And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised – Matthew 27:51-52 As we enter Holy Week, we are about to reach the pinnacle of our Lenten adventure. This Palm Sunday, we follow Jesus as He enters Jerusalem to praises of “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew…
…when I open your graves and have you rise from them, O my people! I will put my spirit in you that you may live…- Ezekiel 37:13-14 Imagine a tropical island getaway. Everything there has been arranged for you. All you have to do is get there. But there’s a catch: you have to get there completely on your own. No planes, trains, or automobiles; no boats or helicopters. Just you and your own power.…
…he spat on the ground and made clay with the saliva, and smeared the clay on his eyes, and said to him, “Go wash in the Pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed, and came back able to see. – John 9:6-7 This Laetare Sunday we rejoice that Easter is quickly approaching. We also rejoice in the fact that Jesus can heal our wounds if we allow Him to, just as…
Come see a man who told me everything I have done. – John 4:29 This week in our Lenten adventure we travel to Jacob’s well in the land of Samaria. Jesus stopped at the well and along came a woman coming to draw water in the middle of the day. The other women did this task together in the cool of the morning. But this woman was alone. When we hear about her life we…
Jesus took Peter, James, and John his brother, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them; his face shone like the sun and his clothes became white as light. – Matthew 17:1-2 Our Lenten adventure includes a mountain hike this Sunday! We follow Jesus, Peter, James, and John as they climb the mountain of encounter with the Holy Trinity. A theophany is a manifestation of God, a direct…
This Sunday, Jesus demonstrates the power of obedience and humility. The Holy Spirit led Him to the desert to be tempted (Matthew 4:1). Israel was called but failed to persevere the temptations of the desert; Jesus had to undo this knot of disobedience in the desert. Notice that Satan, the prideful fool, took Jesus ever higher to tempt Him after the first attempt failed: “the pinnacle of the temple” (4:5), “a very high mountain” (4:8).…
Have you ever thought about Lent as a spiritual adventure, or does it seem more like: “Here we go again. Time to give up meat on Fridays and sweets again.” That doesn’t seem very motivating to me. But Lent as a spiritual adventure? A chance to go somewhere new in my interior life with Jesus as my companion? That sounds motivating! We start our spiritual adventure in the desert with Jesus. Later, we’ll climb Mt.…
“…love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your heavenly Father.” – Matthew 5:44-45 Who is the person that comes to mind when you read this Scripture passage? Just who are your enemies? You may have a person that comes to mind, such as someone who bullied you in school or someone who treated you unfairly at work. Perhaps it is someone who mocked you, stole something…
Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets. I have come not to abolish but to fulfill.- Matthew 5:17 Have you heard the saying that the secret ingredient to any special recipe or good meal is love? Actually, it’s the secret ingredient to anything creative. You can tell when something has been created with love. There’s just something “extra” you can taste or sense. This Sunday’s readings are all…
I am the light of the world, says the Lord; whoever follows me will have the light of life. – John 8:12 Jesus loves analogies, similes, and metaphors. He uses these figures of speech to help His listeners–including us–grasp complex and lofty concepts, such as what it means to live in the Kingdom of God and be a Christian disciple. He gives us two metaphors for discipleship in Sunday’s Gospel passage: “You are the salt…