Exegesis | Preaching Hope

2 OT B ~ "We Need Andrews" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

I grew up in Oklahoma in the land of red clay, tall thermometers, and Oral Roberts -- a deeply religious corner of the world where Friday...

susan mcgurgan

Jan 9, 20244 min read

The Epiphany of the Lord B ~"Home by Another Way"~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

These Magi are probably Persian and would be devoted to studying the stars in order to find meaning in the events here on earth. They...

susan mcgurgan

Jan 2, 20246 min read

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph ~ "Anna" ~Susan McGurgan D.Min.

Embedded deep within the Bible-- and just a little hidden sometimes, by the Prophets and the Kings and the Warriors and the Priests and...

susan mcgurgan

Dec 26, 20232 min read

The Nativity of the Lord ~ "Which Shepherd?" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

I have always loved the shepherds in the Christmas story. And it might have a little to do with having played the part of the shepherd...

susan mcgurgan

Dec 23, 20233 min read

Advent 4 B ~ "The Impossible" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

I hear a lot of homilies and read a lot of reflections that focus on Mary’s obedience. Her receptivity. Her quietness. Her “Yes.” Most of...

susan mcgurgan

Dec 18, 20232 min read

Advent 3 B ~ "Rejoicing As We Wait" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

In the season of Advent, we keep watch for the one who keeps his promise. In the season of Advent, we prepare the way of the Lord. And in...

susan mcgurgan

Dec 11, 20232 min read

Advent 2 B ~ "Where God Can Surprise Us, and All Bets are Off" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

When we look at the three-year cycle of Sunday readings, it doesn’t take long to figure out that Advent readings are frequently odd,...

susan mcgurgan

Dec 5, 20233 min read

Advent 1 B ~ "Watchful and Alert" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

The Advent Season comes in a bifocal way. It comes in a “soft” tone, as the Irish would put it, a time of prayer and reconnecting with...

susan mcgurgan

Nov 27, 20236 min read

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

On this Sunday we celebrate the feast of Christ the King. This is the final Sunday of the liturgical year. Next week we will begin the...

susan mcgurgan

Nov 21, 20232 min read

33 OT A ~ "Money and the Kingdom" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

Many of us unconsciously divide our lives into separate, distinct, compartmentalized chunks… There is the spiritual part— AKA, the “good...

susan mcgurgan

Nov 14, 20236 min read

32 OT A ~ "Maybe it's Not About the Oil" Susan McGurgan, DMin.

As wedding stories go, this particular wedding story is not what you would call, festive. It's frustrating, and even a little, well......

susan mcgurgan

Nov 7, 20234 min read

31 OT A ~ "Practicing What We Preach" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

The trajectory from Jesus’ teaching we hear today to our own life together is rather clear and straightforward. St. Matthew tells us of...

susan mcgurgan

Oct 31, 20235 min read

30 OT A ~ "Another Way" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

It is hard, this week, to read this passage from Exodus against the grim backdrop of violent images and disturbing updates from Gaza and...

susan mcgurgan

Oct 23, 20234 min read

29 OT A ~ "Called by Name" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

If Almighty God was going to have a draft for some kind of Fantasy Faithful Team, then Cyrus of Persia seems like a very interesting...

susan mcgurgan

Oct 16, 20233 min read

28 OT A ~Invitation to the Feast" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

I grew up about thirty miles from here. I went to one school for kindergarten and first grade. Then I was redistricted and went to...

susan mcgurgan

Oct 9, 20233 min read

27 OT A ~ "Murder in the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan

The Gospel story for this Sunday is violent-- even savage. It is a dark tale of greed, Betrayal. Beatings. Stoning. Murder. This story,...

susan mcgurgan

Oct 3, 20235 min read

26 OT A ~Phil 2:1-5~ "Unity in the Spirit" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

There is a striking way in which persons who move away from their place of origin tend to set up a new home that even magnifies their old...

susan mcgurgan

Sep 26, 20235 min read

25 OT A ~ "Into the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan

Early in the morning, the owner of a vineyard entered the marketplace to hire some workers for the day. This is a task that normally...

susan mcgurgan

Sep 19, 20235 min read

24 OT A ~ "Too Large to Count" ~ Susan McGurgan

If we aren’t careful, we can get a little lost in the “math” of this story. If we don’t watch it, we might find ourselves crunching...

susan mcgurgan

Sep 11, 20235 min read

23 OT A ~ "A Word of Correction" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

I’ve often wondered why Jesus chose to have two sets of brothers among the twelve disciples. There are Peter and Andrew and there are...

susan mcgurgan

Sep 4, 20233 min read

2 OT B ~ "We Need Andrews" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

The Epiphany of the Lord B ~"Home by Another Way"~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph ~ "Anna" ~Susan McGurgan D.Min.

The Nativity of the Lord ~ "Which Shepherd?" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Advent 4 B ~ "The Impossible" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

Advent 3 B ~ "Rejoicing As We Wait" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

Advent 2 B ~ "Where God Can Surprise Us, and All Bets are Off" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

Advent 1 B ~ "Watchful and Alert" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

33 OT A ~ "Money and the Kingdom" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

32 OT A ~ "Maybe it's Not About the Oil" Susan McGurgan, DMin.

31 OT A ~ "Practicing What We Preach" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

30 OT A ~ "Another Way" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

29 OT A ~ "Called by Name" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

28 OT A ~Invitation to the Feast" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

27 OT A ~ "Murder in the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan

26 OT A ~Phil 2:1-5~ "Unity in the Spirit" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

25 OT A ~ "Into the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan

24 OT A ~ "Too Large to Count" ~ Susan McGurgan

23 OT A ~ "A Word of Correction" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

What's New?

New Position for Susan McGurgan
Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis.

20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week

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2 OT B ~ "We Need Andrews" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

The Epiphany of the Lord B ~"Home by Another Way"~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

Feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph ~ "Anna" ~Susan McGurgan D.Min.

The Nativity of the Lord ~ "Which Shepherd?" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

Advent 4 B ~ "The Impossible" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

Advent 3 B ~ "Rejoicing As We Wait" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

Advent 2 B ~ "Where God Can Surprise Us, and All Bets are Off" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

Advent 1 B ~ "Watchful and Alert" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

The Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

33 OT A ~ "Money and the Kingdom" ~ Susan McGurgan, DMin

32 OT A ~ "Maybe it's Not About the Oil" Susan McGurgan, DMin.

31 OT A ~ "Practicing What We Preach" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

30 OT A ~ "Another Way" ~ Susan McGurgan, D.Min.

29 OT A ~ "Called by Name" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

28 OT A ~Invitation to the Feast" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

27 OT A ~ "Murder in the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan

26 OT A ~Phil 2:1-5~ "Unity in the Spirit" ~ Rev. Richard Eslinger

25 OT A ~ "Into the Vineyard" ~ Susan McGurgan

24 OT A ~ "Too Large to Count" ~ Susan McGurgan

23 OT A ~ "A Word of Correction" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, DMin

What's New?

New Position for Susan McGurgan Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis. 20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week

Subscribe Form

New Position for Susan McGurgan
Susan is now the Director of the Preach All Ways Lilly Compelling Preaching Grant and Associate Professor of Theology at Marian University, Indianapolis.

20 OT B ~ "A Deeper Union with Christ" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min. ~Preach This Week