Assume positive intent, thoughtful people advise, when reading emails. It’s hard to understand someone’s tone of voice from the words on the screen. Even when – or especially when – we know them well. Perhaps it’s hardest with someone we know, or think we know. We add the weight of all our previous interactions to… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Who’s in Charge?
Photo credit: © 2017 Blueprint Church – All Rights Reserved from https://www.blueprintchurch.org/series/imago-dei. Last Sunday I preached on the Narrative Lectionary, which took up the large swatch of Mark 12:1-17 with the stories of the wicked tenants (who kept beating & killing the vineyard owner’s representatives) and the paying of taxes to Caesar. There are a… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Pursuing Power (Mark 14:32-52)
I canvassed for a candidate the other day—not really the candidate that I want to win, but certainly one who is not repugnant to me. For those of you who haven’t canvassed lately, it’s really easy, with a map of addresses to stop by, ask if they’re going to vote, make sure they have a… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Ash Wednesday (Mark 9:30-37) and Lent One–All You Have (Mark 10:17-31)
This week is a twofer! Ash Wednesday is tomorrow and we begin Lent with this passage from Mark 9:30-37. Working Preacher commentary here. While Jesus tries to teach the disciples about the suffering, betrayal, and death that he’s heading toward, the disciples are arguing about which of them is the greatest. Not their finest moment,… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Who’s Corban? Whose Corban? (Mark 7:1-23)
Once my children went to preschool and then on to kindergarten, they were very alert to hand washing. Now, of course, I taught them to wash their hands after the potty and before eating, etc., but school and teachers brought that lesson into full force. I do utterly and completely believe in hand washing, but… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Super Bowl Half Time Show (Mark 6:1-29)
I don’t watch SportsBall. So I missed the Super Bowl 2020 halftime show, even though I have loved Shakira since the 1990s. After reading some reviews, I decided to watch it myself. And as a “woman of a certain age,” I was impressed with the 43-year-old Shakira and the 50-year-old JLo. If I’m to be… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: An Intent to Heal (Mark 5:21-43)
Mark 5:21-43 This week, we continue through Mark’s story of Jesus, where he’s healing people society isn’t all that sure they want healed, and he’s calming storms. He’s teaching in parables. Today’s story has the story of the woman who touches Jesus in the crowd, bookended by the story of Jairus’ daughter. Working Preacher commentary… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Pigs and Prejudice (Mark 5:1-20)
Having a favorite Bible passage is as ill-advised as having a favorite child, but if I did have a favorite, this intriguing story would be a strong contender. It has everything: conflict, healing, payback, revelation, and even traveling pigs. Read the scripture here. Read the Working Preacher commentary. The story unfolds like a movie, with… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Code-Switching (Mark 4:1-34)
The parables found in Mark 4:1-34 are familiar, but I must admit that I got a bit annoyed when I read the text this time. Why the word games? Why do some get to understand and others don’t? Given the oh, so many political and religious pundits, media outlets that have been co-opted by corporate… Read More
Narrative Lectionary: Healing for Liberation and Confrontation (Mark 2:1-22)
Every time I consider Jesus’ miracle stories I think someone in the congregation is thinking, “Yeah. That’s Jesus. I can’t do that.” Because we can’t, can we? Jesus performs miracle after miracle, and I have to tell you, I’ve never performed one single miracle! But reading Ched Myers (Binding the Strong Man and “Say to… Read More
