Reconciling the creation of God
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content Prayer

Reconciling the creation of God

Every year around the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, many churches gather for one of the most joyful, and probably least predictable, traditions of the year: the Blessing of the Animals. Usually, the dogs arrive pulling on their leashes, the cats arrive clearly wishing they were somewhere else, the cows may very well finish whatever grass is left beside the parking lot, and I am sure the raccoons are already making plans for coffee table!
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We remember
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content Prayer

We remember

We remember. In our hearts, the lives lost and forever changed on September 11 inspire our prayer today. Receive our sorrow, our lament, the honor with which we hold their memories, and the grief that still remains in so many families and communities.
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Only the unforgivable needs forgiveness – Part I
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content

Only the unforgivable needs forgiveness – Part I

The Power of Forgiveness | One of the most difficult things for human beings is both to forgive and to ask for forgiveness. Countless pages have been written on the subject in books, editorials, academic works, letters, blogs, social media posts, and articles. Illustrations such as the now familiar saying, “Not forgiving is like drinking poison and expecting it to harm the other person,” have become widely popular, yet the practice of forgiveness remains elusive for many because they simply do not know how to forgive.
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A walk to remember
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content Society

A walk to remember

It was June 19, 1865, when enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, finally heard the news that they were free. The Emancipation Proclamation had been issued more than two years earlier, in 1863, but that promise of freedom had not yet become real for many enslaved people in Texas because the message, and the enforcement of that freedom, arrived late
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What future is possible for our churches?
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content Ecclesiology

What future is possible for our churches?

...The future of Groveville and Crosswicks may very well depend on our willingness to learn how to “speak the languages” of the people around us, not merely linguistically, but spiritually, emotionally, and relationally. We are surrounded by people speaking the languages of loneliness, grief, anxiety, exhaustion, economic uncertainty, spiritual hurt, isolation, and longing for meaning
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Mom
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content Society

Mom

...However, this is not the only way the Bible speaks about motherhood. I find it very interesting that the Scriptures do not idealize it. At all.

Actually, the Bible holds space for a wide range of experiences, including those that are difficult to name.
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The strange way of Jesus | Part 2
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content Society

The strange way of Jesus | Part 2

... Some began to see the one they had called the “King of the Jews” as a disappointment. How could he ask them to forgive Rome? How could he speak of loving enemies when the people were suffering under oppression? A disappointed crowd can easily become a dangerous crowd, especially when religious leaders know how to manipulate emotions...
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The strange way of Jesus | Part 1
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content

The strange way of Jesus | Part 1

The crucifixion of Jesus has been studied from many perspectives. Some have spoken about it as a plan established beforehand to deal with the problem of sin. Others have described it as a way to satisfy the wrath of God, as if divine anger could only be appeased by the blood of God's own Son. Between these views there are countless nuances, interpretations, and disagreements.
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I Feel Grateful
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content News

I Feel Grateful

Please, let me share with you that over the past few days I found myself looking at several posts on social media that slowly filled my heart with gratitude, hope, and even a bit of joy. They were photos of friends of mine. Clergy colleagues and lay leaders from different annual conferences, including the Greater New Jersey, who traveled to Washington, D.C. to take part in the Public Witness for Immigrant Justice organized by the United Methodist Church.
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When the new is coming…
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content

When the new is coming…

A shepherd never leaves the sheep behind | Caring for the flock is not optional; it is their livelihood, their duty, and their identity. And yet, Luke does not tell us what happened to the sheep when the shepherds decided to go to Bethlehem. Did they leave them behind? If they did, were they neglecting their responsibilities? Or did they bring them along, carrying the weight of their work on their backs as they walked toward the manger?
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From grief to healing: Making room for God’s new
Posted inBiblical Reflection Content Ecclesiology

From grief to healing: Making room for God’s new

There are many kinds of grief. Sometimes we grieve the absence of those we have loved, but other times the grief happens quietly inside us, in that tender place where our memories, traditions, and expectations live. In the life of a church, this kind of grief also appears when God invites us to let go of what no longer gives life so we can receive the new thing God is preparing.
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