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Love Amidst Challenge
“Do you love me?” I asked upon looking into the mirror in my youth. “Respect who you are.” “Do you love me?” they asked as I sought to join them. “Stand with us in our time of need.” “Do you love me?” he asked as we journeyed into marriage. “Be with me, for better,…
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Beyond Justice and Mercy to Compassion
When Thomas professes a lack of faith in Jesus rising from the dead he’s actually professing faith in something else. Thomas already believes in justice and mercy, and their many gods. Justice is invented and dispensed by Militarists; chief priests, elders, Pilates, and other such gods. Their justice consists of writing unjust laws for…
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We Had to Rise
The Gospel according to John has a curious comment on the disciples’ amazement at Jesus’ Resurrection: “They did not yet understand the Scripture that he had to rise from the dead.” – Had to – We’ve all known our had to moments in life; I had to get the job, he had to come…
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Suffering and Violence: Reality and Fable
This Sunday’s long Gospel is about the suffering and violence inflicted upon Jesus. It describes his arrest, trial, torture, and murder. Scripture scholars usually sanctify the violence done to Jesus as in keeping with a ‘suffering servant’ character from Isaiah. Of Isaiah’s 1,292 verses, 30 are so titled. One sample ‘suffering servant’ verse is,…
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Executing Christianity
The woman caught in adultery is a well-known Gospel story. Perhaps we have heard it too often to any longer feel its terror. Officials are purposeful about dragging a frightened woman into public to execute a death penalty plan against her. They intend murder and set upon stoning her to death. Before doing so,…
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What is Our Context?
The Third, Fourth, and Fifth Sunday’s in Lent provide something called an alternate Gospel reading. Its message is virtually identical to the regular Gospel. The alternate is provided for adults who are preparing for baptism. The institutional Church requires they go through a process called The Scrutinies. While The Scrutinies are encouraged for all…
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Remember the Trees We Hugged?
Jesus and several others are talking about recent disasters. One disaster concerns the murderous ruler Pilate. He has the habit of practicing Militarism’s blood sacrifice rituals. His habit elicits a parable from Jesus about a murderous landowner who wants to kill a tree but is prevented from doing so by a gentle farmer. The…
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Seeing the Light
This Sunday’s readings concern a lack of awareness or lessened consciousness which then shifts. In Genesis, some people are initially described as overtaken by dark clouds until a fire is lit and they can then see more clearly. In Philippians, some people are described as dulled by earthly concerns until they discern the glory…
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Lent Springs Eternal
The common understanding of Lent is a 40 day experience of giving something up. We exercise our willpower over temptation to deprive ourselves of something we like and see how we fare. While the practice may have its benefits, Lent is about so much more. Lent’s fulness is hindered by the title and misinterpretation…
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Are We Friends With the Deep?
Jesus ventures into deep waters in this Sunday’s Gospel and wants us to come along. He begins on the shoreline teaching a variety of people who have come to listen to him. They keep pressing in so that he eventually gets into Peter’s boat off shore and teaches from slightly greater depth. He ventures…