March 2023

March 19, 2023. Texts: 1 Samuel 16:1-13; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41. Giovanni Schiaparelli, an Italian Astronomer and Director of the Brera Observatory in Milan Italy studied Mars. His early observations in 1877 were eagerly received. Noting areas of contrasting darkness and light, he used the terms “seas and continents” in describing them. Schiaparelli named the […]

March 12, 2023.  Texts: Exodus 17:1-7; John 4:5-42.  Imagination. It’s a flexible word. Your imagination is playing tricks on you suggests that imagination is not necessarily a good thing – it can be overwrought or unreliable. But to use your imagination is almost the opposite. When a child comes to a parent on a rainy

March 5, 2023 Texts: Genesis 12:1-4a; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17 They say that curiosity killed the cat. But is it true? Cats are curious, but they’re also smart and cautious around new things. Curiosity may have killed the cat. But who are “they” that are so certain about the cat’s curiosity? Was the cat’s

February 27, 2023.  Texts: 2:15-17 & 3:1-7; Romans 5:12-19; Matthew 4:1-11.  Adversity. It’s undeniably a Lenten word. A word for a season of challenge, an unavoidable journey to the cross with Jesus. It all begins in adversity. The whole mission and ministry of Jesus gets kicked off in the wilderness according to the gospels of

February 19, 2023.  Texts: Exodus 24:12-18; 2 Peter 1:15-21; Matthew 17:1-9.  What is it about mountains? Everything about them tells us to keep our distance. Mountains are places of unexpected chasms, unpredictable storms, unstable footing. And yet people just can’t stay away. For some it’s about adventure and conquest. But many others find on the

22 de enero de 2023.  Lecturas: Isaías 9:1-4; 1 Corintios 1:10-18; Mateo 4:12-23.  Desde el principio Jesús vivió al borde de las amenazas. El evangelio de Mateo nos lo cuenta claramente. Había muy poco en su vida que era fácil. Primero, los padres de Jesús se vieron obligados a viajar a un lugar inconveniente para

February 12, 2023.  Texts: Sirach 15:15-20; 1 Corinthians 3:1-9; Matthew 5:21-37.  It’s been a week since devastating earthquakes struck southern Turkey and northern Syria. The images that have been coming to us are heartbreaking. Sadly, the world’s news agencies are already moving on to the next exciting story. But countering this are the many nations,

February 5, 2023.  Texts: Isaiah 58:1-12; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; Matthew 5:13-20.  You…are salt, you…are light. When Jesus finished his beatitudes he went on with these familiar words: “You are the salt of the earth…you are the light of the world.” It wasn’t an invitation, you know. This was a clear statement of identity and, even

January 29, 2023.  Texts: Micah 6:1-8; 1 Corinthians 1:18-31; Matthew 5:1-12.  Text for the Day: For since, in the wisdom of God… There isn’t one lesson in scripture today that entirely passes the test of rationality. All of them represent in some fashion, absurdity. To put it another way, if you’ve ever read the book

January 22, 2023.  Texts: Isaiah 9:1-4; 1 Corinthians 1:10-18; Matthew 4:12-23.  From the very beginning Jesus lived on the edge of threat. Matthew’s gospel tells us this plainly. There was very little that was easy about his life. First Jesus’s parents were forced to travel to an inconvenient location to become documented by the government.