Unpredictable Love
Jesus and his disciples are sitting around the Passover table. Yet again he has taken his closest friends by surprise, kneeling down to wash their feet. Finished, he takes his place again. “Love one another as I have loved you,” he says.* It’s hard enough to love people the established ways: to put food on […]
Angry Enough
In my School for Christian Growth class, part of our homework this week is to reflect on our favorite stories about Jesus. What came to mind immediately for me was not the moment of tenderness with Mary in the garden on Easter morning, nor when Jesus calls Peter to courageously step out of the boat, […]
Self-care as a Discipline
Several years ago, I was heading into the most important and most stressful work situation I had ever faced. I knew it was coming, so I sat down and made a plan for staying sane: Take a break for exercise every day, even if it means going back to the office late into the night; […]
The Beginning of the Story
“John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.”* This is how Mark begins his gospel, the “good news about Jesus.” Do you see it? The beginning of the story about Jesus isn’t about Jesus at all– it’s about John. According to Mark, Jesus’ story begins before […]
