Jesus used it in this sense in Matt 5:4 when he said blessed are those who mourn, for they will be ‘paracleted’. So here there is a sense of sitting with someone in trouble and giving them a listening ear and a cup of tea. … More John 14:23-29
Sometimes we make a big deal about Jesus’ greeting in verse 19, as if he were dispensing a tangible dollop of concord on his disciples. But ‘peace be with you’ was simply the standard greeting back then. Still is in many places. … More John 20:19-31
Epiphany 1 – It’s easy to fake repentance, and even great deeds, as Jesus said in Matt 7. “On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many deeds of power in your name?’ Then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; go away from me, you evildoers.’” Ouch! Their faith was not real. It looked great from the outside, but had no inside. So how can we tell what’s real beauty and what’s just good make-up? How can we tell real repentance from following the crowd? How can we tell wheat from chaff? … More Baptism of Christ – Luke 3:15-17, 21-22
The Reflectionary 