“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4) Along with the poor, Jesus is always at the side of those who mourn. Our Lord and Savior knew great loss and sorrow and is always ready to comfort all those going through periods (sometimes lifetimes) of mourning. The role of comforter and […]
Tag: Faith
On Our Wealth
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3) This Lenten season, I am reflecting on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. This is a sub-series of writings as part of a yearlong effort to ponder the gospel of Matthew and look at this text as it relates to the […]
On Our Core Values
Jesus’ declaratory Sermon on the Mount begins with what we often call the “Beatitudes”, a short litany where Jesus calls out the happily blessed in the Kingdom of God. (Matthew 5:2-11) This opening dissertation of the New Testament (as arranged by the early followers of Jesus) brings us immediately to the heart of our Lord […]
On Jesus’ Inaugural Address
If the gospel narrative attributed to Matthew is the most “political” in nature (which is the premise of my current series of reflections) we might compare Jesus’ monumental Sermon on the Mountain with that of an inaugural speech which a politician might give. (Matthew 5-7) The gospel writer(s) here view it of utmost importance to […]
On the Opposition
While wise, foreign magi rejoice with great joy at the arrival of Jesus—who they clearly identify as a divinely destined king—others who have benefited from the preexisting power structures quickly respond to the newborn threat. The gospel narrative attributed to Matthew wastes no time in letting us know what forces Jesus will be up against. […]
On the Gospel’s Agenda
If we were to ask “what is the political agenda of the gospel” we might examine the gospel narrative attributed to Matthew. Indeed many squirm at the thought of the gospel having a political agenda. Those claiming a Christian identity might say the gospel is above politics, while those of a more secular-mind might say […]
On Time
Our perspective of time, for the most part, is confined to our shared mortal experience of circling around the sun on this terrestrial ball. While reflecting on the Church Calendar and its seasons over the past year, I have thought about this occasionally. Our ability to understand the infinite is extremely limited. The concept of […]
On Christ the King
The Church Year comes to a close with the final Sunday being dedicated to Christ the King. It is one of the newest holy days on the calendar, having been added after World War I as a way to remind us that the kingdoms of this world are temporal and that the only Kingdom we […]
On Calls to Action
October 31st is Reformation Day (and also All Saints Day Eve, which these days is affectionately known as Halloween). This blog started as a reflection on the 500th anniversary of the birth of the Protestant Reformation in 2017, and I’d like to think the reformation spirit is still at the root of these writings, even […]
On Biblical Aspirations
Some churches and their congregants strive to “live biblically”, and while this is perhaps a noble sounding mantra, it can also lead us down a dangerous path far from the Christ-following faith towards which we are called. The concept of living biblically is one where Christians reestablish a rule structure in-line with specific commands in […]
Relevant Reformation 