Monthly Archives: August 2011

Mark 15:1-11 Life is full of choices that we have to make. Sometimes, if we hesitate long enough, our choices will be made for us by prevailing circumstances. However most of the time our choices are clearly defined and we … Continue reading →

Mark 14:66-72 At the height of his career, William Shakespeare wrote what many scholars consider to be his greatest works. These plays have one thing in common – they are all tragedies: Hamlet, King Lear, Othello and Macbeth. Most Americans … Continue reading →

Mark 14:53-65 Throughout the whole of Christian history there have been countless volumes written regarding Jesus’ trial before the Sanhedrin. Many claim that there were many irregularities about the trial, which made it illegal: trial for a capital offence could … Continue reading →

Mark 14:43-52 You may remember from high school biology class that most animals, including humans, have a sympathetic nervous system. It comes into play during a threatening situation, and it helps us determine whether we will respond aggressively by fighting, … Continue reading →

Mark 14:27-42 This story sounds apocryphal, but it is not. At battalion Command and Staff meetings we all had assigned seating around a conference table. The chaplain’s seat was at the foot of the table, directly opposite from our Commanding … Continue reading →

Mark 14:12-26 It is difficult for us to think of Judas Iscariot as being a devoted disciple of Jesus. We tend to think of him as being an evil, conniving mole, placed in the group of disciples by Satan. We … Continue reading →

Mark 13:28-37 There is an old joke that begins with the papal secretary entering the Pope’s office. He says, “Your Holiness, I have some good news and some bad news.” Pope Benedict looks up and asks, “What is the good … Continue reading →

Mark 13:14-27 There are warning signs and warning labels everywhere you look. I try to take note of some of the more absurd ones. Recently, on the Isle of Palms near Charleston, I saw a sign that seemed rather unnecessary. … Continue reading →

Mark 13:1-13 Many Biblical scholars and historians use the first two verses of our text today to help set a date for the writing of the synoptic gospels. Their contention is that this could not have been written until after … Continue reading →

Mark 12:35-44 How many times have you heard the story we call “The Widow’s Mite?” I remember coloring pictures of the scene in Sunday School, and hearing sermons that pointed out the virtues of the widow who gave all that … Continue reading →