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Anglo-Catholic parish in Southern Virginia

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Anglo-Catholic parish in Southern Virginia

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Sanctus Bell – July 27, 2022

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Sanctus Bell – June 29, 2022

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Sanctus Bell – June 22, 2022

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Sanctus Bell – June 15, 2022

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Sanctus Bell – June 8, 2022

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Sanctus Bell – June 1, 2022

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Sanctus Bell – May 25, 2022

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St Bride's Anglo-Catholic Parish, Hampton Roads, VA
3 weeks ago

Tuesday of Week 34 in Ordinary Time – 25 November 2025
Ferial or Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria | Green or Red | Year C(I)

Roman Lectionary: Dan 2:31–45 | Dan 3:57–61 | Lk 21:5–11

RCL (ECUSA & CofE): Dan 7:9–10,13–14 | Ps 93 | Lk 21:5–19 (aligned lectionary week)

Homily: “The Kingdom Cut Without Human Hands”
We find ourselves in the final days of the liturgical year, and the tone of our readings matches the calendar—clear-eyed, apocalyptic, yet deeply rooted in hope.

In the Book of Daniel, the prophet recounts and interprets a dream that would have left most trembling: a terrifying statue made of gold, silver, bronze, iron, and clay—an image of empires built on fragile foundations. Each section represents a different human kingdom, each more brittle than the last. And then, something entirely different: a stone “cut out by no human hand,” striking the statue’s feet and bringing the whole thing down. That stone, Daniel tells us, becomes a mountain that fills the whole earth.

What is this stone? What kind of kingdom grows without violence, without politics, without conquest?

It is the Kingdom of God—cut without human hands, born not of manipulation or might, but from the mysterious working of grace. The Kingdom that begins small, as a mustard seed. The Kingdom that grows not by overthrow but by outlasting.

Jesus picks up the thread in Luke’s Gospel, warning of the fall of the Temple. This would have been as shocking then as predicting the fall of a great cathedral today. He’s not fearmongering—he’s preparing his disciples. “There will not be left here one stone upon another.” And yet: “Do not be terrified.”

These are hard but hopeful words. Because Jesus does not promise his followers ease or escape. He promises presence. He does not say, “You will never face wars or earthquakes or betrayals.” He says, “I will give you words and wisdom. By your endurance, you will gain your lives.”

This is a word we all need. We may not be facing the literal collapse of temples or empires, but we all know what it is to see something precious fall—relationships, institutions, illusions. The Gospel invites us not to panic, but to plant our trust in something deeper. In someone deeper.

For those who observe the Memorial of Saint Catherine of Alexandria, this theme resonates. She lived in a world of unstable empires and violent coercion. And yet, in her young faith, she stood before emperors with wisdom beyond her years. She was, in her way, a living witness to that kingdom not built by human hands.

So today’s message is clear: All human kingdoms—even the impressive ones—are temporary. But there is a kingdom rising, quietly and surely, cut without human hands, that will not be shaken. And if we hold fast to Christ, we are citizens of that Kingdom already.

Reflection Questions:
What “empires” in your life are proving to be more fragile than they once seemed?

Where do you see signs of God’s Kingdom rising in small, quiet, but lasting ways?

What helps you endure in faith when the world around you feels unsteady?

Let us pray:
Eternal King,
you set up a Kingdom not built by human hands,
one that will never be shaken.
Help us not to cling to what crumbles,
but to build our lives on you.
Grant us endurance when we are tested,
courage when the world trembles,
and wisdom to witness to your truth,
as Saint Catherine did in her day.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

The Rev’d Canon Fr Stuart King SSC
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Tuesday of Week 34 i
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