Some 40 years ago, Daniel Everett mastered what is perhaps one of the only human languages with no descriptive words for colors, past or future, and, most amazingly, with no words to express … more

In our society, “good Samaritan” is a familiar phrase. There are “Good Samaritan” laws and Good Samaritan hospitals. In Jewish society in first-century Palestine, “good” was not the … more

“Increase our faith,” the apostles say to Jesus in this Sunday’s Gospel. Their request to Jesus becomes our prayer as we contemplate God’s word today. Once the disciples meet Jesus, their … more

Today’s Gospel consists of a parable by Jesus. Before saying anything about it, I’d like to tell a parable of my own. In a certain city, there was a nonprofit organization that worked to … more

“You can’t get second things by putting them first; you can get second things only by putting first things first.” “Put first things first and we get second things thrown in: Put second … more

Today’s first reading and Gospel both illustrate God’s mercy. In the first, God shows himself willing to forgive the Israelites for worshipping a golden statue of a bull, in clear violation of … more

“Chariots of Fire” is the Oscar-winning movie that told the story of Eric Liddell, the Olympic gold medalist raised in Scotland. Liddell was born in China into a family of Christian missionaries. … more

When a neighbor announced she planned to run a marathon, her motivation impressed us all. Even more remarkable was the transformation of her daily life as she prepared to achieve her goal. In the … more

Scripture holds up Abraham as our “father in faith.” That’s no small title! And we might wonder whether Abraham’s example can still speak to us today. Popular culture has a thousand and one … more

In the classic cartoon, “Calvin and Hobbes,” the mischievous Calvin is known for pushing the envelope with his parents. In a typical exchange, Calvin makes a series of requests to his mother in … more