Thursday, October 11, 2018
Jesus reassured his disciples and followers that he was not intent on destroying the law or the prophets but rather had come to fulfill them. Now Paul, standing before the Roman governor, must also convince the powers that be that the Way is not a cult and he has not...
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
I remember when we used to wait for things—for a handwritten letter, for photos to be developed, for the busy signal on the landline to stop chiming. In this current climate of instant gratification, we can get what we want with startling immediacy. The idea of...
Saturday, October 6, 2018
Martin Luther King advised those who wanted to participate in civil rights marches and lunch counter sit-ins: “If you can’t be nonviolent, don’t get in it.” Flesh-shredding water from fire hoses, snarling police dogs, and cigarette burns would test the resolve of...
Thursday, October 4, 2018
For the ancient Israelites, expressing love for God is the top priority of their personal and public lives. The laws, including those about offerings and sacrifices, form the basis for expressing love for God. But the Israelites begin to worship other gods while...
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
As in our own context, tax collectors in ancient Judea get no respect. Seen as traitors, tax collectors in Jesus’ context—especially those who are Jews—are working for the Romans. Their communities feel that they are collaborating with the Roman occupation. The...
Sunday, September 30, 2018
In college, I heard about people joining Christian accountability groups. I later found out that some of these groups were really friends self-reporting their sinful behaviors—swearing, drinking, sex and lustful thoughts—but without an accountability or expectation of...
Saturday, September 29, 2018
A member of my family of choice recently changed his last name to St. Michael—he shares his birthday with the feast day of Saint Michael and All Angels. As we remember Saint Michael, a being that moved to and from this life and the great beyond, it is fitting to...
Friday, September 28, 2018
I have lived in an intentional community for the last four years. Together, we are covenanted and committed to sharing our life rhythms and acting within shared values and common work. The five of us are, like the early church, attempting to work out lives as...
