The Rambler

  SECOND SUNDAY OF EASTER [A] Christianity represents something new within the Roman Empire. It’s new and it’s also growing very rapidly (see Acts 2:47). When you join a movement like this, it means that you are being born anew (see 1st Peter 1:3). But what about the period that follows? Is it going to be all glory, all the time? Will the momentum be completely positive? Or will the positive, at some point, switch to negative? Actually, it depends. Do you have good people around you? Do you spend time engaged in the practice of prayer? If so, then your momentum will be primarily positive. Still, it’s always possible that you might drift into a pattern of isolation. You’re isolating yourself and you’re no longer dedicating time to the discipline of prayer.  One wonders: could this have been the root problem for Thomas? Typically, we focus upon the issue of doubt. The problem with Thomas is that he is such a doubter!  Be careful, however, not to overlook what is being descr...

SERMON FOR EASTER SUNDAY  It’s referred to as “The Lost Squadron.”  How do you lose something like a WWII Air Corps squadron? We will have to blame it on the weather. The objective is to fly from North America to Great Britain, following a northern Atlantic pattern. A storm, however, takes them off-course. Fuel levels become critical, and as a result, this 1942 mission will end prematurely. The six P-38s and the two B-17s are forced to land on a relatively flat section of the Greenland ice-cap. The crew members are rescued three days later, leaving the planes behind to be written off as “lost.”   After fifty years have passed, these planes will begin to receive a renewed measure of attention. A WWII enthusiast named Roy Shoffner decides to team up with an aviation specialist named Bill Cardin, in an effort to locate and potentially recover one of the lost aircraft. It’s a tall task, considering the fact that fifty years have gone by. Each year would see a period of m...

  A HOLY WEEK REFLECTION Primarily, we tend to emphasize the second half of Holy Week. The plan of salvation reaches its climax as we observe Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil . Nevertheless, we do have liturgies that mark the earlier half of Holy Week. Note especially the Gospels for both Tuesday and Wednesday. Each one centers around the person of Judas Iscariot . On Tuesday, we hear about Satan “entering into” the heart of Judas (John 13:27). Meanwhile, the Gospel for “Spy Wednesday” outlines the arrangement that Judas initiates with the chief priests (Matt. 26:14-16). It’s an arrangement that will lead to the arrest of Jesus. And we know what happens once the authorities have Jesus in custody.  To what extent should we hold Judas accountable? Perhaps he deserves a healthy measure of sympathy. After all, he’s not responsible for his actions; he’s under the influence of Satan. It brings to mind a refrain from the 1970’s: “ The devil made me do it!! ”  We...

  PASSION SUNDAY, CYCLE A On Palm Sunday we will be hearing Matthew’s version of the Passion. Last year we heard from Luke’s version, and next year we will hear from Mark’s version. If you’re wondering about John’s version, we hear from his narrative every time we gather for the Good Friday liturgy. With each evangelist you will notice some unique element; something particular to that individual Gospel. In terms of Matthew, we can say that he’s the only one who follows through on the story of Judas. The others mention his betrayal, but they don’t say anything about his ultimate fate. Matthew is the only one who describes the regret and the subsequent suicide (see 27:3-10).  Exactly how much sympathy should we be extending to Judas? Some novelists and some screenplays portray him as having good intentions—or at least intentions that stop short of being completely evil. It’s a strain , reconciling these sentiments with passages that reflect a tone of condemnation . For example, ...

  FIFTH SUNDAY OF LENT [A] In Ezekiel, it’s a promise (37:12-14). In Romans, it is a theological principle (8:11). Meanwhile, in John, it becomes something tangible, something concrete (11:38-44). The “it” has to do with the notion of being raised up. At first, it seems as if the Lord has let Martha down. She sends word, but he arrives too late. In other words, the illness has taken her brother’s life. Jesus reminds her: We are a resurrection people (11:23). And yet, she remains downcast. The resurrection will happen when the time comes for it to happen (11:24).  Jesus, at this point, takes exception. The Lord makes a declaration of sovereignty: I AM the resurrection and the life (11:25). You’re acting as if time is sovereign, as if time and time alone will dictate when the resurrection can take place. Well, I am about to do some dictating of my own. And with that, a man who was thoroughly dead comes back to life. It can be understood as a demonstration of authority on the ...

  FOURTH SUNDAY OF LENT [A] We’ll begin by referencing a passage from John chapter eight: Jesus identifying himself as “the Light of the World” (8:12). Next, we’ll focus upon an event recorded in John chapter nine: a man who is blind from birth gains the ability to see (9:1-7). It’s a miracle that can be attributed to the person of Jesus. Therefore, we explain what happens in John chapter nine by recalling what has been established in John chapter eight . Light facilitates your ability to see. Jesus has been revealed as the Light of the World. When he ministers to the blind man, suddenly the darkness becomes dramatically dispelled.  Suppose it’s late in the evening and you notice your neighbor outside, crawling around in his driveway. As you make your inquiry, he explains to you that he is searching for his keys. So you subsequently decide to join him in the search. After a while, you feel the need to ask: Are you sure that you lost them here in the driveway?   Much to y...