An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

Chocolate is Missing For all who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” (from Luke 14:1,7-14 ) Leave it to Jesus to turn things upside down.  In this story, Jesus is encouraging low-status believers who are trying to negotiate their way through the complicated, oppressive Roman society. There was a place for everyone, but everyone had to know their place. Jesus, to help people understand what living in God's kingdom was like, often used the image of feasting.  In God's kingdom, all are welcome no matter what your social or economic status is in society. Jesus teaches how important humility is because practicing it points to God's mighty grace.  It works like this. One of the first places you can find me after worship is the refreshment table spread with all sorts of goodies. First, I scan the table for Chocolate. You may not call this table a feast, but I assure you there are all sorts of items on it.  We've had French Toa...

When Jesus saw her, he called her over and said,  “Woman, you are set free from your ailment.”  When he laid his hands on her,  immediately she stood up straight  and began praising God. (from Luke 13:10-17 ) Currently there are a lot of news reports about the law describing various actions, opinions, and projections about what will be the next event.  Each report about the law seems to be based on a right/wrong principle without any middle ground for discussion. This scripture from Luke got my attention with the phrase "free from your ailment". It got my attention because I see the tensions in the news reports as an ailment from which our society needs to be freed. Consider the woman for a moment.  For eighteen years, she has viewed the world from waist level, she hasn’t been able to look anyone in the eye for a long time. Probably, she is a faithful, law-abiding member of this synagogue since she’s there worshipping on Saturday, even with the effort it to...

Looking to Jesus "Let us run with perseverance  the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus  the pioneer and perfecter of our faith" (From Heb. 11:29-12-2   ) Helen H. Lemmel wrote this song while experiencing trying times in her life, one being blindness. "Turn your eyes upon Jesus", one of my favorite gospel hymns, begins like this: "O soul, are you weary and troubled? No light in the darkness you see? There’s light for a look at the Savior, And life more abundant and free! Turn your eyes upon Jesus, Look full in His wonderful face, And the things of earth will grow strangely dim." At 55, Helen heard an impressive statement: "So then, turn your eyes upon Him, look full into His face and you will see that the things of earth will acquire a strange new dimness." One biographer wrote that she said “I stood still and singing in my soul and spirit was the chorus, with not one conscious moment of putting word to word to make rhyme, or note to no...

My Preaching Bible “Do not be afraid, little flock,  for it is your Father’s good pleasure  to give you the kingdom." "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (from Luke 12:32-40 ) Don't be afraid? Looking around I see plenty to fear as violence erupts in our everyday lives, society, and the world.  I see fear on the faces of children running from a school shooting and someone with a military rifle shooting into a crowded concert. I've encountered the violence of racism, dealt with domestic and sexual abuse both physically and psychologically. This hardly looks to me like the kingdom of peace God desires or promises.  I know, Jesus' followers feared plenty from persecution by Roman authorities: destroying property, inciting hatred, imprisonment, to name a few. I know, Jesus tells his "little flock" not to fear because God will be delighted in giving them the kingdom. Sell your stuff, Jesus says, pack your bags, light your lamp, s...

"Hear this, all you peoples; give ear, all inhabitants of the world, both low and high, rich and poor together. My mouth shall speak wisdom; the meditation of my heart  shall be understanding." (from Psalm 94:1-12 ) One the many blessings of my Vermont ministry was a burial in Hope Cemetery, created around 1895, one of the most beautiful rural cemeteries in the world. The 1918–1919 Spanish flu, along with Gray Lung, a form of Silicosis, increased the death rate and need for tombstones. Realizing death could be right around the corner, many sculptors created a monument to display their skills.  In other nearby cemeteries, I would gather with the family around a grave with only a temporary marker or a small stone with a family name and date. The contrast was significant.  Whether beautiful monument or simple stone, the "low and high, rich and poor together" were gathered in grief and mourning. And so, God calls all  people to give ear, to listen to wisdom and understa...