May it never be our lot to suffer as Jesus did for the choices he made. Lazarus too was deemed a bounder after his miraculous rise from death identified him as a Christ-enabler. His life too was threatened by the High Priests. And Mary, choosing to spend all that loot on frivolous nard to anoint her Christ, came in for hoots of disapproval.
Lent, 2019 Dear People of Ascension, As we prepare for Holy Week and Easter, this most central and sacred time of our church year, I have been musing on Mary Oliver’s poem, Gethsemane. It goes like this: The grass never sleeps. Or the roses. Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning. Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples
“You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” Caiaphas, the high priest, speaks. The religious leaders are profoundly threatened by Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead. They are frightened that his popularity will attract greater repression from the Roman occupiers. They are also afraid that…
In the season of Lent, always looking forward in hope to the Easter miracle, I wrestle with my personal journey on the road to Jerusalem. It can be isolating, confusing, and sometimes even hopeless. In today’s lessons, Jeremiah and Jesus meet misunderstanding and hostility for their faith and witness, to the extent that their lives are endangered.
“Whoever keeps my word will never see death.” Jesus offends the religious leaders who hear this. To tell the truth, he offends me. I have known a lot of faithful people who died. As far as I know, we all will, eventually. What does he really mean?
Today’s readings from Daniel and John reinforce one of the most basic tenets of our faith: Ye shall know the truth, and the truth will make you free. King Nebuchadnezzar learns the truth in the famous story of the fiery furnace. At first…
This fantastic Old Testament story of poisonous snakes terrorizing the ungrateful Hebrews captures our attention. It has been the subject of numerous paintings, some of which still haunt me from Sunday School days.
How interesting to look at the two readings in this time of #metoo and #timesup. In both Daniel 13 and in John 8, a woman is saved from death, even though each had been accused by high-status men. Daniel confronted the wicked judges directly…
If John were being sly, he might be telling us that Scripture can blind us to God just as easily as it can reveal God to us. Even John seems to take issue with that other book that starts “In the beginning….”
Comparisons to other people lead nowhere good. “Ugh, Jessica is so much better at art and book displays than I am!” “Everyone else’s treats for coffee hour look professional next to my lumpy bread.” Watching people bustling to the gym, getting mad that I have been lazily blowing off yoga class.