“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give as the world gives.” John 14:27  Dear Friends: Shalom, my friends, shalom. Shalom is the Hebrew שׁלום word rooted in the definition of Peace. More succinctly, shalom means to have a complete wholeness, sound health, secure safety, and the riches of prosperity, a […]

“…do not be terrified; for these things must take place first…” Luke 21:9 Dear Friends:  Late last week I had the great misfortune of being in the dentist chair. Most of you, I’m sure, have no fears or qualms about being in the dentist chair. No concerns about a kind technician with a mask covering […]

“In him you also,…were marked with the seal of the promise Holy Spirit…” Ephesians 1:13 Dear Friends:  What label do you wear?  A wedding ring to label you as married? Sports clothes to label you as an athlete? A uniform to label you as a member of the military, the police force, fire department, or […]

“You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord, so live your life as children of light.” Ephesians 5:8 Dear Friends:  May tomorrow’s Samhain (pronounced sow-in) be a day of warding off evil spirits for you and your household. Yes, tomorrow is Halloween. Costumes are worn, jack-o-lanterns are lit, and trick or […]

“Therefore, I conclude that we shouldn’t create problems for Gentiles who turn to God.” Acts 15:19  Dear Friends:  Okay, so maybe we’re late coming to a life belonging to God. The chosen ones, the Israelites, certainly have a leg up on us when it comes to faithful following. We can give thanks to God that […]

“Jesus was telling them a parable about their need to pray continuously and not to be discouraged.” Luke 18:1 Dear Friends:  How can we not be discouraged?! When we pray; and we pray; and we pray, and our prayers are not answered. Is God not listening? Does God care? Are we not praying correctly? In […]

“Get up and go. Your faith has healed you.” Luke 16:19 Dear Friends: Stop, look and listen! This is exactly what Jesus does while working his way down from Galilee to Jerusalem, to what will be his final days. Time is running short. So, Jesus cuts through Samaria. But, taking the short cut is not […]

“People are hungry, hungry for faith, for something to believe in…”  Dear Friends:  This week, in talking with a friend and colleague, he told me a story of having lunch with a parishioner. She is able to give generously of her resources. As well, she is and has been for decades, a faithful soul, participating […]

“Child, remember that during your lifetime you received good things…” Luke 16:25a Dear Friends:Reports regularly tell us the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. The wealthiest ten percent of the households in the United States carry over seventy-five percent of the country’s net worth. And, to top it all off, when our […]

“…for the children of this age are more shrewd…than are the children of the light.” Luke 16:8 Dear Friends: Outrageous actions. Shocking thievery. Incredulous dishonesty. We read and hear about this kind of behavior daily. And, while we are a people of decency, what Jesus calls, “people of the light”, we know all too well […]