The distance that God’s people kept from lepers was as great as that between Jews and Samaritans. However, for a person to be both—that is to be an outcast, indeed. Ten lepers in misery, while keeping their distance, somehow know that Jesus is not going to pull away. They cry out for divine mercy.

The ten are healed, but nine soon forget, failing to return to give God glory and praise. We know nothing about them, but the silence invites us to wonder: did the healing last without the total trapeze-like abandon to the One who could do more than have them look good from the outside?

Surrender all outer and inner needs to Jesus. Grasp the hand of God in Jesus, as the healer and the healed become one.

Luke 17:11–19

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: I return to thank you, Lord. v. 18

Sundays are dedicated to the Gospels from the Revised Common Lectionary.
In year C, we generally read from the Gospel of St. Luke.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

From the very depths of Jesus, comes the cry “Woe!” We heard it in last Sunday’s Gospel referring to those who are a scandal to God’s little ones. Here it refers to Judas. The word is used 106 times in the Bible—virtually the same word in Hebrew, Greek, and English, for the word itself is the sound of the soul groaning in grief. It also carries a call of warning, recalling the “Woes” in Luke’s “Sermon on the Plain” which offers a counterpoint to the Beatitudes (Luke 6:24–26).

Today we begin six Fridays of reading the Passion of Jesus. Contemplate the mysteries of the Lord’s suffering in the context of the rest of the week’s readings as this year of grace begins to end. Be with Jesus and the disciples. Place your life into the bread and cup of communion. The sacrament of Christ’s blood is the stream of grace flowing from his side.

Luke 22:24–46

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Your words will not pass away. v. 33

Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In the season of Kingdomtide this year we read Luke 19:28 to 24:53.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

Here is one of those verses that gather the entire Bible into one, as though seeing all the heavens reflected in the tiny piece of a mirror.

The tradition of the Scribes begins with verse 9, after God commanded Moses to write down the law. The Hebrew word for write is chatab, which means to “inscribe” or “engrave” on some material such as sheepskin. Thus, the scriptures have been preserved for 3,000 years. Remember how Jesus stopped Satan in his tracks when he responded to the temptations in the desert with quotations from Deuteronomy saying: “It is written …” (Cf. Matthew 4:1–11.)

The chapter closes with the “passing of the torch” to Joshua, and the importance of the song of Moses that comes in the next chapter.

Deuteronomy 31:1–30

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Your will never forsake me. v. 8

The Saturday passages follow the reading list that Jewish people use in their synagogue worship
throughout the world. They are taken from
“The Torah,” the first five books of the Bible from Genesis to Deuteronomy
that are read each year beginning with autumn.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information