Honesty may be the best policy, but as we all know, it’s also really, really hard. It’s so easy to tell a little white lie to spare someone’s feelings or to deflect responsibility. And maybe when the stakes are low, this isn’t so bad. But at what point do the little lies add up to … Continue reading Honesty
Today’s Gospel reading (Mk 12.28-34) contains one of Jesus’ most famous teachings: his summary of the Law: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and all your mind and all your strength; and love your neighbour as yourself.” It’s a good and helpful teaching that provides the lens through which Christians have interpreted … Continue reading Not far from the Kingdom
There’s a popular misconception out there that the “Old Testament God” was mean and scary and that the “New Testament God” is kindly and loving. Considering this misconception, it’s ironic that throughout Christianity’s history, Christians have tended to be quite a bit more timid when it comes to prayer than our Jewish cousins in faith. … Continue reading Honesty, with God and Self
Why is the sky blue? Why can’t people fly? Why do I need to eat vegetables? Why can’t I play in the rain without a coat? Why? Why? Why? Asking why is the hallmark of childhood. Children are naturally curious, eager to learn everything they can about the world around them. Yet somewhere along the … Continue reading Curiosity
I fully admit at the outset that I don’t like this morning’s Gospel reading, the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Lk 16.19-31). It’s an outlier in many ways. It isn’t set up like a parable, nor does it have the markers we associate with true stories. It also seemingly presents a startling vision … Continue reading Uncomfortable Truths
Matthew Root 