A New Beginning: Freedom, Vows, and Walking in the Light
The Fourth Sunday after Pentecost | June 21, 2026
Opening Thought
Thursday in Chicago, the Obama Presidential Center held its grand opening ceremony, purposefully aligned with Friday's national celebration of Juneteenth. During the dedication, Michelle Obama issued a striking challenge that gets to the heart of what divides us today: she told the crowd to "put down your phones." She called us to challenge ourselves to engage deeply with our neighbors, our friends, and even strangers, so that we might foster genuine hope, empathy, and community connection. Her words offer a compelling vision of unity, perfectly echoing the very charge Jesus gave His followers—to be fully present, to love actively, and to remember that we are all, ultimately, children of God.
Friday, we commemorated Juneteenth, remembering that day in 1865 when Union soldiers finally arrived in Galveston, Texas, bringing the long-delayed news of emancipation to the last enslaved African Americans. It is a day that fundamentally represents a new beginning—the breaking of physical chains and the agonizing, joyful transition into freedom. As Christians, this historical moment of emancipation beautifully mirrors the profound spiritual liberation we find in Jesus. Christ comes to break the heavy chains of sin, fear, and division, freeing us from the bondage of our past—and the glowing screens that so often isolate us—inviting us into the glorious liberty of a life lived in real, tangible grace.
This path of liberation, however, is not always comfortable. In our Gospel reading this Sunday, Jesus disrupts our expectations, reminding us that His truth often challenges the status quo and requires us to take up our cross. True freedom and true unity demand a radical reorientation of our lives. Yet, we make this journey knowing we are of immense value to a God who counts every hair on our heads.
This Sunday, our parish will witness this promise of a new beginning firsthand. As we celebrate the Holy Baptism of Daniel Jordan Ellis Josey III, we are reminded of what it means to be reborn into this interconnected family. Through the waters of baptism, we die to an old way of life and are raised into a hope-filled future. As we welcome Daniel, celebrate the love of our earthly fathers, and witness the service of admission for our new Daughters of the King, let us heed the call to put down our distractions. Let us recommit ourselves to the hard, beautiful work of actually looking our neighbors in the eye, walking together in the spiritual liberation Christ has freely given us.
Engaging the Word
Our readings today center on the intense, transformative power of God’s word and the new life we are called to through the waters of baptism.
Jeremiah (20:7-13): We join the prophet Jeremiah in a moment of deep vulnerability. He laments that the word of the Lord has brought him reproach and derision. Yet, he cannot keep silent; the word of God is like a "burning fire shut up in my bones." It is a powerful reflection on the unavoidable call of God's truth.
Psalm 69: We will speak this psalm responsively by half verse. It echoes Jeremiah's struggle, crying out, "Zeal for your house has eaten me up." It is a plea for God to answer with compassion and to draw near in times of distress.
Romans (6:1b-11): Paul offers his definitive, triumphant theology of baptism. He asks, "How can we who died to sin go on living in it?" He reminds us that through baptism, we are buried with Christ so that we might walk in newness of life, ultimately considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God.
Matthew (10:24-39): Jesus gives His disciples a challenging but comforting charge. While warning them that the Gospel will cause division and require them to take up the cross, He repeatedly tells them, "Do not be afraid." He assures them of their immense value to the Father and calls them to boldly acknowledge Him before others.
A Journey in Song: Our Musical Guides
Our music today brilliantly traces the arc of our liturgy—anchoring us in the tradition of the church, celebrating the joy of new life in the sacrament of baptism, and sending us out with triumphant energy.
Opening Voluntary: We are welcomed into worship with William Walond's Voluntary in G Major, Op. 1, No. 5. Walond, an 18th-century English composer, wrote in the stately, bright style typical of the English voluntary. It establishes a robust and joyful atmosphere to prepare our hearts for the liturgy.
Entrance Hymn: We stand to sing I love thy kingdom, Lord. One of the oldest American hymns, written by Timothy Dwight in 1800, it gathers us with a profound expression of devotion for the Church. It is a fitting beginning for a Sunday focused on membership, baptism, and the vows of the Daughters of the King.
Sequence Hymn: As we prepare for the Gospel reading, we sing We know that Christ is raised and dies no more. This majestic hymn perfectly echoes Paul's letter to the Romans, propelling us toward the Gospel with the hope of the resurrection and the promise of our baptism.
Baptismal Hymns: Surrounding the Presentation and Examination of the Candidate, we sing Sing praise to our creator. Following the baptism, we welcome the newly baptized by singing I want to walk as a child of the light. With its radiant refrain, "Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus," it beautifully captures the joy and clarity of new life in Christ.
Music at the Offertory: Paul Manz's Aria provides a beautiful, lyrical moment of reflection as we prepare the table. Manz, a beloved American church musician, crafted this piece to be gentle and centering, acting as the perfect, quiet offering before we approach the altar.
Communion Hymn: As we gather at the altar, we sing Here, O my Lord, I see thee face to face. Written by Horatius Bonar, this text beautifully captures the profound, intimate grace of the Eucharistic feast, reminding us of the peace we find in Christ's presence.
Post-Communion Hymn: Having been nourished at the table and having witnessed profound vows of faith, we process out singing the triumphant hymn Lift high the cross. Written in 1887 by George William Kitchin and Michael Robert Newbolt, this beloved text serves as our own commissioning. Its soaring, majestic refrain perfectly captures the energy of our new Daughters of the King—who have just been blessed with their crosses—and it empowers all of us to boldly proclaim the love of Christ as we step back out into the world.
Closing Voluntary: We conclude with Charles Villiers Stanford's magnificent Postlude in G Major, Op. 105, No. 2. Stanford, a master of the English choral and organ tradition, provides a sweeping, triumphant send-off, perfectly matching the energy of our call to carry the cross out into the world.
A Closing Note on our Journey
It is deeply moving to look at all the intersections of today's liturgy. We hear the fierce, burning devotion of the prophets alongside the challenging directives of Jesus. We witness the life-giving waters of baptism poured over Daniel Jordan Ellis Josey III, and we see the women of our parish step forward to receive the cross as new Daughters of the King.
These elements remind us that our faith is not a passive endeavor. It requires the "burning fire" in our bones that Jeremiah spoke of. It requires a willingness to put down our distractions, to actively engage with our neighbors, to serve joyfully, and to take up our cross to follow Him.
But we do not do this alone. We do it surrounded by a family of faith, strengthened by the Eucharist, and reminded by Christ Himself that we are known, loved, and valued immensely by the Father. We are equipped with the Holy Spirit to do the hard, beautiful work we have been given to do.
Let us take these commitments out the doors of the church. As our Diocesan Purpose Statement beautifully reminds us, "We challenge ourselves and the world to love like Jesus as we worship joyfully, serve compassionately, and grow spiritually." As we sing Lift high the cross and step boldly into this new week, let us walk as children of the light.
A Prayer for the Week Ahead
Let us pray for the grace to walk faithfully in the commitments of our faith.
For Daniel Jordan Ellis Josey III, newly baptized into the death and resurrection of Christ, that he may walk in newness of life and always know the light of Jesus in his heart.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
For the newly admitted Daughters of the King, that they may be strengthened by the Holy Spirit to pray and serve all their days, wearing their crosses in humility and devotion.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
For all fathers and those who act as fathers, that God may give them strength, wisdom, tenderness, and patience to care for their families.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
For the Church, that we may have the courage of the prophets, feeling God's word as a burning fire within us, and never fearing to proclaim His truth in the world.
Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.
Collect for the Fourth Sunday after Pentecost:
O Lord, make us have perpetual love and reverence for your holy Name, for you never fail to help and govern those whom you have set upon the sure foundation of your loving-kindness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
Amen.
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