The Rev. Meghan Mullarkey 

 Text: Mark 9:38-50 

 The 18th Sunday After Pentecost

"See, we are told that God loves us and and has abundant grace for us.  But where is this love when we are doubting our goodness or feeling lonely and where is this grace when we are overwhelmed by negative thoughts or unable to forgive ourselves for a wrongdoing?  Even though God does break through time and space to be present to us,  sometimes we can not see or feel this presence.  

So that is why the church performs sacraments, it is one way that we as a community try to make visible to one another the inward and invisible grace that God offers whenever God breaks through space and time.  The two foundational sacraments in the Episcopal church are Baptism and Eucharist.  When we do both of these acts we are declaring God’s love and grace for all. "