Words of Gratitude and Challenge: In Remembrance of John B. Cobb For all that has been – thanks! For all that shall be – yes! These words from United Nations Secretary Dag Hammarskjold (1905-1961), who was both a mystic and global politician, express the spirit of my reflections on the life and impact of John Cobb. I had intended to share them on February 15, but they are as authentic today as they would have been in the celebration of... Read more
From the Cosmic to the Prophetic – Christmas 2 Lectionary Commentary John 1:1-18 On the Second Sunday of Christmas, our focus will be the reading from Gospel of John. The adventurous preacher needs to include the whole prologue and not just John 1:10-18, the focus of the Revised Common Lectionary. Jesus is not introduced by nation in this passage. Nor is the baby Jesus mentioned. Instead, we see the relationship of the Word and Wisdom of God in terms of... Read more
An Unexpected Visit I never knew what became of them. Every year scores of people come to churches seeking help in responding to needs of body, mind, and spirit. And we always tried to respond with grace and generosity. But this couple was unique. It was two days before Christmas, and they showed up in a battered car that they had been sleeping in since being evicted from their apartment the week before. They had a history, involving drugs and... Read more
Three Wise Women Matthew Luke 1:26-56 and Luke 2:36-40 It goes without saying that women’s voices and experiences are often neglected, or minimized, culturally, politically, economically, and socially. I might add religiously as well: although there are some exceptions among indigenous spiritualities, virtually every religious tradition privileges the voices of men, and virtually all global religions bear the stamp of male leadership – Moses, Mohommed, Confucius, Gautama, Lao Tzu, the Vedic sages of Hinduism, and also Jesus. Some traditions, even... Read more
Growing in Wisdom and Stature -The First Sunday after Christmas Day – December 29, 2024 I Samuel 2:18-20, 26 Psalm 148 Colossians 3:12-17 Luke 2:41-52 The First Sunday after Christmas Day –often described as low Sunday – is often a time for pastors to slip away from their pulpits or push the easy button and have a carol sing. All these are good ideas, and pastors need a little down time Christmas slam! But today’s scriptures raise important issues Christologically,... Read more
An Upside Down Gospel– Fourth Sunday of Advent – December 22,2024 The Adventurous Lectionary Micah 5:2-5a, Psalm 80:1-7, Hebrews 10:5-10, Luke 1:39-55 On the Horizon of Christmas Babies turn the world upside down. And, the coming of Jesus turns the world upside down, uplifting the poor and downgrading the wealthy. Yes, Christmas is on the horizon, only three days away, and today’s scriptures may be lost amid the merriment as well as the Christmas pageants. Despite our concerns about the... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Third Sunday of Advent – December 15, 2024 Zephaniah 3:14-20, Isaiah 12:2-6, Philippians 4:4-7, Luke 3:7-18 Authentic faith brings joy regardless of life’s circumstances. This Sunday we celebrate joy and transformation in all the seasons of life, including our current season of concern for the future of our nation. We light the third Advent Candle and celebrate the joy of our relationship with God, each other, and the wonder of creation. Yet, this joy must... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The Second Sunday of Advent – December 8, 2024 Malachi 3:1-4 Luke 1:68-79 Philippians 1:3-11 Luke 3:1-6 Advent is a time of prophetic restlessness. A time for seeing the contrast between the world as it is and the world that could be if we commit ourselves to join in God’s vision of Shalom. In Advent, we are not only restless in anticipation of the Christmas holiday. We are also restless as we look at the world... Read more
The Adventurous Lectionary – The First Sunday in Advent – December 1, 2024 Jeremiah 33:14-16 Psalm 25:1-10 I Thessalonians 3:9-13 Luke 21:25-36 These days, many of us are struggling to find hope for our nation’s and planet’s future. As we look toward the next four years, many of us visualize a slow-motion train wreck in the making, driven by a vindictive and authoritarian engineer bound and determined to roll back human rights, persecute enemies, imprison undocumented immigrants, and bully his... Read more
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Remembering Your Baptism – Lectionary Commentary for Jan.12
Remembering Your Baptism – January 12, 2025 Isaiah 43:1-7 Psalm 29 Acts 8:14-27 Luke 3:15-17, 21-26 Remembering Your Baptism This first Sunday of Epiphany, the Baptism of Jesus, reminds us to remember our baptisms. We can remember God’s spirit of grace, even if we have not been baptized. The scriptures delight in water images and see water as a manifestation of divine presence. Water gives life both physically and spiritually and while baptism is a visible sign of God’s grace,... Read more