Getting Lost in the Woods

Have you ever noticed that when you are in the middle of something, it can be difficult to see clearly? Maybe you’re driving along the highway on a bright summer day, when out of nowhere, a torrential downpour makes it nearly impossible to keep driving. Or you’re in a meeting, and the group knows they need to make a decision, but also knows they don’t have all the facts to make an informed choice. It could happen when your family suddenly faces a barrage of troubles, and there seems no clear way to face it all.  When we are in the thick of the forest, it can be really difficult to take in the birds-eye view outlining the trail before and behind us. While in Mark’s gospel Jesus is not all-knowing, he does have a very clear sense of the path he is walking, the same path he is asking followers to join him on.  And the disciples, they  love  this teacher.  He sparks something in them that keeps them moving forward, walking through the forest, even as they have ...

Did you know that Jesus dubbed two of his disciples as  ‘sons of thunder’ ?* There is no explanation as to why James and John receive this name.  It could be a commentary on their father, Zebedee, or the title could be a reflection of their own nature.  Wikipedia would tell us that,  “Thunder is the sound caused by lightning. Depending upon the distance from and nature of the lightning, it can range from a long, low rumble to a sudden, loud crack.” **.   Some of the most common synonyms for thunder are:  detonation, explosion, roar, and rumble .*** Might Jesus be telling us these two are thunderous?  That they at times are very loud, tumultuous, and intense?**** Jesus did call together an eclectic group of disciples:  successful fishermen, a tax collector working for the Roman empire, a zealot seeking to overthrow the Roman empire, as well as several other oddballs and eccentrics.  So it should come as no surprise that Jesus would call t...

In  last Sunday’s reading from Proverbs ,  we heard about the essential role a fearless and empowered woman could play in antiquity.  This week, we heard the story of one such woman:  Esther.    The Book of Esther is a fictional story within a historical framework, and it is important for a few reasons:* It tells us about the survival of the Jewish people living within the Persian Empire.  We learn the origins of Purim; a holiday celebrating the Jewish people being saved from genocide.  Most of the star roles in scripture go to men, yet in this story, Esther is the star that shines.  Before we dive into Esther’s story, a word of caution.  Ordinarily, the hero of a story is the person we might relate to the most, imagining how our own heroes are emulating similar actions and leadership in today’s context.  Yet for many of us living in North America, with a fair amount of privilege and access to resources, we actually have more in com...