Change As Awful and "Awe-full"

Let us beset the just one, because he is obnoxious to us, / he sets himself against our doings, / Reproaches us for transgressions of the law / and charges us with violations of our training. / He professes to have knowledge of God / and styles himself a child of the Lord. / To[read more]

Practicing Contemplative Action

“I do not accept human praise; moreover, I know that you do not have the love of God in you.  I came in the name of my Father, but you do not accept me; yet if another comes in his own name, you will accept him.  How can you believe, when you accept praise from[read more]

God's Will Be Done

“I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me.” John 5: 30 We live in a time where “relativism” is becoming the dominant influence in our social and political life.[read more]

Here and Now

Instead there shall always be rejoicing and happiness in what I create; for I create Jerusalem to be a joy and its people to be a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem and exult in my people. No longer shall the sound of weeping be heard there, or the sound of crying. Isaiah 65:18-19 Often[read more]

The Ways of Love

“Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” Mark[read more]

Just Doing It

Thus says the Lord:  This is what I commanded my people: Listen to my voice; then I will be your God and you shall be my people.  Walk in all the ways that I command you, so that you may prosper. But they obeyed not, nor did they pay heed.  They walked in the hardness[read more]

Do Not Forget

“However, take care and be earnestly on your guard not to forget the things which your own eyes have seen, nor let them slip from your memory as long as you live, but teach them to your children and to your children’s children.” Deuteronomy 4:9 Yesterday at the reception after the funeral of one of[read more]

Practicing Listening

With this, Naaman turned about in anger and left. But his servants came up and reasoned with him, “My father,” they said, “if the prophet had told you to do something extraordinary, would you not have done it? All the more now, since he said to you, ‘Wash and be clean,’ should you do as[read more]

Envy and Violence

Israel loved Joseph best of all his sons, for he was the child of his old age; and he had made him a long tunic.  When his brothers saw that their father loved him best of all his sons, they hated him so much that they would not even greet him. Genesis 37:3-4 Many years[read more]