Find the full text of the homily here.
A homily for the Transitus of St. Francis. Find the full text of the homily here.
In this Sacred Story, Fr. Derek tells us about St. Francis, Matthew 11:25, and the special job children have at church.
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 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: www.StPetersPlantCity.com.
The audio of this week’s homily. You can find the full text of the homily here.
Comic Book: Francis: Brother of the Universe
In this genuine Marvel comic book from 1982 you can find the story of St. Francis, including his encounter with the Pope asking for recognition by the church to be a holy order. It’s a classic and a fun (and childlike) way to engage the story of Francis, even though there are many well-done biographies about him as well (in fact I have a sizable Franciscan section in my office if you’d like to borrow anything).
Religious Order: Third Order, Society of St. Francis
I belong to a religious order called the Society of St. Francis. The friars are those in the first order. The cloistered nuns are those in the second order. I belong to the third order, a dispersed Anglican order for lay people and clergy, married people and single, men, women, and all people who would like to follow Christ in a deeper way through the Franciscan path. It has been a wonderful experience that I highly recommend to anyone interested in Franciscan spirituality who wants to deepen their faith.
Children’s Book: God’s Dream by Archbishop Desmond Tutu
In the homily I speak about Jesus’ big dream, which is actually a small dream. In saying that, I am using the language of a beautiful children’s book by Archbishop Desmond Tutu, called God’s Dream. I highly recommend it!
It’s the beginning of a new sermon series! Find the full text of the homily here.
Movie: Mary Poppins (1964)
A classic film. If you haven’t seen it recently, watch it again! And this time notice how the film may actually be about Mr. Banks growing down rather than the children growing up.
Movie: Mary Poppins Returns (2018)
This is a rare instance when a sequel made for a classic does an incredible job. This movie honors the first while balancing a timeless feel and contemporary relevance. This is one of the Larson family’s favorite films, which we watch a few times a year. Since first seeing it, I’ve thought a lot about how Mary Poppins carries a lot of Christological characteristics in this film, particularly in the notion of returning. I’ve pondered offering a Bible study with Mary Poppins Returns as an Advent series.
Book: The Gifts they Bring: How children in the Gospels can Shape Inclusive Ministry by Amy Lindeman Allen
This is a great book by a New Testament Scholar which analyzes a select passages of Scripture with a lens focused on the presence of children. After interpreting the passage, Allen then offers some possible applications and reflections for contemporary children’s ministry. I liked the book a lot, and I used it to teach a Bible Study series once before.
Find the full text of the homily here.
Richard Rohr is a Franciscan, Catholic Priest who writes a lot about spirituality and the Franciscan tradition. In this book, Rohr writes about how the notion of Christ is much bigger than we often recognize. He also spends some time talking about the cross and the crucifixion. In chapter twelve he writes a beautiful meditation about the cross as the place to acknowledge our suffering and be seen by God.
Song: “Come, All Who Are Weary” by the Porter’s Gate
The same Jesus who said, “Take up your cross and follow me” is the one who said, “Come to me, all you who are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28). This week’s sermon has really been a wrestling of the tension between these two sayings of Jesus. What if they aren’t so opposite as they seem? Listen to this song from my favorite music group and let the words of Jesus wash over you.
Religious Jewelry: Tau Franciscan Cross Necklace
Here is an example of a Franciscan cross similar to the one we used on our pilgrimage. If you don’t have a cross necklace, perhaps its time to get a simple one like this to remember that your pain is seen by God.
Find the full text of the homily here.
Article: “Why Humans Need Surprise” by Jill Suttie
In this article, the author reviews the book, Surprise: Embrace the Unpredictable and Engineer the Unexpected by Tania Luna and Leeann Renninger which argues that surprise is good for human health. The article also identifies important aspects to the process of surprise: (1) Freeze, (2) Find, (3) Shift, (4) Share, and ways to cultivate an ability to be more surprised in life. Reflecting on the implications of the article for a spirituality of surprise would be an interesting reflection.
Surprised by Joy by C.S. Lewis
The great and imaginative Anglican theologian, C.S. Lewis entitled his own autobiography “Surprised by Joy” and shows how both joy and surprise have been gifts from God throughout his early life, even in the midst of very difficult situations.
Growing into Grace is a weekly podcast from St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Plant City, FL featuring homilies from the Rev. Derek Larson, TSSF and occasionally other guests. Tune in each week for Sunday’s homily, and, from time to time, other reflections on faith. Listen wherever you get your podcasts.
http://www.stpetersplantcity.com.
http://www.DerekMichaelLarson.com
Find the full text of the homily here.
Song: “How Sweet it is to be Loved by You” by James Taylor
This song has been on my mind playing over and over this week as this homily came together. I wonder how it, like the Song of Songs, could reflect the love God has for humanity and for each one of us?
Book: Meditations on the Song of Songs by St. Teresa of Avila
I briefly mention Teresa of Avila’s high regard for the Song of Songs in the homily. Here is a free version of a collection of her meditations on the book (link above). St. Teresa of Avila was a 16th century Spanish Carmelite nun and mystic extremely significant to the life of the historical church. She was the first woman ever named a “doctor of the church” which means her writings hold a special status for being timeless and theologically astute. She is also the one from whom we get the phrase “Christ has no body now but ours” in our Prayers of the People.
Book: Sermons on the Song of Songs by St. Bernard of Clairvaux
Again, I briefly mention Bernard of Clairvaux’s high regard for the Song of Songs as well. Here is a free version of a collection of his sermons on the book (link above). Bernard of Clairvaux was a 12th century French Cistercian/ Benedictine monk who was also named a “doctor of the church” by Pope Pius VIII in 1830.
Song: “Take it Easy” by the Porter’s Gate
Yet another song from my favorite contemporary worship group! The measure of our faith is how well we have received the love of God. Let this song be a prayer to help you internalize that truth.
Thoughts on Faith 