Easter Vigil On the eve of Easter, people gathered as some of the disciples once did at the tomb of Jesus the night before he was resurrected. The people gathered to pray, to wait, and to remember. We began the night with a service that helped us to reflect on
Continue reading1 Peter 1:3-9 A new birth into a living hopeJohn 20:19-31 Receive the Holy Spirit When Jesus speaks of forgiveness, he seems to give the disciples a lot of power — the power to forgive others their sins. Forgiveness is powerful. It is also a dilema for many. Some find
Continue readingJeremiah 31:1-6 Grace in the wildernessMatthew 28:1-10 He has been raised from the dead! In his dying and rising — living beyond death — Christ goes beyond all of the limitations of this earthly life to be the one who leads the way wherever life leads. How does Christ lead
Continue readingPsalm 118: 1-2, 19-29 The stone the builders rejectedMatthew 21:1-11 Jesus enters JerusalemIsaiah 50: 4-9a The suffering servant struck and insulted The beginning of Holy Week is a mix of emotions – celebration, joy, a sense of fear and immanent doom, political strife, uncertainty and resistance. The week begins with
Continue readingEzekiel 37:1-14 Valley of dry bonesJohn 11:1-45 Raising of Lazarus From the valley of dry bones and the grave of Lazarus — life happens! Life actually is like this: it has power to renew itself. Therefore we are enjoined to trust the life-energy at the heart of Creation. These stories
Continue reading1 Samuel 16:1-13 Annointing of DavidJohn 9:1-41 A man born blind receives sight Imagine being the weakest and smallest, then chosen to be King. Imagine being blind from birth, then chosen to receive sight. Imagine a God who would act so unconventionally. Imagine a world with a God like that!
Continue readingExodus 17:1-7 Water from the rockPsalm 95Romans 5:1-11John 4:5-42 The Samaritan woman at the well As each year passes our hearts tend to harden from the wear and tear of life. Things happen to us that hurt us, make us more cautious, cause us to fight back, and cause us
Continue readingGenesis 12:1-4a The call of AbramJohn 3:1-17 Nicodemus visits Jesus Jesus’ words to Nicodemus about being born again, like God’s call to Abram, represent the offer of a beginning. It is not the beginning that is long past, nor is it starting over again; but a perception of life that
Continue readingGenesis 2:15-17, 3:1-7 First sin and punishmentMatthew 4:1-11 Temptation of Jesus Theologians have called it “Original Sin”, this feeling of curse or “bad karma” that seems inevitable in human nature. Matthew Fox says that before original sin came original blessing. These thoughts are the background against which to understand Jesus’
Continue readingExodus 24:12-18 God calls Moses up the mountainMatthew 17: 1-9 Jesus transfigured on the mountain Both Moses and Jesus are transformed, transfigured and changed by the presence of God. The events are spectacular, illuminating, dazzling and awe inspiring. So what do we do with this? Has your heart been set
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