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May 17 Easter 6 John 14 15 21 Psalm 66 8 20

Sometimes I can have a good time all by myself. I can get away from everything and everybody and enjoy the peace and quiet that only being alone can bring. I meditate or pray or read scripture or read a book. It is a time of renewal and refreshment as I relax in the Lord and enjoy God’s presence in the stillness and quiet of the day.

There is a difference, however, between being alone and being lonely.

May 3 Easter 4A Psalm 23 John 10 1 10

Peter Gomes, gone too soon, was an extraordinary preacher who served as minister of Memorial Church at Harvard University for almost 40 years. I once heard him joyfully confess his frequent response to inquiries concerning his well-being: “I flourish!” Gomes didn’t just answer with the usual “Fine, how are you?” His “I flourish!” I am sure caught many people unfamiliar with the ultralively Gomes off guard.

April 26 Easter 3A Luke 24 13 35

Super Bowl champions are known for following up their victories with a television commercial announcing that their next stop is Disney World. Amazing experience deserves amazing experience. This is strikingly different from what Jesus does after his victory over death: he takes a walk. How anticlimactic. How mundane. And yet how so like Jesus.