Drew Downs

Make a New Normal

Proper 17C

  • On the Inside

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    8 min read

    For a second time, Jesus shames elites at a dinner party. Here’s what he’s trying to teach us about power and shame.

  • OK, who invited Jesus? (Proper 17C)

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    1 min read

    Jesus goes to a second dinner party with elites and *again* makes a scene, shaming them for how they treat others.

  • The Fanciest One There

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    3 min read

    Jesus tells some fancy people at a fancy party — have you thought about inviting people who *aren’t* fancy?

  • Between: Luke 14:15-24

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    8 min read

    The conclusion of Jesus’s attending a dinner party in Luke explores God’s vision for humanity: an expanded guest list and a spirit of gratitude.

  • Revising the Guest List

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    9 min read

    Jesus is a terrible guest at your dinner party. While you’re worrying about who’s going to show up, he’s inviting everyone in. Jesus and the art of the dinner partyProper 17C | Luke 14:1,7-14 When I was young, I loved sleepovers. This was the real political currency of junior high school. Whose house you went…

  • Between: Luke 13:18-14:6

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    7 min read

    A look at the gaps in the lectionary. This week: the gap between Proper 16C and Proper 17C. The text: Luke 13:18-14:6 Jesus’s trip to the synagogue last week introduces an interesting power dynamic. Jesus heals a woman, knowing he’s not supposed to. Today, if Jesus were a priest in The Episcopal Church, he’d be…