“I enjoy thinking of God as the “dishonest manager”. God sneaks up on us, changing the standard by which we measure our value, making us see ourselves as paid up in all our debts.”
“It may have been a long time ago since Jesus used these words, but somehow we forget that they may have had an understanding of something familiar to them but which doesn’t correlate with how we see it these days. Given the commemoration of 9/11 with buildings destroyed or severely damaged, and thousands of lives lost 18 years ago, at least part of this passage in Luke brings that to mind.”
“A big part of atonement is doing the work because it is the right thing to do, rather than as a way to ‘earn’ forgiveness. To my mind, forgiveness is more about the harmed person coming to terms with the damage that was done to them and reaching a point where they are at peace.”
“In this time of great change in the church, and the church’s role in our lives, Theodore of Tarsus is a beacon of hope. The church was no less tumultuous then. Theodore seems to have had a clear vision for making room for everyone – finding a way for all who wanted to be in the church to have a space.”
“It seems hard to imagine that now, but the truth is that each leaf releases its hold on the branch because there is already the dream and anticipation of spring gathering itself up so that, come spring, new leaves will be born again from that same branch. The tree doesn’t shed its leaves only from a posture of giving, but so that it can receive new blessings, new life, new growth.”
“Pray for the people who come to worship each week and pray for those who have never set foot through your doors. Pray for meaningful communication. Pray for a spirit of playfulness and openness. Pray for rest and pray for work. And in all the praying, be sure to take moments to listen to God’s voice.”
“I think these three temptations are a prophecy of Jesus’ entire ministry. First there is the earthly nourishment – bread, healing, banishing demons. Then there are the challenges by the Temple Authority, which Jesus answers as often as not with a parable turning around the challenge to challenge the challenger. And finally, the true power, the power to accept the word of his Father even unto the Cross.”
“In some traditions silver is the colour of reflection. The silver coins invite us to further reflection. We might be able to notice a missing person, or something like that. But, can we see the things missing from our interior lives?”
“The young woman of probably mid-20s or little older was asked what she gained from helping to restore this symbol of ultimate oppression and murder. Her response was rather simple but powerful. Her purpose, as she explained it, was to help others to know what happened in Auschwitz through accurate reconstruction and meaningful displays so that it would be a visual expression of what should never be repeated. Her mission was to help restore a part of history, and to do it carefully, honestly, and with the greatest humility, in memory of all those who had been imprisoned there.”
“Both our Old Testament reading and our Gospel today illustrate that, yes, one thing…leads to another, and without the practice of self-examination and repentance, we are liable to find ourselves further and further away from truth and love–especially as it relates to those times when we are in positions of leadership.”