By Matthew Morin

• Rebuke as Generous Invitation by Matthew Morin (12/21/2012)
  ...rely, the events of the past week make it difficult to argue otherwise. Moreover, at first glance, today’s readings from Scripture don’t seem to be much help.<!--more--> “The Lord God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory,” proclaims Zephaniah. What? God is a warrior? “Well there you have it!” our accusers shout. “This is the stuff of cults, and ancient people. Every tribe had its own d...
• Our Weak God by Matthew Morin (7/14/2012)
  ...oes so, but his teaching is interrupted by a demonic spirit. In Mark 3, Jesus’s actions in the synagogue anger some of his rivals, who in turn begin plotting ways to kill him. And, as you just heard in today’s scripture reading, Jesus’s third attempt to teach in the synagogue is met with scorn by members of his own hometown. So, three times, Jesus enters the synagogue to teach, and three times,...
• The Far Country by Matthew Morin (8/25/2011)
  ... heading of “pride” and use it to repeat the old trope about self-righteous Pharisees: “There they go again, those elitist Pharisees—always thinking they are better than everybody else, when in fact they are sinners just like the rest of us.” Or, it might be tempting for us to file this episode under the heading of “nice” and use it to repeat the old trope about everybody’s friend Jesus: “There...