Touchpoints on Spiritual Growth
When You’re Up A Tree
1Jesus entered and walked through Jericho. 2 There was a man there, his name Zacchaeus, the head tax man and quite rich. 3 He wanted desperately to see Jesus, but the crowd was in his way—he was a short man and couldn’t see over the crowd. 4 So, he ran on ahead and climbed up in a sycamore tree so he could see Jesus when he came by. 5 When Jesus got to the tree, he looked up and said, “Zacchaeus,…
The Remedy for Cloudy Vision
9 He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous and regarded others with contempt: 10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. 11 The Pharisee, standing by himself, was praying thus, ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people: thieves, rogues, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week; I give a tenth of all my income.’ 13 But…
Jacob’s Main Event
22 The same night he got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children and crossed the ford of the Jabbok. 23He took them and sent them across the stream, and likewise everything that he had. 24 Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him until daybreak. 25 When the man saw that he did not prevail against Jacob, he struck him on the hip socket, and Jacob’s hip was put out of joint as…
Jesus and the Breakfast Club
11On the way to Jerusalem Jesus was going through the region between Samaria and Galilee. 12As he entered a village; ten lepers approached him. Keeping their distance, 13they called out, saying, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us!” 14When he saw them, he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were made clean. 15Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice. 16He…
Big Problems, Tiny Seeds
Increase our faith.
Jesus Shocks Wannabes
Now large crowds were traveling with him, and he turned and said to them, “Whoever comes to me and does not hate father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and even life itself, cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not carry the cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not first sit down and estimate the cost, to see whether he has enough to complete it?…
Bringing the Fire
“I have come to cast fire upon the earth, and how I wish it were already ablaze! I have a baptism with which to be baptized, and what constraint I am under until it is completed! Do you think that I have come to bring peace to the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division! From now on five in one household will be divided, three against two and two against three; they will be divided: father against son and son against father,mother against…
Isaiah, Jesus and Eddie Haskell
Grace to you from the Mystery in whom we live and breathe and have our being. “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Do not be afraid, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give alms. Make purses for yourselves that do not wear out, an unfailing treasure in heaven, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys. Luke 12: 32-34 eddie’s shenanigans According to…
Natural Abundance
For one’s life does not consist in the abundance of possessions.
Fearless Prayer
Grace to you from the Mystery in whom we live and breathe and have our being. The disciples ask Jesus how to pray. When you pray, say:Father may your name be revered as holy.May your kingdom come.Give us each day our daily bread.And forgive us our sins,for we ourselves forgive everyone indebted to us.And do not bring us to the time of trial. Luke 11:1-13 ask, it will be given And he said to them, suppose one of you has…
Wanted For No Good Reason
Grace to you from the Mystery in whom we live and breathe and have our being. Sit with me in this moment. Tell her, then, to help me.” But the Lord answered her, “Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things, but few things are needed—indeed only one.” Luke 10:38-42 different temperaments My mom was definitely a Martha in personality. The kid in me wants to yell, “yahoo, Jesus said I don’t have to help In kitchen!” This story of…
Parable of the Neighbor
Grace to you from the Mystery in whom we live and breathe and have our being. Who is my neighbor? Which of these three, do you think, was a neighbor to the man who fell into the hands of the robbers? “The one who showed him mercy.” Jesus said to him, “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:25-37 Good Samaritan If this parable we’re laying on the side of the road, stripped and beaten of its deep message of radical compassion…