The ascension story can inspire us to be more fully part of the world
This is not a unblemished body rising to heaven. This is Jesus in the flesh, God carrying embodiedness through to the end.
A strange first clue (John 2:1-11)
I think the disciples were a bit like detectives.
Water and fire (Psalm 29; Isaiah 43:1-7; Luke 3:15-17, 21-22)
John the Baptist's world and ours
January 20, Epiphany 2C (1 Corinthians 12:1-11; John 2:1-11)
Miracles can be hard work.
January 13, Baptism C (Luke 3:15-17, 21-22; Acts 8:14-17)
About that baptism by fire
Can these bones live?
I've been hearing stories of bones, in places that appear desolate and hopeless.
Worth the wait: The rare blessing of a benediction
As a child, I followed the order of worship in the bulletin, mentally checking off each item. My eyes were on the prize.
"To stop whiteness from trembling"
Pharaoh trembled at the growing Hebrew population; at the thought that these slaves might realize their oppression and realize their power. He demanded that the Egyptians throw all of the Hebrew baby boys into the Nile River.
Herod trembled at the report from the eastern scholars of a child who had been born King of the Jews; at the prospect of Jewish rebellion and an end to his tenuous hold on power.
Wrestling with the shoulds
Less than three years ago I was very excited to move out to the country. But less than a year ago we moved back into town. Honestly, it's a little embarrassing. Moving back to town was a good decision on many levels—the right decision for many reasons. Yet this time of year I do miss my three acres. I’ve been thinking lately about what I could call our “failed experiment” but instead choose to name our “country living adventure.”
Small Easter
A few years ago I audited a class called Preaching and the Short Story. There was a story on the syllabus with Easter in the title, and I kept thinking I should read that before I wrote my Easter sermon.
Easter already: Living with the church calendar
In December, my Facebook friends and I voted to move Easter back to April, where it belongs. Yet here we are, already well into Lent.
The value of a barren tree
In Luke 13, Jesus tells a parable about a barren fig tree. The tree is planted in a vineyard, which sounds weird, but fig trees were often used as trellises in vineyards. The owner is unhappy because the tree is not bearing fruit. “Cut it down,” he says. But the vintner says, “I’ll dig around it, fertilize it. Let’s give it one more year.”
And the vast majority of the commentaries and reflections I’ve read about this story say something to the effect of, “See, God is willing to give us sinners one more chance.”
What do you do?
“So, Joanna, what do you do?”
My comfort level with this question depends on the context.
People who want to be included
I've always assumed that the revelation here is that Jews should let the gentiles into the community. But perhaps the revelation is at least as much the fact that the gentiles want to be included.
Let the children serve
On a shelf in our church library you can find a “Reading Guide” made by a fourth grader. It lists the types of books appropriate for different age groups and advises: “Remember--Kids (8-12) when you start the Bible, go at your own pace. It's a long book!”
January 3, Epiphany Sunday: Matthew 2:1-12; Isaiah 60:1-6
If all it took was a star to compel a person to Bethlehem, the Magi would arrive to see a multitude.