Soul Growth

Between birth and death we travel a path leading to an ever deeper maturity, wisdom and grace. At least that is the hope. How do we nourish our soul into maturity? What does it mean to provoke love and kindness? Read

Continue reading

The Spirit of Justice

Psalm 127 • God’s Blessings in the home. Mark 12:38-44 • Jesus denounces the scribes. As faithful followers of Christ we are called to notice, to speak out, and to question injustice in the world. As a faith community our call to follow Jesus comes with difficult choices where our

Continue reading

The Spirit of Friendship

Ruth 1:1-18 • Ruth chooses to go with Naomi Mark 12:28-34 • Which commandment is the first of all. The name Ruth means friendship and that is exactly what the story of Ruth is about. The steadfastness of Ruth transforms social and cultural conventions. The story is an example of

Continue reading

Who’s to blame?

Job 42:1-6, 10-17 • Job acknowledges God’s power; Job’s fortunes are restored. Mark 10:46–52 • The healing of Bartimaeus. Someone must be to blame. We have to be able to point to the person or persons responsible for the mess we are in. Job’s friends all suggested blaming God. We

Continue reading

One Thing We Lack

Each year we celebrate Thanksgiving as a way to ritualize our gratitude for all of the blessings we have received. And living in one of the wealthiest cities in one of the wealthiest countries in the world might give us pause to consider the depth of our gratitude. Amos and

Continue reading

What does it mean to be the church?

Job 1:1; 2:1-10 • Attack on Job’s health. Mark 10: 13-15 • Jesus blesses little children There are a lot of assumptions made about people of faith. Secular society likes to challenge the sacred and are often suspicious of it. Even with in faith communities there is suspicion and assumptions.

Continue reading

Salted with Fire.

The gospel reading this week closes with the words “Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.” Being faithful requires a certain spiritedness, a certain saltiness. Or, as Jesus suggests, a certain fire. Our covenant with one another includes a certain passion for the life, health, and

Continue reading

Affirming our commitment

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a • 2 kinds of wisdom. Mark 9:30-37 • Whoever welcomes a child, welcomes me. How do we live in community with one another, when we are all so different, when we express our faith differently? We start with a covenant which proclaims how we promise to live

Continue reading