Very early in John’s gospel, just after the wedding at Cana and the first cleansing of the temple, we read that "many believed in [Christ] when they saw the signs that he was doing." These sobering words follow: But Jesus would not trust himself to them because he knew them all, and he did not need … Continue reading Human Praise: The Tempered View of Christ
If there was a scripture haunting the protagonist of Flannery O'Connor's "Greenleaf," it was Romans 14:10. For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. Religious without humility, Mrs. May--a widow intent on protecting her land--would offer a resolute, "I've worked, I have not wallowed" in the presence of her Judge. Flannery O'Connor … Continue reading Flannery O’Connor Exposes Our Judgmental Hearts, Preparing Us for Grace
When James and John, the "Sons of Thunder," left their nets to follow Christ, their dad stood in the boat and watched them walk away. I've often wondered whether old Zebedee thundered or stood thunderstruck as James and John left the family business, choosing an uncertain future with the Fisher of Men over the inheritance … Continue reading Conversion as Shrinking: Mrs. Zebedee, the Sons of Thunder and a Little Child
It was almost 20 years ago when I entered the small-town high school gym and found a seat with a good view. The seniors waited in cap and gown for a slightly off-key band to begin "Pomp and Circumstance." And the banner above the platform proudly proclaimed, "The question isn't are we ready for the … Continue reading Beyond the Résumé and the Eulogy: Virtue, the Little Way
"In the early days of World War II, an odd book appeared in England and America," Thomas Howard writes in his introduction to the fiction of C.S. Lewis. "It seemed to be a collection of letters from an old devil to a younger one, telling him how to handle a man who had been assigned … Continue reading Screwtape’s Diabolical Tips for Advancing in Pride: Be Smug, Superior and Politically Divisive
Poet Mary Oliver evokes the paradoxical quality of living in the "now" and the "not yet." She draws us into a humble yearning. Oliver's spot-on specificity reveals an attentive, light-but-longing heart (see Morning Glories, Beside the Waterfall, and The Hermit Crab). The poet meets us on human dignity's common ground. We listen to the heart of … Continue reading Mary Oliver’s Thirst: A Humble Heart Revealed
It was on a Holy Saturday about ten years back that I first saw an image of the "Harrowing of Hell," a depiction of Christ entering the realm of the dead and releasing the souls imprisoned there (1 Peter 3:19). We proclaim it in the Apostle's Creed: Jesus Christ "suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, … Continue reading Holy Saturday: Harrowing the Hell in Our Hearts
It is Good Friday. Meditating on speech and silence in various Good Friday texts can enlighten us about our own uses of each. The choices of those present that sorrowful day may bring us to a fruitful examination of conscience, as we see: Accusation: "The chief priests accused him of many things." Truth: "I have … Continue reading Good Friday’s Speech and Silence
This evening marks a beautiful night: the night Christ gave us a new commandment: that we love one another. The night he stripped off his outer garment, knelt and washed his friends' feet, telling them they must do likewise, serving one another. The night he took bread and wine and said, "This is my body, … Continue reading “Brother”: A Song for Holy Thursday’s New Commandment
At the Passover meal before his death, Jesus said to his disciples, "One of you is going to betray me." And along with all the others, Judas said, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" My Lenten examination of speech and silence leaves me convicted, at times almost helplessly so, of the many ways I … Continue reading Judas and Isaiah: Our Betrayals and Our Hope
