A reflection on Matthew 14:22-33, the Gospel lesson for August 7, 2011, for proper 14 in the Revised Common Lectionary. A reflection on the Old Testament lesson for the same day is available here. If ever there is a story in the gospels which sums up the Gospel, this is it. The story begins like the story of Creation. As the Spirit of God hovered over the waters just before light was called into being—Jesus […]
A reflection on Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28, the Old Testament lesson for Sunday August 7, 2010 according to the Revised Common Lectionary. A reflection on the Gospel lesson for the same day is available here. Isaac had two boys, and one conspired to lie and cheat his way into a blessing that, by birth right, belonged to the other. Jacob had twelve boys, and ten of them conspired to kill one of their brothers–and probably would […]
A reflection on Matthew 14:13-21, the gospel lesson for July 31st according to the Revised Common Lectionary. There is also a reflection for the Old Testament lessons for this same day here. He had just received word that John the Baptist was dead. Beheaded. Their families were close. Their mothers had gotten together when they were pregnant with each of them. They were both servants of God, sent to preach the Good News. Jesus had […]
A reflection on Genesis 32:22-31, the Old Testament lesson for July 31st according to the Revised Common Lectionary. A reflection on the Gospel lesson for the same day can be found here. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:31 Jacob sent everything and everyone away. Across the Jabbok. They were gone. He was alone. But, he wasn’t. One of the basic precepts that I insist on, […]
A reflection on Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52, the Gospel Lesson from the Revised Common Lectionary for July 24, 2011. I also have a reflection on the Old Testament lesson for the week. “What’s a tsumami?,” my seven year-old daughter Zoe asked. She had just walked into the family TV room and caught a glimpse of the morning news of Japan’s horrific earthquake before I could change the channel. She had asked what had happened, and we […]
A reflection on Genesis 29:15-28, the Old Testament lesson from the Revised Common Lectionary for July 24, 2011. I also have a reflection on the Gospel lesson of the same day. Like countless liars before him, and countless liars after him, Laban stood there and bold-faced-lied to Jacob. And, like countless victims throughout the ages, Jacob bore the full brunt of the deceit. Seven whole years of his life had been spent working to earn […]
Last summer my parish had an evening discussion group (wittily titled “Caffeinated Theology”) which looked at “The Kingdom Experiment,” by The House Studio. The concept was simple enough–each week you look at one of the beatitudes, and then choose an “experiment” through the rest of the week to explore living some aspect of the beatitude in question. I think the week was “blessed are the poor,” because for my experiment I chose sleeping on the […]
Genesis 25 moves quickly. If you lift your eyes from the page you just might miss a few decades. In less than fifteen verses Jacob and Esau go from zygotes to teenagers. And yet, not much changes in those verses, or in those years: Jacob and Esau are very different creatures in the womb and very different creatures outside of the womb. Like their forebears Cain and Abel, one is refined and the other is […]
Remember “Sleepless in Seattle?” It’s a story of romance – romance that didn’t begin over Facebook or Social Media – but over the radio. Jonah was wasn’t just dealing with his mother’s death, but his father’s depression. He wanted him to find someone…though he had to approve of her. He calls a radio show and spills his dad’s beans all over the country. One listener to the show, Annie, not only gets drawn in, but […]
The Akedah is one of those chapters of the Bible which reminds us all too well that we don't have a neat and tidy little religion that is country-club respectable in all ways at all times. Sometimes the story comes off the tracks. But, the story somehow finds it's way back onto the tracks. There is always the possibility of redemption.