With Open Hands
At a recent memorial service, I heard a daughter marvel at how her mother was able to let go of her things with each move: beloved furniture, inherited dishes, favorite books, unneeded clothing. This journey of relinquishment comes to all of us. For those who understand it as preparation, the journey can be full of […]
Respond to Rejection
Jesus, resolved to remain faithful to his call, even unto death, “sets his face toward Jerusalem.”* On his way he intends to pass through Samaria as Jews often do on their way to and from feast days in Jerusalem. He sends an advance team of disciples to Samaria before he is to pass through. They […]
Enough to Make You Crazy
There’s deep and timely wisdom in today’s gospel account of Jesus healing the Geresene demoniac.* The key is in Jesus’ exchange with the demon itself: “What is your name?” asks Jesus. The demon answers, “Legion.” And while we may think of this word first as meaning “many”, in Jesus’ time it specifically referred to a […]
When the Friend Comes
“There is so much to say, but you just won’t understand it now.”* Like talking to a child about growing old, there are no tools with which to work. It cannot be taught. Only lived. Jesus knows that his time is short. His bewildered friends listen as he promises not to leave them as orphans… […]