Over the past couple weeks, I've been reading a beautiful essay collection called One Long River of Song, by Brian Doyle, who passed away due to complications from a brain tumor in 2017. One essay that particularly stuck out to me, called "Everyone Thinks That Awful Comes by Itself, But It Doesn't," begins like this: … Continue reading The More Things Change…
The resurrection stories in the New Testament are not big, boisterous stories, shouting the news of the resurrection from the rooftops. Instead, they are tentative stories, involving a lot of uncertainty, questioning, fear, and vulnerability. In that way, they're well-suited for our times. For we too are living in a season of uncertainty and fear, … Continue reading When Jesus Shows Up: A Reflection on John 20.19-31
[This Easter Sunday, I was asked to preach at a virtual family church service. Today's reflection is a tidied up version of my speaking notes.] Good morning and good afternoon, everyone. It's wonderful to be able to gather together like this — albeit virtually — to celebrate the biggest feast of the Christian year. At … Continue reading God’s New Thing: A Reflection for Easter 2021
And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation (Gen 2.2-3). We … Continue reading The Seventh Day: A Reflection for Holy Saturday 2021
This is how it ends. The joy of the incarnation, the surprising revelations at Jesus' baptism, the years of miraculous healings and heavenly teaching, of standing up to the authorities. The backlash, the intrigue, the betrayal, the conspiracy, the kangaroo court. This is how it ends. Jesus, dead, hanging on a cross. The world stands … Continue reading This Is How It Ends: A Reflection for Good Friday 2021
