Pooh and Piglet walked home thoughtfully together in the golden evening and for a long time they were silent. “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh,” said Piglet at last,” what’s the first thing you say to yourself?” “What’s for breakfast,” said Pooh. “What you do you say, Piglet?” “I say, I wonder what’s going to happen exciting today?” said Piglet. Pooh nodded thoughtfully. “It’s the same thing,” he said. – From A.A. Milne, The World of Winnie the... Read more

Winnie the Pooh and the Need for Alternative Visions A little over four years ago, I conceived the possibility of a “Gospel According to Winnie the Pooh.” At the time, my wife and I had left bucolic Lancaster, Pennsylvania to return to Washington DC to help my son and daughter in law in the wake of the birth of their second grandchild. We relocated to a grand 20 story high rise just off the major thoroughfares into Washington DC. It... Read more

The Sixth Sunday after the Epiphany – February 12, 2017 Deuteronomy 30:15-20, Psalm 119:1-8, I Corinthians 3:1-9, Matthew 5:21-37 Today’s scriptures speak of life and death, spiritually, emotionally, physically, and institutionally. Each moment is an opportunity for decision-making. Many paths are available, some leading to abundance and beauty, others to scarcity and ugliness. Our choices are not just for ourselves. They shape our relationship to God and the world beyond us, including our own future. They can contribute to greater... Read more

The Fifth Sunday after the Epiphany – February 5, 2017 Isaiah 58:1-12, Psalm 122:1-10, 2 Corinthians 1-13, Matthew 5:13-20 The Season of Epiphany is no ordinary time. It is the time of God’s revealing – the revealing of God’s vision, the unveiling of hidden truths in unexpected places, and the illuminating of how far we have strayed from God’s vision of Shalom, of the peaceable realm joining humankind and the non-human world. God’s revealing challenges progressives as well as conservatives,... Read more

Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany – January 29, 2017 Micah 6:1-8; Psalm 15; I Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12 The biblical tradition is always counter-cultural in spirit. It agitates the comfortable, whether conservative or progressive, by challenging our lifestyles and assumptions. And, conversely, as the saying goes, it also comforts the agitated, those at the margins of life, those with their backs against the wall, or struggling with debilitating life issues. Today’s scriptures abound in relational and political reversals, and this... Read more

A Message for Our Leaders on the Eve of the Inauguration: A Heart of Wisdom Scripture I Kings 3: 5, 7-12 At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night; and God said, “Ask what I should give you.” And now, O LORD my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David, although I am only a little child; I do not know how to go out or come in. And your... Read more

The Third Sunday after the Epiphany – January 22, 2017 This Sunday, we will gather for worship in the wake of the inauguration of the 45th President of the United States and the Women’s Marches throughout the country. The nation remains divided and while politicians can cling to illusions regarding their election, no politician has a mandate to govern at this time. Read in light of the passing of the office from one President to his successor, today’s passages have... Read more

The Second Sunday after the Epiphany – January 15, 2017 Isaiah 49:1-7; Psalm 41:1-11; I Corinthians 1:1-9; John 1:29-42 Jesus’ question is a powerful entry point for today’s readings, “What are you looking for?” Jesus query is followed by an equally significant invitation, “come and see.” The spiritual journey involves an adventure of self and God discovery, of opening to the deeper dimensions of life, many of which were unknown to us until embraced the question, “What are you looking... Read more

The Baptism of Jesus – January 8, 2107 Isaiah 42:1-9; Psalm 29; Acts 10:34-43; Matthew 3:13-17 It’s all about water, flowing Jordan waters, waves on Cape Cod shores, the water of the womb, and the waters that nourish our crops and our bodies. Without water, our lives are in danger. We can do without food for a few days, but water is a necessity, even in the comfort care of persons at the descending edges of life. This Sunday, we... Read more

The Epiphany of Our Christ – January 6, 2017 Isaiah 60:1-6; Psalm 72:1-7, 10-14; Ephesians 3:1-12; Matthew 2:1-12 For many people, Christmas is now a past memory. We are back in ordinary time and the quotidian we’ve returned to seems so ordinary, busy, and challenging. We are tempted to fall back into old ways, succumb to hopelessness and self-interest, and reduce our scope of interest to those who share our lifestyle, belief systems, and neighborhoods. We need to be reminded... Read more