[RCL] Genesis 22:1-14; Psalm 13; Romans 6:12-23; Matthew 10:40-42 Anis Mojgani (A-nees Mohj-ga-nee) was born to an African American mother and Iranian father and is the current Oregon Poet Laureate. A two-time National Slam Poetry champion, he performed his poem “Shake the Dust” on January 9, 2010, at the Heavy and Light event at the…

We have in today’s readings some very difficult texts. First, the frightening passage from Genesis, where God tests Abraham. The idea that God would demand that Abraham sacrifice his own son is so terrifying to us that the compilers of our lectionary removed this passage from its more prominent position as part of the Good…

“The wages of sin is death.” Pulled out of the context of the majestic letter to the church in Rome, this short statement sounds ominous; we have all sinned, according to the same letter. If we read this standing by itself, we might conclude that there is no hope for us. Or we begin to…

Today we read a story that can chill one’s soul, especially a parent’s. However, if we focus only on the topic of parent and child, and the emotional and precious quality of that relationship, we lose the profound heart of what the story of Abraham and Isaac is really about. The Book of Genesis contains…

There are some who love having people over to dinner or a summer barbeque. They get a kick out of opening their homes and showing off their possessions or their cooking skills. They may even rejoice in having a captive audience upon which to inflict their latest jokes or the story of last year’s vacation….

The haughtiness of people shall behumbled,And the pride of everyone shallbe brought low;And the Lord alone will beexalted on that day.— Isaiah 2:11 We know that our old self was crucifiedwith him so that the body of sin mightbe destroyed, and we might no longerbe enslaved to sin.— Romans 6:6 Those who find their life…

For all the talk recently in our country about “family values,” we find ourselves in a distressingly uncomfortable situation listening to Jesus’ teachings today. How much more startling this Gospel lesson must have seemed to the ancient people to whom Jesus was preaching. They didn’t argue about “family values” as we do. They lived them….

During the season after Pentecost, we focus on what it means to be a Christian. At Christmas we heard the Good News of Christ’s incarnation. The Easter acclamation – Alleluia! Christ is Risen! – is still ringing in our ears. At Pentecost we heard that we have been empowered by the Holy Spirit to be…