Receptions after a Polish wedding are great celebrations. Lots of food and drink and dancing. As the wedding reception is ending all of the married women gather around the seated bride. They take off her wedding veil and put on her head a babushka to signify her status now as a married woman. Then they… Read More »

From the beginning of his ministry Jesus sent out his disciples to spread the message of Good News — a reminder that the point of being Church is not so much about getting people in but in sending them out. The mission that we have as modern day apostles is the same as the original… Read More »

You are going to be criticized. After all, if they criticized Jesus they certainly are going to criticize you. And the critiques will come from those closest to you. It was Jesus’ relatives and friends who “took offense at him.” At Thanksgiving one of the national magazines offered some suggestions on topics to avoid in… Read More »

In Mark 5 there is a dramatic scene: Jesus performs two miracles, his power is manifest, there is the manifestation of faith and conflict with the crowds. Amidst all this drama one very human moment stands out when the little girl is revived: Jesus “said that she should be given something to eat.” There is a… Read More »

The strange scene where Jesus healed the possessed man and drove the demons into the swine needs to be understood in its context. The Gerasene territory was on the far shore of the Sea of Galilee, that is, in Gentile territory. Any Jewish people who lived there would have somewhat fallen away from traditional practice… Read More »

“What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth?” That question posed at the synagogue in Capernaum is one we all have probably repeated at one time or another when we feel challenged by the words of Jesus. We’re trying to make it as best we can. We want to be decent people. We… Read More »

The confrontation between the prophet Nathan and King David after his adultery with Bathsheba has plenty of drama. When David condemned the man in Nathan’s parable the prophet wheeled on him and said, “You are that man.” The scene reminds us of the human capacity for self-deception and self-justification. Sometimes we need the dramatic confrontation… Read More »

There were three generations of Christians by the time the second letter to Timothy was written. Timothy had been preceded in the faith by his grandmother and his mother, Lois and Eunice. What a great reminder that our families play an important role in passing on the faith to us. We should be grateful for… Read More »

When Saul, the Pharisee, encountered the Risen Jesus on the road to Damascus he asked, “Who are you?” Jesus did not answer, “I am the Messiah” or “I am the Son of God” or “I am the Word made Flesh.” He answered, I’m the guy sitting next to you on the bus. Of all the… Read More »

David felt pretty good about himself. He had conquered his enemies, he had established his capital, he resided in a palace. So he told the prophet Nathan he was going to do something for God. He was going to give God a house. The prophetic message he gets in return rebuked that idea. God told… Read More »