Rachel Carson dedicated her groundbreaking book Silent Spring (published in 1962) this way: To Albert Schweitzer who said “Man has lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. He will end by destroying the earth.” Human beings have lost the capacity to foresee and to forestall. And this means that we become resigned, fatalistic, accepting the …
The Dialogue of Salvation
The Gospel story of Jesus' encounter with the tax collector Zacchaeus (Luke 19:1-10) brings us face to face with Jesus' message of inclusion. But it also reminds us how important dialogue was in the ministry of Jesus. Dialogue is everywhere in all four Gospels. Matthew 15:21-28 is my favorite example. It reveals practically everything you need to know about …
When Healing = Salvation
The Gospel pericope of the Cleansing of the Ten Lepers (Luke 17:12-19) usually lends itself to a sermon about thanksgiving. But today I see something different. Notice that only to the Samaritan who returns does Jesus say “your faith has made you well.” What about the other nine? What made them well? What healed them?.....
The Language of Blessing
Water is a prime symbol in all religions. No surprise, since water covers over 70% of the earth’s surface. In Genesis, the earth is all water at the beginning. Then we have the Flood, the crossing of the Red Sea, the Jordan, etc. In the New Testament, water is again prime symbol. John baptizes …
Ancient Modern Faith 