“Take up your cross and follow me.” For two thousand years the church has found in these words of our Lord the supreme call to discipleship. What the twentieth century martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer called “the cost of discipleship” is summed up in this terse summons of Jesus. But what is… Continue reading
We are all stardust, and that realization grants us the necessary humility, attention, and belonging we need. But it’s also critical that we get our bearings and remember not only where we’ve been but also that we chart a wise and helpful course as we decide where we are going. Continue reading
Around twenty-five years ago we had a joyful addition to our family—a newly weaned basset hound puppy named Lily. She was the sweetest dog with whom we have ever shared our home. Our friend Susie Beamer gave her to us, and I remember when Susie, with Lily trailing behind her…. Continue reading
In contemporary society our Adversary majors in three things: noise, hurry, and crowds. If he can keep us engaged in “muchness” and “manyness,” he will rest satisfied. Psychiatrist Carl Jung once remarked, “Hurry is not OF the Devil; it IS the Devil.” (Richard J. Foster, Celebration of Discipline) As… Continue reading
Jean Vanier is a Canadian Christian who founded the L’Arche movement. (L’Arche is French for “The Ark.”) This movement is made up of communities of mentally and physically challenged persons and “normal” people (Who among us is really normal?) who seek to live in the spirit of the Beatitudes from… Continue reading
(7 minutes) History is not a blind alley, and guilt is not an abyss. There is always a way that leads out of guilt: repentance or turning to God. The prophet is a person who, living in dismay, has the power to transcend his dismay. Over all the darkness of… Continue reading
In Fyodor Dostoevsky’s masterpiece The Brothers Karamazov, we find a remarkable statement: “In the realist, faith is not born from miracles, but miracles from faith.” I have been puzzled for years over the miracle stories of Jesus. He healed all kinds of people with all kinds of diseases. He calmed… Continue reading
(The following sermon dates from a time when I pastored a large church with many demands place upon me not only by the parishioners and their families but by my own denomination, another denomination historically devoted to peace and justice, and several organizations within the area. I was overwhelmed and… Continue reading
Valentine’s Day is upon us. Heart-shaped cakes, boxes of candy, cards, and roses are some of the images this holiday evokes. I remember as an elementary student all of the excitement as we each passed out our Valentines to our friends and to that special someone we hoped would “be… Continue reading
“Grace and peace to you from the God who is, who was, and who is coming.” John begins his letter to the churches of Asia Minor with this powerful and meaning-packed greeting. And he has chosen his words very carefully, for John, more than any other writer of the New… Continue reading
