John 20:19-31 The city of Chicago, as you may know, has been a hot spot in the fight against Covid-19. As a result, for weeks Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been urging residents to heed the stay-at-home directive of our governor so as to slow the spread of this virus which is taking the lives of …
Tag: John
Bridging What Divides…
John 4: 5-42 I have been living in the light of this week’s remarkable story of Jesus and the woman of Samaria and this is how it has come alive for me. Indeed, it is such a rich story before us now that you and I can quickly find any number of entry points. I, …
Called to Follow…
John 1:29-42 I find myself wondering about the disciples who first followed John and then caught up with Jesus in this week’s Gospel. Of course, we have no way of actually knowing for sure, but I am wondering about the world that shaped them and the influences which prodded them, filling them with such a …
Truth and Freedom
John 8:31-36 I visited at the prison this week. I had meant to go sooner, but other demands got in the way. This week a friend, a fellow pastor, was making the trip and she asked if I wanted to go as well. I did. If you have been tagging along with me for a …
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 …
A Slave Girl Set Free and the Unity to Which Jesus Calls Us
Acts 16:16-34 John 17:20-26 While certainly the drama in our lesson from Acts peaks once Paul and Silas find themselves in prison, it is what led up to their being beaten, bound and imprisoned that first captures my imagination this week. For I can’t help but wonder what happened to the slave girl who was …
Sabbath Healing
John 5:1-9 I spent some time at the Art Institute in Chicago the other day. It is no secret that it is one of my favorite places in all the world. This is so in spite of the fact that I know very little about art. Even with that, however, I do know just enough …
“No One Will Snatch Them Out of My Hand…”
John 10:22-30 This week our confirmation youth made cookies to give away. It turns out we had more cookie dough than time to bake them so in the end, we only had time to make a delivery to one place. Off we went with two boxes overflowing with fresh, delicious chocolate chip cookies to Fire …
Feeding Sheep
John 21:1-19 This may seem an odd place to start this week, but I cannot help but wonder where Jesus got the bread. Or the fish that were already being grilled on that charcoal fire for that matter. Oh, I suppose it would be nothing at all for one who has just defeated death to …
On Scars and Stories, Doubt and Faith Once More
John 20:19-31 Alleluia! Christ is Risen! He is Risen, Indeed! Alleluia! It has been a busy season and along with many I step into this week after Easter a bit more tired than usual. Indeed, these last days have been full and rich and more than good and in the busyness, I have not yet …