Read John 6:1-15, 27-40 The enormity of this miracle is almost lost on me because I can’t recall a personal experience of such a large gathering. Entering into the story The place where I can enter into this story is smaller. I identify with the boy. He handed his lunch to Jesus only to watch…
Read John 5:1-10 I’ve always had a tough time with those Magic Eye pictures. You’ve probably seen them. You start looking at a regular two-dimensional scene and then try to relax your focus. Suddenly a three-dimensional horse or dragonfly shows up. Everyone in the room exclaims “Oh, I see it now.” Except for me. I’m…
Read John 4:1-42 (7:37-38) If you’ve ever been on a strenuous hike without enough water you’ll know just how distracting it is to go thirsty. It’s all that’s on your mind each step you take! And it’s not like a pain or ache that your body will heal itself. The only thing that will satisfy…
Read John 3:1-21 Each semester I look into the faces of students in my Introduction to Social Work and Social Welfare class. I see young adults from 10 or 11 different majors, freshman through seniors from different cultures and political persuasions. I realize I need to know each student to determine the best way to…
Read John 2:13-25 It was Passover—late March or early April—a pleasant time of year in Jerusalem. But inside the Temple, things were not so pleasant. The smell of animals and the clinking of coins indicated that the people had lost sight of the Temple as a “house of prayer,” and had turned it into a…
Read John 2:1-12 It was the bridegroom’s job to plan the wedding party and ensure that there was enough wine for all the guests. The groom in this story failed. Have you ever hosted a party where things went wrong? Maybe you ran out of food or maybe Uncle Henry wouldn’t stop talking about politics….
Read John 1:1-5 A few years back, I stumbled across a Facebook post from a high school classmate, who had recently become a New Age life coach. He asked: “What would you do if you knew the universe had your back?” A fascinating phone call ensued because I was intrigued by his provocative question, and…
In his landmark book, Ways of Seeing, John Berger argues that every piece of art carries with it a way of seeing. “Painters reconstruct what they see with brush marks on canvas.” Photographers select the angle, lighting, and scene. Likewise, the viewer of art has a way of seeing that draws on their life experience…
