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
While Christians aren’t exactly known for our humour, the one joke most Christians make is to say that God has a good sense of humour. It’s a sentiment that gets rolled out when we’re confronted with a range of unusual or unexpected things, from the sight of a platypus to an experience of order appearing … Continue reading Humour
Soviet dissident writer Aleksandr Solzhenitysn famously said that the line between good and evil runs not between states, ideologies, or people, but right through the middle of them. It seems to be the way of life in our fallen world, where even humanity’s greatest and most beautiful aspirations are marred by our ugliest traits. Lust … Continue reading The Unruly and Abnormal Holy Spirit
The Gospel assigned for today contains the most familiar words of the Christian faith, the Lord’s prayer. The passage continues Jesus’ discussion about performative spirituality on which I commented last week. Jesus has just taught the disciples to be avoid flashy displays of their fasting, almsgiving, and prayer. And now he pushes on, teaching them … Continue reading When You Pray…
Like most North Americans my age, I grew up on a diet heavy in reruns of The Simpsons. One scene that often comes to mind involves Ned Flanders, the Simpsons’ overly pious neighbour, confessing to their longsuffering minister: “I’m meek, but … I could be meeker.” What I love about this quote is that it’s … Continue reading Humility
