Spirituality

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

People certainly have varying ideas of what is truly valuable these days. Most people would point to family and friends first of all, I think, for what is life without love and fellowship, which we crave above all other things?

After all, wealth makes one comfortable and may enable many worldly advantages, but with it often come false friends, treachery, theft, etc. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is than a fatted ox and hatred with it.” (Proverbs 15:17), and “Wakefulness over wealth wastes away one’s flesh, and anxiety about it removes sleep.” (Sirach 31:1)—both of these Read More

Clergy from left, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Associate Rector Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Courtesy photo

By Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb
ELCA

33But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 34No longer shall they teach one another, or say to each other, “Know the Lord,” for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the Lord… (Jeremiah 31:32-34b, NRSV)

Humanity Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

“I’m sorrrryyy!”

That is a phrase we hear very commonly, sincerely or no. Many times public figures who put foot-in-mouth and then instantly criticized on social media become concerned about having offended (or perhaps about loss of revenue, or votes) and showily beg forgiveness, whether actually sorry or not. More universally are the missteps in we commoners’ lives—forget a birthday or anniversary, break something of value, etc. Yet when wronged the good person seeks to be merciful and give the other the benefit of the doubt, yet we’ve all also been burnt by our good intentions Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Almost every day there seems to be a new “hate group” condemned by those who oppose what that group stands for. But if you claim that everyone who opposes your own opinion is “hating”, then who is the true “hater”? And if you claim “hate” for every opinion or stand against your own, then how will you ever consider possible errors in your own position? That’s why criticism can be very helpful: if utilized rather than discarded out of hand, it forces us to reassess, consider other viewpoints, and perhaps refine what and why we believe.

That’s why the phrase “settled science” is somewhat Read More

Clergy from left, Deacon Cynthia Biddlecomb, retired; Pastor Nicolé Ferry, Associate Rector Lynn Finnegan and Pastor Deb Church. Courtesy photo

By The Rev. Nicolé Raddu Ferry
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
Los Alamos

A Blessing for “When Church Breaks Your Heart” by Dr. Kate Bowler

“Blessed are you standing among the ruins of a family of faith that once felt so sturdy, now turned to dust under your feet.
The certainty you once had, gone. The community you loved, dissipated.
The hope you held dear, hard to find.
Instead, what’s taken up residence is the very stuff that seems counter to what you imagined: Read More

By Fr. Glenn Jones:

Wealth and prestige tend to be the favorite things of most people; after all, wealth brings, if not happiness, at least (apparent) security and comfort. And prestige brings influence and admiration. Of course, many go way overboard in seeking these things—often criminally, whether the actions are legal or not. One might remember the Gospel parable (Luke 16) of poor Lazarus, in which the rich man apparently just stepped over the starving and ailing Lazarus who was laying at his gate. If not legally criminal, that’s certainly morally criminal.

Now, in the Sunday Catholic Mass Read More