Book: Mark

Faithful lament, even enraged and despairing lament, takes us close to the heart of God, though we usually can’t perceive God when we are there.

The Kingdom of God can only be accepted the way a child welcomes a hug, not the way lawyers accept a divorce settlement.

In Jesus, rejoicing at our deliverance leads us not to retribution, but to a way of peace, living life for each other, praying for each other, and holding the good of each other before our own.

The beginning of wisdom, the entry onto the road that leads to life, is reverence for God, which shapes our character and therefore our lives.

Who we think Jesus is has real life implications. If we name him as God’s chosen messiah, we need to be ready to follow and live as he lives.

The power of God is that a contagion of life—of transformation, hope, and peace—is more powerful than a contagion of death.

An attitude of respectful silence is an essential part of a deep, intimate relationship with God.

Instead of leaving unsaid the things that could cause conflict and division, we are called to listen intensely, slowly, intentionally, allowing all to speak their truth, so that we can find a way to move forward together in love and humility.

The experience of winter is God’s gift, inviting us to silence, healing and new depth of life.

The culture of God rises in defiance of the empires of this world, but it will look more like an annoying outbreak of self-sown, invasive weeds than an alternative empire.

Jesus’s radical call to align ourselves with his new family trumps even our allegiances to our blood families, and asks us to shape our relationships in the church around a shared commitment to living out the will of God.

As we head with Jesus towards the cross, carrying the pain and injustice of the world, God does not hide his face from us but hears our cries for justice.