By Paul Koch - We have often romanticized the image of the lone rugged cowboy who doesn’t need anyone else, who can ride into town and save the day and then ride off alone into the sunset when it is all over. But the reality is, no one does much of anything alone. People need … Continue reading A Dwelling Place
By Tim Winterstein - [SPOILERS] Another recent film is often compared to Taxi Driver, but it's both better and worse than First Reformed. I had a free Redbox rental, which is as good as Movie Pass for seeing movies on which I'm not sure whether I want to spend actual money. So I rented You … Continue reading Revenge or Atonement?
By Bob Hiller - As if I needed another reason to love Mike Trout, MLB’s commissioner has inadvertently offered me one. For those of you who don’t follow America’s pastime, Trout is arguably the best player in baseball. For what its worth, if you engage in arguing against that point, you’ll lose. If you’re a … Continue reading In Which I Fawn All Over Mike Trout
By Jeff Pulse - The Old Testament text for this Sunday, July 22, 2018, the ninth Sunday after Pentecost, is from the book of the prophet Jeremiah. The text is Jeremiah 23:1-6 and contains the very familiar Messianic reference of “The Righteous Branch” and the title, “The Lord is our Righteousness.” However, the pericope begins … Continue reading OT Enounters: Jeremiah 23:1-6 – Shepherding
By Joel A. Hess - Herod the Great might be considered the most evil character in the Holy Scriptures. Evil maybe, but stupid no! Perhaps one of the brilliant talents of Herod the Great was his uncanny ability to play both sides of a game. In order to keep his kingship of Palestine, he needed … Continue reading Herod and me: Triangulating God
By Paul Koch - We’ve probably all heard the story that our Lord told about counting the cost. It’s been retold in various ways over the years, but it is still a good thing to learn. He said, “Which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, … Continue reading The Cost
By Bob Hiller - Sammy Sosa hasn’t been to Chicago in 11 years. This man, who was right at the center of one of the most provocative sports stories in my generation, who brought baseball joy—which Cubs’ fans had so longed for—back to the Windy City, hasn’t been there for over a decade. Instead, according … Continue reading The Sin of Sammy’s Innocence
