Pastor’s Weekly Letter

St. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians that “there are varieties of gifts, varieties of ministries, and  varieties of efforts.”  What he is saying is that unity does not mean sameness.  Such was certainly not the case with the early disciples of Jesus.  There were differences,    disagreements, and disputes among them.  And one of the most beautiful things about the New   Testament is its honesty.  There is no attempt at cover up.  When James and John were arguing over who should have first place in the kingdom of God, the Gospel reports it just as it happened.  When Paul and Barnabas […]

 Several years ago the newspaper reported the murder of a young Jewish boy of 16 and two of his friends who were seriously wounded as they were traveling home in a van in Manhattan.  This unprovoked act of violence filled the hearts of many people with great anger and frustration.  Everyone recoiled at this senseless violence and injustice.  And yet we all know that violence and injustice must be rejected in favor of justice, understanding and peace. Jesus’ message in the Gospel is very clear: there is no room for any retaliation, no eye for an eye, no resistance to […]

               We live in a world where things move along with a certain regularity.  Night follows day, and day follows night.  The seasons unfold at about the same pace year after year.  Spring, summer, fall and winter are as predictable as the cycles of the sun.  In the midst of all that  steadiness, it is easy to become prisoners of the routine and forget just how wonderful life really is.               Thornton Wilder wrote a play about that which he called “Our Town”.  It is the story about Emily who lived in Grover’s Corners […]

As we know, modern technology has enabled us to take wonderful photos of the human fetus living within his or her mother’s womb.  This is a great help to doctors in their care for the pre-born child.  However, it can also provide some with efficient means to invade this most sacred place – the very womb of a mother – and kill its helpless human inhabitant.  As you may know, every hour about two hundred babies will be aborted in this country alone.  Just take a moment to think about this fact.  That means that about 144,000 babies per month […]

A group of retired residents of an institution diplomatically called “A Home for Senior Citizens” had  gathered for an afternoon discussion led by a volunteer from a local university.  Each person was asked to quote a favorite poem or to sing a favorite song and then to comment on the verse or song.  One frail, little lady both began and ended the session when she lifted her hand and repeated part of a familiar line: “Grow old along with me… the best is yet to be.”  No sooner had her voice faded in the air than a gruff, loud snort […]