For those who sing the glories of “the land of the free and the home of the brave,” of the “strong and free,” the words of today’s reading may ring hollow....

The artist looks at his work with pride: It appears to be perfect in every way. He summons the teacher for an opinion. Inclined to encourage young artists, she gingerly opines,...

We are a people of the bottom line. Cut to the chase! Close the question! We want answers. Who likes living with loose ends? Who has the time or the patience...

Sheep have gotten a bum rap. Sometimes they are called “range maggots.” Or “woolly locusts.” Many consider sheep stupid. Without a shepherd, sheep usually cannot find pasture. They get lost and...

Donegal is the northwestern-most county in Ireland. People from other parts of the country speak of Donegal as the hinterland, the wilds. It is the financially poorest of the twenty-six counties...

The words of Psalm 23 come from the lips of someone who has suffered. When we read Psalm 23 in tandem with Psalm 22, we learn that the psalmist has walked...

In The Gates of Ivory, contemporary British novelist Dame Margaret Drabble tells of a circle of friends searching for one of their number who has mysteriously disappeared. With few clues about...

These travelers are grappling with stories that seem unreal: angelic visitation, Jesus’ empty tomb, rumors that he is alive. When they get to the end of the trip, they ask this...

We know that the name of one of the travelers in this passage is Cleopas. Some think his companion is his wife, Mary, mentioned in John 19:25. Others believe his fellow...

First Peter 1 encourages Christians to remember who and whose they are while facing the stresses of life. Verses 18, 21, and 23 make pronouncements about God’s claim on our lives....