Take, eat: this is my body given for you -- and them.

One of the wonderful aspects of the Episcopal tradition is our connection to the Church of England and the Anglican Communion's historical development as the via media between Roman Catholicism and the protestant reforms that swept (and continue to change) the church. 

In my sermon of August 19, 2012, preached at Christ Church, Ottawa, Illinois, I draw on the history of the Episcopal Church and wider Anglican Communion as I preach on chapter 6 of the gospel according to John.  Every three years, in Year B of our lectionary cycle, we spend five weeks reading this chapter.  This deliberately slow pace allows for us to dig deep into the text and see what it has meant for previous generations and what it says to us today.

Because my schedule of celebrating mass, at our four Episcopal Churches in LaSalle County, has me at different locations each Sunday, I took some liberty in pulling forward a main theme from next week's lectionary, as I drew on the context of the chapter that starts with Jesus feeding 5,000 unexpected guests and ends with many of his disciples walking away because his teachings are too hard.  In the middle there is a lot of talk about bread and life, eating body and drinking blood and arguing about what it all means.

Let me know what you think.

And -- thanks, Justin for serving as videographer today!  I appreciate you help.