Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany

We gave our readers a one-word writing prompt: “Wind.”

Throughout scripture, human bodies are not an obstacle to righteousness; they are its location.

Unlike Psalm 150, which praises God with abandon just because, our psalmist of the day cites some reasons.

Mark's Gospel provides tantalizing hints about Peter’s unnamed mother-in-law.

Wright tells a great story. Would the apostle recognize it?

Can Paul literally be any identity?

Debbie's prayers have not been answered.

In this week’s Gospel reading, Jesus heals many sick people and casts out many demons. I’ve been thinking about healing a lot lately.

If you’re Jesus, demons will interrupt your mission of proclaiming the message of transformation and hope—even if they have to tell the truth to do it.

Patience is not one of our stronger characteristics. A flight delay or traffic jam can become an emotional and physical crisis.

When our girls were still quite young, my husband Norm and I moved our family from our fast-paced life and work in Chicago to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where Norm had accepted a teaching position. Feeling a bit like Abraham and Sarah, we made a radical change of landscape.

In the midst of ethical and doctrinal problems, says Paul, what is most important is to love all people.

Paul writes elsewhere that we are each given different gifts for ministry. Here he says that he, at least, does it all.

The Christian church was born with Simon Peter’s mother-in-law.

Several decades ago, when I was filling out my application for seminary admission, I came to a question that asked me to provide biblical justification for my calling. I knew I wanted to attend seminary, but found it difficult to state why. Then I remembered my Wesley Foundation pastor preaching on 1 Corinthians 9:16b, and I wrote, “Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel.” The text expressed the urgency I felt and even a tinge of divine necessity—although I think I knew even then that I was going a bit too far.

We know things only insofar as we can describe their likeness.

Isaiah is a master at putting God and humankind in perspective.