James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a and Mark 9:30-37 In the year 1601, Italian painter Michelangelo Caravaggio offered what has become the most famous artistic rendition of Paul’s conversion on the road to Damascus. There lies Paul, his back to the roadside. Vulnerable and visibly shaken, he is reeling from his encounter with […]
Psalm 19:1-10 and Mark 8:27-32a, 34 For 2,000 years, pastors have navigated the fraught waters of sharing difficult messages with the congregations we love. Each week, we remind followers of Jesus Christ that they are forgiven, while at the same time challenging them to give of themselves in service of […]
Proverbs 22:1-2, 8-9, 22-23 and James 2:1-7 We teach school children that they ought to treat others as they wish to be treated themselves. This is an early lesson in empathy, rooted in what Jesus called the Greatest Commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” As human creatures who […]
James 1:17-27 and Mark 7 (selected verses) When we engage in conversation with someone and tell them that we are a Christian, one of the first questions, though not usually vocalized, is whether or not we are faithful to those teachings. You can see the wheels turning in their minds […]
John 6:56-69 There are many ways by which you and I can examine our lives and take stock of where we have been, where we are today, and where we might be in the future. One way to do that is to think about our turning points—those events or decisions, […]
Galatians 3: 25-29 and Acts 8:26-31 and 35-38 The North Hill neighborhood has always been a place of rich, ethnic identities. For years, the streets were home to residents of Italian descent who built a community center to honor their heritage, and developed dozens of local businesses. But, along with […]
John 17:20-26 Throughout John’s gospel, we are privy to Jesus’ innermost thoughts and prayers. And as the narrative progresses, we find him on the verge of fully realizing his purpose. Enveloped in self-giving love, the time is swiftly approaching when he will willingly lay down his life for the sake […]
Ephesians 4:1-16 and John 6:24-35 Last week, we learned about a small boy who presented Jesus with five barley loaves and two fish as an offering. This gift, while commendable, hardly seemed sufficient to satisfy the physical hunger of some 5,000 people. And yet, by the grace of God, it […]
Ephesians 3:14-21 and John 6:1-21 Early in John’s Gospel, Jesus transforms water into wine during a wedding party in Cana. And, here, in the lush grass of the Galilean countryside, he supplies a hungry crowd numbering in the thousands with bread enough to spare. This miracle, which is documented in […]
Psalm 89:20-29, 35-37 and Mark 6:30-34, 53-56 Foreshadowing what is to come and serving as a clear indication “that the way that they see him is too limited,” Jesus is rejected by childhood friends and acquaintances residing in his hometown. [1] Even so, he pushes ahead, carrying out a ministry […]