In the Good News story as Matthew tells it, we are told of a series of “woes” that parallel the blessings that we’ve been talking about. Jesus is in his final days in Jerusalem. The religious leaders are working hard to trap him so they can have him executed. They ask him questions so theyContinue reading “Onions and Parfaits”
Category Archives: Pondering
With Care
In his description of the characteristics of Kingdom people that we’ve been looking at over the past few weeks, for me, the most challenging to talk about is mercy. What is mercy? To be merciful implies that we’ve been wronged, or at least we judge that we have been wronged, and we are holding backContinue reading “With Care”
Satisfied
What do you hunger for? What is the one thing/idea/place/person that you just know will satisfy all your desires? Or do you think that complete satisfaction is an impossible goal or ideal? Jesus’ sermon about life in God’s Kingdom here and now tells us that complete satisfaction comes when we hunger and thirst for righteousnessContinue reading “Satisfied”
Invaluable
Good morning! How’s your Tuesday and your coffee? As we continue our conversation on Jesus’ description of living in God’s Kingdom in the here and now, the third descriptive can be difficult for some to consider because most translations of Jesus’ sermon say “Blessed are the meek.” Meek in our modern culture is almost alwaysContinue reading “Invaluable”
Embraced
I was recently reminded of a phrase that was told to me by a mentor as I prepared for seminary and the path to ordination: “the Gospel brings comfort to the afflicted and affliction to the comfortable.” I realized that I’ve incorporated this into my priestly framework but for the most part dropping the wordContinue reading “Embraced”
Being Satisfied
In last Thursday’s post, we talked about what it is to be a disciple, to follow Jesus and learn to be like Jesus. As we continue our journey together through this Ordinary Time, I’d like to take some time to really dive into what the good news writer Matthew gives us as Jesus’ first majorContinue reading “Being Satisfied”
What are you looking for?
In ChurchLand we use the word disciple a lot. We use it to describe people who attend church and we use it to describe classes we attend and teach. For most folks, the word has come to mean a student or learning about what the Bible says. In the time and culture in which JesusContinue reading “What are you looking for?”
Ordinary
This past Sunday was the Feast of Pentecost, the day we commemorate the gift of the Holy Spirit sent by God to empower all who follow Jesus to proclaim God’s goodness to the world. The Day of Pentecost moves us into what we call the Season After Pentecost in the Church Year. This is theContinue reading “Ordinary”
More than a Season
Our season of Eastertide is drawing to a close. Do you sense a change in the air? Do you feel the anticipation of the coming friend/helper/another whom Jesus promised would come to us? In John’s telling of the time after Jesus’ Resurrection, our friend Peter does what he knows how to do, he goes fishing.Continue reading “More than a Season”
Who We Really Are
Good Tuesday, Y’all! Can you believe that May is more than half passed? For those of us who live in the northern hemisphere, summer is almost upon us and winter is descending for those who live south of the equator. Even in the transitional rhythms of the earth, sun, & moon, God reminds us thatContinue reading “Who We Really Are”
Mother Nancy's Coffee Thoughts 