Category Archives: sermon preparation

Ephphatha

The risks of cracking ajar the teeth, loosing the tongue of fire fanned by vague spirits, unstopping the ears, allowing the world to pound its wares upon its drums outweighed in an instant by the shriek of an eagle drafting … Continue reading

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Walking on water

Because the clutch between creation and Creator is solid. Because the Word that spoke light into being fills the space between waves and atoms so that none is wasted, so that there is not room between one thought of God and another to … Continue reading

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Leftovers

One made bread pudding, another, croutons for soup.One mashed them in milk next day for the baby’s breakfast. The important thing was, they got to keep the crumbs, got to bring bread home, swapping hunger for sufficiency, sharing recipes for remainders;that … Continue reading

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To speak in parables

To speak in parables: to open the teeth and loose the tongue, to taste truth beyond the metaphor, spit out outrageous similes for God, who is similar to nothing and almost everything; to explain them to his friends: to draw … Continue reading

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The having of forgiveness

It seem to me that the way to remain unforgiven is to look forgiveness in the face and to mistake it for something altogether other, like a child in a hall of mirrors who sees distortion as reality and recoils … Continue reading

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Destined

One was destined to be lost so that the ninety-nine could wonder why a good shepherd would leave them alone to go looking for the lamb of perdition, imagining him already fallen beyond rescue into the valley filled with shadows … Continue reading

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How to command love

Can love be commanded?Does the demanding not crucify love?Gentleness can be commanded, surely – the salve, the oil – resistance, too, the other cheek slowly turned to point away from violence. Feed my sheep can be commanded, break the bread, … Continue reading

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Give me something to eat

Of course they had fish – remember who they were. Like little boys with their little loaves and a few small fish, watching his hands as they broke the flesh pierced by their hooks into pieces; they fed him as … Continue reading

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And what of the colt?

It knew, as animals do, more than the crowd, felt beneath its hooves the blood of the branches, stones slickened with sap, the vibrations of voices hungry for release; heard the heartbeat of the man astride its back, how it … Continue reading

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Dove

Once upon a time,so long ago that time itself was barely begun,a thing with wings brooded over deep waters,moving the surface aside to revealcreation. A long time later,but so long ago that history was still in the future,the waters had … Continue reading

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