Mother Teresa is frequently credited with the quote, “I know God won’t give me anything I can’t handle. I just wish he didn’t trust me so much.” A version of that saying shows up in this week’s epistle reading. “No testing has overtaken you that is not common to everyone. God is faithful, and he… Read More
Monday Prayer
Mighty trees fall who hears their crash? Who tells their tale? We who watch, and wait, and pray, we must use our voices to name the mighty fallen ones Precious Holy, there are mighty trees in our world, fallen, crushed, destroyed, not by the force of nature, but of man. Men who arm themselves and… Read More
The Pastoral is Political: Faithfully Political
When the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together, and one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “’You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your… Read More
Sunday Prayer: For Your Sake, and for Ours
Holy One, We have seen how privilege works. Would anyone be hungry if the prosperous trusted you? We cry out to you, O God, how long? Will instruments of violence ever become tools for peace? We know that evil is nothing new. Would the hen need to shield her chicks if the fox did not… Read More
Preacher Party: Lent 2, Mother Hen Edition
Greetings RevGals and Pals! How goes your sermonizing this Saturday, noon-thirty-ish, EST? (Passages are available here at The Text This Week. Reflections and conversation starters are also on this blog, at the Revised Common Lectionary and Narrative Lectionary posts. I also highly recommend this week’s Raven Review post, which takes a fascinating position about the… Read More
Have Mercy
Kyrie, eleison. Χριστέ, ἐλέησον. Señor, ten piedad. אדון רחם נא (Adon raḥem na) Herr, erbarme Dich unser. 求主怜悯 Here, ontferm U. Господи, помилуј (Gospodi, pomiluj) Seigneur, prends pitié. Domine, miserere. Xin Chúa thương xót chúng con. Panie, zmiłuj się. Bwana utuhurumie. يا ربّ ارحم (Yā Rabbu arḥam) God of love, have mercy on us, your… Read More
Friday Prayer
Dear God of all times, places, and peoples, I ask for your Spirit of consolation and strength to be present in clear and tangible ways to the people, especially the Muslim community, of Christchurch, New Zealand. In a time of shock and grief, grant peace and gentleness to neighbors helping neighbors. Let the wails of… Read More
Friday Festival: Early Lent
Hello, all! I’m filling in on today’s Friday Five, which has reminded me that a lot of people are practicing, practicing, practicing — and then writing about their Lenten practices. In The Edge is Here, Elaine is writing about words, words, words for Lent. Her exploration of the word “possess” asks us: What do… Read More
Thursday Prayer
I stood on the rocks today. And there was beauty and wonder all around, Mountains and snow, Birds and sun, Sand and breeze, It was all so big, and wide, and grand- But I kept looking down At the rocks beneath my feet. Jagged and rough and covered in moss and slimy somethingness. And the… Read More
Ask The Matriarch: When Their Situation Touches You
Pastors’ work requires our competence and our compassion . We have the professional tools to guide our congregants and congregations through joys, challenges and sorrows. How do we handle ourselves and our role when a death in the congregation finds us dealing with our own feelings? This week’s question: I have to do a funeral… Read More
