Let’s live in the pages of Scripture. Let them reshape how we see the world and the people around us. Because Lazarus is at the gate. And Christ is calling us into a life that is generous, watchful, awake, and full of grace.
Read MoreLuke seems to be telling us that lost souls aren’t just God’s responsibility, they’re ours, too. And most importantly, It’s not just God who is pained when people stray from the fold. Our own lives, our experience of the Kingdom of God on earth, is incomplete in the absence of those who are missing.
Read MoreIf we trust that we will be changed here, then the potter has a much better shot at reshaping us—both as individuals and as a downtown faith community. That’s when we begin to see the deeper truth: we’re not just self-improvement projects, chasing the latest list of best practices. We are God-improvement projects, shaped by hands far wiser than our own.
Read MoreBut what Jesus sees that the Pharisees don’t, is that everyone present is enjoying their Sabbath day at the expense of a member of their community who cannot. With one swift act of healing, the chronically ill woman is finally able to observe a fuller expression of her Sabbath after being ignored for almost two decades. And in turn, the whole synagogue’s Sabbath observance is elevated.The Pharisee’s argument is strong, but Jesus’ mercy is stronger. As preaching scholar Jared Alcántara says, “if you don’t see other people, Jesus will confront you.”
Read MoreA teenager waiting on a future car is a metaphor for the Christian life.
Read MoreIn the parable of the rich fool, Jesus challenges us to look closely at the dangerous effects our earthly treasures have on us. And our Old Testament lessons invite us to engage in the spiritual practices that will protect us from these dangers. In order to loosen the grip that physical resources have on us, we must take action in worship and in prayer. We must recite to ourselves and one another God’s saving deeds in our lives and the life of our community. We must practice, really practice, placing our trust there.
Read MoreOn the surface, the story of Martha being upset with her sister Mary seems to be about chores and dishes, but it’s not really about the dishes. It’s about their new identity in Christ and all of the joyful but overwhelming change that comes with that.
Read MoreI'm sure the Samaritan was a kindhearted and generous person by nature, but when we read his story next to Psalm 82, it’s clear to me that while he may cry out, “how long, O Lord?” He also hears God calling out these words to the world, and he answers them. He leans into his agency as a child of God to bring about the Kingdom on earth. This is what Jesus refers to when he tells us that we should go and do likewise.
Read MoreIf Jesus were a member of the We Do Not Care Club, I feel certain that he would submit announcements based on today’s Gospel. “We do not care if you got distracted. It’s time to let go of some things and embrace what matters most.”
Read MoreThis interconnection between wisdom - holy astonishment - and familiarity is at the heart of Trinity Sunday. Before his Ascension, Jesus promised that we would not be left comfortless. Our comfort comes when the Holy Spirit enters the picture and the full Trinity is present. Because then, even when the world is totally and completely astonishing, we will be able to recognize God’s presence and we will be recognized in return. We will know that we are not alone.
Read MoreIf, by chance, these days are making you weary, I invite you to remember those late night Torah studies and the bleary eyed disciples in the upper room. Their story is a promise, that it is when we reach our limits that the flame of God appears, drawing us into a new future.
Read MorePaul and Silas inspire an extraordinary conversion without teaching or preaching or proselytizing in any way. It is their hope, founded in resurrection, which emanates out from their very beings, that changes the jailer’s life; his own little apocalypse. Without any coaxing or force, the veil is gently lifted, hope is restored, and the whole world is new. This is the power of resurrection in real time. The truth of a post-Easter world is that hope is never truly lost.
Read MoreI hope that as we celebrate our teenagers and young adults, we send them from Christ Church with all of the best end of year vibes. And, that whatever nostalgia and excitement they feel, they will remember clearly what Jesus showed his friends. May they always remember that they are called to love one another as Jesus loves us. As yearbook quotes go, that one will age well.
Read MoreI would love to hear what you think we might learn about who you are from your estate sale, but I’m also curious about what we might learn about who God is by being in relationship with you. If I've learned anything from estate sales, it’s that every little item can be meaningful. Nothing is too old or too small or too broken to be loved, and it’s the same with us. Everything God has created reveals, in one way or another, that God is good and holy and magnificent. If people learn from my life that God cares about half-dead house plants and foot health, that’d be great! Each of us is just the treasure that someone has been looking for to open their eyes to the wonders of the Kingdom of God.
Read MoreWe can use the failures, the R.U.D.’s in our lives, to know that the Easter message is for us. It’s not just an abstract idea or distant historical event. Someone figured out early on that we needed one more story told around the charcoal fire for the gospel to really sink in.
Read MoreMuch to my chagrin, I only made it six verses into the book of Revelation before we started talking about Jesus’ wounds, just like our friend, doubting Thomas. So, I peeked over at the Acts reading, and sure enough, it mentions the crucifixion and the blood of Christ. I can take a hint. Even though Jesus has been raised from the dead, his wounds are still important. They’re clearly the theme of the day. The wounded Jesus has something to tell us that the pre-Holy Week Jesus was not yet able to say, so we should listen up.
Read MoreWe are in the garden this morning, my friends, where all the best love stories happen, because Easter is a love story. Christ is risen, and he is calling your name.
Read MoreTonight, our scriptures and our faith tradition call out to us from the past to remind us that in this Eucharistic feast, we participate in the sacrifice of Christ, at the core of which, is hospitality. This is how Jesus asked to be remembered, at a shared meal in which the loftiest serve the lowliest. Everyone is invited to share in the meal. We are meant to crowd the table. We are meant to squeeze in at the altar rail. We are meant to become one family by feasting together, as humans have been doing since time immemorial.
Read MoreWe can definitely see the impact of the recent days in Mary’s behavior. She is calm, she is joyful, she is celebratory. She is everything we would expect from a woman who got her beloved brother back after having lost him. It’s no stretch to assume that everyone in proximity to this miracle might share in the joy of the occasion, but for some reason, we find Judas in a foul temper, full of scathing criticism. What is going on here? How can two people who witnessed the same miracle be so at odds in their demeanor?
Read MoreJesus tells stories to save us from ourselves, and to help us see ourselves and other people as God sees. Whether you are lost and need to be found, or you find yourself grumbling about how God could love those other people so much, today’s parable of grace is for you, no matter how you park your shopping cart.
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