I absolutely love this poem by Billy Collins because it reminds me to take INTERPRETATION a little less seriously, to invite the poem – or biblical passage – to delight and woo, to dance and sing its way into your heart. I think if readers could remember this, poetry – and...
4. Mark 14:3
posted by DJL
While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on his head. Why do you think the woman did this? The oil she used was expensive, incredibly...
Carnival
posted by DJL
When I first think about how Carnival has evolved over the years into the massive pre-Lenten party it’s become around the globe, I’m tempted to wonder what happened: how did the Feast before the Fast get so out-of-control? But then I think about Jesus – the guy who was notorious for frequenting with the heavy party-goers and -throwers of his generation and think that perhaps we can and should look for God in both Feast and Fast, laughter and lament, delight and self-denial. In any event, it’s difficult not to be taken in by the exuberance of the smile on the face of this Brazilian dancer. I think Jesus would have...
3. Mark 14:3a
posted by DJL
While he was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper…. Simon the Leper. Truth be told, we don’t know much about Simon the Leper. He is mentioned only in Mark and Matthew (26:6-13). There is a Simon the Pharisee in Luke’s story who also hosts Jesus for dinner when a woman anoints Jesus...
C.S. Lewis, Lent �...
posted by DJL
Lent is the season of repentance and self-denial. But to what end? Is it to nurture greater self-discipline or virtue? Is it to identify with Jesus? Is it to train us in the way of discipleship? What do you think? Along these lines, I found the following quotation by C.S. Lewis helpful: If you...