Holy Words from Holy Cross

The more time we spend at something, the better we get at it.  Why do we expect an instant sense of connection with God in our prayer lives when we would not have that expectation for any other relat…

What is the purpose of prayer, the purpose of repentance, the purpose of many of the things Christians do?  Modern Christians are often captives of their own time, their thoughts and questions shaped…

Do we "get saved" once or do we come again and again to Jesus in repentance of our sins and trust in His forgiveness?  Christians sometimes argue about these things, but maybe that is the wrong appro…

I once heard someone say, "I want to walk with God, but I've got to wait until I'm ready."  Does God wait until we're ready before working with us, changing us, helping us become His agents of change…

Most people think the world could be improved, but we mostly think it could be improved if OTHER people would change something about themselves.  The life of Joseph from the Book of Genesis and the w…

"How can there be a God when there is so much evil and tragedy in the world?"  It is an honest question, and one with which Christians should reckon honestly.  It turns out that St. Paul did just tha…

Why don't we experience the glory of God in an unmistakable way all the time?  What stands in our way?  How does God overcome our spiritual blindness?  The story of Isaiah's calling has some importan…

As Americans face the biggest game of the year, enormous amounts of money are being spent to get us to buy things... How much would you pay for the most valuable thing in the world?  It may be availa…

When Jesus was baptized in the River Jordan, it served a different purpose than our own baptisms.  Why be baptized?  What benefits does it confer?  Is anything different after we are baptized INTO Ch…

In order to forestall tyranny, the United States adopted a "separation of powers" wherein in no branch of government is supposed to wield ultimate authority.  Yet, in the Nicene Creed, Christians pro…

Many of us have a "bucket list," a set of things we wish to do before leave this life.  What is most essential to have on that list?  Our readings the Sunday after Christmas help us learn God's answe…

When we discover our greatest strength, we discover our greatest weakness.  Can God do something with our weakness He could never do with our strength?

Most of us reach Christmas day less prepared than we wish we were.  The world was far from prepared for Jesus, and in some ways still is.  What is the blessing of being UNprepared?

The more things change, the more they stay the same... and one thing that has always been true of human nature is that some people are never satisfied.  They want it their way, but God insists on hav…

Most of human striving is for recognition and privilege.  In what circumstances are we all equals?  How does God make us equal?  John the Baptist's preaching was harsh, but it also holds the answer t…

Why do some people put their head in the sand when trouble looms?  The new atheists accuse religious people of refusing to look reality square in the eye--and undoubtedly some are guilty of that--but…

Most of us begin our prayers by asking God--or whatever we think of as God--for whatever it is we want.  Christian prayer is always addressed to the true God, the God who has revealed and named Himse…

"What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?"  The Apostle Paul uses these words to remind us that even the hardest working pers…

Because we all sin, we all hide from God in ways large and small.  This is the very opposite of what true prayer is about.  Making confession a part of our daily prayer helps us truly open ourselves …

We adore those who love us, for love is an incalculable gift.  The greater the person who loves us, the greater the adoration we feel if have any self perception, for we know that such love cannot be…