Almost 20 years ago, realizing that he was dying, my brother asked me to help him choose a scripture that could be shared at his memorial. Inasmuch as it was a difficult request for him to make (and for me to hear), it was an even greater moment of grace and presence for me, and I am convinced for him as well.…

There is a scene in the recent film, BIRDMAN, where two of the characters engage in a game of truth or dare on a building rooftop in midtown Manhattan.  Throughout the course of the dialogue, one of the characters chooses “truth” over “dare” without exception. …

Mark’s gospel reading about the healing of the paralytic is a busy reading with seemingly many different levels of engagement going on (Mark 2: 1-12).  The story goes that, as Jesus returns home to Capernaum, crowds immediately gather around where he is staying. …

The season that calls us to be patient and vigilant, reflective and awake, peaceful and deliberate, gives us a child as a symbol of this season’s spirit.  This is quite interesting given the observance of how short the attention span can be for a child! …