21st Sunday in Ordinary Time (Year B, RCL)

We gave our readers a one-word writing prompt: “Wind.”

If so, what did he mean?

While struggling with this question as a church songwriter, I came up with six guidelines.

The armor of God and the violence of the Bible

In Psalm 84, an expectant swallow makes her nest in the temple.

Is our story of struggle also one of faith, hope, and love?

To speak words of grace, we must first name the powers and principalities that hold us captive.

The disciples remember every miracle that Jesus did, every truth that he proclaimed.

Before judging individuals for their sin, we should try to understand the forces of evil influencing them.

Stories of Christians working in the world offer hope that heals.

In God's life, all creatures get attention.

Matthew 4:12–23

Because my yearning comes from somewhere, and that somewhere must be you.

This election season, we've seen a lot of hatred and inhospitality directed toward Muslims and toward migrants. There is talk of building walls instead of bridges, a focus on fueling the politics of fear instead of concern for human need.

In 1 Kings 8 we see an alternative.

In Galatians, Paul is confrontational. While we should be more cautious about calling other people "foolish," we can learn from him that tolerance shouldn't depend on denying one's faith, and being grounded in one's faith shouldn't lead to intolerance or coercion.