Christendom is directly opposed to the reign of Christ

Today's homily is based on the following lectionary readings selected for Christ the King Sunday:

Ezekiel 34:11-16, 20-24

Thus says the Lord God: I myself will search for my sheep, and will seek them out. As shepherds seek out their flocks when they are among their scattered sheep, so I will seek out my sheep. I will rescue them from all the places to which they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness. I will bring them out from the peoples and gather them from the countries, and will bring them into their own land; and I will feed them on the mountains of Israel, by the watercourses, and in all the inhabited parts of the land. I will feed them with good pasture, and the mountain heights of Israel shall be their pasture; there they shall lie down in good grazing land, and they shall feed on rich pasture on the mountains of Israel. I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord God. I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice.
Therefore, thus says the Lord God to them: I myself will judge between the fat sheep and the lean sheep. Because you pushed with flank and shoulder, and butted at all the weak animals with your horns until you scattered them far and wide, I will save my flock, and they shall no longer be ravaged; and I will judge between sheep and sheep.
I will set up over them one shepherd, my servant David, and he shall feed them: he shall feed them and be their shepherd. And I, the Lord, will be their God, and my servant David shall be leader among them; I, the Lord, have spoken.

Matthew 25:31-46 (The Inclusive Bible)

31 “At the appointed time the Promised One will come in glory, escorted by all the angels of heaven, and will sit upon the royal throne, 32 with all the nations assembled below. Then the Promised One will separate them from one another, as a shepherd divides the sheep from the goats. 33 The sheep will be placed on the right hand, the goats on the left. 34 “The ruler will say to those on the right, ‘Come, you blessed of my Abba God! Inherit the kindom prepared for you from the creation of the world! 35 For I was hungry and you fed me; I was thirsty and you gave me drink. I was a stranger and you welcomed me; 36 naked and you clothed me. I was ill and you comforted me; in prison and you came to visit me.’ 37 Then these just will ask, ‘When did we see you hungry and feed you, or see you thirsty and give you drink? 38 When did we see you as a stranger and invite you in, or clothe you in your nakedness? 39 When did we see you ill or in prison and come to visit you?’ 40 The ruler will answer them, ‘The truth is, every time you did this for the least of my sisters or brothers, you did it for me.’ 41 “Then the ruler will say to those on the left, ‘Out of my sight, you accursed ones! Into that everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and the fallen angels! 42 I was hungry and you gave me no food; I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink. 43 I was a stranger and you gave me no welcome; naked and you gave me no clothing. I was ill and in prison and you did not come to visit me.’ 44 Then they in turn will ask, ‘When did we see you hungry or thirsty, or homeless or naked, or ill or in prison, and not take care of you?’ 45 The answer will come, ‘The truth is, as often as you neglected to do this to one of the least of these, you neglected to do it to me.’ 46 They will go off to eternal punishment, and the just will go off to eternal life.”

Welcome, Chickmonks! If you’ve ever wondered “why religion? or why church?” I think this conversation will resonate with you. 

If you’ve ever wondered what the heck the Episcopal church is, you will learn so much in this conversation, and, if you’ve ever wondered what it’s (really) like to be a priest or clergy person,

or if you’re feeling like the only person in your field who sees the potential and you’re up against the momentum of “the way we’ve always done things”

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A homily based on the following lectionary reading for the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin:

Luke 1:46-55

 Mary said:
 “My soul proclaims your greatness, O God, and my spirit rejoices in you, my Savior. For you have looked with favor
upon your lowly servant,
and from this day forward
all generations will call me blessed. 
For you, the Almighty, have done great things for
 me,
and holy is your Name.
Your mercy reaches from age to age
for those who fear you. 
You have shown strength with your arm;
you have scattered the proud in their conceit;
 you have deposed the mighty from their thrones
and raised the lowly to high places. 
You have filled the hungry with good things,
while you have sent the rich away empty. 
You have come to the aid of Israel your servant,
mindful of your mercy— 
the promise you made to our ancestors—
to Sarah and Abraham
and their descendants

Priests for Equality. The Inclusive Bible (pp. 2220-2221). Sheed & Ward. Kindle Edition.