Cross Words: Death † Resurrection

Scripture: John 12:1-8, Philippians 3:4b-14 In the Gospel of John, Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus with costly ointment, a ritual for death, and a gesture of love and care… one familiar to her, having recently buried her brother Lazarus. The two of them share this intimate scene as those touched by and close with death. … Read more

Cross Words: Reconcile † Regret

Scripture: Luke 15:1-3, 11-32We explore the parable of the prodigal son: a father’s unconditional love and two sons’ self-imposed limitations on that love. How can we break free from self-limiting stories and embrace God’s grace and forgiveness? In part, the cross may be a place and symbol to which Christ takes our old stories to … Read more

Cross Words: Abundance † Hunger

Scripture: Luke 13:1-9, Isaiah 55: 1-9 Jesus confronts that old tendency to blame victims of tragedy for their misfortune, and shows us that we are all equally vulnerable. On the cross, Jesus shows us the end of all this chain of scarcity, and calls to us repent from that “logic” of suffering to the wonder … Read more

Cross Words: Promise † Trust

Scripture: Genesis 15:1-12, 17-18, Philippians 3:17-4:1Promises liberate us to collaborate and explore new frontiers. The covenant promise between God and Abram creates a bond that will carry blessing to a strange new land, and throughout generations. But promises also ask us for us to live into trust, and so the new covenant affirmed in Jesus’s … Read more

Cross Words: Gifted † Tested

Scripture: Romans 10:8b-13, Luke 4:1-13This Lent, we explore the many meanings and tensions of the cross. Tested in the wilderness, Jesus confronts not just the devil, but our own tendency to seek and wield power over… In freely giving these things away, we find the true power of God.