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 is … Continue reading “Midwife: To Stand with All Mothers”
Category: Community-of-God
Midwife: To Stand With All Fathers
Midwives ‘stand with’ women who are with child. Midwives guide women in bringing beautiful new life to birth. Humanity does not always give witness to the lifegiving spirituality of women, nor to the birthing guidance of midwives. If it did, we would not be grieving Ahmaud Arbery. We would not be imprisoning Travis McMichael. Travis … Continue reading “Midwife: To Stand With All Fathers”
Midwife: To Stand With
Mary is pregnant in difficult times. She embodies the circumstance of so many women across history and across our world. Who will be with Mary through the difficulties? Who will guide her in bringing beautiful new life to birth? Midwives are women who ‘stand with’ pregnant women. Mid is not derived from middle so much … Continue reading “Midwife: To Stand With”
An Eve and A Day for Saints
In the Old Testament “Moses spoke to the people, saying, “Fear the Lord, your God, and observe… all his statutes and commandments.” In the Gospel when a scribe who is a follower of Moses asks Jesus about Moses’ commandments, Jesus does not tell people to “Fear.” He tells them only to “Love.” To those who … Continue reading “An Eve and A Day for Saints”
Seeds of Life
“Jesus said to the crowds: ‘This is how it is with the Community of God; it is as if a farmer were to scatter seed on the land and would sleep and rise night and day and through it all the seed would sprout and grow, but the farmer knows not how. Of its own … Continue reading “Seeds of Life”
What Are We Prepping For?
Jonah is given the task of converting sinners, the “wicked” people of Nineveh. He walks away from the task feeling no desire nor urgency given their wickedness. He eventually carries it out and the people convert. “But this greatly displeased Jonah, and he became angry.” He believed the sinners deserved the wrath of the Lord. … Continue reading “What Are We Prepping For?”
Christ is Not Liberal
Jesus tells disciples, in the “Community of God” caring for the least is caring for him, “Whatever you did for one of the least of mine, you did for me.” Opponents of Jesus will not care for the least and therefore will not care for Christ Jesus nor Christs throughout history, “When did we see … Continue reading “Christ is Not Liberal”
Saying No to Fools and Yes to Wisdom
Jesus tells a story showing how the “Kingdom of God will be like women who took their lamps and went out to meet a bridegroom.” But the bridegroom “was long delayed.” Some women were wise and had brought “flasks of oil.” Others were “foolish” and “brought no oil with them.” The fools demand of the … Continue reading “Saying No to Fools and Yes to Wisdom”
Being Present To Christ
Jesus uses a parable about a “wedding feast” to describe “the Kingdom of God.” Initially invited guests, representing the kingdom of Israel, refuse to come. The celebration is now open to everyone as servants are told, “Go out into the main roads and invite to the feast whomever you find.” Later, it is discovered one … Continue reading “Being Present To Christ”
Fruitfulness in Community
Jesus tells rulers a parable about the Kingdom of God on earth by describing a farmer who plants a vineyard. He leases its care to tenant farmers who reveal themselves as both greedy and murderous, “This is (the farmer’s) heir. Come let us kill him and acquire his inheritance.” The tenant farmers represent the greedy … Continue reading “Fruitfulness in Community”