I am stunned by the faith of the “good” thief in this passage, the tenderness of his plea. In the darkest hour of his life comes this aching, dying wish. And I’m humbled by the poignancy of Jesus’ radical welcome, even as he faces his own death. I happened to be...
I’ve told myself this lie many times since moving from Richmond, Virginia, to Seattle, Washington. No one cares for me. I don’t have my family of origin, or the friends I know from grade school, college, or summer camp. I don’t have all my warm acquaintances from old...
The holy mandate of loving the stranger is dear to my heart. I see clearly how it applies to immigrants and refugees, as well as the underserved and hungry in our communities. But I think it’s much harder to live this in the more ordinary moments of our...
Today we meet Simon, full of breathless enthusiasm for the miraculous healing he has witnessed and wanting the opportunity to join in the miracle business. Simon offers money, hoping he can fast track his way onto the apostles’ team. Simon lives in a world where money...
In the middle of a classically gray Pacific Northwest winter, it can be easy to feel unmoored. Bogged down in a heavy cerebral state, I often forget where my help comes from. I analyze my fog, forgetting the groundedness that is found in trusting God. After...
I am a generational church person. I grew up going to church and youth group and was devoted to attending my local Episcopal summer camp. Church was just a part of life—not something I ever felt the need to explain to people. When I moved from the Southea….(View...
We read this portion of Luke earlier in the month, and we can see something new each time we open ourselves to the Word. Over the last two thousand years, there have been many efforts to make following Jesus more palatable and attractive. Some of these efforts have...
My daughters frequently get crossways with one another, and I cannot count how many times we have said to them, “Now, say you’re sorry.” Many people have the understanding that an apology is necessary for forgiveness. But look at Jesus: He comes to Peter for...
Everything tends toward entropy, disorder, and decay. At the end of the morning psalm, we are reminded just how big and timeless God is, especially when compared to the world around us. The laws of science do not apply to God. The psalmist reminds us that God is...
When we think about greatness, we basically imagine two types of people: those who are great and those who want to be great. We all recognize the egocentric folks and roll our eyes in disgust and pity. In my own field of medicine, I see this egocentrism all the time:...
