Jesus is not saying that God has a hit squad that takes out people who are sinners, and you could be next. Jesus’ whole life is contrary to that. What he seems to be saying is that, since we are all going to die, and since we are all sinners, the only way that our…
What is true of writing is also true of the spiritual life. Nouns clutter, verbs move and inspire. Before Thanksgiving, Advent & Christmas were nouns, collections of things, they were verbs-powerful movements of the grace of God.
I want to leave you with a story which has always inspired me to live boldly beyond our perceived limits. Irish author Frank O’Connor tells, that as a boy, he and his friends would make their way across the Irish countryside and when they came to an orchard wall that seemed too high, too difficult…
Visiting up North this time of year, as Fall gives way to Winter, has lessons for the soul. It reminds us of the seasonal nature of God’s creation, which you can lose track of in Sunny Florida. Life is seasonal. We live for a season and then we die, as the natural world demonstrates every…
A metaphor might help us make this more concrete. Imagine that you are standing near an airplane. That plane can do something that you cannot do yourself. You are held down by the law of gravity and no matter how hard you flap your arms, you cannot fly. The plane, on the other hand, was…
Helena surely knew the importance of establishing the historical reality of Jesus, as several generations had passed since his life and death and the personal connection to him and his witnesses was fading. She basically made one of the first known archeological expeditions, going to Jerusalem with a team, seeking out and discovering fragments of…
It just so happens that today’s gospel reading captures Jesus’ 30 second opening statement of his ministry, showing all the world and each of us why he was the greatest leader who ever lived, and why he is the only One to follow to find our purpose in life (in 280 characters or less). Here…