Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 There was a man who had two sons… It is “fiction,” of course. Or at least it is not “the truth” in the ways we are most accustomed to thinking of “truth.” For we are told right up front that Jesus is telling stories now. And yet, the characters, the scenario, the …
Month: February 2016
How Much Does It Cost?
Isaiah 55:1-9 It comes from a long time back, this story. I was on my seminary internship in Wahoo, Nebraska. It was the practice then for area Lutheran pastors (and interns) to take turns leading a monthly communion service at a local nursing home. These services were held in the lounge at one end of …
Not Too Late
Luke 13:31-35 I got called to the hospital late after a meeting on the Tuesday before Ash Wednesday. A woman was entering hospice care. Most of her grown children were there. Some live nearby. Others had traveled a great distance and were here for the duration. “Mom is troubled,” they told me. “She thinks she …
Tested
Luke 4:1-13 Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness, where for forty days he was tempted (or tested) by the devil. (Luke 4:1-2) Surely it is hard for most mere mortals to comprehend or relate to the strength and fortitude of Jesus as …
On Clean Hearts and Good Starts: Some Thoughts for Ash Wednesday
Psalm 51:1-17 Last year on Ash Wednesday I happened to be one of the chaplains on call at our local hospital. It was early afternoon when a nurse called from the maternity ward to ask if I could bring ashes. One of her patients had requested it. And so I put some ashes in an …