This weekend, there is excitement over a groundhog who did not see his shadow and predicts an early spring. But more than that, as people of faith, we are excited that long ago Jesus came out of a tomb and did not turn back, in spite of the shadow of a cross and all the…
In Deuteronomy God promises to raise up a prophet like Moses, who will speak for God; in Psalm 111 God shows the people the power of God’s works. For the church these are ways of pointing to the unique authority people sensed in Jesus’ actions and words. We encounter that authority in God’s word, around…
As we continue through the time after Epiphany, stories of the call to discipleship show us the implications of our baptismal calling to show Christ to the world. Jesus begins proclaiming the good news and calling people to repentance right after John the Baptist is arrested for preaching in a similar way. Knowing that John…
All the baptized have a calling in God’s world. God calls not just pastors and deacons but also the youngest child, like Samuel. The story of the calling of Nathanael plays with the idea of place. Nathanael initially dismisses Jesus because he comes from Nazareth. But where we come from isn’t important; it’s where—or rather…
Our re-creation in baptism is an image of the Genesis creation, where the Spirit of God moved over the waters. Both Mark’s gospel and the story in Acts make clear that it is the Spirit’s movement that distinguishes Jesus’ baptism from John’s. The Spirit has come upon us as upon Jesus and the Ephesians, calling…
“Glory to God in the highest, and peace to God’s people on earth!” Here, in the great 12-day season of Christmas, the praise & prayer of angels continue to inspire our ongoing celebration of Christ’s birth. While society has moved on from its holiday and now focuses on a secular New Year’s Eve, we followers…
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is Given!” This joyful weekend, our Advent cries of “Prepare the way of the Lord” shift to wondrous sounds of Christmas good news for the world: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the…
“For unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is Given!” This joyful weekend, our Advent cries of “Prepare the way of the Lord” shift to wondrous sounds of Christmas good news for the world: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the…
Pause, Prepare, PonderThis midweek Advent series invites us to pause, to prepare, and to ponder. First is the call to spiritual introspection, prayerful waiting, and pausing from the constant busyness of our normal lives. This is juxtaposed with Advent’s clarion call to wake up, to rise in action, to prepare the way of the Lord,…
“Rejoice always,” begins the reading from 1 Thessalonians. Isaiah and the psalmist make clear that God is turning our mourning into laughter and shouts of joy. “All God’s children got a robe,” go the words of a spiritual. It is not so much a stately, formal, pressed outfit as it is a set of party…