So who is actually on the Revised Common Lectionary committee, and why
do they have us visiting the island of Crete when everyone knows the
focus should be on the little town of Bethlehem?
With the church in Philippi threatened by disunity, Paul exhorts the people to "be of the same mind." He even calls people out by name: Hey, Euodia and Syntyche, I mean you.
But Paul also names another threat: worry.
Perhaps December in your house is like it is in mine: more guests coming
more often, which means more preparation. In my home, messages start
showing up in odd places—unexpected and in many cases unwelcome
messages.
The world is full of walls. Everywhere we go, there are fences, gates, partitions and other ingeniously constructed barriers—all aimed at keeping something or someone in and keeping something or someone else out. We need walls.
The other day I was sitting in a coffee shop and couldn’t help overhearing an interesting and intense debate on the other side of the room. An older gentleman was trying his best to aid an inquisitive college student who had some hard-hitting questions. She asked about scripture, about authority and about the church. One question kept popping up: “What is the difference between truth for you, truth for me and truth with a capital T?”
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