The name for this day comes from the Latin word “mandatum,” meaning “commandment.” It refers to the two “new” commandments our Lord gave to his disciples. The first is “love one another” and the second is “do this in remembrance of me.” Today we are...

This is the last weekend in Lent and the beginning of Holy Week. With Christians around the world we begin the liturgy remembering Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, and we join in the exuberant praise that the Church has echoed through the...

The Via Dolorosa in Jerusalem is commemorated as the way Jesus walked with his cross. The name means “The Painful Way”. Through the Gospel of Luke we walk that way with Jesus this Lenten Wednesday. We remember the pain he endured on our behalf in...

Most of us know that the Christian life is supposed to be one of deep joy. But the reality is that in our daily walk there are plenty of stresses to slowly drain away that happiness. Those stresses can pile up to the point that our existence feels...

As we learned last time, Jesus’ parable of the prodigal is a rich, multi-layered lesson which offers much for us in our Lenten journey. Even as we shake our heads at the younger son’s rebellion and poor judgment, so we marvel at the father’s wisdom...

Outside our Sanctuary, a banner with a cross stands to the left of the doors. Underneath the cross is the Alleluia banner, which we removed from the liturgy on Ash Wednesday. While we restrain our praise a bit in these Lenten weeks, we still see every...

Today’s Luke 15 passage has been known as the “Parable of the Prodigal Son”. But throughout history it also has been given another name: “The Parable of the Prodigal Father.” Prodigal means “spending recklessly, extravagantly, wastefully, lavishly...

All three readings in today’s worship offer some blunt warnings from the Lord and an invitation to attentiveness. “Listen up or perish! Cut it out or be cut down!” But balanced with these harsh words, there are also assurances of the Lord’s patience...

As we gather for worship today, we are reminded that our God is all about people. He sent his son into the world to be a person, to save people. There is joy in heaven over every lost person that is found. Our God loves us and calls us to also be...

During this penitential season of the church’s year our prayer and praise are shaped more by “Lord, have mercy” and “Lamb of God”. However, Sundays are always “little Easters” and, while we restrain our praise a bit in these Lenten weeks, we still...