The two great commandments, which encompass the others, are to love God and love others. We should be clear here, the saying we love God and others is fine, but it doesn't provide any evidence. If we truly love God and others, our actions will show it.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 25a – 25-October-26”
Giving can seem like an obligation, a duty, but it's much more a response. We respond to God's generosity with us by being generous ourselves, to share the love that we have received with others. Giving is a spiritual exercise, but it is also simply passing on what we have received.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 24a – 18-October-26”
"Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things." The thing about thinking is that it should prompt action.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 23a – 11-October-26”
Why would someone reject the message of God's love? I don't have a full answer for that, but I do have a partial one. One reason is that they might hear the words, but they don't see it in action, actions like helping those with needs for basic things like food, shelter, or clothing, actions like visiting those who are in prison, in pain, or who are facing the end of life, actions like working for justice, especially for those who are likely to be pushed aside or forgotten.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 22a – 4-October-26”
Jesus' issue with those particular Pharisees was that they were good at doing certain forms of righteousness, but they failed to see the bigger picture, that of God's Realm coming into being because of acts of mercy and kindness.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 21 – 27-September-26”
In the story of the workers in the vineyard, everyone it taken care of. It's not an equitable system. It's a system that makes sure each one has enough. It's a story to show how the grace of God works.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 20a – 20-September-26”
Loving others can be a bit difficult. Sure, it's easy to say that loving others is wanting what is best for them but figuring out how that works out in each one's life can be difficult and most human beings aren't that good at foreseeing all the consequences.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 19a – 13-September-26”
Even in difficult situations, Jesus focuses on restoring and building relationships if possible. Likewise, we who follow in Jesus' way need to focus on restoring and building relationships. We do that most of all by showing genuine and authentic love for people, by meeting them where they are and helping them with their real needs and struggles.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 18a – 6-September-26”
Jesus intentionally gives us a paradox in his words, "those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake will find it." What does Jesus mean in saving your life or losing it.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 17 – 30-August-26”
How do we see evidence that Jesus reveals God to us? Much of what we see of Jesus is the character of a prophet, a teacher, or a preacher. Yet there is something, something that Peter also saw, that helps us to recognize that to see Jesus, is to see God in some real way.… Read the rest “Offering Meditation for Proper 16a – 23-August-26”