What does God ask us to do in impossible situations? Is it better to challenge authority or keep your head down? As we begin a four-week series on the book of Esther, we hear about two very different women and how each of them exist in an unjust regime with a dangerously erratic king. Vashti […]
Is it Jesus, or a ghost? Far from the shore and in the midst of a storm, the disciples see Jesus walking on water, but assume it can’t possibly be him. We often assume the mysterious workings of God are something far worse, because our perceptions have been skewed by the storms we are in. […]
In a lonely place, both the disciples and a crowd with many great needs gather to be with Jesus. They are more alike than they realize—all sheep in need of a shepherd. Jesus feeds both groups with a miraculous meal of bread and fish, with belonging, with compassion, with purpose. Daily bread begins with satisfying […]
Worst party ever. Our gospel story tells the story of John the Baptist speaking truth to power and paying the ultimate price. We are called to courageously break toxic cycles of violence and destruction and choose to live as citizens of the kingdom of God. It won’t be easy, that’s for sure, but following the […]
Jesus may not be Superman, but a visit to his hometown has the same effect on his miracles as kryptonite. His powers fall flat. But instead of getting back at them, he shifts gears entirely and pours his powers into his followers. He does the same for us today, calling us to follow him out […]
Healing is a word we throw around a lot in the church, but what does it really mean? Jesus heals a woman who has been bleeding for twelve years and brings a girl back to life in today’s gospel reading. In both cases he restores them to the healing power of their community, and reminds […]
Now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation! Now we are in the storm, the boat almost swamped; but Jesus is here now, and when we call him, he will calm the storm. Even the wind and waves listen to him as they would to their creator. We also listen to him […]
The mustard seed becomes a great shrub that shelters the birds, recalling ancient images of the tree of life. We’d expect a cedar or a sequoia, but Jesus finds the power of God better imaged in a tiny, no-account seed. It’s not the way we expect divine activity to look. Yet the tree of life […]
What’s gotten into you? Jesus returns to his hometown and brings the drama, as a crowd demands healing, exorcisms, and explanations. Even his own family worries that he might be out of his mind. When people don’t understand you, Jesus says, remember the world needs to be shaken up. The Holy Spirit is what’s gotten […]
The 80s rock song says, “everybody’s working for the weekend,” and it’s true: we have been taught to work for Sabbath, the right to take time off for ourselves. But in our gospel reading today, Jesus has something different to say about the Sabbath, and not everyone wants to hear it. God meant the Sabbath […]