Spiritual Reflections

In the northernmost portion of Pakistan, north of the capital of Islamabad, is the Balti region, named for Baltistan. Here Pakistan borders Afghanistan and China. In 2006, Greg Mortenson wrote a book titled “Three Cups of Tea.” The blurb on…

Helen Keller said, “The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision.” The Scribes and Pharisees in today’s Gospel were blind to the signs that were right there in front of them. They could see with their…

Exodus 17:3-7 Ps.95 Romans 5:1-2, 5-8 John 4:5-42 Today’s Gospel does not begin with the Baptism of Jesus, but I would like to, because today’s Gospel story of Jesus’ encounter with the woman at the well is a remembrance of…

Genesis 12:1-4a 2 Timothy 1:8b-10 Matthew 17:1-9 Jesus took Peter, James and John up the mountain. I sort of got stuck right here.  Going up a mountain is a struggle.  It takes time and lots of effort.  The top of…

Today’s first reading and the Gospel are about temptation. They speak for themselves. But Psalm 30, stuck in between,  is a prayer of forgiveness. Here’s the third stanza: “ Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my…

These readings remind us of the freedom we have, the freedom to choose and to make right choices and be in right relationship with God, others and with creation. In the first reading we see some things laid out in…

A few years ago, I led a Bible study. It was for people who did not know much about the Bible, and it was simply an attempt to help them see what an extraordinary book it is — a series…

The Beatitudes offer words of comfort. It’s reassuring to know that God is with us in our grief and that suffering won’t have the last word. But what if Jesus wasn’t only providing personal comfort but also articulating a vision…

Isaiah 8:23-9:3            1 Corinthians 1:10-17             Matthew 4:12-23 This is the third time, the third Sunday, that the Gospel invites us to walk with Jesus at the very beginning of his public life. First we witnessed him on the banks…

Is. 49:3, 5-6; John 1:29-34 When I first read the Scripture texts for today, I thought it’s the baptism of Jesus all over again: one of Isaiah’s servant songs and the words about the dove and about baptizing and about…

Isaiah describes one sent by God who doesn’t cause an uproar in the streets, doesn’t even break a bruised reed along the river. This one speaks quietly but clearly and his voice is heard. He doesn’t carry a big stick.…

We recently celebrated Christmasm and now we celebrate the Epiphany.  We know those events took place in the Middle East. The only white people in this story were probably from the Roman Empire of Italic descent, and they were a…