Fear
-
“Fear does not prevent death.”
•
1 min read
“Fear does not prevent death. It prevents life.” —Naguib Mahfouz For much of my life, I felt ruled by fear. Like a despot in charge of my life like a banana republic. Fear of alienating myself, of offending my classmates, or never fitting in. Fears which didn’t end when I left school. They persisted into…
-
When Love Overcomes Fear
•
7 min read
For he was not only feral: he was naked. Not even human. But when they see him, he is clothed and “in his right mind.” Instead of feeling joy and excitement, they fear him. They fear Jesus. They fear that he actually is human. A restored humanity and the work of restoring the whole communityProper…
-
The Scars of Jesus
•
9 min read
Jesus comes in peace, not cured, not perfect, not totally destroyed, not undead, zombied, but alive, with the scars to show the kind of death he suffered. He arrives to the disciples, who are scared, confused, alone, and he brings them peace. Thomas and the Challenge of Fear Easter 2C | John 20:19-31 There are…
-
Don’t You Care That We’re Dying?
•
5 min read
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…
-
Of what are we afraid?
•
9 min read
This is what trust looks like, what faith looks like. Not only in the mustard seed, but in the calming of storms. Not only in the theoretical, but in our lives; in our triumphs and challenges; in our doubts and our assurances; in our despairs and our elations. GOD is there and way more committed…
-
Ghettoed Suffering: a Reflection on World AIDS Day
•
4 min read
I drove across town to Maple Avenue United Methodist Church. It was dark, cold; the streets were wet. I was running late, but thankfully it started late. The room was nowhere near full. But it was diverse. Wide variety in ages, including college students and some much older. There was also ethnic and gender diversity.…