With friends

There is, in what we know of the last week before Jesus’ death, much friendship. Not that his friends were very helpful to him, in the way we think friends should be. I mean by the end, Judas betrayed him, Peter denied him, the rest of the 10 fell asleep. And no one could do […]

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Among friends

There’s a dinner in Bethany to celebrate Jesus and to celebrate Lazarus and to end the Sabbath. At some point late in the meal, Mary pours perfume on Jesus’ feet, and Judas complains. John, in telling the story, explains that Judas carried the money box and stole from it. And then tells the reader that […]

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A prayer for Palm Sunday

God. This week your people were murdered. They were just being children, or filling in or cleaning up or leading.They were just living in a victimized country in Europe.They were being people. This week your people lost homes and lost lives in storms.This week your people, through natural causes and traumatic actions, left this life. […]

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I know. It’s Saturday

And I never write here at 300 words on Saturday. But the last time I wrote, I told you that I was ill and taking a break. Several of you wrote to me to say, in essence, “It’s okay to rest.” And to tell me that you’d talk with God about my health. I am […]

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A prayer for the fifth Sunday in Lent

God. We are tired. Our bodies are tired from the anticipation of what could happen and from the disruption of all our usual patterns.Our minds are tired from planning and adjusting and adapting, from practicing patience.Our hearts are weary with stories of sickness and suffering, income loss and food inadequacies.Our spirits feel brittle, as if […]

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