a family with whom he has a relationship: Martha, Mary, and their brother Lazarus. And this encounter is not like the other ones that involve long conversations and a-ha moments. This one is full of emotion and action around a man who is sick, then dies, then is raised from the dead by Jesus.   All the lectionary texts this morning call us to acknowledge a reality that lo...

  Fourth Sunday in Lent John 9,1-42 Rev. Neli Miranda   During this Lenten season the evangelist John guides us through a series of encounters with Jesus through different characters who help advance our understanding of Jesus.   In the past two weeks we have encountered Jesus through Nicodemus and the Samaritan woman.  In his conversation with them, Jesus has taught us about his mission and manifested himself as the One who reveals God to humanity. This Sunday we return to Jerusalem where we encounter Jesus through a person with physical limitations, a man born blind. In the preceding chapters we read about Jesus’ activities in Jerusalem. In chapter 8 Jesus had a discussion with the Pharisees and referred to himself as the light of the world, “ I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (8,12). This chapter ends by telling us how the level of confrontation between Jesus and his opponents has escal...

  Third Sunday in Lent. March 12, 2023 Juan 4,1-42 Rev. Neli Miranda   Last week the evangelist John told us about Nicodemus, an important and respected Jew leader who came to Jesus by night, which in the light of John’s Gospel means that he still lived in darkness, so he came to Jesus, “…the true light, which enlightens everyone…” (1,9). His being in the dark is revealed by his inability to see that Jesus was not speaking about physical rebirth but a spiritual one, from above. It seems that finally Nicodemus was not willing to accept Jesus’ call.   Today, John tells us of a woman whom we only know as the Samaritan woman, and whom many have called a prostitute based on the interpretation of Jesus’ words, “… for you have had five husbands, and the one you have now is not your husband…” (4,18) . However, in contrast to Nicodemus the teacher of Israel, she comes to Jesus in the middle of the day, which reveals a striking difference between her and Nicodemus. John tells us t...

  Second Sunday in Lent, 2023            John 3,1-17        Rev. Neli Miranda   “For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (3,16). This is perhaps one of the best-known Bible verses recited by Christians; however, we may be unaware that this verse is part of Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus about the meaning of being born from above and understand Jesus’ message. Nicodemus is a Pharisee and also an important leader of the Jews (member of the Sanhedrin 7,50). He belongs to the upper class, is economically privileged, and well educated. He is representative of the Pharisee tradition, a moral person, pleased with his own religiosity but looking for more. He comes to Jesus by night, which may refer to the fact that Nicodemus, despite being a great teacher, still lives in darkness and needs to find the light of Jesus. In this regard, h...

    First Sunday in Lent 2023 Matthew 4:1-11 Rev. Neli Miranda   The first Sunday in Lent leads us to an encounter with Jesus in the wilderness where we learn how to respond and resist the temptations that threaten to take us away from God’s path. Jesus’ experience in the wilderness recalls the history of the people of Israel who continually failed to remain faithful to God by succumbing to different temptations. However, Jesus embodies the new humanity according to God’s dream, those who remain faithful by resisting the devil’s temptations.   Today, we read that Jesus faces the devil just after he has committed to God in his baptism and heard a voice coming from heaven saying, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased” (Mt. 3,17). While he prepares himself to begin his ministry, the devil confronts and tempts him to turn away from the way of humble service and take the path of power and glory. Matthew refers to the devil as the “tempter” or “Sata...

                                                         Last Sunday after the Epiphany Mathew 17:1-9 & Exodus 24,12-18 Rev. Neli Miranda             During the past weeks, our Christian spirituality has guided us through the Epiphany season in which we have witnessed Jesus’ divine manifestation. We have seen God lying in a manger, heard God’s voice at the Jordan River, heard the great announcement that the Kingdom of God is already among us, heard the call to be Jesus’ disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and we have listened to God’s Law on the Mount.   Today, our Christian spirituality invites us to move forward and begin a new path, the Lenten Journey. The Epiphany season closes like it started, with a great epiphany known as Jesus’ transfiguration, which is a pivotal moment in ou...

  Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany 2023 Matthew 5:21-37 Rev. Neli Miranda   Today, Jesus reads and interprets some of the commandments of God´s Law. He begins, “ You have heard that it was said…” and then he interprets the commandment, “But I say to you…” In this exercise, Jesus neither erases nor discounts the teaching of The Law but addresses its original meaning, JUSTICE. Today, we as Christians continue to believe that the Bible is the written Word of God that guides our daily life. Yet, it is difficult to see how biblical teachings impact Christian societies because we continue to observe and experience injustices where so many people suffer violence and death.   The Holy Scriptures, the Bible, arose amid a historical context in which God spoke to a community through sages and prophets—women and men. The memory of God’s manifestation was then put in writing as a testimony for the community itself and for future generations, which would also be enlightened...