Blood saved at the crossLove coursing through mortal heartBleeding Love for all
Love
Fingers
Cracked dirty fingers Tell tales of dreams forgotten Love bequeathed in sweat
Love, forgiveness overcome the flames of war
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Sometimes, an image simply defies words. That is the case with the photograph of 9-year-old Phan Thi Kim Phuc, fleeing among other terrified children, the clothes and much of her skin burned off her body, in a napalm strike in Trảng Bàng, Vietnam, in 1972. The … Continue reading Love, forgiveness overcome the flames of war
‘Sesame Street,’ Fred Rogers, and regaining the moral courage of our youth
Anyone with a taste for warm fuzzies should be able to get their fill between this week and next. On Wednesday, the community celebrated World Day of Kindness — a day packed with do-gooding all over town. Sunday evening, the “Sesame Street” 50th anniversary will air on PBS, celebrating a half century of helping children … Continue reading ‘Sesame Street,’ Fred Rogers, and regaining the moral courage of our youth
Be great in the little things. Be great in Love
“Just as ripples spread out when a single pebble is dropped into water, the actions of individuals can have far-reaching effects.” Anyone who ever stood at the water’s edge as a child, throwing rocks with abandon, knows the imagery in that quote, from the Dalai Lama. The problem is, just as the pebble is ignorant … Continue reading Be great in the little things. Be great in Love
Forging instruments of peace, one heart at a time
It’s been almost a week since two mass shootings claimed the lives of at least 31 people. In a country that, thus far in 2019, averages more than one mass shooting per day, these latest incidents have raised, yet again, the question of how, or if, we will stem the tide of violence and bloodshed … Continue reading Forging instruments of peace, one heart at a time
Living square with God
This piece was adapted from reflections delivered during Morning Prayer and Evening prayer, July 14 and July 16, respectively, in separate nursing home and prison ministries. How do we square our lives with God? This is one of the central questions of all theology. How should we live our lives so that we are "square" … Continue reading Living square with God
Grace that won’t be shaken
“'Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed,’ says the Lord, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10 Ancient peoples often attributed natural disasters, including earthquakes, to the power of angry gods. Anger the gods, the … Continue reading Grace that won’t be shaken
The work of hearts and hands
“Listen and understand. What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” Matthew 15:10-11 All those listening to these words would have been raised under Mosaic Law – a collection of 613 laws that governed every aspect of life, from birth to death and … Continue reading The work of hearts and hands
The light of life
Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister lives in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates another believer is in the darkness, walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because … Continue reading The light of life
James R. Neal 