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Ephphatha – Be Opened
Ephphatha (Day 23 of A Simple Lent) Monday Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, ‘Ephphatha’, that is, ‘Be opened.’ The daily lectionary actually carved up one of the most challenging moments in Jesus’s ministry, in which, giving us the conclusion today before moving on to one of the seemingly most typical. In…
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Defile a Person
Defile a Person (Day 22 of A Simple Lent) Saturday I’m becoming increasingly conscious of the presence and absence of a single letter in worship. Such a small thing, almost imperceptible. It shows up and completely changes our intentions. Most of us don’t even see it. A radical transformation of intention and expectation comes from a single…
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They Did Not Understand About the Loaves
They Did Not Understand About the Loaves (Day 21 of A Simple Lent) Friday This is one of the most pointed moments in the gospel of Mark: Jesus has provided for the multitudes at a time when the disciples were exhausted and needed a break and Jesus wanted to give it to them, but he…
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All Ate and Were Filled
All Ate and Were Filled (Day 20 of A Simple Lent) Thursday Outside of the Passion story or maybe Luke’s version of the birth story, there are few stories about Jesus that are as universally known as the Feeding of the Multitudes. If I were to ask you to tell the story, you probably could. It…
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Idol In the World
Idol In the World (Day 19 of A Simple Lent) Wednesday Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that ‘no idol in the world really exists’, and that ‘there is no God but one.’ What do you suppose is the question Paul is trying to answer? It always helps me to…
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Why Trouble the Teacher
Why Trouble the Teacher (Day 17 of A Simple Lent) Monday One of the most profound tools in the evangelist’s toolbox is the literary frame. It’s surprising, really when you think about it. You’re telling a pretty amazing story about a dude who can heal people and control the weather. The substance of the story…
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Don’t You Care That We’re Dying?
Don’t You Care That We’re Dying? (Day 15 of A Simple Lent) Friday In one sense, the idea that the disciples have that Jesus should at least be awake and aware of what’s happening is a pretty valid concern. The storm is raging and they’re scared out of their minds and here’s Jesus sleeping in the…
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Trembling to One Another
Trembling to One Another (Day 13 of A Simple Lent) People are funny. Sometimes “funny ha-ha”. Usually just “funny strange”. Either way, I laugh. There’s something telling in the Joseph story for today – about these brothers who go down to Egypt to get food to bring home to their father (Jacob) and they encounter…