Faith Expressing Itself Through Love

For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love. Galatians 5:6 Why do we so often exist at a remote and safe distance from our own actual lives?  Lately a friend and I are finding ourselves pondering why it is that so[read more]

Faith and Need

Did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard? Are you so stupid? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh? Did you experience so many things in vain?—if indeed it was in vain. Does the one who supplies the Spirit to you[read more]

Be Not Unbelieving But Believe

Thomas answered and said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  Jesus said to him, “Have you come to believe because you have seen me?  Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed?” John 20:19-20   Today is the Feast of St. Thomas, often known as “doubting Thomas.”  Thomas does not see the[read more]

Why Are You Here?

After the fire there was a tiny whispering sound.  When he heard this, Elijah hid his face in his cloak and went and stood at the entrance of the cave.  A voice said to him, “Elijah, why are you here?” 1 Kings 19: 12-13 It is a beautiful morning here in greater Baltimore. As I awoke,[read more]

Bearing Fruit in Friendship

“I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain,[read more]

The Face We Show To The World

I am reminding you, brothers and sisters, of the Gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:1-2 “The Father who dwells in me[read more]

Knowing Our Place Is The Way

“Do not let your hearts be troubled.  You  have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.  If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you,[read more]

Love and Not Sacrifice

First he says, “Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delight in.”  These are offered according to the law.  Then he says, “Behold, I come to to do your will.”  He takes away the first to establish the second.  By this “will,” we have been consecrated through the offering of the[read more]

Our Knowledge of God

Jesus answered: “If I glorify myself, my glory is worth nothing; but it is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’  You do not know him, but I know him.  And if I should say that I do not know him, I would be like you a liar.  But[read more]