Scripture Reflection
Here I share the fruits of my personal reflection on the Word of God, whether I’m reading along with the lectionary readings for that week or exploring a particular book of the Bible. Enjoy the posts that appear below; you’ll find them with the most recent first. If you’re looking for something in particular, try typing a topic, book of the Bible, or other keyword into the search field at the bottom of the page. Topics I write about frequently include those listed below:
Another dull gray day, another day of self-isolation, and it’s getting harder to keep the spirits up. Whatever happened to joy? Jesus wants our joy to be full (see John 15:11). And it’s one of the fruits of the Spirit. Joy should be the hallmark of a Christian: a kind of identifying aura that others can sense; something that spreads ...
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There’s always such a push to Easter, and then … what? I’m grateful to the ongoing pulse of the season, that reminds me there is more. In the liturgical cycle, Easter is a day and also an “octave.” Eight days of celebration, eight days of re-absorbing the message of the Resurrection: that because Jesus is alive, my life — all ...
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I woke up this morning troubled by many things: some are just wisps of bad dreams in the night, but others I must face. I turned, as is my habit, to the Scriptures of Morning Prayer[1] “Jesus was deeply troubled” jumped out at me. What does it mean to be troubled? The word is tarássō in Greek. "To trouble" means ...
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It gets me every time I read it: “Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So when he heard that [Lazarus] was ill, he remained for two days in the place where he was.” What?! Jesus loved them, so he stayed away. He waited, in fact, until Lazarus was well and truly dead. He could have healed Lazarus ...
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I don’t know about you, but I’m thirsty for Jesus. I’m hungry for the Eucharist. I want him. Physically, tangibly. Less than 10 days into coronavirus-prompted deprivation, I have a longing I’ve never experienced before. It’s a longing I never thought I’d have, given 30 years of experiencing his presence spiritually as a Protestant, ignorant of what I was missing ...
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Like many people, I spent the last few days trying to assimilate the rapidly-evolving directives regarding Covid19. One day it seemed enough to simply practice good hygiene and stock the larder, so I got on a plane to my next speaking engagement. Within hours of my arrival the picture had changed. Schools were shutting down, flights were cancelled, large gatherings ...
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Above the altar hangs the risen Christ: not crucified, but suspended with the instrument of death behind him. His hands and feet are pierced but no nails hold him down. His arms are raised, stretched out to us who kneel below. His eyes are full of love. Meanwhile, I can’t stop looking up. It’s as if I hear him calling: ...
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The homily I remember best may also have been the shortest. It was Ash Wednesday morning, the early morning mass when everybody has to get to work and so there’s not a lot of time for extra details. The priest got right to the point: “The Gospel is from Matthew 6,” he said. “Jesus tells us how to give alms, ...
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I woke up early and made my way to the kitchen in darkness so deep I could feel it. The soft light that usually glows in the hallway was out. I inched my way along, afraid of knocking into something or falling down. I felt rather than saw the corner, and turning it my eye was drawn to a faint ...
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