August 2025

The sabbath is made for humanity,not humanity for the sabbath.That’s what Jesus saysnear the beginningof Mark’s gospel.Today in Luke,we have a different confrontationbetween Jesus and synagogue leadersabout the role of the sabbathin people’s lives.Early in Luke we’re toldthat as part of his deep Jewish devotionJesus was found in synagogueson the sabbath.Today is the last time

Today’s passage from the Letter to the Hebrewsis a continuation of last week’s passage.Does anyone remember the thesis,the text of Hebrews 11.1?Faith is the substance of things hoped for,the evidence of things not seen.The chapter goes on to recount the faiths –and infinite power of God –of Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah.We concluded last

First century Jewish territorywas not a stable place.Jesus’ disciples, those who have chosen to follow him,those whom he’s addressing this week,lived during rocky times.Land that they had inhabited for centurieswas under occupation again —this time by the Romans.The society around themhad been shaped by the Greeks.Local leadership walked a fine line,or completely jumped over it,to

“ALL is Vanity”, But is it? Today’s Scriptures from the Lectionary (RSV). Thematically, the readings are about money, but more so about the lust for money (materialism) and the vanity of money. Our culture, in fact history, has been dominated by class, based upon material wealth Where the materially poor are seen as “less than”