Nearly ten years ago I posted a lighthearted article called The Perfect Voter. At that time, I was concerned that people were losing sight of the very basis of our freedom to vote: our Constitution and our Bill of Rights. In the nearly ten years since, I find, this is […]
Tuesday is the so-called mid-term elections. Many will work through the candidates’ positions and the issues on their ballots. They will listen carefully to the news, ads and interviews. They will record the debates and play them back, pausing to jot down notes. Then they will forget to vote. Others […]
Today’s reflection marks the final and 100th post on the Gospel of Mark. Since October 2nd, 2008, I’ve posted a reflection each week. Mark concludes his gospel with two simple statements, paraphrased here:
When Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples He had one last command for them: “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to all creation.” (Mark 16:15) But Matthew’s Gospel provides a more complete rendition of the Great Commission:
Last week Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome discovered the open tomb and encountered a young man dressed in white who proclaimed, “He has risen!” (Mark 16:6). The young man also told them to tell His disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. […]
Early Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went to the tomb where Joseph had entombed Jesus’ body the Friday before. They brought spices used for anointing the dead (Mark 16:1-2). Their greatest concern seemed to be finding someone to roll the stone away so they […]
Mark 15:43 tells us that Joseph of Arimathea was a prominent member of the Sanhedrin. Luke 23:50-51 adds that Joseph was a good and upright man who had opposed the action of his fellow council members in their condemnation of Jesus. Both passages affirm that Joseph was “waiting for the […]
Last week we read of Jesus’ last moments before His death. Among the New Testament writers, only John was an eyewitness. But there were many testimonies to Jesus’ death – and to His resurrection – both within scripture and in secular history. And there are three often-neglected testimonies right here […]
The word forsake means to abandon, to break off from. In the crucifixion of Jesus Christ – the second person of the one Triune God – our Lord was at once the only sacrifice worthy to bear our sins, and the holy Son of God. God cannot look upon sin […]
The Man who only hours earlier was teaching at the temple (Lk. 21:37-38), who was anointed by close friends at Bethany (Mk. 14:3), was now among the two robbers hanging on a cross. At the foot of the cross, the soldiers cast lots for His clothing (Mk. 15:24). Meanwhile, everyone […]
