Ash Wednesday Rev. Dr. John J. Lolla, Jr. Text: Matthew 6:6 O.T.: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 N.T.: Matthew 6:1-6 One of the fondest memories from my childhood is of my mother putting me to bed. Each night she tucked me in and she prayed with me, “Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul…
Rev. Dr. John J. Lolla, Jr. Transfiguration Sunday – Communion Service Text: Matthew 17:9 Old Testament Lesson: Exodus 24:12-18 New Testament Lesson: Matthew 17:1-9 Have you ever had an epiphany? I’m talking about a moment in which you suddenly understand something that’s tremendously important to you? My preaching professor at Princeton Seminary used to call it, “The Aha Moment!” Dr. MacLeod described it as the moment you suddenly understand how the Bible…
Rev. Dr. John J. Lolla, Jr. Text: Leviticus 19:17 O.T.: Leviticus 19:1-2, 9-18 N.T.: Matthew 5:38-48 Helen Keller once wrote, “The best and most beautiful things in the world can not be seen, or even touched. They must be felt with the heart.” Helen would understand such a poignant thought. Her blindness led her to feel the beauty of God’s creation. She didn’t need to see this world. She could sense it with her…
Rev. Dr. John J. Lolla, Jr. Text: Deuteronomy 30:19 O.T.: Deuteronomy 30:15-20 N.T.: Matthew 5:21-37 Jean Twenge is a professor of psychology who published Generation Me in 2006. Twenge’s study of recent generations is alarming. She makes this observation about Generation Y, iGeneration, and Millenials. “Compared with Boomers . . . GenMe is twice as likely to agree with the statement, There is no right way to live.” Generation Me, as she titles…
Rev. Dr. John J. Lolla, Jr. Text: Isaiah 58:6 Old Testament: Isaiah 58:1-12 New Testament: Matthew 5:13-20 This past week I went to Carlow University. A young woman whose marriage I conducted years ago is the assistant librarian at the University. Her name is Emily. Ken Ference arranged for me to see her. Emily introduced me to the Head Librarian and we discussed the changing culture Carlow University is trying to serve. The…