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The Choices

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…

January 23, 2022-Luke 4:14-21 (Epiphany 3C)

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…

On Being With

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…

January 9, 2022-Luke 3:15-17, 21-22 (Baptism of the Lord C)

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…

Wondering About Nativity

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…

December 25, 2021-Luke 2:1-14 (Nativity C)

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…

Strange Things Are Afoot

These days of preparation before Christmas are filled with a sense of wonder and awe. The church has its practice of preparation and so does the larger culture around us. These two preparations could hardly be less alike. Perhaps this…

December 19, 2021-Luke 1:39-45 (Advent 4-Year C)

We all have a story. That story is part of God's story which intersects the stories of others. Mary, the mother of Jesus, comes to share her story with Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptist. When their stories intersect…

Thanksgiving Question

During our Thanksgiving gathering I was asked this question: “What does it really mean to take the Lord’s Name in vain?” It is a fantastic question, especially in this season of pandemic and polarity. For me, the answer lies in…