Jesus' invitation to his first followers was one built on a transformative experience of Jesus. Jesus does not invite ideologues to be his disciples. Jesus seeks those who who devoutly follow him even when everything does not make sense the…
Sometimes our own exceptions of what we want from others and even from God can keep us stuck. This is true for Jesus' visit to his hometown of Nazareth. When confronted with their privilege and expectations, the Nazarene's have tables…
The light of Christ brings clarity for introspection, awareness of our calling, and vision to see the deep needs all around us. The virtue of integrity through God’s Spirit allows us to hold all three of these together at the…
Each day affords us the opportunity to enlarge or shrink the choices of others. This is a choice we are responsible for in the tapestry of human community. Jesus did not limit the choices before us. He liberates us to…
We often use words to convey ideas, persuade others, or influence situations. Too may times our words focus on what we might wish or want to be true. Jesus offers something quite different as he begins his ministry. He makes…
This Christmas exhortation is written by St. Isaac the Syrian, Bishop of Nineveh, dating from the 6th century. His writing here encapsulates the hope of the Nativity and the actions that flow from it. St. Isaac invites us to confront more than…
Relationships are at the very heart of our being with God and one another. This reality is on full display in the baptism of Jesus. What we so often seek from God is a “role”…healer, warrior, etc. But Jesus reveals…
In the days of pandemic and polarity there seems to be so little wonder for us to hold. This story following Jesus' birth is filled with obedience, witness, and wonder. So often, we try and solve and resolve wonder. At…
Christmas always seems to bring the church into a strange intersection with culture. The Euro-centric celebration of Christmas affirms gift-giving, family gatherings, and general warm feelings. These feelings might be epitomized in holiday decorations, favorite indulgent foods, or the simple…
The birth of Jesus is a collision between the powerful and powerless. Like so many other occasions, the grace of God is revealed at the margins or the edges. Jesus' with happens in a small town, in a single family…