Luke 21:25-36 “Now when these things begin to take place, stand and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.” (Luke 21:28) It is unexpected, it seems to me— this kind of posture in the face of the struggle described in Luke’s Gospel now. Natural disasters are all about. People are fainting out of …
Month: November 2012
Christ the King and Jesus Christ Superstar
John 18:33-37 I met a friend for a cup of tea the other day. She is going to be directing “Jesus Christ Superstar” at our local community theater in the spring and wanted to pick my brain a little bit. She told me something that surprised me — although perhaps it shouldn’t have. She told me …
No More Worries
Matthew 6:25-33 And so these words which come to us this Thanksgiving aren’t first about giving thanks, are they? No, they seem to get at gratitude’s opposite — or at least that which keeps us from being grateful, namely worry.It was a few years ago when I went to call on a member of our …
Looking in the Wrong Direction
Mark 13:1-8 A couple of weeks ago we were gathering in the classroom where we come together for Confirmation each Wednesday. Some were done with the service project earlier than others so Jim, one of our adult leaders, volunteered to wait with a handful of young people who were the first to return. I walked …
The Widow’s All
Mark 12:38-44 I spent an hour last week sitting at the foot of the bed of one of our own. Frieda was then in her last days, having lived 94 years. She was surrounded that afternoon by two sons, a grand-daughter, two great-grand-daughters, and an old friend. Not to mention the occasional ‘accidental’ visitors who …