The reaction to the reality that Lent begins this week, among family, friends, and even parishioners, has been “Really?  Already?” I feel that way too, even thought Lent is pretty close to as late on the calendar as it can be.  

Today’s reading from The Gospel of Luke continues Jesus’ sermon on the plain. It’s the one that began with the Beatitudes of blessings and woes.

The Beatitudes are found in Matthew and Luke’s Gospel in the midst of what is now called a sermon.

In Matthew’s arguably more famous Sermon on the Mount, the focus is on the gathered crowd of people who journey to hear Jesus the Jewish Rabbi preach on a faithful relationship with Torah and scripture.

In the calling story of Jesus’ first disciples, catching people is the payoff: the memorable line from this story, and it’s what those in the story are ultimately to do. 

We all knew it was going to be an unpredictable week, that’s for sure.  But honestly, did anyone have on their bingo card that a preached homily would be trending and The Episcopal Church would be at the center of the talk of the nation???