Sunday, July 31, 2005

August 7, 2005 - Year A - Pentecost +12

Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 or 1 Kings 19:9-18
Psalm 105:1-6, 16-22, 45b or Psalm 85:8-13
Romans 10:5-15
Matthew 14:22-33


Issues of inclusion continually crop up. Are we all slated to walk on water or just a select few? Is it one favored member of the family or are all important to the story? Is this all GOD's story or are we all partners in it? Do we justify exclusion because of the results we don't know how else to explain? Just how universal and deep is our faith are we when it comes time to turn the other cheek or otherwise attempt the impossible?

Sunday, July 24, 2005

July 31, 2005 - Year A - Pentecost +11

Genesis 32:22-31 or Isaiah 55:1-5
Psalm 17:1-7, 15 or Psalm 145:8-9, 14-21
Romans 9:1-5
Matthew 14:13-21


As we find ourselves in the dark, in the wilderness, hungering and thirsting for a peanut butter sandwich or the meaning of life we wrestle with issues of satisfaction.

Where do you have a satisfied mind? Where are you wrestling? Enjoy them both.

Sunday, July 17, 2005

July 24, 2005 - Year A - Pentecost +10

Genesis 29:15-28 or 1 Kings 3:5-12
Psalm 105:1-11, 45b or Psalm 119:129-136
Romans 8:26-39
Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52


The spirit helps us in our weakness of understanding the signs of our time, the parables of life, the history we are cycling through again.

As we listen in this week it will be interesting to see what surprises us and to ask how surprised we should be. After all we have been at this business of applying our knowledge of good and evil for a long time. Ordinarily we might expect to be further along than we are. However, we do continue to frame things in light of what has worked for us before and this gets in our way of reframing to take new life into account.

Sunday, July 10, 2005

July 17, 2005 - Year A - Pentecost +9

Genesis 28:10-19a or Wisdom of Solomon 12:13, 16-19 or Isaiah 44:6-8
Psalm 139:1-12, 23-24 or Psalm 86:11-17
Romans 8:12-25
Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43


"Words! Words! Words! I'm so sick of words! ... Don't talk of love lasting through time. Make me no undying vow. Show me now!" So sings Eliza Doolittle.

So, how would you show "how awesome your place is," "the righteous must be kind," "do not fear," "in Sheol, GOD is there," "an undivided heart," "we hope, we wait for it with patience," and "let both grow together"?

Sunday, July 03, 2005

July 10, 2005 - Year A - Pentecost +8

Genesis 25:19-34 or Isaiah 55:10-13
Psalm 119:105-112 or Psalm 65:(1-8), 9-13
Romans 8:1-11
Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23


In the midst of struggles of life where do we find the way through to freedom? Relatedly, is freedom the way or the result of a way? These questions come before us at every point along the way. We resolve them temporarily and then need to do so again.