The LORD God said: “See!  The man has become like one of us, knowing what is good and what is evil! This pronouncement in the Book of Genesis after the sin of Adam and Eve foreshadows a conflict between God and humanity. This conflict is symbolized at the Tower of Babel where human beings are portrayed… Read More »

St. Mark’s gospel suggests that Jesus learned something out of his encounter with the Syro-phoenician woman. He had imagined that his mission was limited to the “lost sheep of the house of Israel.” Her plea made him think otherwise so he went by way of Sidon to the Sea of Galilee, into the district of… Read More »

The man and his wife were both naked, yet they felt no shame. It is important to distinguish between guilt and shame. We feel guilt (or at least we should feel guilt!) when we make a mistake. We feel shame when we imagine that we are the mistake. Adam and Eve felt no guilt because they… Read More »

There are two accounts of creation in the book of Genesis. (Perhaps these two traditions were merged when refugees from the Northern Kingdom brought their heritage to Jerusalem when their nation fell?) In Genesis Chapter One God is above and beyond all that we are. God creates with a word, bringing everything that is into… Read More »

The creation story in Genesis 1 culminates in the creation of humanity. Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. Let them have dominion over … all the creatures.” There is a great discussion currently in theological circles over what having “dominion” over creation means. Some have used that idea… Read More »

From now until the beginning of Lent we will be reading from the book of  Genesis. The first eleven chapters are called pre-history since they are not accounts of actual reportable events but stories to help the believer understand the foundations of the history to follow starting with Abraham. The first two chapters tell of… Read More »

Jesus began his mission in the lakeside town of Capernaum. He was wildly successful. You can imagine him setting up shop there and building a mega-Church there. That certainly seems to be what his first followers expected. But Jesus thought otherwise. “Let us go on to the nearby villages that I may preach there also.” The… Read More »

They went off in the boat by themselves to a deserted place. You can imagine what that road trip (boat trip!) was like.  Jesus recognized that the apostles had been working hard and suggested they take a vacation. Great! No doubt as they traveled by boat they were laughing and enjoying the prospect of down… Read More »

The epistle to the Hebrews ends with a series of exhortations on living a Christian life. Some we are accustomed to hearing — preserving the sanctity of marriage, avoiding greed, for example. Others have not had as prominent a place in Christian practice: Do not neglect hospitality, for through it some have unknowingly entertained angels.… Read More »

You have not approached  a blazing fire and gloomy darkness and storm and a trumpet blast and a voice speaking words such that those who heard begged that no message be further addressed to them. This description from the Letter to the Hebrews reminds me of The Wizard of Oz. He kept power by intimidating… Read More »