Church of the MediatorGod’s Bread Today’s Gospel is the first of four readings from John’s “Bread Discourse” (6:25-69) in which Jesus explains the deeper significance of the miracle of the feeding of the five thousand (Jn. 6:1-15) we considered last week. Bread takes on a profound symbolic meaning as Jesus proclaims, “I am the bread of life” (Jn. […]
I am the Bread of Life (Part 1 of 4) This morning our pattern of Gospel readings shift from Mark’s rather hurried pace to John’s slower, more deliberate telling of the Jesus’ story. Actually, this morning’s Gospel serves as an introduction to Jesus’ “Bread of Life” discourse or teaching. This is the mid-point in John’s […]
Coming and Going This morning’s Gospel brings us the conclusion of the sandwich started two Sundays ago when Jesus sent out the Twelve on their first mission trip. Today’s Gospel begins with their return. Earlier Jesus had sent them out two by two with authority to proclaim the message of repentance, to heal the sick, […]
Another Sandwich Our Gospel reading for this morning is a most uncharacteristic Gospel lesson. For one thing, no matter how carefully we listen, we cannot detect a single note of authentic joy or hope anywhere in this text. Instead, what we hear is a wretched tale of anger and revenge, resentment, and death. But there […]
An Active Faith Our Gospel reading (cf Mt. 9:18-26; Lk. 8:40-56) is an example of a narrative style in which a second story (Mk. 5:25-34) is “sandwiched” between the beginning (vv. 22-24) and end (vv. 35-43) of the first story. The common them in both stories is a willingness to express and act on faith […]
Storms at Sea and Taking a Nap When I was serving as a Navy chaplain, one of my assignments was aboard U.S.S. CONCORD (AFS-5) out of Norfolk, Virginia. She was a fleet replenishment ship and we carried “Beans, Bullets, and Black Oil” (she’s now resting on the bottom of the Pacific Ocean near Hawaii as […]
Growing the Kingdom All their lives the two young brothers had lived in the city behind great stone walls and never saw field nor meadow. But one day they decided to pay a visit to the country. As they went walking along the road, they saw a farmer at his plowing. They watched him and […]
Take Heart Pentecost/Ordinary Time II (RCL Cycle B; Track 1)/6 June 2021 This morning we start our long journey through the “Green Season,” also known as the Season After Pentecost, or Ordinary Time. The term “ordinary” does not mean common place, every day, or the usual; rather it refers the number of weeks – as […]
Conversations Trinity Sunday (RCL Cycle B)/30 May 2021 Today is Trinity Sunday and it marks a transition from our past six months considering the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus the Christ to the long green season of Ordinary Time. This six-month long season goes by several names – the Season after Pentecost, […]
Power to Change Happy Easter! Happy Birthday! Today is Pentecost! It has been fifty short days since we discovered the empty tomb and heard the good news of Jesus’ resurrection. This is the day in which the whole Easter season comes to a climax. The Holy Spirit descends like a rushing wind, and a new […]