I grew up with the lyric “you don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows” etched in my memory. That reference surely dates me, although I confess that I was a pretty small child when my parents were playing Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues” on our home stereo. My parents were themselves young antiwar activists … Read the rest
Continue reading "A Prophet for Divided Times" »
“If only I had known”. How many times have I said something like that to myself? If only I’d known that it was going to rain, I would have fixed that leak. If only I’d known that my car was going to be broken into, I wouldn’t have left my purse under the seat. If only I’d known … Read the rest
Continue reading "Surrounded by Treasure" »
Some years ago I embarked on a long retreat with a new spiritual director, and at our first session he asked me how and how often I pray. Seems like a reasonable question for a spiritual director to ask, but somehow it made me feel a bit like when the dentist last asked me how well and how … Read the rest
Continue reading "Ask, Seek, Knock, Persist" »
“Tell her then to help me.” How often have I said that? OK, maybe I’ve had the self-control not to say it out loud. After all, that would be what’s called triangulation. The example of which—in this case—being Martha asking Jesus to carry the uncomfortable message, rather than asking her sister for help directly. Indirect or triangular communication … Read the rest
Continue reading "You Can't Always Get What You Want" »
“Lord, do you want us to command fire to come down from heaven and consume them?” As a mother who has raised two sons, I am well versed in the primal human desire—especially among adolescent males—to incinerate things. But Jesus immediately rebuked James and John for suggesting that the inhospitable Samaritan village be destroyed, and the disciples continued … Read the rest
Continue reading "From Fire to Freedom" »
Where is your safe place? I mean that question seriously, so take a moment to think about it. Is it in your home, your hometown, in a favorite place of retreat, or maybe even right here at Trinity?
The prophet Elijah, running for his life from the enraged King Ahab and Queen Jezebel, sought safety in a cave … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Safety of Each Other" »
I heard through the grapevine that Rev. Karen preached on basketball last Sunday. And I was so glad, because I am utterly incapable of preaching on sports. It’s good to have a diversity of preachers who use different metaphors for our life in Christ, and—since basketball isn’t in my wheelhouse—I was grateful that Karen took one for the … Read the rest
Continue reading "Made for Freedom" »
Are you a sheep, listening for the voice of Jesus, or not? Are you a mother, or the child of a mother? On this Sunday, known as Good Shepherd Sunday, has the shepherd been good to you? Or perhaps more specific to the day, was your mother good? If you are a parent, is your own parenting good … Read the rest
Continue reading "Parenting, Imperfect" »
“Follow me.” Those are some rather stunning words to hear from Jesus. They’re also pretty familiar to us who go to church, so I want to invite you to listen to them anew, with the ears of your heart. And with the backstory in mind. “Follow me,” the resurrected one said.
Remember that, if you were Simon Peter, … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Invitation and the Imperative" »
Over the past month, I have attended or officiated four funerals. The deceased were people of different genders and ages and ethnicities. Two were people who had lived long full lives and passed away peacefully. Two were people whose lives were tragically cut short. There were in some cases ashes at the funerals, in some cases bodies; … Read the rest
Continue reading "Death and Our Song" »