“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7) At face value, this beatitude seems so simple and obvious: to those who are merciful, mercy shall be given. It is a “reap what you sow” statement, a karma-style mantra, and a “what goes around comes around” mindset. Yet, for being such an easy […]
Tag: Gospel
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 Joining a Movement
When Jesus discovered his first friends and followers along the shore, I doubt the five of them (Jesus, Peter, Andrew, John, and James) knew what they were beginning. What joys and sorrows were ahead of them. What miracles and horrors. What great number of disciples and deserters. What life and death waited for them. We […]
On Finding Your People
The gospel narrative attributed to Matthew boldly begins by proclaiming Jesus as a newborn future king, attesting to an earthly and heavenly birthright. As would be the case, those already with regional and religious authority conspire together to confront this would-be threat to their reign. Even Satan makes an early appearance to thwart the Savior’s […]
On Jesus’ Birthright
Only two of the four gospel narratives share stories of Jesus’ birth: Luke and Matthew. Each book gives us a decidedly different perspective on our Savior’s birth. Many of us, knowing the stories so well, have come to overlay the two narratives together. In so doing, we have muddied the payload intended by each gospel […]
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 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 […]
On Church Worship
During this year in which I have been pondering the Church Calendar and its seasons, I’ve also been thinking a bit about church worship services in general. How do we keep our worship practices rooted in the Universal Church, which receives direct nourishment from the Holy Spirit of God? One of the arguments against the […]
On the Expansive Gospel
The season of Easter ends with a celebration of Jesus’ ascension. It’s another mountaintop moment of the Church Year and a fitting transition into Pentecost and the mindset that we should live with during the long stretch of Ordinary Time that lies ahead. The various gospel narratives all handle the last moments of Jesus’ earthly […]
On Clarification
The liturgical three-year cycle of gospel readings centers on the synoptic gospel texts of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Meanwhile, the gospel account attributed to the apostle John gets spread across all three years, with particular devotion designated annually during the seven-week season of Easter. Among the varying gospels, John is the most debated—from who really […]
Relevant Reformation 