The Pastor's Desk
August 2016
August 28, 2016
Your first thought is the hope that you didn’t say anything to embarrass yourself; but your second thought is how much they seemed like such “regular” folks. What is it that makes people seem so “regular”? Today’s readings give us a clue when they stress the importance of humility. It is so hard for us not to...
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August 21, 2016
Their relationship in Christian faith and life, however, has fallen somewhat out of favor in the past generation, as certain prescribed Church rules and regulations have been reduced and relaxed. These rules were often referred to as “disciplines.” We are mistaken, however, to think that it no longer takes discipline to follow...
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August 14, 2016
But today’s story of Jeremiah and the refrain “Lord, come to my aid!” remind us that there are always two sides to following the call of God. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews knew this, too. He reminded his readers that even weighted down with burdens and sins, we can still persevere by keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus,...
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August 7, 2016
Abraham is called “father” in faith by more people on earth than anybody else, numerous as the sands of the seashore or the stars of the heavens. Hebrews tells us it was this foundational faith that led Abraham to obey God’s call when he heard it, though he was called to journey to a land he did not know and told he would...
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July 31, 2016
This attitude is akin to what the first hearers of the parable of the successful farmer would have thought: Why, of course he’d want to find a way to preserve his good fortune for the future, to secure for himself a life of leisure, eating, drinking, and merriment. It’s exactly the kind of life that the right ticket, hand of cards,...
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July 24, 2016
Monica was exasperated. For years she gave up talking directly to her son on the advice of a local bishop, who told her that it was better to talk to God about Augustine then to Augustine about God. The mother never gave up praying for her son. Eventually Augustine gave up his wild ways, was baptized, and later ordained and named bishop...
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July 17, 2016
Note the actions of Abraham as he greeted the Lord in the presence of three men who appeared near his tent. He ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them. He bowed to the ground as he met them. He and Sarah, his wife, hastened to prepare a meal and bring food and water to their guests. In the Gospel story, Jesus’ friend Mary sat at...
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