We are constantly exposed in our culture to subtle and not so subtle messages meant to dehumanize others and to make us less empathic toward the suffering of others. These messages are a basic part of our culture because our culture, unfortunately, is deeply rooted in war, domination, and racism. In the United States, ourContinueContinue reading “The Work of Dehumanization and the Gospel Challenge”
Tag Archives: Jesus
Sidewalk Flowers: Searching
Cutting back an overgrown path Reflections on Lent 2019 – Day 4 I mentioned in my first reflection for Lent that I have been feeling the need to open space up in my life. Space, as in time on my calendar, as in less stuff in my house, as in less weight on my bodyContinueContinue reading “Sidewalk Flowers: Searching”
Remain with me
A reflection for Good Friday. The Gospel: John 18:1 – 19:42 (sung) Stay with me Remain here with me Watch and pray Watch and pray … These words, which come from a Taize chant, come from a different Gospel account of Jesus’ passion. They are from Jesus’ lips asking his disciples to stay awake inContinueContinue reading “Remain with me”
Beloved child, get up.
Text for this reflection (in an Advent series entitled “Revive”): Mark 5:21–43 “Talitha cum,” Little Girl, get up. This text is not one that we normally hear this time of year, in the season of Advent. Normally, we get lots of texts from the old testament prophets or the beginning of the Gospels where weContinueContinue reading “Beloved child, get up.”
The Fullness of God
The texts for Sunday, November 24, 2013 (Christ the King Sunday or the Reign of Christ): Jeremiah 23:1–6; Psalm 46 (though, we’re using the semi-continuous option for the psalm: Luke 1:68–79); Colossians 1:11–20; and Luke 23:33–43.”For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell” – Colossians 1:19I think I’ve probably written and preached about this before,ContinueContinue reading “The Fullness of God”
God’s Peace
The texts for the day are: Acts 5:27–32, Psalm 150, Revelation 1:4–8, and John 20:19–31. “Jesus said to them again, ‘Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.’ When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, theyContinueContinue reading “God’s Peace”
Drawing Near to Jesus
The texts for Sunday, October 21, 2012 (Lectionary 29): Isaiah 53:4–12; Psalm 91:9–16; Hebrews 5:1–10; and Mark 10:35–45. “Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don’t have to have a college degree to serve. You don’t have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve. You don’t have to know aboutContinueContinue reading “Drawing Near to Jesus”
God is Enough
The texts for Sunday, September 9, 2012 (Lection 23): Isaiah 35:4–7a; Psalm 146; James 2:1–10[11–13] 14–17; and Mark 7:24–37 …I think it is interesting that Isaiah doesn’t say Do not fear because you know exactly what is going to happen. Instead, Isaiah says do not fear: Here is your God. That seems like quite aContinueContinue reading “God is Enough”
The Syrophoenician Woman
The texts for Sunday, September 9, 2012 (Lection 23): Isaiah 35:4–7a; Psalm 146; James 2:1–10[11–13] 14–17; and Mark 7:24–37 “Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.” – Mark 7: 26 I wonder if this story is more than it seems. I wonderContinueContinue reading “The Syrophoenician Woman”
Life-giving?
The texts for Sunday, August 12, 2012 (Lectionary 19): 1 Kings 19:4–8; Psalm 34:1–8; Ephesians 4:25—5:2; and John 6:35, 41–51 “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a solitary broom tree. He asked that he might die: ‘It is enough; now, O LORD, take away myContinueContinue reading “Life-giving?”
Seeing Anew
The texts for Sunday, July 8, 2012 (Lectionary 14): Ezekiel 2:1–5; Psalm 123; 2 Corinthians 12:2–10; and Mark 6:1–13 At the synod assembly a few weeks ago now the seven last words of the church were mentioned. Do you know the seven last words of the church? “We’ve never done it that way before.” or,ContinueContinue reading “Seeing Anew”
Trinity Sunday: A God who is also…
The texts for Sunday, June 3, 2012 (Trinity Sunday): Isaiah 6:1-8; Psalm 29; Romans 8:12-17; and John 3:1-17 … Sometimes, this image of God — an image of God that is captured fully in a stained glass window — leaves us with the idea that we can understand God that we have God all figuredContinueContinue reading “Trinity Sunday: A God who is also…”
That we may be one…
The texts for Sunday, May 20, 2012: Acts 1:15–17, 21–26; Psalm 1; 1 John 5:9–13; and John 17:6–21. (Also mentioned: Acts 2:7-11) … And Jesus’ prayer for us? “that they may all be one. As you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the worldContinueContinue reading “That we may be one…”
Love, Jesus (the Christ)
The texts for Sunday, May 13, 2012: Acts 10:44–48; Psalm 98; 1 John 5:1–6; and John 15:9–17 …Dear Church, That seems so formal. I wish I could list you all by name—each and every one of you but then, I suppose I’d never get to what I’d like to say. You are each so preciousContinueContinue reading “Love, Jesus (the Christ)”
Glory Ungraspable
The texts for Sunday, February 19, 2012: 2 Kings 2:1–12, Psalm 50:1–6, 2 Corinthians 4:3–6, Mark 9:2–9 … There is a certain tragic edge to glory it seems. As though, we can only seek after it, but in the end we are destroyed in the attempt to attain it. Either that, or only a very few are everContinueContinue reading “Glory Ungraspable”
Contagious Wellness
The texts for Sunday, February 12, 2012: 2 Kings 5:1–14; Psalm 30; 1 Corinthians 9:24–27; and Mark 1:40–45. “But he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the word, so that Jesus could no longer go into a town openly, but stayed out in the country; and people came to himContinueContinue reading “Contagious Wellness”
What are you worth?
The texts for Sunday, October 16, 2011 were: Isaiah 45:1–7; Psalm 96:1–13; 1 Thessalonians 1:1–10; and Matthew 22:15–22 … In our mindset, in the way that we run our world, in our culture, Bill Gates, Warren Buffet and George Soros are worth more than the homeless guy who sleeps underneath the interstate bridge or theContinueContinue reading “What are you worth?”
More than Enough
The texts for Sunday, July 31st are: Genesis 32:22–31; Psalm 17:1–7, 15; Romans 9:1–5; and Matthew 14:13–21. Audio of sermon (a first person account of the feeding of the 5000 by a female disciple of Jesus): Pentecost-L18A.2011 ” Don’t ask me how it happened. Don’t ask me to explain how the bread multiplied or how weContinueContinue reading “More than Enough”
Jabbok Dawn 