Holy Week
I was raised Catholic with a rich tradition of liturgy to engage all my senses on this momentous walk with Jesus from Palm Sunday to Easter.* On Sunday we waved palm branches and sang with joy welcoming the One who came to save us. And barely catching our breath, we entered the Passion narrative with […]
The More Radical Cause
It’s very awkward to think: You know, Judas had a point.* He had argued that Mary’s use of the perfume was a waste; it could have been sold and the money given to the poor. After all, Jesus spoke often about justice for the poor; he told the rich young man, “Go, sell what you own, […]
Being Responsible
Many years ago, when I was managing a seminary art gallery, someone offered us a collection of artworks inspired by the story about two brothers who had very different ideas about what to do with their lives.* The collection was enormous and the gallery was tiny, so we were only able to show a relatively […]
Known By What Is Absent
Suffering is not a sign of being punished by God. At the other end of the spectrum, keeping oneself free of all suffering is not a sign of pleasing God. The Galileans who suffered under the cruelty of Pilate, Jesus says, are no worse sinners than the rest of us. Suffering happens. Rain falls on […]