Blog (Page 35)
What does healing require of us?
Saturday, March 23 Readings: MI 7:14-15, 18-20; LK 15:1-3, 11-32 If you had to pick one reading that summarized Jesus’ teachings, today’s gospel reading might be a great one to pick. It’s the story of the “prodigal son” and is one of his most famous stories. Because most of us have heard this story so often and we can’t help but read it from a North American context, it may be important to review some of the key elements of…
Parables as Subversive Speech
Friday March 22 Readings: GN 37:3-4, 12-13A, 17B-28A; MT 21:33-43, 45-46 In the first reading we hear the story of “Joseph the Dreamer” who out of jealousy for his giftedness is beaten and sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites for 20 pieces of silver. Joseph then comes to play a very important role in their lives at a later point in their story. This idea of that which is rejected coming to play a crucial role at a later…
Exposing the suffering
Thursday, March 21 Readings: JER 17:5-10; LK 16:19-31 “More tortuous than all else is the human heart, beyond remedy; who can understand it?” says the prophet Jeremiah. I certainly hope it’s not beyond remedy, but the story Jesus tells today suggests that we have a lot of work to do. Jesus tells the famous story of “The Rich Man and Lazarus” which is his tale about inequality and what happens when we have such wealth in the face of such…
Servant Leader
Wednesday, March 20 Readings: JER 18:18-20; MT 20:17-28 As we move deeper into Lent, the readings begin to give us glimpses of what is coming. Today we read of people plotting against the “faithful one” in both readings. In the gospel, Jesus pulls aside his close friends and tells them trouble is coming and that he’s going to have to suffer. Ironically, that’s when the mother of two of his disciples comes up and asks Jesus for special places for…
The Worker
Tuesday March 19 Readings 2 SM 7:4-5A, 12-14A, 16; ROM 4:13, 16-18, 22; MT 1:16, 18-21, 24A Today is the feat of St. Joseph. Joseph is celebrated as the spouse of Mary and the father of Jesus. In scripture he has no speaking lines, basically does what is asked of him and plays a supporting role. He is a laborer whose life is distinguished by no apparent great deeds, wealth or works. He just lives a faithful life. I love…
Practicing mercy
Monday March 18 Readings: DN 9:4B-10; LK 6:36-38 I am struck by the reading from Daniel. It is a stark admission that we have sinned (and we all do) and represents an attempt at telling the truth about what happened so that we can move on. Imagine if we could individually and collectively do more of this? Just admit to people that we have hurt that we did, in fact, hurt them and want to make amends. Imagine if we…
Waking up in the middle of things
Second Sunday of Lent Readings: GN 15:5-12, 17-18; PHIL 3:17—4:1; LK 9:28B-36 Two of today’s readings contain what might be considered supernatural encounters when God is revealed in new ways. This is particularly true of the gospel reading – traditionally referred to as the Transfiguration. The disciples who are there witness a mystical experience where they see Jesus with Moses and Elijah and everyone is enveloped by a cloud (which makes the disciples afraid). When it all fades, it’s just…
The agreement you made
Saturday March 16 Readings: DT 26:16-19; MT 5:43-48 Deuteronomy cautions the hearer today to observe the decrees of God with all your heart and your soul and to remember the agreement that you made with God. Some of us might be thinking, “Wait, what agreement?” While Deuteronomy is speaking to the collective group, I did find it interesting to think about what “agreements” we have made with God. Did we promise to be a follower? Did we agree to try…
Spiritual consequences
Friday, March 15 Readings: EZ 18:21-28; MT 5:20-26 The bottom line of the first reading today (literally the last line in the reading!): if you turn away from sin, you will live. And then the gospel gives us the beginning of Jesus’ famous series, “You have heard it said…but I say to you…” Where Jesus takes us deeper into the spirit of some of the teachings of his day. What might these mean for us? As far as I can…
Prayer posture
God wants us to pray as if EVERYTHING depended on God. EVERYTHING.
Seeing, being and doing
Wednesday, March 13 Readings: JON 3:1-10; LK 11:29-32 Today we hear a section from the story of Jonah, and then hear Jesus cite that story. The basics of the story: Jonah gets a calling from God to go to the city of Ninevah. Jonah goes in the other direction! Eventually he gets thrown off the ship, gets swallowed up and sits in the belly of a great fish for 3 days and is spit out at Ninevah. Jonah gets same…
Words Matter
Tuesday March 12 Readings: IS 55:10-11; MT 6:7-15 My summary for today: words matter. Isaiah tells us that God’s words go out into the world and do not return until they have done what they intended to do. In the gospel, Jesus teaches his disciples how to pray using specific words that he urges them to use. Words are not insignificant. They are a form of energy, and if we take the biblical narrative and consciousness seriously, we will see…