“Jesus’ suffering and death is vital and central to his identity, because in Jesus God shows us that God suffers, too.”

“The Incarnation, God become human in Jesus of Nazareth, is a doctrine and a mystery; it is an animating, energizing force for the life we live in common with all people.”

“God does want is for us to relate to each other as members of the same family, to see each other as equally human members of the household of God. God’s love and grace are intended for all people.”

“Gospel work can be dangerous. . . . Gospel work can rock the boat.”

“With minds, hearts, moral imagination. and God’s grace we know we can build a more just world where there will be enough and more than enough for everybody.”

“God has never stopped wanting us to be reconciled to God and reconciled to one another.”

“Patient, persistent, insistent hope—that is the product of our faith; that is the outcome of our walking in the way of Jesus Christ.”

“God intends for us to flourish. God desires that we flourish each as individuals, and that we flourish in community with one another.”

“On this anniversary of our nation’s birth, our nation’s liberty, our prayer must be for our nation’s soul; that, in this time of pain and confusion, of lies and corruption, we may nevertheless grow closer to God: the God of truth, the God of justice, the God of love.”

“The context in which we read this story today is a society and a world that is capable of casually inflicting the deepest traumas, the worst horrors, on our children.”