Having Enemies
Most of us will admit that there are parts of the Bible we skip over – all the “begats,” particularly dry parts of Leviticus, the confusing imagery of Revelation. But I pay pretty close attention to the gospels, which is why it was surprising that this brief vignette at the beginning of today’s passage* was […]
The final word is love – Apr. 8, 2022
“But the final word is love. At times it has been, in the words of Father Zossima, a harsh and dreadful thing, and our very faith in love has been tried through fire. We cannot love God unless we love each other, and to love we must know each other. We know God in the […]
In Small Things – Nov. 30, 2021
“I sometimes think that perhaps our minds are too weak to grasp joy or sorrow except in small things. Joy in fresh fragrance of flowers, or warmth of a fire, or a handshake. Sorrow in fading flowers, a lost dog, a fretful child’s cry. In the big things joy and sorrow are just alike—overwhelming. At […]
Cutting Our Losses
If your hand makes you sin, cut it off! Better that you should be maimed but obtain eternal life, rather than keep both hands and go to hell [Gei-Hinnom], to unquenchable fire!* As someone who doesn’t believe in hell, or in the kind of God who would send people there, what do I do with […]
