9th Sunday after Pentecost - 07/21/2024

 

Desert Sunrise. Image by Thomas G., from Pixabay

Readings

Dear friends of Jesus -

Good morning!  And it IS a beautiful morning here in Galilee.  I’m sitting near the top of a little mountain, breathing sweet cool air scented with bay and flowers.  I am watching the sky turn from purple to pink to blue with the sunrise, and giving thanks to God for this new day.  

It’s been about 6 weeks since our Teacher sent us out in pairs to practice what we have been learning.  He didn’t let us take any food or money with us - only sandals and one tunic.  

8th Sunday after Pentecost - 07/14/2024

Photo by Cor Gaasbeek from Pixabay

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It’s officially warm in Seattle.  

Research shows that when it gets hotter than usual and stays that way, there are more violent crimes, domestic disputes, and suicides.  While it may not be a direct cause, excessive heat aggravates us.  Fatigue from poorer quality sleep, inability to get cool, medical conditions, and dehydration can make us irritable and tempers flare.  Thus, a shorter fuse from anger to violence.

We are in the midst of an epidemic of violence and intolerance that seems exacerbated by overly warm weather.  Some voices in the public arena insist on using binary language: us/them, winner/loser, mine/not yours. These scarcity narratives typically exclude and reject any perspective that does not agree or submit to their own ideas, and disagreement is demonized.

Image from Pixabay

Readings

Jesus has been away from his hometown, presumably, for many years.  He’s in his early 30’s, and gaining some fame in Judea for his teaching about God’s inescapable reign of justice and love.  His teaching is more than a bit radical for his day.  The people of Israel live under harsh rules and inescapable violence of Roman occupation.  

Jesus’ message that God’s kingdom, a place of freedom and justice, love and plenty, has come near, offers a breath of hope to all kinds of people. The love he embodies is so powerful that he heals people who are blind and lame.  He casts out spirits - and people’s lives are made whole.  And Jesus doesn’t care who you are - he heals everyone.