As St. Luke describes it the call of the first disciples shows that following Jesus took some getting used to. First Jesus asked Simon something easy — can I use your boat? Sure. Then something harder: throw your nets for a catch. If you say so, Lord, I’ll try it. Then, follow me. “Leave me,… Read More »

People flocked around Jesus at the beginning of his ministry. But Jesus did something unexpected: “At daybreak, Jesus left and went to a deserted place.” He took time out to pray. The outcome of the prayer was Jesus’ decision to move out of his familiar comfort zone and spread his message to a wider audience.… Read More »

The demon says to Jesus, “I know who you are–the Holy One of God!” I find that chilling. It suggests to me that it is no big deal to know about Jesus — even the demons know about Jesus. What is needed is to know Jesus, to know him as the source of our life,… Read More »

I can relate to King Herod. We’re told that “when he heard [John the Baptist] speak he was very much perplexed, yet he liked to listen to him.” Like the King I get perplexed when I hear the gospel message. If I turn the other cheek won’t I keep getting slapped? If I love my… Read More »

Jesus got invited to a dinner party at the home of one of the high muckety-mucks. But the invitation was not about kicking back, having a glass of wine and shooting the breeze with his homies. St. Luke tells us that he was invited in order to be checked out. “The people there were observing… Read More »

It is just a coincidence that the word “talent” in the Bible, referring to a large sum of money, means something different in common English usage. Or maybe, in fact, it is a providence — a God given opportunity to look at the “parable of the talents” with fresh eyes. God has gifted each of… Read More »

When St. Paul went to Athens he apparently decided to show his stuff. He was smart, he was educated, he knew rhetoric as well as anyone. According to the Acts of the Apostles he made a brilliant presentation — but failed to move hearts toward conversion. His first letter to the Corinthians suggests that after… Read More »

The Church in Corinth was St. Paul’s problem child — but you do love your problem child, yes! Besides the two letters to that community there is evidence of, at least, two others. Corinth was a crossroads city, a melting pot. Apparently St. Paul felt that the city needed Christianity in a particular way. The… Read More »

Being an apostle is a big deal. In our creeds we confess that we are an “apostolic” church. We read in the Book of Revelation: “The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation, on which were inscribed the twelve names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.” The apostles are… Read More »

St. Paul wrote two letters to the church in Thessalonica. It seems that there was a great deal of upset in that community because of speculation about the Second Coming of Jesus (the first century equivalent of Left Behind.) St. Paul urges them to stop fretting about tomorrow and live in the present tense. Don’t… Read More »