Changed By God To Make A Difference For God

What are we to make of God's strange command to Moses to craft a serpent and put it on a pole so that God's people might look upon it and live? What does the serpent, a powerful biblical symbol for evil, possibly have to do with that other pole on Calvary? As we draw closer to Holy Week during this Lenten season, it is worth our time to pause and reflect on where we've been and where we are going. As John points out in our gospel lesson, each one of us is confronted with an immediate and urgent choice regarding these questions. How we answer them is literally a matter of life and death. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Numbers 21.4-9; Psalm 107.1-3, 17-22; Ephesians 2.1-10; John 3.14-21.

Ever wondered what the 10 Words (Commandments) are all about? God just wanting to rain on our parade again? And what, if anything, do the 10 Words have to do with the cross? Two words: Power and Wisdom. Everyone in his or her lifetime will be confronted with a choice about what to do with the cross. Will you think like a moron or be wise? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Exodus 20.1-17; Psalm 19; 1 Corinthians 1.18-25; John 2.13-22.

Do you want to know what faith on the ground looks like? Look no further than the stories of Abraham as he wrestled with the promise of God to provide him offspring and Peter right after he confessed Jesus to be the Messiah. One developed a personal hope and trust in God who calls into existence things that are not and who gives life to the dead. The other did not. Lent, with its disciplines of confession, repentance, and self-denial, will make absolutely no sense to you if you don't understand the underlying dynamic of faith that is illustrated in these two stories. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about this and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 17.1-7, 15-16; Psalm 22.22-30; Romans 4.13-25; Mark 8.31-38.

It's a jungle out there, both in the material and spiritual worlds, and it is to our detriment if we ignore the former. Lent is a season of confession, repentance, and self-denial. These things are hard enough as it is. But they are even harder when there are forces out there who want us to fail. So what to do? Look for Good News, of course! Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 9.8-17; Psalm 25.1-9; 1 Peter 3.18-22; Mark 1.9-15.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of a 40 day season we call Lent. It is a time for self-examination, confession, repentance, and self-denial. But why do we do these things? What’s the point? Is it to make us feel as badly about ourselves as we possibly can because that’s the way God feels about us? Sadly, some Christians really believe this. To be sure, our sin and rebellion against God should make us remorseful, but to focus on that alone misses the broader context for Lent with its somber reflection on our sin and brokenness. God surely wants us to repent, but for the right reasons. So what are those reasons? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Joel 2.1-2, 12-17; Psalm 51.1-17; 2 Corinthians 5.20b-6.10; Matthew 6.1-6, 16-21.

Ever wonder why God's good and beautiful world and its peoples are so out of whack? Ever wonder why your life is so out of whack sometimes? There are a million remedies for health and healing out there but only one is the real deal. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about what it takes for real healing to occur in your life and the life of the world and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Proverbs 8.1, 22-31; Psalm 104.26-37; Colossians 1.15-20; John 1.1-14.

So what’s the big deal about the Presentation of Christ at the Temple? Every firstborn male Jew was presented to the Lord at his Temple just like Jesus was. And what relevance could this possibly have for us today who face all kinds of evil in our world? More than you think. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Malachi 3.1-5; Psalm 24.1-10; Hebrews 2.14-18; Luke 2.22-40.

What's up with Jesus changing all that water into wine? Why would John bother telling us this story in the first place? And what's this got to do with the ultimate party of the cosmos that we read about in Revelation? Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about it all and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today are Genesis 14.17-20; Psalm 128; Revelation 19.6-10; John 2.1-11.

Today Fr. Bowser talks about what is true and what is false in God's world. Things that are true generally lead to health and well-being. Things that are false generally lead to disease, disorder, dysfunction, and ultimately death. But why is that? Check out what Fr. Bowser has to say in this insightful sermon and see what you think. The answer may surprise you. Lectionary texts for today are 1 Samuel 3.1-20; Psalm 139.1-5, 12-17; 1 Corinthians 6.12-20; John 1.43-51.

Today we celebrate the baptism of Christ. What's up with all this baptism stuff and Spirit talk? What about God’s Word? What can it possibly mean for us in our day? A whole lot more than most of us think. Check out what Fr. Maney has to say about these things (and more) and see what you think. Lectionary texts for today Genesis 1.1-5; Psalm 29; Acts 19.1-7; Mark 1.4-11.