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Painting a Life
Jesus paints a picture with words about a sower and seeds thrown to a blustering breeze. We see the seeds carried first by a hand and then by a wind and watch them as they fall to the earth that receives them. More than seeing a farmer, a kernel, and a field, we ourselves…
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The Weight of Rulers
Who are the people who wait for rulers to come and save them? It seems the Hebrews are such people. It’s a reoccurring theme in the Old Testament and part of this Sunday’s first reading, “shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek,…
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How Comfortable Am I With Courage?
Jesus is a courageous man. He consistently stands up to rulers who are oppressing others and himself. He seems comfortable in doing so. An Old Testament figure, Jeremiah, is sometimes likened to Jesus. Jeremiah is described as a man who is also oppressed and yet courageous. Does an accurate comparison exist between Jesus and…
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Shockingly Alive
Communion, also called Eucharist, is a deeply meaningful experience for disciples. It is an experience of the Real Presence of Christ. The belief may be received by others as at least peculiar if not shocking. This Sunday’s Gospel according to John shows an early example of the shock when Jesus says to listeners, “I…
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Trinitarian or Relational?
The Trinity is a notoriously abstract concept within institutional christianity. Today’s Gospel reading from John, who tends to be abstract, does not even hint at the Trinity. The three Synoptics Gospels, Mark, Matthew, and Luke are more descriptive of Jesus’ life witness and have no reference to the Trinity at all. The Trinity is…
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God as Father
Yahweh is a deity within the religion of Militarism. He is the fictional War Lord deity invented by Hebrew War Lords. Yahweh sanctifies Old Testament rulers who dominate over the people. Yahweh cannot be compared to the historical peacemaker Jesus of Nazareth in the Gospel. Attempts to connect the two, however, are sometimes made.…
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Orphaned Jesus
Jesus knows his suffering and death are approaching and he is saying good bye to disciples. He promises to return as an Advocating Spirit, “I will not leave you orphans, I will come to you.” The practice of reaching out to child orphans was one of the starkest counter-cultural practices of Jesus’ first followers.…
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Homemaking
In the Gospel Jesus is preparing disciples for his death. He tells them, in part, his departure includes a benefit to them. He says, “I am going to prepare a place for you.” It should not be surprising, Jesus spent his life preparing a place for people here on earth. Jesus was a homemaker.…