John 1:6-8, 19-28 I am not an artist, nor do I have a great deal of understanding of art. Indeed, I was a young adult before great art even began to capture my imagination. I was in college and my sister, Martha, and I had ventured into the Art Institute of Chicago for the Monet …
2 Peter 3:8-15a “But, in accordance with his promise, we wait for new heavens and a new earth, where righteousness is at home…” 2nd Peter 3:13 I simply love the imagery offered to us in this week’s lesson from Second Peter. In these words we are encouraged in this long wait that is ours. More than …
Mark 13:24-37 It is late November. Every year at this time it is a challenge to get the leaves raked and bagged or pushed to the curb before the city’s December 1st deadline for removing them. One year I simply waited too long and was left with a dozen bags of leaves still sitting at …
Matthew 25:31-46 I know the images offered in today’s Gospel lesson speak of a final judgment where ‘goats’ and ‘sheep’ are separated one from another. I know this. And yet I find it most helpful to hear this as encouragement even now to see and experience and respond to this world in new ways. Indeed, I hear …
Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus offers us a rich image today — literally. For as we hear about the example of the master taking off and leaving three slaves in charge, we hear that he leaves them with more wealth to tend than you and I can probably imagine. For the talents spoken of here are not …
Matthew 25:1-13 The story I offer now is an old one. It comes to mind today because the ending is the same as the one in the story Jesus tells today. The door was closed on me. I was in the 3rd grade. Our class room was on the second floor. There were two entries …
1 John 3:1-3 “See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God, and that is what we are…” It’s a memory that is almost as old as I am now. We were small children yet — I would have been under seven, which would have made …
John 8:31-36 “And you will know the truth and the truth will make you free…” John 8:32 I have to say that, like many, I have a rather checkered relationship with ‘the truth.’ And while I’m going back close to fifty years to make my point, it would, no doubt, be less than truthful for me …
Matthew 22:15-22 I had cause a few days ago to remember that it all belongs to God. All of it. Which is what I think this particular conversation between Jesus and his verbal sparring partners points us to. This is how this came to be. I had agreed to be interviewed for a research project …
Matthew 22:1-14 First a disclaimer. I don’t know that much about wedding customs in the time of Jesus. I do know that it was typical for the celebration to go on for days — weeks even. And in today’s Gospel reading we are led to believe that for the guests, a certain attire is expected. In …