After Adulation

All spoke well of Jesus, and then they were furious and tried to kill him. Lest we assume that heeding God’s plan instead of our own guarantees a blissful journey, we would do well to notice “and then.” It is in the “and then” that much of life gets lived. The people who hear Jesus read the […]
Laughter in the Face of Disaster

Anticipating a busy period in my life, I had already written something about resolutions and good intentions as this week’s reflection on Jesus proclaiming good news to the poor, release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, freedom to those who are oppressed,* the year of the Lord’s favor.* I was just […]
Jesus, Interrupted

As someone who can be the tiniest bit rigid about my plans and my time, one thing I love about Jesus is how willing he was to be interrupted. Several of my favorite gospel stories start with a formula: While Jesus was going about his business, something happened – a person was in need of […]
You Are Beloved

On this weekend celebrating the baptism of Jesus, I find myself reflecting on my own baptism. I was just a baby so don’t remember it; but as Jesus had been presented in the Temple as a baby, my parents were proclaiming my life as God’s and our life as part of a larger church community. […]