Drawn, Not Dragged

I heard a person on a podcast state: “The God of the Old Testament is certainly not the God of the New Testament.They are different gods.”Before one reaches for last days persecution signage, this is old hat.Marcion of Sinope ( 85-160 AD) wished to offer the Holy Scriptures with references to the Old Testament effectively […]

Just Because We’re Breathing Doesn’t Mean We’re Living My mother used to say: “Just because people are doing what they’re doing doesn’t mean they’re alive.”The older I get, the more I think she was onto something. We often assume life is obvious. If the lungs fill… if the heart beats… if there is work, worry,

Jesus says, “Do not fear.” Notice the command is not: “There is nothing frightening.”Rather, it is: “Do not let fear become your master.” Yet in the same passage Jesus says:“Do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear Him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” (Matthew

A Friend of the Altar Recently a parishioner visited one of our elderly members. For decades she served faithfully in the Altar GuildThe linens were always prepared. The vessels were in place. The candles were attended to.If something was crooked, missing, or out of order, she noticed.After over 50 years of such service, the habits

 Does that mean every prayer for resurrection produces the result we desire? The answer is no.The Church is not a spiritual machine.Prayer is not a technique. Faith is not magic.The Apostles themselves did not possess resurrection as a personal power they could deploy at will.They remained servants. Christ remained Lord of Lie and death. Even

Jesus says: “Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give”  Matthew 10:8 The immediate reaction to this verse is usually: “Surely Jesus means the Apostles.”Or: “Surely He means physically dead people.”Yet the text itself is uncomfortable because our Saviour gives the command without qualification:“Heal the