Redeeming the Planet Through Food
I am a third generation vegetarian. My grandparents were 19th Century food reformers completely vegetarian and a bit cranky; my mother ate meat once in her life and didn’t like it. But my father loved meat and so we were all brought up as omnivores; roast meat on Sunday which reappeared in different forms for as long as my mother could eke it out and fish on Wednesday (because that was the day the fishmonger came to our street. )…
Counting Sheep, April 17, 2016
The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want… The 23rd Psalm When I was about 10 years old, I had great trouble getting to sleep. As the sleepless nights went on, I became more and more anxious – especially after I learned that I shouldn’t wake up my mother or father. However, it was always OK to wake up my grandmother. Granny would take me by the hand and lead me down the stairs to the kitchen, where she…
The Way of Transformation – Good Friday, March 25
The Way of Transformation John 18:1 – 19:42 The Gospel reading for Good Friday tells us the story of a Jewish man who was rejected by Jewish religious leaders and then crucified by Roman soldiers – and in re-telling this story, we have heard the words Jew, Jewish, and the Jews twenty times. This Gospel was written in the late first century by a Jew, for a community of Jews – and when the author wrote ‘the Jews’ he meant…
Contemplative Prayer with John’s Gospel – March 13
Contemplative Prayer with John’s Gospel This contemplative exercise can be done with any Gospel story. You will need a little time, a quiet space for prayer, and your imagination. An introduction to John 12:1-8 If you are reading through the Gospel of John, this chapter comes just after Jesus rescues Lazarus from his grave, and a week before Jesus himself dies on the cross. The story takes place in Bethany – a village whose name probably means ‘House of the Poor’…
Baptism – Saved or Called?
Baptism: Saved or Called? All four gospels begin their stories of Jesus’ ministry with his baptism. In today’s gospel reading Jesus has come, along with many others, to be baptized by John. And Luke tells us that When Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. Luke 3:21-22 The book of Acts tells of other baptisms – of all the people who were…
Doubting Deeper
John 20:19-31 Today I want to talk about doubt. Thomas doubted. Just like my friend who said, “I’ll believe in God when he answers my prayers,” Thomas wanted proof. But when given the opportunity he drew back. Why? Because it wasn’t what he expected. He didn’t really want to put his hands in Jesus’ side. He just wanted the uncertainty to go away. We are uncomfortable with not-knowing. We want to know So we don’t often talk about doubt and…
Mary didn’t know it was Easter
Mary is in shock. Something is terribly wrong. She has been distraught since Friday and now she is finally able to go to the tomb where the remains of her beloved Jesus are… and they’re not there. And in her grief she sees Jesus but she does not recognize him. This week we have witnessed the shock and horror of a terrorist attack in Brussels. People just going about their regular lives suddenly had everything turned upside down. Lives lost,…
But for the Grace of God
Luke 13:1-9 Public executions used to be a spectator sport. Even today we are all fascinated by a good disaster – as long as it’s happening to something else. Disaster and scandal sell magazines and newspapers and keep news shows in business. This human tendency to be interested in bad news was as prevalent in Jesus’ day as it is now. In today’s gospel reading, Jesus is asked, “Did you hear about the Galileans whose blood Pilate mingled with…
Inner & Outer Journeys
Self Examination in Lent During these 40 days of Lent we follow Jesus in the Gospel readings as he makes his way toward Jerusalem and the Cross. Every year in these days before the Feast of Easter, the church invites us to a season of self examination. –How are we doing on our own journeys? both the inner dimension that we experience in our inner lives, our hearts, souls, and bodies? – and the outer dimension that we travel on…