Luke 12:32-48 I was out on my bicycle a couple of early mornings ago. As I returned home on my street, this caught my eye. Now it was the first of the month and the dwelling this pile of ‘treasures’ stood in front of is a rental, so I expect someone’s lease was up and …
The Real Tragedy of the Story…
Luke 12:13-21 I have been on sabbatical since the first of June. In order to give my self a true break, I posted old blogs to cover the time I was away. Although I will be back in the pulpit this Sunday, I was concerned I would not have the time or the focus to …
Being Rich Toward God…
Luke 12:13-21 The parable Jesus offers now is surely about an individual and choices he has made. And yet, I have found myself thinking instead about the choices we make collectively as God’s people about our ‘barns’ and all they hold. About what matters and what doesn’t. About what it means for us together to …
A Young Man, His Dog and How Much More Will the Heavenly Father Give…
Luke 11:1-13 I was running errands for my mother this week. I had made a stop at the grocery store. On her list was watermelon and they were out of it so I decided to try another store. As I walked towards the entrance I noticed a large black dog wearing a brown scarf around …
In the Presence of the Holy: Mary and Martha
As you will note in the examples offered below, this blog reflection was first posted in July of 2016. While the headlines are different, It seems the stories and their potential meaning are much the same. May these words still be a blessing to you. — Pastor Janet Luke 10:38-42 I found myself walking under …
The Samaritan: Where is God at Work in the World?
Luke 10:25-37 I will admit that it can be challenging to hear this parable of Jesus and actually hear anything new. We have heard it so many times, of course, and more than that, there are so many overlays of interpretation and understanding — both cultural and otherwise — that it can be difficult to …
An Owner’s Manual for Missionaries
Luke 10:1-11, 16-20 I purchased a ‘new’ used car last week. My old one was starting to show its 114,000 miles and it was time. When I got home I pulled out the owner’s manual. Never mind that it’s the same make and model as my last car, things change in 7 years. I smiled …
No Turning Back
Luke 9:51-62 Every time this Gospel text rolls around, I find myself annoyed by it for what Jesus has to say today makes no sense to me at all. I mean, truly, what is this business about the dead burying their own dead? And then I remembered… It was the summer before I was to …
On Pigs and Sacrifice and Foreshadowing…
Luke 8:26-39 Now, I do know, of course, that this story is not really about the pigs. Even so? Whenever this Gospel from Luke rolls around, I find myself focusing on them all over again. And yes, I know that most commentators consider this a throw away detail, and perhaps it is. For it is …
Truth That Catches Us
John 16:12-15 “Jesus said, “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth…” (John 16:12-13) “The truth is a snare: you cannot have it without being caught. You cannot have the truth in such a …