Results for "Do Justice"

Dearly Beloved, Grace and Peace to you.                    They entered a village of the Samaritans                   but they did not receive him.          James and John said, “Lord, do you want us                   to command fire to come down from heaven                   and consume them?”          But he turned and rebuked them.                   —Luke 9.52-55 It’s so easy and tempting and self-defeating… Continue reading Fire from heaven

Blessed are they who are heartbroken,         for it is they who know joy. Blessed are they who are silenced,         for God is among them. Blessed are they who stand alone,          for they are not alone. Blessed are the queer,         for theirs is the image of God. Blessed are they who listen,          for they shall hear God. Blessed are… Continue reading More beatitudes

                                 Holocaust Remembrance Day God of love, expose to me the evils I condonefor the sake of my ease and privilege. Awaken me to the suffering of othersand my dismissal of it. Heal me of the disease of my racism and sexism,my phobias and self-protectiveness and denial. Bring me to awareness and repentance;daily change my… Continue reading Yom Hashoah

Peter says, “I’m going fishing.”What? So soon? Fishing already,in the smelly little boat,not running through Jerusalempreaching resurrection? Why not? Why make him change jobs?Why make him seem so different from us? If resurrection isn’t about real lives, our real lives,then what good is it?Maybe Peter experienced Easter then went home.Carried on. No big career change.… Continue reading Gone fishing

                   Some Pharisees said, “Herod wants to kill you.”          He said to them, “Go and tell that fox for me,          ‘Listen, I am casting out demons and performing cures.’”                   —Luke 13.31-32          When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh—          my adversaries and foes— they shall stumble and fall.                   —Psalm 27.2          Stand firm in the Lord.… Continue reading Stand firm

Dearly Beloved, Grace and Peace to you.                    Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.                   —1 Corinthians 12.4 To one God has given the gift of good humor, to another the gift of resilience, to another courage, to another the appreciation of beauty, to another truth-telling, to another soft-heartedness, to another the… Continue reading Varieties of gifts

Dearly Beloved, Grace and Peace to you.                    Job’s wife said to him, “Do you still persist in your integrity?          Curse God, and die.”          But he said to her, “You speak as any fool would speak.          Shall we receive the good at the hand of God, and not receive the bad?”                   —Job 2.9-10          By the… Continue reading Suffering

                   “Take up your cross and follow me.”                   —Mark 8.34 Jesus, you suffered for the sake of love;          help me to love at all cost. Though we wronged you, you offered forgiveness;          give me your heart of forgiveness. You met hate and untruth with gentleness;          give me humility and patience. You suffered without retaliation or… Continue reading Taking up my cross

Dearly Beloved, Grace and Peace to you.          When Herod heard [of Jesus’ disciples          healing and casting out demons]          he said, ”John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.”                   —Mark 6.16 Herod has it all: cynicism, selfishness, lasciviousness, sexual abuse, cruelty, violence and the abuse of power. He uses people, even his daughter.… Continue reading Not afraid

Dearly Beloved, Grace and Peace to you.          He called the twelve         and began to send them out two by two,          and gave them authority over the unclean spirits.                   —Mark 6.7 Yes, you will face the demonic— evil, injustice and oppression in all its pleasant disguises. And often you will shake their… Continue reading Resistance