Sunday Readings: Isaiah 61.1-2,10-11; 1 Thessalonians 5.16-24; John 1.6-8, 19-28 “Among you stands one whom you do not know.” John 1.26 John the Baptist refuses to apply people’s expectations of the messiah to himself. He anticipates one greater than he is coming. He testifies to the light. He insists that “Among you stands one whom […]
Gospel Reflection for December 14, 2014, 3rd Sunday of Advent Read More »
Rejoice! There are prophets all around us proclaiming the Good News! Jamie Grace is one of them. As we journey through the third week of Advent, her song challenges us to think about how we can be prophetic voices in our own community. She sings about what this might look like: Key Lines: “So go
Music and the Gospel: “Do Life Big,” Jamie Grace; 3rd Sunday of Advent Read More »
Rituals form around actions, symbols, and stories that are so sacred and so important people want to repeat them and take strength and meaning from them. However, many Christians may grow up taking part in rituals whose full meaning they don’t understand. They may participate with their families in rituals without knowing the stories that
Sunday Scripture Readings: Isaiah 40.1-5, 9-11; 2 Peter 3.8-14; Mark 1.1-8 “One more powerful than I will come after me.” Mark 1.7 Like the prophet Elijah, John the Baptist haunt the wilderness. Like Elijah, who discovered God speaking not in storms and lightning but in silence, the Baptist in the silence of his wilderness life
Gospel Reflection for December 7, 2014, 2nd Sunday of Advent Read More »
As we move into the second week of Advent and light a second purple candle on our Advent wreaths, it can be so easy to slip into the chaos of the Christmas season. This song offers a chance to set aside some time to contemplate the world around us. We can reflect on how we
Music and the Gospel: “Below My Feet,” Mumford & Sons; Second Sunday of Advent Read More »
Sunday Readings: Isaiah 63.16-17,19; 64.2-7; Corinthians 1.3-9; Mark 13.33-37 “Stay awake, for you do not know when the owner of the house will come–in the evening, or at midnight, at cockcrow or dawn.” Mark 13.35 Jesus’ tiny parable calls us to stay awake throughout the Church year. There are doorways all the time
Gospel Reflection for November 30, 2014, 1st Sunday of Advent Read More »
Whether a friend moves away or the open field down the street becomes a housing development, we often don’t realize how special the friend or the open space was until we no longer have them. We grow so used to God’s wondrous creation surrounding us that we easily take it for granted. It is important
Sunday scripture readings: Ezekiel 34.11-12,15-17; 1 Corinthians 15.20-26,28; Matthew 25.31-46 “Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that
Gospel Reflection for November 23, 2014, Feast of Christ the King Read More »
God asks each of us to love our neighbors — this includes those who live next door and those that live half way around the world. When those we love are in need of our attention and help, we give to them without hesitation. People all over the world are asking for help, for “someone
Music and the Gospel: “Use Somebody,” Kings of Leon; Feast of Christ the King Read More »
“Then the one who had received the one talent came forward and said, ‘Master, I knew you were a demanding person, harvesting where you did not plant and gathering where you did not scatter, so out of fear I went off and buried your talent in the ground. Here it is back.’” Matthew 25.24-25 One
Gospel Reflection for November 16, 2014, 33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time Read More »