One moment, they are top of the mountain, Jesus is transfigured before them, shining in the radiance of God’s presence and assurance.  Moses and Elijah are there, too, though only for a moment.

The next day, they are in the midst of a crowd, confronted by illness and a desperate father seeking healing for his only child.  Jesus responds with a rebuke -- of the crowd, his disciples, and then of the demon.

An ethic of vengeance demands an eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.  Do unto others as they have done unto you. The outcome of such an ethic, as the saying goes, leaves the whole world blind and toothless.

The Golden Rule demands we treat others in the way we wish they would treat us.  The King James translation reads, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you: do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.”

Last week Jeff invited us to risk putting our nets out in deep water, even when it seems like those nets will break. He reminded us that despite the fear and the risk, this is what Jesus calls us to. He reminded us that the nets haven’t broken, and that where and whenever we have gone out into the deep water, whether in this church community or in our personal lives, we have been okay.

God does not call us to play it safe, to stay near the shore.  Quite the opposite. God calls us to risk everything, to go to the deep water. The miracle of the large catch of fish appears in this version in Luke, and another in the Gospel of John.  There are some significant differences between the two versions. In Luke, it happens near the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and involves the calling of Peter, James and John. In John, it occurs after the resurrection.

Good morning, church!  And welcome to the one hundred and seventieth annual meeting of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brookline.  

This is my tenth Annual Address as your rector.  As is my practice each year, I want to start by reminding you how much I love you, and how much I love being your rector.  It is a privilege to walk your journeys of faith with you and I am humbled by your faithfulness and your trust.

Some of us find it harder than others to speak our minds, even when the circumstances call for speech. My grade school report cards were always good, except that my teachers would invariably write in the comment section that they wished I would speak up more in class. No amount of cajoling or encouragement really helped – to this day, if I do not have prepared remarks, like a sermon or a classroom lecture, I would rather listen than talk. After all, God gave us two ears and only one mouth – which do you think we should use more, given the resources at our disposal?