21st Sunday of the YearJoshua 24:1–2, 15–17, 18; Ephesians 5:21–32; John 6:60–69When Darkness ComesThe way to survive in life is not to focus on our problems,but to focus on Jesus.ASoviet fishing boat was docked alongside an American Coast Guard cutter, just off the New England coast.Inside the Soviet vessel, American and Russian officialswere tryi

24th Sunday of the YearIsaiah 50:4–9; James 2:14–18; Mark 8:27–35Bitter or Better?“The gem cannot be polished without friction, nor the person perfected without trials.” ConfuciusIn a book called This I Believe there’s a series of essays by famous people. They describe episodes from their lives that affected them deeply.For exampleJames Du Pont of

23rd Sunday of the YearIsaiah 35:4–7; James 2:1–5; Mark 7:31–37Spiritual Deaf-mutesMany of us are deaf and dumb spiritually, and Jesus wants to heal us.Awoman had a friend who was deaf. One day she asked her friend what she wanted for her birthday. Her friend make a strange request. She said:“Would you write Ann Landers and ask her to reprint a pra

26th Sunday of the YearNumbers 11:25–29; James 5:1–6; Mark 9:38–43, 47–48Cost of DiscipleshipA disciple should be willing to undergo any sacrifice for the kingdom of God.The movie A Man for All Seasons is based on the life of Saint Thomas More.Thomas More was a teenager in England when Columbus discovered America. Thomas attended Oxford University

25th Sunday of the YearWisdom 2:12, 17–20; James 3:16–4:3; Mark 9:30–37The Monk’s Vision“Whoever wants to be first must place himself last of all and be the servant of all.”Lawrence LeShan tells this story in his book How to Meditate.An old monk prayed many years for a vision from God to strengthen his faith, but it never came.He had almost given u

28th Sunday of the YearWisdom 7:7–11; Hebrews 4:12–13; Mark 10:17–27How to Leave the Rocking ChairIf we walk toward God one step, he’ll run toward us ten steps.James Kallam tells this amusing story in one of his writings.Years ago a young door-to-door book salesman was assigned a rural area. One day he came upon a farmer seated in a rocking chair o

27th Sunday of the YearGenesis 2:18–24; Hebrews 2:9–11; Mark 10:2–16Rediscover WonderA childlike wonder is at the heart of all prayer and worship.Some years ago the Chicago Tribune carried an articleentitled “Taking a Walk with My Grandson,” by Amelia Dahl. It was written in dialogue form and went something like this:Ricky Grandma, why do trees

30th Sunday of the YearJeremiah 31:7–9; Hebrews 5:1–6; Mark 10:46–52Mike and the BeggarMany people, especially young people, are hindered rather than helped as they try to reach out to Jesus.Afew years ago a father and mother sent this open letterto the parents and students of a high school in a southern city.“Dear Boys, Girls, and Parents: “We bur

29th Sunday of the YearIsaiah 53:10–11; Hebrews 4:14–16; Mark 10:35–45Bread and WaterWe must imitate Jesus, who came not to be served by others, but to serve them.The last sentence in today’s gospel is one of the most remarkable sentences in all Scripture. Let’s listen to it again:“The Son of Man did not come to be served; he came to serve and to g

All SaintsRevelation 7:2–4, 9–14; 1 John 3:1–3; Matthew 5:1–12In Their FootstepsThe saints preserved the faith for us and act as guides for us in our own faith journey.About 60 years after the birth of Jesus, a great fire broke out in Rome. It burned for over a week. Rumors spread that Emperor Nero had ordered the fire. He wanted to destroy the old

31st Sunday of the YearDeuteronomy 6:2–6; Hebrews 7:23–28; Mark 12:28–34Inseparable TwinsYou cannot love God, whom you cannot see, if you don’t love your brother, whom you can seeFather George Anderson served as a chaplain at the maximum security prison at Riker’s Island, New York.He started a prayer-discussion group among some of the prisoners. Th

34th Sunday (Christ the King)Deuteronomy 7:13–14; Revelation 1:5–8; John 18:33–37Kierkegaard’s ParableChrist the King became one of us, to serve us and to teach us to serve one another.Soren Kierkegaard was a philosopher and theologian who lived in Denmark about 150 years ago. In one of his booksthere’s a story about a king who fell in love with a

33rd Sunday of the YearDeuteronomy 12:1–3; Hebrews 10:11–14, 18; Mark 13:24–32Second ChanceIn the end, only two things will matter: the service we have rendered to others and love.The film Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge is the story of a man about to be hanged. Enemy soldiers march him out to a bridge across Owl Creek. They take a board and place i

32nd Sunday of the Year1 Kings 17:10–16; Hebrews 9:24–28; Mark 12:41–44Three GiversGrudge givers say, “I hate to”; duty givers say, “I ought to”; thanks givers say, “I want to.”One night years ago a cloudburst stranded a newlywed couple on a remote country road. Unable to go any farther,they got out of their car and set out on foot toward a dimly l

3rd Sunday of EasterActs of the Apostles 3:13–15, 17–19; John 2:1–5; Luke 24:35–48Witness to the ResurrectionThe risen Jesus shares his risen power with us and, through us, with others.In his book I Believe, Grand Teaff, head football coach at Baylor University, tells a remarkable story.It’s about a young man who was once the world’s greatest pole

4th Sunday of EasterActs of the Apostles 4:8–12; 1 John 3:1–2; John 10:11–18I Am the Good ShepherdThe Good Shepherd laid down his life to share with us his risen life.Laura Bell is not your typical college graduate. After graduation she took a job as a sheepherder in Wyoming.Some of her friends thought she was crazy. But Laura wanted a challenge. W

Easter SundayActs of the Apostles 10:34, 37–43; Colossians 3:1–4; John 20:1–9Easter’s MessageThe message of Easter is that Jesus is alive and risen and at work in our lives.It was a hot summer afternoon. The famous Hollywood film director Cecil B. DeMille was drifting in a canoe on a lake in Maine, reading a book. He looked away from the book momen

2nd Sunday of EasterActs of the Apostles 4:32–35; 1 John 5:1–6; John 20:19–31Reason and the Risen JesusReason supports what Scripture tells us: Jesus is indeed risen.Suppose we called you up to the lectern and blindfolded you. Suppose we placed a water bucket in front of you and asked you if it was empty or full.What are three ways you can learn th

5th Sunday of LentJeremiah 31:31–34; Hebrews 5:7–9; John 12:20–33Unless Wheat DiesLike the tiny grain of wheat, we must die to our own will if we are to live and bear fruit.Several years ago Catherine Marshall wrote an article called “When We Dare to Trust God.” It told how she had been bedfast for six months with a serious lung infection. No amoun

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s PassionProcession: John 12:12–16Mass: Isaiah 50:4–7; Philippians 2:6–11; Mark 14:1–15:47Hosanna!Jesus reveals he is the Messiah. But he is to be a messiah of peace and not a warrior-king messiah.Gilbert Frankau tells the story of a friend of his who was an artillery officer in World War I. In those days there was no radar