Barbara Brown Taylor is an Episcopal priest, a phenomenal preacher, and author of several books, including this one, Holy Envy: Finding God in the Faith of Others .  I looked to this book for what the author says about Nicodemus, but she also has a lot to say about the nature of what we can know about God—and what we cannot know about God.  Now seems like a particularly good time to notice what we hold in common with our neighbors and fellow people of faith, seeking peace rather than war.   ...

Have you ever had a conversation with the devil?  Apparently that’s a thing that can happen, according to the Scripture lessons we’ve read for this morning.  Maybe you haven’t argued with the actual devil, but have you ever felt like  you did?    In the Gospel lesson from Matthew, we learn that Satan knows Scripture.  When tempting Jesus to jump from the top of the Temple, Satan suggests this is a reasonable idea since “He will command his angels concerning you” and “on their hands they will...

Ash Wednesday is not just about you.  Don’t get me wrong—Ash Wednesday does involve you, as the sooty ashes are maybe tickling your forehead right now.  But we don’t get together to observe Ash Wednesday solely for the purpose of purifying our own individual selves through acts of penitence, like smearing our foreheads with ashes.    We’re not here to flog ourselves out of guilt for our sin, mercilessly punishing the flesh that has been created in the image of God.  We’re definitely not here...