In these stories of flood and wilderness, we hear about the power of a new beginning, a fresh start. However, a fresh start isn’t always the same as a clean slate. It doesn’t always look pretty, but God takes our raw materials and builds something new out of them. God takes what we are and […]
At his transfiguration, Jesus becomes dazzlingly bright and his face and clothes shine like the sun. But what about the others there? They don’t get the “glow up” treatment that Jesus does, but they too are transfigured in a slower and less sparkly way. God calls and transfigures us to shine brightly as agents of […]
In Jesus’ healing work, we see the hand of God, lifting up those who are ill to health and service and lifting up the powerless to soar on wings like eagles. Through our own hands, imperfect yet gifted, we are given the gifts of community and relationship. Healing brings us out of isolation and into […]
Who’s got the power? Is it the unclean spirit (whatever that is) possessing the man in the synagogue? Is it Jesus, who tells him to get lost? Power without limits makes us a little wild. It’s exhilarating and it goes to our head. Jesus gives us the power to say NO to destructive power, and […]
Good news, bad news; which do you want first? In a world filled with things labeled as good news, we are hungry for truly good news that is more than just empty words. In Jesus, God’s expansive, powerful, healing love has come near to this broken world. This good news turns us around and catches […]
When there’s a baptism, you know the Spirit is in the air. Whether it’s a baby or an older child or an adult, unexpected things have a way of happening at a baptism. In Jesus’ baptism, the Holy Spirit tears open the heavens and comes down, possessing him and directing his life from that moment […]
The story of the mysterious Three Wise Kings…are they for real? The story of the magi visiting Jesus and his family has many layers of tradition and legend built up over the blank spaces of the story. But what is most important for us today? There is a place in this story for all of […]
The pinnacle of the Christmas story is when the angels sing throughout the heavens: Glory to God and peace to all humankind! Today we sing the carols once more and hear the words of the prophets, the story of Jesus’ birth, and the cosmic plan of God to redeem, reconcile and heal the entire world. […]
The Christmas story is full of signs pointing every which way. Signs pointing away from the emperor, the governor, the king, the powers that be in Rome and Jerusalem, and pointing toward a manger in Bethlehem. The angel tells the shepherds to look for a relatively ordinary baby as their sign, but God loves to […]
Comfort, O comfort my people, sings Isaiah to the Jewish people in exile in Babylon, wondering if they will ever see home again. Prepare the way of the Lord, cries John the Baptist in the wilderness, promising a fresh start for those who are tired of the status quo. Their voices, separated by centuries, join […]