02202021 – Mark 1. 9-15 REPENT is the “OPERATIVE WORD” for this First Sunday in Lent. REPENT does not mean “breast-beating and lamentation.” NO tears. NO drama. NO crying out to God. No sobbing. No tears of remorse. It literally means to re-THINK; to put some QUIET TIME aside; to STOP; to […]
02042021 – Mk. 1. 29-39 “In Capernaum” I have to do a little “CATCH-UP” here. So that we are all on the same page! I WANT you WITH me. For some — Mark’s gospel seems “a bit rough around the edges.” For me that has never been the case. You have to remember it is […]
01302021 – Mark 1. 21-28 Epiphany IV NO ONE can silence gossip, NOT EVEN Jesus. People LOVE to talk. We love to talk ABOUT OTHERS. We love to “STIR THE POT,” as it were. We love talking BEHIND the BACKS of “others.” Often times, saying things, we would never-ever-say-to-THEIR-FACE. AINT WE SOMETHIN”? […]
01272021 – Mark 1. 14-20 Do you know – the name – of the guy who first came up with dynamite? “Dynamis” is a Greek word and it means the state of that which is not yet fully realized as in – “POWER,” “POTENTIAL” — it is contrasted with the word “energeia.” It might sound familiar once you […]
01232021 – Mark 1. 14-20 Bob’s walking down the street when he sees a kid sitting on his front porch “jigging in a bucket.” As he reaches the kid, Bob stops for a better look. The bucket’s empty. He asks the kid, “What are you fishing for, son?” The kid looks up and […]
01292021 – John 1. 43-51 This is actually meant as an “Important Biblical Corrective” … it is important because of the “real time” bias surrounding Galilee. And a bias there was. There was a prejudice, an anti-Galilean sentiment. It is a truism that Galileans were perceived as being simple, uneducated peasants far from the […]
011162021 – John 1. 43-51 Epiphany II On the church calendar the season AFTER Christmas is called Epiphany. “Epiphany” is not a word – used frequently. The word has two meanings. First, epiphany can mean “an appearance or manifestation of God.” This kind of epiphany is sometimes called a theophany, which literally means God-appearance. […]
01162021 – Pet Blessing – Epiphany II Eve of St. Anthony Abbot So, it is the NEW SEASON of EPIPHANY-week two! And we have a pet blessing… It’s all about new “revelations…” New “things” being “SHOWN” to us! New things “revealing themselves” to us. New “Understandings…” New “Clarity” “Light bulb moments…” “AHA Moments…” […]
01132021 – Mark 1. 4-11 – The Baptism of Our Lord! There is a cute story that I ran across recently. No name attached. No author. It is not perfect, by any means…but it is insightful. It is from an “old Brazilian folk tale” that talks about TWIN BABIES in the womb discussing […]
01092021 – Mark 1. 4-11 Epiphany I Nothing is said, about any CONVERSATIONS between JESUS and the BAPTIZER. Mark is SILENT on any such dialogue. They NEED not speak. No words need to PASS between THEM. Besides that, the MOMENT is not really about THEM. It is being saved for SOMEONE ELSE. […]