Friday, November 15, 2019 | Reflections
Antiochus IV Epiphanes is a ruthless tyrant, but his desire to create one people out of a diverse group who share the same real estate is not an inherently evil idea. Indeed, as we will pray on the last Sunday of Pentecost, our hope is that all of humankind will be...
Thursday, November 14, 2019 | Reflections
If we had a title card like the ones in the movies, today’s would read: “Three Hundred Years or So Later.” The Seleucid king, Antiochus IV Epiphanes, is eager to “de-Judaize” Judea and Jerusalem. Some of the Jews are willing to accommodate or even collaborate with...
Wednesday, November 13, 2019 | Reflections
The remnant of the children of Israel are hearing the Law of Moses read as if for the first time, and they weep—first because it offers them a spiritual identity—and then in repentance, they suddenly become aware that they have not been keeping the law while in...
Tuesday, November 12, 2019 | Reflections
By using symbolism in a very sophisticated way, John the Revelator discloses a catastrophic future for a fallen state in terms of economic ruin. No fewer than three times in nine verses we read of merchants bemoaning the fall of Babylon the Great (Rome, in John’s...
Monday, November 11, 2019 | Reflections
Today, we overhear a tense three-way conversation between Jesus, his disciples, and a group of Pharisees about the Law of Moses. Jesus’ point is that people should not be so…well…legalistic about the Law. Quibbling over fine points should not overshadow the purpose...
Sunday, November 10, 2019 | Reflections
Paul has been arrested on trumped-up charges, sent to Caesarea in protective custody, and is now on trial before Felix, the Roman governor. He’s trying to frame his argument in a way calculated to exploit the disagreement between his accusers on whether there will be...
Saturday, November 9, 2019 | Reflections
The exiles returning from Babylonian enslavement, under Ezra’s leadership, struggle to maintain their identity as a people and a nation. This involves some attitudes and practices—like avoiding intermarriage with their Gentile neighbors—that we might find off-putting...
Friday, November 8, 2019 | Reflections
The lesser and unspecified details from this story in the life of Jesus invite all sorts of questions. What does Jesus hear that causes him to take a solo boat ride? Is it the news that Herod considers him a resurrected John the Baptist, or is it the news that...
Thursday, November 7, 2019 | Community Ministry, Reflections
by Kristen Wheeler, Christ Church, Slidell, and founder of Holy Hounds Ministry Who is Angela Basset? Angela Basset is a therapy dog who is trained to provide affection, comfort, and healing love to those around her. Whether you are in a hospital, retirement or...
Thursday, November 7, 2019 | Reflections
No one looks forward to being evaluated by the boss, whether in a formal annual process or something more casual. There is an element of fear that comes with having our performance judged, even if we have reason to be confident in our competencies.The Church...
Wednesday, November 6, 2019 | Reflections
Nehemiah was one of the leaders of a group of Jews returning to their ancestral home after having survived the Babylonian captivity. He was in charge of restoring the physical and spiritual infrastructure of Jewish life in Jerusalem.Nehemiah’s work...
Tuesday, November 5, 2019 | Reflections
Why was the joy of Jerusalem heard across the countryside? This joy was the voice of exuberant celebratory singing. Nehemiah had led a massive construction project—rebuilding the wall around the city—following the return of the exiled children of Israel from bondage...
Monday, November 4, 2019 | Reflections
I’ll never forget an outdoor advertisement I saw some decades ago: “I tasted escargot twice. Once going down.” For many, the taste of cooked snails is a bitter one. Saint John the Revelator has just witnessed an utterly astonishing scene: a truly massive angel...
Sunday, November 3, 2019 | Reflections
Anxiety is a natural and unavoidable emotion. So, we might wonder if Jesus is guilting us about our feelings. I think not. When Jesus talks about people who are anxious about food or clothing, he’s not necessarily indicating ill-fed or ill-clad people but perhaps the...
Saturday, November 2, 2019 | Reflections
Images frequently show people who have departed this life cartoonishly walking on clouds and holding harps, with halos hovering above their heads and wings attached to their shoulders. Each of these details has a loose connection somewhere in the Christian...
