The texts for Sunday, November 11, 2012 (Lectionary 32): 1 Kings 17:8–16; Psalm 146; Hebrews 9:24–28, and Mark 12:38–44. “Put not your trust in rulers, in mortals in whom there is no help. When they breathe their last, they return to earth, and in that day their thoughts perish.” – Psalm 146:3-4 Edit: I justContinueContinue reading “Trusting in Rulers”
Tag Archives: religion
A Parable about “Pure” Religion
The texts for Sunday, September 2, 2012 (Lectionary 22): Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9; Psalm 15; James 1:17–27; and Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23 “It wasn’t about the stained glass window. At least it wasn’t supposed to be,” Bobby thought as she looked at the swirling colors of shattered glass through her tear-filled eyes. She had wanted toContinueContinue reading “A Parable about “Pure” Religion”
Religion of the Heart
The texts for Sunday, September 2, 2012 (Lectionary 22): Deuteronomy 4:1–2, 6–9; Psalm 15; James 1:17–27; and Mark 7:1–8, 14–15, 21–23 “So the Pharisees and the scribes asked him, ‘Why do your disciples not live according to the tradition of the elders, but eat with defiled hands?'” – Mark 7:5 Every once in a while,ContinueContinue reading “Religion of the Heart”
The Depths of Worship
The texts, moved from Sunday, July 1, 2012 to Sunday, June 24, 2012: Lamentations 3:22–33; Psalm 30; 2 Corinthians 8:7–15; and Mark 5:21–43 “The LORD is good to those who wait for him, to the soul that seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD.” -Lamentations 3:25-26ContinueContinue reading “The Depths of Worship”
Earthy Spirituality
The texts for Maundy Thursday, April 5, 2012: Exodus 12:1-14, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, John 13:1-17, 31b-35 …Our faith is earthy. Here we have the heart of our Christian practice together— meal sharing and serving one another by washing each other’s feet. You can’t get more earthy than that. You can’t get more connected to theContinueContinue reading “Earthy Spirituality”
Going to Hell
“The church is going to hell in a handbasket.” This is a phrase I hear periodically. I especially hear it from people who think that the church shouldn’t change, that it should have stayed the way it was when they were kids. My response has usually been to try to understand what it is thatContinueContinue reading “Going to Hell”
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 neverContinueContinue reading “A Little Bit of Paul”
A Call to Prayer
* The featured image: Christian Franciscan monks and nuns hold a candle procession on 21 December 2007 through an Armenian section in the Church of the Nativity as they walk from Saint Catherine’s Church into the Nativity Church and then down into the ‘Grotto,’ where they pray before the silver star in a niche markingContinueContinue reading “A Call to Prayer”
Supersessionism sucks
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. “They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises; to them belong the patriarchs, and from them, according to the flesh, comes the Messiah, whoContinueContinue reading “Supersessionism sucks”
Jabbok Dawn 