Jeremiah wants to conserve trust in the earthly War Lords who invented the heavenly War Lord, Yahweh, “Blessed is the one who trusts in Yahweh.” Jeremiah wants to dispel trust in the people, “Cursed is the one who trusts in human beings.” Jesus blesses the people War Lords curse, “Blessed are you who are…
“Jesus sat down and taught the crowds from the boat. After he had finished speaking, Jesus said to Simon, ‘Put out into deep water and lower your nets for a catch. Simon said in reply, ‘Teacher, we have worked hard all night and have caught nothing, but at your words I will lower the…
Jesus has been healing people in many villages but not in his own. Locals question why he can’t “do (healing) here in your native place.” Jesus proposes it is their lack of faith. He names two Gentiles from their Old Testament stories who, unlike them, did believe and were healed. “When the people in…
“Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit.” He went “into the synagogue” and read, “The Spirit of God is upon me… anointing me to bring glad tidings to the poor,” “liberty to captives,” “sight to the blind,” and “let the oppressed go free.” If synagogue members were sleeping through a reading…
“There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee, and the mother of Jesus was there. Jesus and his disciples were also invited to the wedding.” The mother of Jesus, Mary, is aware of a problem that will disrupt the peace of the first day of the couple’s new life together. She “said to Jesus,…
The people are facing many hardships. Upon learning of John the Baptist, they are “filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Christ. John answered them all, saying” he was not. The Christ “will baptize you with the Spirit.” Do we know how serious are the hardships…
We learn from the story of the Magi that those who are wise seek out peacemakers to be educated by them, ‘We saw the child’s star rising… and have come to follow him.’ We learn from the story of Herod that those who are rulers target peacemakers and lie about being educated by them,…
When he was 12, Mary and Joseph lost Jesus. “They had journeyed for a day and looked for him among their relatives and acquaintances,” but could not find him. “They returned to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, listening…
Midwives ‘stand with’ women who are with child. Midwives guide women in bringing beautiful new life to birth. Elizabeth acts as a midwife to Mary of Nazareth. She guides her young cousin most especially in a spiritual way. One example is by Elizabeth receiving Mary and her baby with great joy. Mary, as any…
To be a midwife is “to stand with,” to guide someone to bring forth life. Bringing forth life can be messy and chaotic and requires we give ourselves to unknowns. But we embrace what is messy and chaotic for we are miracle workers and we step into the unknown. In the vastness of what…