With fear and trembling a preacher would add any words to this passion play, which is our story of stories, and which continues to tell itself wherever love meets the lust for power and control.
So rather than adding my own words to this narrative—or adding very many of them, anyway— I want to ask you to see … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Look of Love" »
I don’t know about you, but I really struggle to imagine how Jesus could ride into Jerusalem on both a donkey and a colt. It might be a first world problem: I drive a car and I don’t have much experience riding animals, so that makes it especially hard for me to envision what it would be like … Read the rest
“Let’s consider your age to begin with—
how old are you?’
’ I’m seven and a half exactly.’
’You needn’t say “exactually,”‘ the Queen remarked: ‘I can believe it without that. Now I’ll give YOU something to believe. I’m just one hundred and one, five months and a day.’
’I can’t believe THAT!’ said Alice.
‘Can’t you?’ the … Read the rest
When my two sons were young and we’d travel anywhere by car, they’d race to the driver’s side door calling “shotgun” at the top of their lungs. Honestly, I’m not really sure what the value of sitting in that front seat was. Because actually when they got a little older—and especially when their friends were in the car—nobody wanted to … Read the rest
Continue reading "James & John Call Shotgun" »“I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the
observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance;
by prayer, fasting, and self-denia
l; and by reading and
meditating on God’s holy Word.” Did y’all happen to hear that exhortation on Ash Wednesday last week? How’s all the prayer, fasting and self-denial going for you?
On the … Read the rest
Continue reading "Become What You Are" »One of the privileges of serving our diocesan community in the area of Christian formation—which is my day job—is that I get to work with a lot of young people who are really passionate about faith. They constantly inspire me to imagine and to work for a the kingdom of God. But I pray for them continually, because … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Bewildering Word" »“What do you think?” Jesus asked the chief priests and elders. Well, what do YOU think about the behavior of these two sons? Is it better to be a hypocrite or a nay-sayer?
Spoiler alert: this parable was kind of a trap for the temple authorities, because Jesus was using it to reveal their own hypocrisy. They gave … Read the rest
Continue reading "Saying Yes and Saying No" »“Why do you raise such questions in your heart?” Jesus asks the scribes and Pharisees. Pharisees being rather strict observers of aspects of Jewish law and tradition, and scribes being the professional scholars who interpreted Holy Scripture. You might think of me, as a priest, as something of a latter-day scribe. And so I can hear that question … Read the rest
Continue reading "Wrecking the Roof" »Advent 1B 1 Corinthians 1:1-9
Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lor
d Jesus Christ. I’ve always wanted to say that to a congregation. I’m a relatively new priest and its still kind of a holy surprise to speak the words spoken by apostles who went before me.
We heard this greeting near the beginning … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Front Matter and the Foundation" »New Consecration Sunday Proper 28A/Matthew 25:14-30
Maybe you’ve heard it said that your talent is God’s gift to you, and what your do with it is your gift to God. And then again, maybe you’ve heard this one—
“For it is as if a man, going on a journey, summoned his slaves and entrusted his property to them… to … Read the rest
Continue reading "To Each According to Their Ability" »
