Author: Derek Michael Larson
Derek is an Episcopal priest and a Franciscan tertiary in the Third Order, Society of St. Francis. Derek currently serves as Associate Rector at Good Shepherd Episcopal in Tequesta, FL. Derek has also worked as a school chaplain, a youth minister, worship leader, and bilingual (Spanish-English) preacher. He lives with his wife, two sons, and two cats in Jupiter, FL.
New Homily: Keeper of Keys
Questions for Reflection
- In what ways can I actively open the doors of my heart to those around me, fostering a spirit of welcome and grace?
- Who in my life might be waiting for an invitation to belong, and how can I ensure they feel valued and included?
- How can I embody Christ’s love in my daily interactions, allowing others to encounter the presence of God through my actions?
- Reflecting on the keys that I carry—what responsibilities do I have to serve others and support my community?
- When was the last time I invited someone to join me at church or in a spiritual conversation, and how can I make that a regular practice?
New Homily: Shaped by Love
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Deeper Reflection
- How has the understanding of my baptism influenced my identity, and in what ways do I recognize myself as “beloved” by God?
- Reflecting on the metaphor of the river shaping the canyon, what aspects of my life need God’s transformative love to break down barriers and reveal the beauty within me?
- In what ways can I actively allow the love I receive from God to shape my relationships with others, myself, and the world around me?
- How do I experience the presence of God’s love in my daily life, and what practices can I adopt to remain mindful of this love?
- What are some specific challenges or “hard rocks” within me that I need to surrender to God’s love in order to be shaped more profoundly by it?
New Homily: Finding Jesus
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Further Reflection
- What role does the faith community (church) have in my life in helping me grow in my awareness of God’s presence?
- What theological questions have I be asking lately at church?
- What role does Bible Study and regular prayer have in my life right now?
- Where is Jesus in my daily life?
New Sacred Story: Juggling Oranges for God: A Medieval Christmas Story
In this Sacred Story, Fr. Derek tells us the medieval Christmas story of Barnaby, the Juggler for God, and how everybody has a gift to give.
Sacred Stories with Fr. Derek is a collection of short children’s homilies by the Rev. Derek Larson, TSSF, priest at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Plant City, FL. The homilies are also given live on the last Sunday of the month at our family service at 10:30am.
You can find out more about our community here: http://www.StPetersPlantCity.com.
New Christmas Homily: God and Our Bodies
Find the full text of the homily here.
A Poem by St. Symeon the New Theologian
We awaken in Christ’s body,
As Christ awakens our bodies
There I look down and my poor hand is Christ,
He enters my foot and is infinitely me.
I move my hand and wonderfully
My hand becomes Christ,
Becomes all of Him.
I move my foot and at once
He appears in a flash of lightning.
Do my words seem blasphemous to you?
Then open your heart to Him.
And let yourself receive the one
Who is opening to you so deeply.
For if we genuinely love Him,
We wake up inside Christ’s body
Where all our body all over,
Every most hidden part of it,
Is realized in joy as Him,
And He makes us utterly real.
And everything that is hurt, everything
That seemed to us dark, harsh, shameful,
Maimed, ugly, irreparably damaged
Is in Him transformed.
And in Him, recognized as whole, as lovely,
And radiant in His light,
We awaken as the beloved
In every last part of our body.
Questions for Further Reflection
- In what ways can we embody the message of the Incarnation in our daily lives, particularly in how we treat our own bodies and the bodies of others?
- How does the poem by St. Symeon the New Theologian resonate with your own experience of being in your body? What feelings or insights arise as you consider the interconnectedness of Christ and our physical selves?
New Christmas Homily: The First Breath of God
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Further Reflection
- What does it mean for you to be a “reliquary” that holds the breath of God? How does this understanding shape your self-identity?
- In what ways can the image of Jesus’ first breath encourage you to approach relationships with compassion and reverence?
- What practices or rituals can you incorporate into your life to help you remember and honor the sacredness of each breath you take?
Resources for Further Reflection
Book: Caesar’s Last Breath by Sam Kean
This is the book mentioned in the sermon. It just so happens that Sam Kean was a seminary of our very own Dr. John Santosuosso!
New Homily: The Darkness of the Womb
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Personal Reflection
- In what areas of my life do I currently feel like I am in a state of darkness or uncertainty? How can I embrace this time as an opportunity for growth and transformation?
- Reflecting on my past experiences, can I identify moments when I felt lost or directionless, but later recognized them as times of formation? What insights did I gain from those experiences?
- How can I be more attentive to the ways God might be shaping me in this current season? Are there specific actions I can take to nurture my spiritual well-being during this time?
Resources for Further Reflection
Children’s Book: God’s Holy Darkness by Sharei Green, Beckah Selnick, and Nikki Faison
In this beautifully illustrated book, the authors explore some of the moments in Scripture which present darkness as something holy.
Children’s Book: Silent Night by Lara Hawthorne
In this rendition of the famous Christmas hymn, the illustrations are strikingly dark in color and wonderfully moving.
Poetry: Advent Poems by Tania Runyan
In this collection of poems for Advent, Tania Runyan imagines Jesus speaking to his mother from the womb, each poem from another stage of the journey of pregnancy. Much of the imagery of this homily was inspired by Runyan’s poems, which I encountered throughout this season of Advent.
New Homily: John’s Call to Transformation
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Deeper Reflection
- In what areas of my life do I feel a need for transformation or change? How can I invite God’s love into those areas?
- How do I perceive God’s love in my life? Am I more focused on trying to deserve that love, or on receiving it fully?
- What are some specific “fruits” I can bear in my daily actions and relationships that reflect God’s love and transformation?
- Reflecting on the examples from John the Baptist, what does it mean for me to change the way I hold my possessions, engage in my work, or exercise my privilege?
- How can I create space in my heart and life this Advent season to truly listen to the call for transformation, and what steps can I take to live into that change?
New Homily: Wilderness Moments
Find the full text of the homily here.
Questions for Further Reflection
- How do the “wilderness moments” in my own life allow me to hear and connect with God more deeply?
- In what ways can I intentionally carve out time during this Advent season to step away from my daily distractions and enter into silence?
- How can the message of John the Baptist challenge me this Advent season to prepare my heart for the coming of Christ amidst the busyness of holiday celebrations?
Thoughts on Faith 