Mark 8:31-38 This is a story that was passed along to us after my dad died. This is how it came to us: Two of my sisters, my two young nephews, my mother and I had traveled east to the town north of Boston which was my dad’s hometown. My sister, Sarah, especially wanted to go …
Month: February 2012
Usually Ashes Are Easy to Come By
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 Usually ashes are easy to come by. In my most recent congregational call, our efficient Altar Guild would always make sure we had plenty of ashes on hand every year as Epiphany drew to a close and Ash Wednesday fast approached. Only as a much younger pastor, I wasn’t yet aware that ashes …
Uncharted Territory
Mark 1:9-15 I have to say that the story of Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness could not have come at a better time for me for I have found myself in ‘uncharted territory’ these days. The call came at a little after 6 am last Thursday morning. My 81 year old mother who has always …
Puzzling Over the Transfiguration
Mark 9:2-9 I confess I’ve always puzzled over how to bring this particular story alive. For it’s not as though this is something that happens every day. In fact, many of us would assert that we’ve never experienced anything quite like this moment in time where a few chosen disciples join Jesus on a mountain …
Pity or Anger or Both?
Mark 1:40-45 A story for the 6th Sunday After Epiphany There are things going on in the words of the story before us today that aren’t readily apparent if we only read it in its English translation. In fact, as I understand it, the main controversy seems to center on Jesus’ mood and response to the …