"I desire mercy, not sacrifice.  I did not come to call the righteous but sinners." (Matthew 9:13)|The sun rises.  Another day embarks with household tasks followed by the trek to the field, school, factory, office, or ...

The Greatest Commandments|Like a crowd betting on the next race, they circled Jesus to put him to the test. Lawyers, teachers, and priests, they would snare the carpenter's son. They were educated and respected. Jesus ...

"Stay in control" is such a theme in our lives. Schedules and lists march through our days on their stouthearted quest for order. What is unexpected or insurgent can be kept at bay with vigilance. The threats to our fragile ...

The Power of the Word||How did this happen? Visited by the dead one, our beloved friend. You who died once again enter the room, share our meal, speak to us. How to grasp this? We are amazed into silence. Everything matters: ...

How God Loves the World||After the torture and execution of their companion, the disciples were broken. In terror, they had run away and abandoned Jesus. Was his blood on their hands also? With trauma, time stands still. ...

Freedom and Forgiveness||The philosopher Kierkegaard identified two movements of faith. The leap to the infinite and belief in God is well-known. But the second move back to the finite slips by unnoticed. Here unfolds the ...

What lies Hidden in the Ordinary||"If you remove from your midst oppression ... Then light shall rise for you in the darkness, and the gloom shall become for you like midday." (Isaiah 58:9-10)|Religion has rhythms. Crawling ...

"Do you still not understand?" Mark 8:21||In the gospel, Jesus scolds his disciples. They are with him every day. So much has happened to them already and still they still do not understand.|We are like that. Things happen ...

After the Resurrection||Of course there were disputes. How to follow the master is not always clear. Is the Mosaic Law binding? What day is sabbath? Who is welcome in the communities? Is the end time near? But the word ...

When We Are Far From Home|Life exceeds dreams. We pray for comfort and release. But it wasn't supposed to be like this. All along we knew what to look for. We were not asleep. We kept watch. And still we're taken by surprise. ...