I have a family devotional reflection today over at Practicing Families. Thinking about the story of Zacchaeus took me right back to my Sunday school room, singing that great song about the “wee little man.” As a wee little woman, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for the guy. I do wonder,…
“Six days before Passover.” Probably a couple of months–though only one chapter–after Lazarus was dead, and then not dead. Only seven days–and seven chapters–before the crucifixion. “Six days before Passover.” Wedged between resurrection and death. “Jesus came to Bethany.” Just north of Bethlehem and that legendary manger. Just east of Jerusalem and that infamous cross.…
Our gospel reading for this week is really a rather odd bit of scripture. Only five verses and still we have two distinct parts. In the first, Jesus is warned—by the Pharisees no less—that Herod is out to kill him. Jesus responds by calling Herod a “fox” and saying he will go to Jerusalem anyway.…
Below is the introduction and conclusion from last Sunday’s sermon on Luke 4:1-13. Have you ever played “peek-a-boo” with a baby? Hide your face behind a baby blanket or your hands, wait a beat, and . . . “Peek-a-boo!” The baby’s squeals of delight are enough to make you repeat the move over and over…
“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” When I hear this Beatitude, my focus immediately goes to the word “pure.” I think about things like sexual purity, using “clean” language, being honest in business dealings. “Blessed are the pure.” Purity is something of a novelty in our culture. I have a…
Who do people say that I am?, Jesus wants to know. “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others one of the prophets.” And the disciples here are obviously just talking about the people who more or less liked Jesus. Nobody wants to say, “Well, Lord, people are calling you a drunkard,…
(A reflection on Luke 2:22-40; excerpted from this sermon.) So Christmas has come, and there sit Simeon and Anna in the temple—looking to, longing for, waiting for the messiah. It is a long hard waiting, with no Advent calendar to mark the days, no due date given. What, really, is the point of their waiting?…
Here is a worship service designed for families with children to do together on Christmas morning. A brief time to acknowledge the incredible gift of Jesus before we start tearing into all the gifts under the tree. This worship service is my Christmas gift to you! Along with this blessing (adapted from Sunday’s sermon): May…
I was working on our Christmas Eve program Friday when I heard the news about the shootings in Connecticut. Shootings at an elementary school. An elementary school. Dead bodies–little bodies–sprawled on the floor. Bloody children. Wailing parents. It was hard to get back into the Christmas spirit after hearing that news. Hard to write about…
Our nation made many political gains toward equality and justice for sexual minorities last week. Among them was the election of the first openly gay Senator–Tammy Baldwin, from Wisconsin. In a National Public Radio report, I heard these words from Baldwin: “If you are not in the room, the conversation is about you. If you’re…
Spacious Faith 