City Called Heaven

"Hosanna!" we cry, which technically means "save us" but which everybody thinks means glory. And the guy on the donkey makes his way towards the end which awaits anyone on the wrong side of corrupt power. Save us, Lord, from paving your way with delusions of grandeur and false hopes. Deliver us, Lord, from despair when these are dashed, and return again to us with the witness of new life in Christ, who vanquished death and sin not by flight, not by fight, but by confronting evil with true righteousness. Thank you, Lord, for the grace to follow in your footsteps, to the cross and beyond, this week and for all the days to come. Amen. Hosanna , by Ann Pearson

St. Mark, Evangelist April 25 Isaiah 52:7-10 Psalm 57 2 Timothy 4:6-11, 18 Mark 1:1-15 Each evangelist has a distinctive voice in telling the story of Jesus. Each knew the story in a particular way, and wrote it down at a specific time and with an audience in mind. Each had their own idea about how this story was important, and their own style or “flair” in the way they told it. Mark is known for his suddenness, the way things happen quickly, decisively, even imperatively. Count the times in your translation he marks transitions with “suddenly,” “immediately,” and how many things “must” happen. From almost the first moment to the last, the story moves Jesus through the lands of Israel to Jerusalem. If, as scholars think, Mark was the first to write the story of Jesus’ passion, he is the original source for “the greatest story ever told,” and thus an all-time bestseller. The Gospel of Mark is full of surprises, and perhaps more than any other canonical gospel, causes its readers to wond...

Second Sunday of Easter April 11, 2010 Acts 5:27-32 &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Revelation 1:4-8 Psalm 118:14-29 &nbsp &nbsp John 20:19-31 The story of Thomas is so compelling. It is almost impossible not to preach on this text. Virtually everyone has some struggle with believing things they have not seen. But the broad theme for the day is the confession of those who believe in Jesus. If anything, today’s lectionary texts emphasize first-hand testimony. • John’s vision reveals Jesus Christ as the “faithful witness” to God’s dominion over death and all mortal powers (Rev 1:5, NRSV). • The Psalmist praises God not in hope, but through experience: “The stone that the builders tossed aside has now become the most important stone. The LORD has done this, and it is amazing to us” (Ps 118:22-23, CEV). • Bless Thomas, for when he sees, he believes and proclaims Jesus as Lord (John 20:28). We know that faith is such a blessing, sometimes we forget the power that comes when ...

Ashes have traditionally been a sign of repentance and mourning. Ashes inherently represent the passing of something vital – a tree which once grew tall, a house destroyed by fire, all that is left of a corpse after the flesh has been burned away. Ashes from the burned palms of last year’s Palm Sunday carry the reminder that the grandiose hopes of triumphal parades can so easily turn to betrayal, persecution, and burial. On Ash Wednesday, as people turn from their daily lives to observe the start of Lent, that season of penitence and preparation, the minister takes ashes, and draws the sign of the cross one forehead at a time, saying the words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” (evoking the story of humans' creation, Genesis 2:7). It is always a bit amazing how many people are eager to receive ashes. You wouldn’t think that we need or are eager to hear reminders of mortality. After all, we get those all the time. Loved ones die. Our own bodies show signs of...

Amazingly enough, this year there has been active commentary on the way Super Bowl ads portray women and male-female relations. One of the ads from Bridgestone Tire has not been mentioned in this context, yet it provides a Biblical-themed assault on women. In the ad, a car approaches a road blocked by a gang of men with a post-apocalyptic look. "Your Bridgestone tires or your life," the gang leader threatens. A scantily-dressed woman is pushed out of the car, which then turns tail and speeds away. The gang leader cries out "I said your life, not your wife!" The woman is left alone to confront the gang, disappointed that their prized plunder is lost, and only "the wife" is left behind. (Click on picture for larger image) The ad is disgustingly reminiscent of one of the Biblical texts of terror, Judges 19 . In this story, a Levite pushes his wife (or concubine) out the door, giving her over to a mob so that they will rape her instead of him. Now the Bridges...

Up to a third of the Western Hemisphere's poorest nation has been devastated by a major earthquake. Haiti needs immediate commitments of money for relief. La cathédrale de Port-au-Prince après le tremblement de terre , Twitpic I recommend donations through Lutheran World Relief , which is incredibly effective in its direct work and with partner agencies. Click the donate button. After a brief registration, you can donate by credit card and designate your donations to "Haiti Earthquake." Almighty God, stretch out your hand to the nation of Haiti. Stir up your power, that your people may be moved to action in this time of disaster, and to aid in rebuilding from the long-term disaster of poverty and cruel oppression. Come, Lord Jesus, come.

Whose Story Would You Rather Believe? Luke 2:1–14 [15–20] With the intimate associations of Christmas to home and family, comfort and security, Christmas Eve is not always seen as an evangelical opportunity. And this may not be the best time to pressure people into making a personal commitment for Christ. Yet Christmas is a crucial time when we can choose whose story to listen to, whose story to believe. One story blares on Caesar’s Network News. This story shows the Emperor literally ruling over the world. Images of Caesar and Roman gods fill every city, proclaiming “Caesar is Lord.” This story reinforces the message that you had best submit, in order to enjoy the blessings of Roman-imposed peace. Significance and value are defined by how you fit into the Imperial story. In this story, Joseph and Mary were a flyspeck among countless conquered peoples, their role simply to pay tribute and glorify Rome. Yet there is this little bitty baby... If it were up to Caesar, you would never...