Resurrection means God’s way prevails. When Jesus died, most thought his teachings died with him, overpowered and silenced by the might of “the system.” The power of entrenched interests seemed triumphant. We understand. Experience teaches us large systems and even...
Jesus’ violent end was the logical conclusion of his proclamation and his behavior. Jesus’ passion was the reaction of the guardians of the law, of justice and morality, to his action. He did not simply passively endure death, but actively provoked it. His...
“Messiah” does not mean “your personal savior”; rather, the Messiah is the one who will come to establish a new order of the world that will end suppression discrimination, hunger, poverty and misery. Jesus accepts this designation. Yet his response to Peter contains...
This day reminds us of the worst and the best we see when we look in the mirror. On the one hand we see the selfishness, the fear the avarice and the cowardice that made Calvary inevitable. On the other hand, we see the selflessness, the confidence, the grace and the...
Many times before, Jesus had turned down the chance to declare himself… Only on this day, first before the religious establishment and then before the political, only when his claims would seem the height of absurdity, did he admit to who he was. “The Son of God,” he...
More than anything else, the cross says that God can and must be seen in all things, but most especially in the seemingly sinful, broken and tragic things. The place of the supposed worst becomes the place of the very best. The mystery of the cross teaches us to be...
Seems to me that many churches today are looking more for the hype and less for the depth…are looking to “beat” their competition and keep their “consumers” satisfied…are much ado about “the show” and their “ratings.” Seems to me, that is a mistake! Jesus on the Cross...
You chose the decaying lepers, You spoke fearlessly with unacceptable strangers, You sat with notorious sinners, and you said that streetwalkers would be the first in Paradise. You got on well with the poor, the bums, the crippled. You belittled the religious...
Churches have been commodified, commercialized, and marketized. Pastors become CEOs and the choirs become praise teams. That blood at the cross becomes Kool-Aid just to dip in order to get your next commodity-driven blessing."
For generations the church has been polarized between those who see the main task being the saving of souls for heaven and the nurturing of those souls through the valley of this dark world, on the one hand, and on the other hand those who see the task of improving...