Dreams & Nightmares

Last November, I wrote about my hope that we would have 20/20 vision for and in the new year. That we’d be able to see in sharp focus what’s up close, and to discern what’s far away –– to perceive “the signs of the times” (as in Matthew 16:3). But few of us could...

Rocks and Blocks

Year A Jeremiah 15:15-21 Psalm 26:1-8  Romans 12:9-21 Matthew 16:21-28 May the words of my mouth… O God… speak your Truth… Peter was on the right track… last week Peter was a rock star… at Caesarea Philippi he proclaimed Jesus the Messiah… the Son of the living God… he answered Jesus’ question well… so...

Pan and the Dancing Goats

Year A Isaiah 51:1-6 Psalm 138 Romans 12:1-8 Matthew 16:13-20 May the words of my mouth… O God… speak your Truth… Caesarea Philippi… where today’s Gospel story takes place… is in the northern part of Israel… it’s north of Galilee… north of the Sea of Galilee… much nearer to Lebanon than to Jerusalem… it’s...

Created to Create Justice

Year A Isaiah 56:1,6-8 Psalm 67 Romans 11:1-2a, 29-32 Matthew 15: 21-28 May the words of my mouth… O God… speak your Truth… Joel and I like watching those remodeling shows on Home and Garden TV… like Fixer Upper… and Home Town… shows where the stars… I guess we could call them that… work...

Swirling Around the Center

Year A 1 Kings 19:9-18 Psalm 85:8-13 Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33 May the words of my mouth… O God… speak your Truth… At the beginning of this chapter of 1Kings… Jezebel sends a messenger to Elijah… telling him that she intends to kill him that very day… Elijah has just killed the 450 prophets...