It's Personal
What do you do when you encounter someone whom you would have met before but who does not now recognize you? What do you usually do in such situations? Is it not the case that you would seek to refresh that person’s memory? To remind them who you are and where you would have met them - to reintroduce yourself as it were?
When Jesus realized that Mary did not recognize him, all he had to do was reintroduce himself – “Look, it’s me, Jesus! I am your Lord for whom you are looking. Come touch and see I am alive!” That would have done it! But he did not do that; instead, he called her name: “Mary”, and immediately something shifted; she knew it was Jesus.
What's With That Donkey?
Why would Jesus chose an untrained donkey, one that has not been broken-in, for such an important and significance occasion, rather than one that was trained and much more likely to cooperate, as would be expected? Is there something that his choice is meant to convey?
More Than A Bumper Sticker
God’s love does not discriminate, and for that reason, it challenges us. It rebukes our readiness to embrace some and reject others. It exposes and opposes our unequal treatment of people and our destruction of creation. Those are the very things that invariably lead to human perishing.
A Time To Be Angry
Let us make lent different this year. Rather than only committing to giving up something for a few weeks, let us commit to doing somethings that will bring about real change, not only for ourselves, but for others as well, especially those who can’t bring about those changes themselves. And if it means that we have to let our anger show, then so be it – there’s a time to be angry.
Not So! Yes So!
Cross-bearing is not a penalty that is imposed upon us, or something unavoidable that we must face. Cross bearing is an act of love that we freely choose. It is a task that we undertake, and a price that we pay, out of love.
For Jesus it meant going to a cross to die because He loved us. For us it means reaching out with love to others, even when that love is not returned.
To Whom Are You Listening
The voice of God is that voice that calls us to look beyond ourselves to the needs of others. It is that voice that calls us unto love and service, to show care and compassion; that prompts us to reach out to others with kindness, to be a comforting presence, to stand alongside our fellow men and women.
Not Giving Up
For black people, the struggle for justice and equality has been generational, and while progress has been made, the struggle continues. It has been and continues to be exhausting, but we don’t have the luxury of giving up.
God Still Speaks
It takes courage to speak the truth, and even greater courage to speak truth to power.
This Is Us
…he is saying: This is us. This is us - you and me in relationship. This is us; facing life’s pains together, and embracing life’s possibilities together.
More Than Resolutions
And while New Year’s Day reminds us to reset out routines and refocus our lives, let us not forget that the miracles of new seasons and new healings and new beginnings are possible 365 days a year.