2016-03-10T04:45:53-05:00

Last updated on: March 10, 2016 at 4:45 am   By

Palm-Passion Sunday – 2016 Bruce G. Epperly The Triumphant Entry Luke 19:28-40 Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29 The Passion of Jesus Isaiah 53:4-9a Psalm 31:9-16 Philippians 2:5-11 Luke 23:1-49 The order of the day for Palm Sunday involves the interplay of celebration and passion. It is the appropriate theological as well as chronological entry point for the spiritual maelstrom on the horizon for us and for Jesus. The period between Palm Sunday and Easter encompasses the full spectrum of public and private... Read more

2016-03-05T07:22:19-05:00

Last updated on: March 5, 2016 at 7:22 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fifth Sunday in Lent – March 13, 2016 Isaiah 43:16-21 Psalm 126 Philippians 3:4b-14 John 12:1-8 Today’s passages invite us to embrace God’s future while honoring the past. Guided by Christ’s vision, we keep our eyes on the prize, constantly moving ahead. Faith tends towards a type of chaos, an iconoclasm that pushes beyond our institutional structures. But, innovative faith needs to be balanced by honoring tradition and discovering the order that enlivens and inspires.... Read more

2016-02-27T05:28:16-05:00

Last updated on: February 27, 2016 at 5:28 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Fourth Sunday in Lent – March 6, 2016 Joshua 5:9-12 Psalm 32 2 Corinthians 5:16-21 Luke 15:1-3, 11b-32 Today’s scriptures reflect on the burden of goodness and the unconditional love of God. Virtually every adult knows the story of the prodigal son, existentially if not biblically. We all know a family – or a part of a family – whose child has gone astray through addiction, incarceration, mental illness, or alienation. We all know the... Read more

2016-02-26T13:20:52-05:00

Last updated on: February 26, 2016 at 1:20 pm   By

Matt Weber’s Operating on Faith: A Painfully True Love Story brings both depth and humor to the challenges of mortality, especially when they affect young adults and come when you least expect it. Martin Luther is noted for saying, “In the midst of life, we are surrounded by death.” Life holds no guarantees and nothing is secure. God cares for the birds of the air and the lilies of the field, but they are here today and gone tomorrow. A... Read more

2016-02-21T17:09:01-05:00

Last updated on: February 21, 2016 at 5:09 pm   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Third Sunday in Lent – February 28, 2016 Isaiah 55:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9 Today’s readings join grace, threat, and hope. We can succumb to temptation, we can be unfruitful, and turn from God, but if we repent, God will provide us with the strength and fortitude to begin again. Grace is not conon our efforts; grace is prevenient but the energy and landscape of grace relates to our openness. God always... Read more

2016-02-13T09:46:33-05:00

Last updated on: February 13, 2016 at 9:46 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Second Sunday in Lent – February 21, 2016 Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18 Psalm 27 Philippians 3:17-4:1 Luke 13:31-35 Today’s readings join fear and faith. As I reflect on the scriptures this morning, we are on the eve of the New Hampshire primary. (By the time you have read this, the primary is over and the fear mongers have moved south for warmer weather and more heated conversations!) Living on Cape Cod, we receive our television from... Read more

2016-02-13T05:02:06-05:00

Last updated on: February 13, 2016 at 5:02 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The Third Sunday in Lent – February 28, 2016 Isaiah 55:1-9 Psalm 63:1-8 1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Luke 13:1-9 Today’s readings join grace, threat, and hope. We can succumb to temptation, we can be unfruitful, and turn from God, but if we repent, God will provide us with the strength and fortitude to begin again. Grace is not contingent on our efforts; grace is prevenient but the energy and landscape of grace relates to our openness. God... Read more

2016-02-08T18:53:13-05:00

Last updated on: February 8, 2016 at 6:53 pm   By

This post is part of a Patheos roundtable conversation on the new book Life’s Too Short to Pretend You’re Not Religious by David Dark. David Dark presents a clever, imaginative, humorous, and insightful text in his new book, challenging us to fess up to our religiosity. Yes, we are religious, all of us, but the practical issue is “What difference does it make? How shall we act on our religion? And, how do we deal with the great ‘so what’ that... Read more

2016-02-08T19:14:03-05:00

Last updated on: February 8, 2016 at 7:14 pm   By

For a while, us Baby Boomers lived in the garden, never expecting to grow old. We hoped that the “better living through chemistry” that inspired our spiritual adventures in the 60s and 70s would continue on into our 60s and 70s and bring us similar medications to prolong the fountain of youth. But alas, Baby Boomers, too, are discovering their mortality. A Jewish saying counsels that each person should have a note in each pocket. In one pocket, the note should announce “For you the... Read more

2016-02-05T08:00:01-05:00

Last updated on: February 5, 2016 at 8:00 am   By

The Adventurous Lectionary – The First Sunday in Lent – February 14, 2016 Deuteronomy 26:1-11 Psalm 91:1-2, 9-16 Romans 109:8b-13 Luke 4:1-13 Today’s readings speak of divine deliverance from the challenges of life. While life holds no guarantees, still God is faithful and responds to our cries for help. Life involves the interplay of call and response, and when we call on God, unexpected insights and energies may emerge. The external situation may not always change, but we can face... Read more

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