Fr. Burl's sermon emphasizes the end of the Church year and the anticipation of the kingdom of God, contrasting it with the worldly “Empire.” It highlights the importance of Scripture, particularly the Beatitudes, in guiding faith and stewardship.
Fr. Burl discusses a gospel story from Luke 14, where Jesus teaches his disciples about discipleship. He uses the context of a dinner party to illustrate humility and generosity.
In Luke 6, Jesus turns the world’s values upside down, blessing the poor, the hungry, and the persecuted rather than the powerful or successful. His teaching challenges both first-century Palestine and modern Northern Virginia by revealing that our true reward lies not in what we accumulate, but in what God promises beyond this life. We live in a culture driven by fear and scarcity, by the urge to gather and guard resources, but Jesus calls us to a different way: one of radical trust, generosity, and love. The opposite of love is not hate, but fear. Generosity, therefore, becomes a holy act of resistance that breaks fear’s hold and mirrors God’s abundance. On this All Saints’ Sunday, we remember those who showed us what such generosity looks like and ask for the courage to follow their example, trusting in God’s endless grace and building the kingdom of God on earth as it is in heaven.
Today’s Gospel contrasts the proud Pharisee with the humble tax collector, inviting us to consider what motivates our giving. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us that Christians are called to live differently—emptying ourselves of fear and self-preservation and instead practicing generosity rooted in God’s abundant love. As we enter our STEADFAST season, we are encouraged to reflect on how we give, and to grow in trust that in God’s kingdom, there is always enough.
The Rev’d Burl Salmon, Rector Steadfast Sermon Series 1