Jesus uses this lesson from nature to teach his followers the meaning of his upcoming death.
Just as the death of a seed is not the final act in the seed’s life, the dying of Jesus is not the final act in…
« read »That was the story passed on to us from the Middle Ages when stained glass images and homilies by famous religious leaders rolled together at least two stories from the same Gospel: that of Mary’s healing or exorcism (Luke 8:1-3) and one…
« read »Consider the blessings and woes found in the Sermon on the Plain in Luke 6:20-26.
Jesus teaches his followers that the poor, the hungry, the weeping and the persecuted are blessed, while woe is pronounced on those who are rich, fatted, laughing and…
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Some at the time believed it was in their best interest to get along with the occupiers; others believed it was necessary to shore up Judaism by strict obedience to the Law of Moses; others sought insurrection, and finally, some did their…
« read »His behavior, however, is not always ideal.
Apparently, in the season when most kings are at war in the Ancient Middle East, David stays home while his troops do battle with the Ammonites. When he catches sight of a woman bathing,…
« read »A tennis champion runs into real competition from a newcomer, and we talk about it all week with friends and co-workers.
Most of us are drawn into stories highlighting the unexpected victories of those seemingly without power or prestige or good looks.…
« read »However, these were chaotic times, and it seems that many had lost their way in the course of settling in. Israel told its ancient history with heroic exaggeration and brutal honesty. The tribal federation endured for a couple hundred years,…
« read »From beginning to end, he is paired with others, and like flint upon stone they all have a role in shaping his character.
First, Moses is paired with two women whose heroic and clever measures preserve him from death at the moment…
« read »The very first chapter of Genesis presents the first story of creation. Out of the chaos (“the earth was without form or shape”), God is said to use six days for creation and one day of rest to savor it all.…
« read »Sooner or later. The English language is filled with common word pairings that go together like, well, peanut butter and jelly. Our conversations are sprinkled with such pairings that have become a natural part of ordinary discourse.
Pairings are not…
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