All posts by: Wil

Between “Fix it Jesus” and “Stay Woke”

  Let us pray: Holy One of Old, open our eyes that we may see. Amen. Readings like these are why I felt called and compelled to create A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church. Here we are at the dawn of the season marking the Advent – first and, soon come – of a...... Read More

The King Is Dead All Hail the Queen

A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church Year A Proper 25: 1 Kings 1:1–5, 11–18, 29–31; Psalm 61; James 5:1–6; Matthew 6:19–27   Sermon begins at 46 minutes Let us pray: My prayer is Miriam’s prayer, Mother Mary’s prayer – Let it be. Let it be with your woman-servant according to your word. With these...... Read More

They Call Us Witches: The Not-A-Witch of Endor

They Call Us Witches: The Not-A-Witch of Endor  (the scriptures follow the sermon text) Author Gabriela Herstik once said, “Being a witch means living in this world consciously, powerfully, and unapologetically.” Let us pray: God whose ways are too wonderful for us to discern, whose presence in this wicked world shows up in unexpected places:...... Read More

Saving Joseph and All the Other Queer Kids

  May God who is Majesty, Mercy, and Mystery speak words of life, love, and liberation through these words. Amen. Today’s readings press the claim that God saves. God saved Joseph from certain death in the first lesson through his older brother Ruben. The psalm celebrates the God who saves and dramatically retells a bit...... Read More

Readings for Proper 14 RCL Year A

On Sunday (13 August 2023) I will preach from these readings at Trinity Episcopal Church. I offer my translations for those of you also preparing sermons. You may cite them with attribution to me, published under my trademark: Womanists Wading in the Word™.    Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 Genesis 37:1 Now Jacob settled in the land...... Read More

Could You Not Stay Woke?

  Jesus said, “My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; you all stay here, and stay awake… Mark 14:34 Let us pray: Holy One of Old, open our eyes. Amen. Could you not stay awake one hour?” Mark 14:37   Could you not stay woke? Billie Holiday was designated the most dangerous...... Read More

Gonna Take A Miracle

Epiphany V: 2 Kings 5:1–4, 9–14; Psalm 30; Acts 16:16–24; Matthew 9:18–26 Year A, A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church     God of miracles, hear your people’s cry. Amen. Harriet needed a miracle. There was a woman named Harriett Jacobs who liberated herself from enslavement – not Harriett Tubman, another woman. And as she...... Read More

A Lineage in Bethlehem: Advent III Year A

May the Faithful God grant that the woman who is coming into your house be like Rachel and Leah; the two of them built up the house of Israel. May you prosper in Ephrathah and establish a lineage in Bethlehem…A Lineage in Bethlehem… Let us pray: May God who is Majesty, Mercy, and Mystery speak...... Read More

The Majesty of Christ

One of the Principal Feasts of the Church, the Majesty of Christ, as the feast is known in this Lectionary, is a celebration of the triumphant and transcendent Jesus who has transcended mortality and its limitations, including monarchy, a failed governance experiment. In the first lesson the remnant of Israel, the Judean monarchy, suffers a blow...... Read More

Pentecost 23: It Was A Set Up

It Was A Set Up: So Show Them Who You Are Year W Proper 28: 1 Kings 11:26–39; Psalm 89:1–8, 14; 2 Timothy 2:8–13; John 2:1–11   On the third day there was a wedding in Cana of Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Let us pray: My prayer is Miriam’s prayer, Mother...... Read More