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Have you ever wanted to say something biting to someone, but at the last minute decided against it, and later on were really glad that you showed some restraint? Did you ever label someone as an enemy only to discover, with the passage of time, that same person as an ally? Did you ever want to cut someone out of your life, but you did not and were glad you did not burn what would later become an important bridge in your life? These readings, especially ...

The Parable of the Sower of the Seeds is one of the classic parables.  Parables seemed to be Jesus’ preferred way of teaching.  All parables, including today’s, have these four things in common: 1) They always bring out a truth, not a scientific or historical, more a mythical truth.  Think of when you were a child and your parents read you a fairy tale.  They were not true as far as talking foxes go or trolls living under bridges go, ...

There are two Old Testament prophets of the O.T. who had particularly keen and powerful visions of a Messiah who was to come. One is the Prophet Isaiah that we hear a lot about during Advent. He lived about 700 years before the birth of Jesus. He speaks about what seems to be impossible scenarios like a lion and lamb lying down together (lions eat lambs the last time I checked); a baby putting his hand in a snake’s den and the snake not harming it ...

Each time we celebrate Eucharist together, we are reminded that we are surrounded by a cloud of witnesses, a cloud of Saints.  In the Apostles’ Creed, which we profess each Sunday, we say, “I believe in the communion of saints.”  In other words, we believe in an eternal bond between us and all those who have gone before us, between Saints and saints in the making. We invoke the Saints in each Eucharistic Prayer: “And so, with the Angels and ...

Within this Sunday’s three readings there are a couple of themes which dovetail well with each other, themes prominent in our Christian life. Theme one is dying and being buried with Christ in baptism, and theme two is about hospitality.

The first reading and gospel have to do with hospitality. We hear in the Book of Kings about a wealthy woman who welcomes the prophet Elisha into her house and something good happens to her as a result. In the same vein of welcoming, Jesus, ...

In the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament), and particularly in the Book of Exodus, there is a strong emphasis on “remembering.” Moses, speaking the words of God, would often say: Remember the Lord brought you out of slavery and provided you with manna and water as you journeyed through the desert. Remember to keep the Sabbath holy. Remember that you were slaves at one time so never mistreat anyone under you.

Remembering is so important in faith. Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me.” That is ...