Luke 7:1-10 Foreigners have always been a problem. They have a different language, customs, cuisine, and ways of life; their houses often smell different and we can’t understand them; and the difference is often jarring. Those who presume themselves natives often ask, “Why did they have to come here? What good are those Irish? What…

Proverbs 8:1-4, 22-31 John 16:12-15 Augustine, the North African spiritual leader and theologian, once asserted that “if think you know it, it isn’t God.” The name “God” is invoked in all sorts of situations – by politicians trying to get the evangelical vote, preachers claiming to have the one truth of faith, athletes affirming God’s…

Acts 2:1-21 Our midweek theological reflection group has been studying “angels, mysteries, and miracles.” While I have never encountered an angel, at least consciously, I am impressed that a number of our class members claim to have experienced guardian angels and paranormal events. Although it is important for me to weigh the evidence with mind…

Acts 16:16-34 2 Timothy 1:3-7 No storm can shake my inmost calm While to that refuge clinging; Since Christ is Lord of heaven and earth, How can I keep from singing? We all have hymns that speak to our souls, songs that comfort us when we’re afraid, and words that inspire us to live courageously…