Today’s passage is one of those where it can be hard to place ourselves in the mind-set of the people who first heard it. We can try our best, but it’s...

There’s a certain kind of poetry in the repetition and simplicity of John 1 as the Gospel writer lays the groundwork for the world-bending story to follow. In today’s passage, we’re...

A plaintive cry for forgiveness and restoration of God’s presence seeps like tears through Psalm 85. The psalmist begins by remembering and acknowledging God’s material and spiritual goodness in the past,...

This passage represents another assurance: that no matter how many times we turn away from God as individuals or nations, we always will be God’s beloved children, and God will welcome...

In this portion of Second Isaiah, Cyrus of Persia has promised release of the Jews from Babylon back to Palestine after their exile. The author begins with the voice of God...

Responsible in some way for the second-generation followers of Jesus, the author of Second Peter seems worried about them. Since Jesus’ death, his return has been believed to be imminent. But...

Scholars believe that Second Peter is among the last of the New Testament documents, written by a person who lived a generation after Peter and identified with his tradition. The author...

In this portion of the earliest Gospel, Mark introduces the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and validates John as the messenger prophesied by Isaiah who will prepare...

I lived in California’s Mojave Desert before GPS and cell phones, and I often hosted friends who were novice hikers but eager to explore the rugged area. They occasionally ventured into...

I once saw a bumper sticker that read, “BE ALERT! THE WORLD NEEDS MORE LERTS.” Jesus tells his disciples not only to be alert but to stay alert until the end...