Blog

We are living in a forward-looking time.  Adventure and progress are the themes of the day.  Individuals and groups are breaking out of old forms and moving ahead into what they hope will be a bright new day. Though we are sometimes frightened by this rapid change, we dare not sit in total condemnation of it.  A lot of things needed to be changed for a long time.  But in days such as these, we should also recognize that there is a danger of throwing overboard some valuable cargo that ought to be kept.  So, in the midst of changing […]

A great life doesn’t come easy.  The scriptures say even of Jesus that He “learned obedience from the things He suffered.”  Behind every life is a story of struggle and self-discipline and willingness to try one more time.  Look at George Herman Ruth.  He is a classic example of what I am saying.  Most people know him as the “The Babe,” one of the most notable figures in   American baseball.  Yankee Stadium is sometimes called “the house that Ruth built.”  He is most remembered for hitting 714 career homeruns.  In 1927 he hit 60 in one season.  An interesting side […]

If we were to believe the statistical charts and reports so commonly quoted these days, a single conclusion is inescapable:  we, the disciples of Jesus, are not winning the world, we are losing it!  That is, of course, if we are to believe those statistical charts, because quite frankly, figures can be quoted, twisted, used, or misused, as we have seen in recent months, to prove virtually anything.  It is never easy to know just how reliable or accurate any particular survey is, at least not until we know the background and bias of the agency or individual responsible for […]

This is a very special day of the year.  It is Easter Sunday.  It is a day that has come to mean many things to many people.  In some parts of the country, it is the unofficial beginning of Spring.  There may still be some chill in the air, but the vernal equinox is past.  The days grow longer and the nights shorter.  The thermometer shows an erratic yet steady climb, and once more winter has lost its seasonal struggle with the sun.  Then again, many people think of Easter as a sort of style show.  It’s a day when […]

Today’s Gospel reading is a courtroom scene.  A trial is taking place, not in the modern, western sense, with a judge and jury and attorney present.  It was instead a Roman trial.  It took place in the private chambers of the Roman governor.  Only two people were present, Pilate, the governor, and Jesus, the accused.  Pilate was both judge and jury.  He held the power of life and death. This is probably the most famous trial in history.  We all know this story well. There is no need to repeat it here.  Rather I want us to try to give […]