Touchpoints from 2024

Touchpoints from 2024

Magic, Miracles or Mystery?

“The unconditional presence of Spirit midwifed my own inner birth. The One who awakens me in the mornings of my distress with the anointing of compassion. In me, the power of pride is brought down and my soul is grateful.”
Touchpoint: What should we do? Watercolor painting of John the Baptist looking at brood of vipers

The Good Bad News

“Am I more disturbed that John’s words predict a God of love cutting fruitless trees down and burning them then the suffering of those around me? What weighs heavier on me, the threat to my theology concerning John’s image of a punishing God, or those mentioned who are cold and hungry?”
Touchpoint: Prepare the Way of the Lord; image of Henry Rojas walking through a city street in Phoenix at dusk

Making Way for The Way

“John’s cry for repentance was to prepare the way of the heart for a change in direction. To clear the way of old ways. He wasn’t yelling the repentance that says “Hey everyone, stop sinning, Jesus is coming and boy is he pissed!”, or “Just look busy!” He said prepare the way for the real deal. The way beyond all ways. It’s not a hack to make your life easier. It is a way of peace amid all the other hacks wanting to have their way. A compassionate voice crying in the wilderness of our hearts. A voice of anticipation. The voice that says create space for a new beginning.”
Touchpoint: My kingdom is not of this world. Picture of a long, cloud-lined road leading to an open door with a light shining through, representing Heaven.

Beyond Belief

“No wonder Jesus asked Pilate why he called him King of the Jews! Who have you been listening to, Pilate? What kingdom do you belong to? On whose behalf do you condemn? Would we kill Jesus if we thought he was a threat to our kingdoms? The Spirit is our witness. It offers itself to us in every breath. The kingdom Jesus speaks of cannot be killed.”
Touchpoint: The Destruction of the Temple is Foretold; image is "Portrait of Dr. Gatchet" by Vincent Van Gogh

Moody Blues

“Forgive me but I’m just not in the mood! I’m not in the mood to talk about the theological significance the buildings held or why Jesus sat at the Mount of Olives or the disciple’s gazing at the majesty of the building or the actual size of stones and how difficult it must have been to carry one.”
Touchpoint: The Widow's Offering; watercolor image of tree with deep roots

Love Economy

Grace and peace to you from the Mystery in whom we live and move, and have our being. The widow’s offering. “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury. For all of them have contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:38-44 The Widow’s Offering “It is a strange and lovely thing…

Sami and the Scribe

Grace and peace to you from the Mystery in whom we live, move, and have our being. The first commandment. The First Commandment Jesus answered, “The first is, ‘Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one; you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater…
Indiana Jones moment of desperation, resting against a rock with a hand over his chest.

First Step Is A Doozie

Grace and peace to you from the Mystery in whom we live, move, and have our being. Blind Bartimaeus Receives His Sight 46 Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind man, Bartimaeus (which means “son of Timaeus”), was sitting by the roadside begging. 47 When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 48…
Person in prayerful contemplation at sunset, representing spiritual reflection and freedom.

A DIVINE BUZZ KILL?

Grace and peace to you from the Mystery in whom we live and move, and have our being. Seek the true treasure that cannot fade. 17 As he was setting out on a journey, a man ran up and knelt before him and asked him, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” 18 Jesus said to him, “Why do you call me good? No one is good but God alone. 19 You know the commandments: ‘You shall not murder. You shall not…

I Call Dibs!

Ambition and Misunderstanding: The Request of James and John 35 Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.” 36 “What do you want me to do for you?” he asked. 37 They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.” 38 “You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said. “Can you drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the…
A group of people walking together in a peaceful landscape, representing unity, compassion, and spiritual oneness.

The Assunder Blunder

“Therefore, what God has joined together, let no one separate.” 2 Some,[a] testing him, asked, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?” 3 He answered them, “What did Moses command you?” 4 They said, “Moses allowed a man to write a certificate of dismissal and to divorce her.” 5 But Jesus said to them, “Because of your hardness of heart he wrote this commandment for you. 6 But from the beginning of creation, ‘God made them male and female.’ 7 ‘For this reason a man shall leave his father…

Tattle Tails and Stumbling Blocks

Grace and peace to you from the Christ who calls us to walk the path of love, who dwells in all things, and through whom we bear the name of life and light. 38 John said to him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in your name,[a] and we tried to stop him because he was not following us.” 39 But Jesus said, “Do not stop him, for no one who does a deed of power in my name will be able soon…