Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and the Gospel.

 Listen this week for the sounds of the sweet song that rises from the soul of the dead self. We begin with the parable of “The Pharisee and the Publican.” These two figures contrast the garish song of vanity of one with the humble chant of repentance of the other; between pride and humility, between true and false worship. The week’s readings will be filled with these contrasts—simply put, between good and evil.

Luke’s parable could have begun with him saying, “Two men went up to the Temple to pray; one did, the other didn’t.” The protestations of thanks on the part of the Pharisee are empty echoes on the walls of the temple of self-righteousness, pride and ultimately the vilest form of idolatry—self worship under the guise of prayer.

Enter the depths of your own soul and listen there to the music the Spirit makes.

Luke 18:9–14

What are “Bible Breaths”? Learn More…
Example: Turning inward to my God v. 13

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.

Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Genesis 7:1-10.

The highest form of God’s creation, human life, becomes the lowest. Ask the Holy Spirit to give you a spiritual sense of the heart of God—the profound divine sadness at human corruption.

However, Noah and his family stand above the rest in perfection. Through him, the human family and all the species of the earth will be spared extinction. The ark is built, symbol of the boundaries of saving grace that would come through the body of Jesus and living in him.Note the time references to this ancient disaster that came upon the earth. In the midst of all the chaos of water defying the boundaries of land, there are time boundaries and the absolute certainty that from the Genesis passages here, to the Revelation chapters of these Thursdays, the Lord is in charge.

Genesis 6:9—8:14

This is the first of three parts of the Torah Portion Noah 
Conservative and Reform Jewish congregations read only this part this year, 
as also in this Bible plan. Here is the entire portion in all three parts. 

Genesis 6:9—11:32

Learn about Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: The Dove of Peace has rested. 8:12

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

Listen to Pastor Nick read the Firestarter and Luke 22:47-62.

We enter the scene of the betrayal and arrest of Jesus and the poignant denial of Peter. Jesus experiences the loneliness of being abandoned by his intimate friends. Only after the resurrection and the coming of the Spirit will Peter and the other disciples who had deserted Jesus surround the Lamb once again, as promised in 17:14 from yesterday’s reading. The blasphemies described in that reading are present on the lips of Jesus’s persecutors. What irony: after such atrocious behavior before the Lamb, Jesus’s persecutors accuse him of blasphemy!

Be present as a silent, faithful witness of Jesus’s sufferings. Feel every word and turn of events. Slow down the movement of Jesus’s suffering so that you can receive each one as so many drops of his blood filling your life-cup with the sacrament of his presence.

Luke 22:47–71

Create your own Bible Breaths Learn More…
Example: Jesus, you’re the Son of God. v. 70

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.