Starving, grimed with the dirt of the pig sty, the Prodigal Son came to himself. Maybe he hadn’t really believed in himself until that moment - believed that there was a real self, a soul, that was being obscured by all of the needs and wants of his false self. He had been living a … Continue reading Luke 15:11-32 When He Came to Himself
Yesterday I talked about how Jesus’ teachings provided an alternative to the other types of Judaism being practiced at his time. In an anxious world that was predicting its own destruction, Pharisees worked at mutating their religion so that it could survive, Sadducees doubled-down on the old ways and traditions, Zealots sharpened their weapons and … Continue reading Luke 13:22-35 The Narrow Door of Suffering
When Jesus tells us that we should be afraid, what is it that we should fear? “Fear him who, after he has killed, has authority to cast into hell,” he says. “Yes, I tell you, fear him!” He is pretty obviously talking about the devil, but what does the devil mean to us? It makes … Continue reading Luke 12:1-22 Is there a place for fear in my faith?
When Jesus comes down the mountain, he is not meek and mild. He seems to chastise a parent whose son is possessed. He rebukes the disciples for wanting to consume the Samaritan village with fire. Set against this is his kindness to a little child, his refusal to ostracize exorcists who aren’t in the in-group. … Continue reading Luke 9:28-62 The Transfiguration
Now we arrive at three tales of resurrection, although only one of them is a literal resurrection. The Christian life may be said to involve two major movements, the via crucis or Way of the Cross and the via lucis or Way of Light. The via crucis is that depth of despair that is experienced … Continue reading Luke 8:26-56 – The Way of Light
KPB Stevens 