Because I love fishing I've been thinking about John 21 recently. This great chapter, which takes place a week or more after Jesus’ resurrection, recounts Jesus’ restoration of Peter. But the whole scene is set in the context of Peter and several disciples having gone...
I’m keenly aware that this is a season of the unexpected. Despite the fact that Jesus repeatedly told His disciples what would happen, they never expected His crucifixion or his resurrection. Are we any different? This last year is proof of God doing the unexpected....
Many of our problems come from confusing these two types of time. Abram and Sari confused chronos and kairos when it came to God’s promise of a child. The result was Ishmael but at the kairos, at the right time, Sarah gave birth to Isaac. I’ve been thinking about this...
When St. Augustine wrote the book in the 5th century, Rome was falling. As Rome fell, many came to St. Augustine and asked where God was in all of it. By this point in history, Christianity was the official religion of the empire, so for Rome to fall to pagan...
You can easily see how it fits in, but in thinking about this I believe the quote applies to the season of Advent broadly. You see, the waiting, longing and silence of Advent makes the joy of Christmas all the better. Malachi, the last book of the Old Testament...
The combination of anticipating lighting the “joy” candle in our advent wreath on Sunday and reading an excellent reflection titled “The Weary World Rejoices” has me thinking a lot about how to cultivate joy in the midst of our weary, waiting world. Joy, as you will...
A common theme with our hopes and fears was around how the Church responds to this multi-layered crisis we find ourselves in. Our fear, of course is that the Church will fail to live into its calling as the body and bride of Christ and that our work as pastors will be...
This is why I’m grateful for the season of advent. Advent means coming or appearing, and it is a season that shapes our expectations. It reminds us that the world waited a long time for Christ’s first coming and that when he came it was not in the way they expected....
Prepositions matter! 1 Thessalonians 5:18 tells us to “give thanks in all circumstances.” I’m really glad the command isn’t to “give thanks for all circumstances.” There are lots of things I cannot and even should not give thanks for this year, but in the midst of...