In 1970, Paul Simon wrote The Boxer in response to criticism of his career as a singer/songwriter. The imagery in the song is powerful, as you see the painful journey of a boy who eventually becomes a man. It is no coincidence in how this song connects to today’s parable of the widow and the…
In the classic children’s tale, The Three Little Pigs, the wolf’s overconfidence ultimately leads to his defeat. We can trace his exploits throughout history, most notably in today’s Gospel reading about false fruit, false prophets, and false builders. In each scenario Jesus reveals the truth on which we stand, build, and thrive as Christians, all…
In the 1800’s, Nathaniel Hawthorne was known for his morbid curiosity of human behavior. His short story Dr. Heidegger’s Experiment is no exception, as a science experiment is eagerly tested on four of Dr. Heidegger’s closest friends from year’s past. Dr. Heidegger’s question: If humans had the opportunity to go back in time and…
When Johnny Cash and the Tennessee Two convinced record producer Sam Phillips to hear their music, the Sun Records producer was not impressed. He is noted as telling Cash that Gospel Music wouldn’t sell, and to play something real and from the heart. Phillip’s asked: “If you were to play one song before leaving this…
In 1953, cartoonist Chuck Jones first aired his animated classic ‘Ralph Wolf and Sam Sheepdog’. With each episode, Ralph and Sam clock-in and clock-out as if working at a plant. Ralph is always scheming to trick Sam with different disguises in order to steal a sheep. But at the end of each episode, Sam is…
And did the one you choose make all the difference? The poet Robert Frost describes his traveler as one of patience who gives this decision careful thought. It’s a blessing that we also meet two additional ‘travelers’ in today’s readings, both of whom chose the road less traveled by, and that has made all the…
When Alexandre Dumas wrote “The Count of Monte Cristo,” the setting included an island that ultimately would be the focal point of the novel. Chateau d’if served as an island prison for those who held a truth that, if revealed, would bring a light into the darkness. The Prophet Isaiah reminds us of the coming…
The timeless song by Bob Dylan will forever be linked to the movie “Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid.” I am reminded that, like the Sheriff in the movie, when we come before God in prayer we can’t hide from Him what the world is unable to see. And the blessing is that God loves…
I recently listened to a pre-season interview with an NFL receiver. Everyday he asks himself the same question: Does it matter that I am here? When the young King Solomon was asked by God for anything, Solomon asked for wisdom. Do the questions we ask ourselves draw us closer to God, and how do we…
Do you remember your favorite story from childhood? The characters are forever memorable, and the lessons learned are universal. Today we see David living out the words of the Psalmist, and reminding us that a wolf is no match for three little pigs: “God has no pleasure in the strength of a horse; neither does…