A little light, please

The texts for Christmas Day: Isaiah 52:7–10, Psalm 98, Hebrews 1:1–12, and John 1:1–14 "The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did/does not overcome it." - John 1:5 It's amazing how even with the smallest amount of light, your eyes will adjust so that you can see.  I've been on a couple ofContinue reading "A little light, please"

Mary: The Child Bride

The texts for Sunday, December 18, 2011: 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16; Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26; Romans 16:25–27; and Luke 1:26–38. She might have been 12 or 13 or maybe 15 at the oldest. I think it is interesting that we have all these wonderings about Mary about the state of her virginity about the truth ofContinue reading "Mary: The Child Bride"

Hoping in consistency and inconsistency

Text: Malachi 3:16-4:6 "Who can endure the day of [the Lord's] coming, and who can stand when he appears?" Malachi preaches. The day of the Lord for Malachi is about judgement about how all of the people have failed to do justice to do what is right to love God and love neighbor. The peopleContinue reading "Hoping in consistency and inconsistency"

God in-fleshed

The texts for Sunday, December 18, 2011: 2 Samuel 7:1–11, 16; Psalm 89:1–4, 19–26; Romans 16:25–27; and Luke 1:26–38. "The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called SonContinue reading "God in-fleshed"

The future present?

The texts for Sunday, December 11, 2011:  Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11; Luke 1:46b–55; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24; and John 1:6–8, 19–28 ... But John's authority —his words —his whole reason for being is not to point to the past is not to recreate the past but to point to the coming of God ... the future, but inContinue reading "The future present?"

A Voice Crying Out

The texts for Sunday, December 11, 2011:  Isaiah 61:1–4, 8–11; Luke 1:46b–55; 1 Thessalonians 5:16–24; and John 1:6–8, 19–28 "Then they said to him, 'Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?' He said, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,Continue reading "A Voice Crying Out"

Just the beginning

The texts for Sunday, December 4, 2011:  Isaiah 40:1–11;  Psalm 85:1–2, 8–13;  2 Peter 3:8–15a;  and Mark 1:1–8 "The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God."-Mark 1:1 I think my favorite Gospel is the Gospel according to Mark.  I'm really fond of John, too, but I think I like MarkContinue reading "Just the beginning"

Hope in the hopeless

Text: Micah 5:1-5a Hope.  I think it's human nature to hope. In fact, I was just looking around online and came across a quote in Latin from Cicero: "Dum spiro, spero." While I breathe, I hope. We don't live without hope ... at least not for long. But, it is easier to hope at sometimes than at other times. It is easier toContinue reading "Hope in the hopeless"

God’s Just Playfulness

The texts for November 20, 2011: Ezekiel 34:11–16, 20–24; Psalm 95:1–7a; Ephesians 1:15–23; and Matthew 25:31–46 "For the LORD is our God, and we are the people of God's pasture and the sheep of God's hand." - Psalm 95: 7 I love this psalm.  I think it is my favorite part of morning prayer, set beautifully to a singableContinue reading "God’s Just Playfulness"

Context is Everything

The texts for Sunday, November 13, 2011:  Zephaniah 1:7, 12–18;  Psalm 90:1–12; 1 Thessalonians 5:1–11; and Matthew 25:14–30 "The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter, the warrior cries aloud there." - Zephaniah 1:14 It is hard to hear these textsContinue reading "Context is Everything"

Saints Are Us

The texts for Sunday, November 6, 2011:  Revelation 7:9–17; Psalm 34:1–10, 22; 1 John 3:1–3; and Matthew 5:1–12 When Jesus saw the crowds, he went ... and taught ... saying:  Blessed are ..." - Matthew 5:1-3ish Dorothy Day, a woman who was instrumental in starting the Catholic worker movement and someone who worked tirelessly forContinue reading "Saints Are Us"

Our Refuge and Strength

The texts for October 30, 2011: Jeremiah 31:31–34; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19–28; and John 8:31–36 God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth be moved, and though the mountains shake in the depths of the sea; though its waters rage and foam, andContinue reading "Our Refuge and Strength"

A Little Bit of Paul

The texts for October 30, 2011: Jeremiah 31:31–34; Psalm 46; Romans 3:19–28; and John 8:31–36 "So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed." - John 8:36 What do you need to be set free from? It's easy to be like those listening to Jesus who want to argue that they've neverContinue reading "A Little Bit of Paul"

Beloved of God

The texts for Sunday, October 23, 2011 were: Leviticus 19:1–2, 15–18; Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1–8; and Matthew 22:34–46 ... God's will, desire, dream expressed in the whole law and the prophets from Genesis to Leviticus to Jesus to Revelation to beyond God's dream and prophetic cry is that all of God's children flourish ThatContinue reading "Beloved of God"

The Heart of God’s Law

The texts for Sunday, October 23, 2011 are: Leviticus 19:1–2, 15–18; Psalm 1; 1 Thessalonians 2:1–8; and Matthew 22:34–46 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." - Matthew 22:44 Love the Lord your God ... Love your neighbor as your self ... It's interesting to me that central to these twoContinue reading "The Heart of God’s Law"

Ethics of Eating

It's been almost a month ago now since I went off to a conference sponsored by ELCA World Hunger about the “Ethics of Eating.” At the conference, we talked about a whole lot of things surrounding food systems, the ethics of those systems, and how our faith influences our response to how we feed theContinue reading "Ethics of Eating"