Season after Pentecost | 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B)
Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15 (Psalm 78:23-29); Ephesians 4:1-16; John 6:24-35 | Semi-continuous first reading: 2 Samuel 11:26 - 12:13a (Psalm 51:1-12)
Saul, David, and the morality of power
How shrewdly the drama of mixed motives, mixed loyalties, and mixed feelings unfolds.
Instead of glorifying the past, what if we treated the present as precious?
2 Samuel by Robert Barron
Robert Barron’s grasp of the complex development of David’s character in 2 Samuel is unsurpassed. And his references to history and literature are more than adornment.
Wrestling with Paul
Frances Taylor Gench doesn't ignore difficult texts about women; she wrestles with them. That's because she is committed to the Bible as scripture.
I've always admired the prophets. Their job of truth-telling required such courage and personal sacrifice. Yet they never held back. They spoke the truth no matter the consequences. I imagine they were lonely, then. Who could stand their challenging company for very long? Personal relationships, however, weren't the prophets' priority. Their job was to tell God's truth in a way that would be heard.