Tag Archives: God

Is there a Paul in our midst?

Today’s reading from Acts reminds me that Paul was a fierce opponent of Jesus followers and to his colleagues and contemporaries, his conversion was more than confusing, it was disruptive and threatened their power base. They had relied on Saul … Continue reading

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“Selfie” Prayers behind me

So this morning’s Psalm got me started – and not in a welcome way. As I turned to my scriptural journal to record some thoughts prompted by the psalmist’s cry to cry no more, I was greeted by a reflection … Continue reading

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What’s in a (nick) name?

I gave a lot of thought to the naming of my children. I considered things like tradition, family customs, uniqueness, two syllables at most – I was big on that one – didn’t want others nicknaming them.  I had grown … Continue reading

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For from him and through him and to him are all things

From today’s readings, Romans 11: Romans 11:36For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory for ever. Amen. Wildflower protected California Poppy and “Weed-to-some” dandelion growing side by side.  The natural world bears … Continue reading

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“…because he delighted in me”…ugh, not feeling it

Psalm 18:20 He brought me out into an open place; * A year ago this week I paused at Psalm 18 to reflect in my personal scriptural journal on this first line of the last couplet and specifically at the … Continue reading

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On trees, the language of God and the Book of Common Prayer

Judges 9:8 The trees once went out to anoint a king over themselves. Of all the parables found in scripture, only eleven [1] appear in the Old Testament (Jesus tells 46 parables in the New Testament). Today’s passage from Judges contains one … Continue reading

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Fine Robes, Copper Coins and Naked Ladies

Looks can be deceiving and blinding.  How often we need the eyes of the other to see God’s presence in God’s church. In today’s gospel Jesus points to the scribes and priests fancy vestments as a way to distinguish them … Continue reading

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The Happy Sower

Mark 4:1 Again he began to teach beside the lake. Such a very large crowd gathered around him that he got into a boat on the lake and sat there, while the whole crowd was beside the lake on the … Continue reading

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John 11:1-45: Locating Jesus in a ‘Where’s-Waldo-like’ story

John 11:1-45 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. Mary was the one who anointed the Lord with perfume and wiped his feet with her hair; her brother Lazarus was … Continue reading

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It’s all good: identifying the clutter of ‘shoulds’

164 Seven times a day do I praise you, * because of your righteous judgments. The image that came to mind at this verse from this morning’s psalm, (Psalm 119 in praise of the Law), was a scene from a … Continue reading

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