Author Archives: Dave

Tenth Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 37:1-4, 12-28 Psalm 85:8-13 Romans 10:5-15 Matthew 14:22-33 Shalom The Lord restored the trickster Jacob and the Israelites who bore his namewhenever they fell into trouble and woetime and time again. Whenever … Continue reading →

Ninth Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 32:22-31 Psalm 17:1-7, 16 Romans 9:1-5 Matthew 14:13-21 Hap A lost transcript was the originof a life-changing event when I hoped to goup the interstate to the University of Oregon. I enrolled … Continue reading →

Eighth Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 29:15-28 Psalm 105:1-11, 45 Romans 8:26-39 Matthew 13:31-33, 44-52 The Parable of the Mustard Seed The kingdom of God beganwith a solitary man.The solitary manwas a tiny seed of one. Growth began … Continue reading →

Seventh Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 28:10-19 Psalm 139:1-11, 22-23 Romans 8:12-25 Matthew 13:24-30, 36-43 Embraced Front and back, up and down,side to side—embraced in a warm wave,I am floating forward from cradle to grave.God is present in … Continue reading →

Sixth Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 25:19-34 Psalm 119:105-112 Romans 8:1-11 Matthew 13:1-9, 18-23 The Parable of the Sower He sowed the seed on the barren path.The seed on the path was trampled down,trampled down and plucked by … Continue reading →

Fifth Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 24:34-38, 42-49, 58-67 Psalm 45:11-18 Romans 7:15-25 Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30 The Yoke The yoke you wear is the load you bear. Who will make the yoke you wear? The yoke you wear … Continue reading →

Fourth Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 22:1-14 Psalm 13 Romans 6:12-23 Matthew 10:40-42 Benedictine Habit Although I wear the garments of righteousness, my old clothes of sin remain in the closet. I can always dress as I did … Continue reading →

Third Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 21:8-21 Psalm 86:1-10, 16-17 Romans 6:1-11 Matthew 10:24-39 Dorm Room Bull Session “Where sin increases, grace abounds all the more,” said Paul to his roommate, the sophomore philosophy major who offered this … Continue reading →

Second Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 18:1-15 Psalm 116:1, 10-17 Romans 5:1-8 Matthew 9:35–10:8-23 When Jesus Saw the Crowds When Jesus saw the crowds,he felt the world’s pain—for the sick, the blind, and the troubledtrapped in the grip … Continue reading →

First Sunday After Pentecost Year A Readings: Genesis 1:1–2:4a Psalm 8 2 Corinthians 13:11-13 Matthew 28:16-20 Wheel of Water Grass emerges from the winter snow. Blades lengthen. Flowers grow. Trees in the wind sway and sough. The summer of life … Continue reading →

Day of Pentecost Year A Readings: Acts 2:1-21 Psalm 104:25-35, 37 1 Corinthians 12:3b-13 John 20:19-23 You Don’t Need To Be a Superhero No, we are not characters in comic books,in movies, or in video gamesin which the superheroes crack … Continue reading →

Seventh Sunday of Easter Year A Readings: Acts 1:6-14 Psalm 68:1-10, 33-36 1 Peter 4:12-14, 5:6-11 John 17:1-11 [tanka] the blacktop roadcomes to an end hereat the edgeof the wilderness…I am not afraid [tanka] looking ahead to the pastremembering the … Continue reading →

Sixth Sunday of Easter Year A Readings: Acts 17:22-31 Psalm 66:7-18 1 Peter 3:13-22 John 14:15-21 Perennial Philosophy Streaming from the prism between the people and Godare seven point seven billion slivers of light.A stunning diversity of color is flowing … Continue reading →

Fifth Sunday of Easter Year A Readings: Acts 7:55-60 Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16 1 Peter 2:2-10 John 14:1-14 Mettle Our first martyr defied the Fates. Stephen was not resigned and broken. Stephen faced his trial unbroken. He stood in the docket … Continue reading →

Fourth Sunday of Easter Year A Readings: Acts 2:42-47 Psalm 23 1 Peter 2:19-25 John 10:1-10 Job Posting: Shepherd We have an opening for a shepherd of human beings. Are you tough enough for the task? People are not that … Continue reading →

Third Sunday of Easter Year A Readings: Acts 2:14a, 36-41 Psalm 116:1-3, 10-17 1 Peter 1:17-23 Luke 24:13-35 You Have Been Born Anew Deep grasses choke the broad path we used to walk;our past is lost in a seamless field … Continue reading →

Second Sunday of Easter Year A Readings: Acts 2:14a, 22-32 Psalm 16 1 Peter 1:3-9 John 20:19-31 Thomas the Twin Faith is trust in the things you cannot see.Love is service to the least who are plain to see. Faith … Continue reading →

Easter Sunday Year A Readings: Isaiah 25:6-9 Psalm 114 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Luke 24:13-49 Ordinary Their eyes were opened with the breaking of bread, an ordinary loaf in an ordinary home. Until that moment, Cleopas and his companion only knew … Continue reading →