Cup o' Joe

Gospel of John, Chapter 8, verses 21-30Jesus continues to teach and challenge the Pharisees.  Today, He tells them that where He is going, they cannot follow.  Why would that be?  Is where Jesus is going an exclusive place?  Is this a punitive action on the part of Jesus?  Or is it something deeper?Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of John, Chapter 8, verses 12-20Jesus remains in the Temple area teaching the people after freeing the woman caught in adultery.  And Jesus reminds us that God is life...and that those who carry this life within us - Real Life! - will never walk in darkness, but rather are filled with the light of God.  It's a classic choice put before us: which do we choose?  Light or darkness?  Later, Jesus reminds the people that He knows who He is, what He is about and where He is going.  Would we be so blessed...

Gospel of John, Chapter 7, verses 1-2, 10, 25-30As the Feast of Tabernacles draws close and much of the Jewish population descends upon Jerusalem, Jesus is faced with a conundrum.  Does He stay up in Galilee where He is safe?  Or does He go to Jerusalem where they are trying to kill Him, but it is also where those to whom He was invited to minister are gathered? Of course, it is our conundrum, too.  Do we play it safe, or do we follow our conscience?  Do we listen to those voices in our heads arguing for safety or the One voice in our head inviting us to follow our mission?  Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of John, Chapter 5, verses 31-47Jesus continues speaking with the leaders of the Jewish Community in Jerusalem and, effectively, predates the quote centuries later that will be placed in the mouth of St. Francis: "Preach the Gospel at all times.  When necessary, use words."  Jesus underscores for the people of His time and the people of our time the importance of our witness.   Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of John, Chapter 5, verses 17-30Today's Gospel follows immediately after yesterday's, where Jesus healed the elderly crippled man and invited him to stand, pick up his mat, and go home.  So in today's Gospel, Jesus confronts the leadership of the Temple and attempts to pull them out of their small thinking.  It's a long soliloquy from Jesus, but it has some foundational questions for you and I today.  Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of John, Chapter 5, verses 1-16Jesus heads south to Jerusalem for another feast, and mingles among the blind, the lame and the crippled.  And where Jesus is, healing takes place.  However, trouble isn't far behind.  The leaders of the Jewish people get caught up in the small stuff and can't see the bigger picture.  This Gospel holds similar questions for us.

Gospel of John, Chapter 4, verses 43-54Jesus, after journeying through the middle region of Samaria, enters Galilee.  And while the people are happy to see Him, Jesus realizes that it is only because they heard of the things He did in Jerusalem during Passover.  But there was one person who came with a request - a royal official who trusted, at least partially, that Jesus could heal his son.  Today's Gospel shows that interchange...and it invites us into that same journey that the royal official is on.  Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 1, verses 26-38We take time out of this regularly scheduled Lenten Season to step into a different time and space - a Solemnity that transcends liturgical seasons.  Today celebrates not only my father-in-law's birthday, but also the Feast of the Annunciation.  God presents the plan to humanity, specifically a young woman in a small backwater town.  And all of heaven holds its' breath for her reply.  An interaction, by the way, the continues to repeat itself (in various and sundry forms) even today...Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 11, verses 14-23Jesus, after driving out a demon that was mute, is accused of driving out demons in the name of Beelzebul.  Jesus chastises those accusing him, however, saying that a kingdom divided against itself will not stand and that whoever is not with Him is against Him.  So just whom do we stand with?Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 5, verses 17-19Jesus, in the Sermon on the Mount, invites us not just to look at the letter of the Law, but at the heart.  And so to fulfill where it points, we must understand it at its essence.  And so it is true with us as well.Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 18, verses 21-35Peter approaches Jesus with a magnanimous offer - should I offer forgiveness to someone who wrongs me up to seven times?  Jesus uses a parable to teach him - and us - that there is no end to forgiveness.  We are either in the flow of God, or we are apart from it.  Forgiveness is not something God does.  It's who God is.Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 4, verses 24-30Jesus, fresh out of the desert after His baptism, goes to His native place...and the hometown people begin to doubt what they see.  Not because what they have seen is worth doubting - but because they won't allow themselves to believe.  And so Jesus is forced to go elsewhere.  Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 21, verses 33-43, 45-46Jesus shares with us another parable, specifically directed toward the Chief Priests and the Elders, about a vineyard owner, tenants and the produce expected.  And what was a story directed at a particular people 2,000 years ago can still find root within us today - inviting us to see God's trust, patience and expectation.  And beyond that, Jesus invites us to see the role of our defects within our lives.  Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 16, verses 19-31Jesus tells a parable about a rich man who dines sumptuously (named by the church Dives) and a poor man at his doorstep named Lazarus.  The story follows them not only in this life but into the next - and as we see Dives tormented in the fires of the afterlife and feeling the effects of the chasm, we are invited to ask ourselves: just what is the sin of Dives?  St. Patrick, pray for us!Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 20, verses 17-28Jesus is walking on the road to Jerusalem with his best friends...and he has two lessons for them:  1) Suffering is a reality in this world, but it is not the end and 2) The way of the world looks like domination and authority while the way of God looks like servitude.  None of this is sexy, which is why the road is narrow that leads to the Kingdom of God...Sorry for the late drop.  Will explain why on tomorrow's pod!Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 23, verses 1-12Jesus makes an example of who else?  The Pharisees and Scribes to invite us to look at how not to act.  Don't seek out lofty titles or places of honor.  Want to get ahead in the Kingdom of God?  Step down.  Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 6, verses 36-38Jesus is preaching His Sermon on the Plain and culminates it with the message - Be Merciful as God is Merciful.  Today, we take time on the podcast to look deeper at what that invites us to.  What do mercy and holiness look like?  And how does it differ from perfection and purity?  In a word?  It invites us into the Flow of God.  

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 5, verses 20-26Speaking from the Mount once again, Jesus reminds us of the power of the words we carry.  They have the power to build up and the power to destroy.  And they reveal the life that we carry within us...or not.  Are our feet firmly established in the Kingdom or elsewhere?  Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 7, verses 7-12Jesus speaks to us of God's magnanimity...but also of our need to be involved in working for the Kingdom.  It's not magic.  God doesn't do all the work.  We have to choose our level of involvement.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 11, verses 29-32Jesus is confronted by the crowds, who are asking for another sign in order that they may believe Him.  But Jesus says that no other sign will be given, except the Sign of Jonah.  But what, exactly, is the Sign of Jonah?  And why does that matter to us today?Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 7-15If the Sermon on the Mount is the heart of Matthew's Gospel, then we are at the center of the heart.  And what do we find there?  The essentials of God and Prayer.  It's really all about those two things.  One is the very center.  And the other brings us to the heart of the centerOriginal score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 25, 31-46My friends, we are not called to be plaster saints, hands folded, eyes looking upward, hearts distant, walking through the world unscathed.  That would be awful.  Real holiness doesn't look anything like that.  Real holiness is in the trenches and in the unseen places with the unseen masses.  Real holiness calls us out of ourselves and takes real effort.  And we know it when we see it.   Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 9, verses 14-15The writer of the Book of Ecclesiastes reminds us that there is a time for every purpose under heaven, including both fasting and feasting.  What time is it today for you?  Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 9, verses 22-25Jesus preaches the paradox of the Gospel to not only His disciples, but to all of us.  The choice is simple, but not easy - do you save your life and thus lose it?  Or do you lose it and, paradoxically, gain it?  Your true self lies in the balance.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 6, verses 1-6, 16-18As we move into a new season on this Ash Wednesday, Jesus lays out the three-fold aspects of Lent: Prayer, Fasting & Almsgiving.  But while doing so, Jesus reminds us of the traps that lay before us...namely ourselves and our intentions.  We begin our 40-day retreat today.  How you do it is to be a dialogue between you and God.  May we all use the time well.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 10, verses 28-31As we celebrate Fat Tuesday, we hear a Gospel that goes hand in hand with yesterday's message: Will we have hands that are unable to let go of our possessions, or can we open them and set ourselves free.  Jesus points out the benefit of a life not controlled by possession in today's message.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 10, verses 17-27As Jesus sets out on another journey, He is approached by a young man with many possessions - asking how he can possess yet one more thing: the Kingdom.  Jesus answers him in love.  But where Jesus is inviting the young man to go is someplace the young man is not able to travel.  At least not yet.  Some roots in the young man - and in us - grow deep.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 10, verses 1-12Jesus is not afraid to take on controversy, but He doesn't allow others to set the narrative.  And so when the Pharisees bring up the age old controversy of divorce and try to paint Jesus in a corner, Jesus will have nothing of it.  Instead, Jesus reminds us what the very root and image of marriage is about - and those words echo through history to us.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 9, verses 41-50Jesus speaks of those aspects of our lives - be they feet, hands and eyes or attitudes, ideas and practices - that separate us from God.  And He has little time for them.  Either these things bring us closer to God and God's Kingdom, or they draw us farther away.  And if they are separating us from God, what are we willing to do about that?Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 9, verses 38-40In this brief reading, the apostle John attempts to create boundaries around who can minister in Jesus's names and who cannot.  Jesus sets him straight.  In one of the shortest Gospels we've had recently, Jesus stares straight through 2,000 years of history and asks us if we have learned the lesson or not yet.St Polycarp, pray for usOriginal score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 16, verses 13-19On this Feast of the Chair of St. Peter, we hear a story very familiar with us.  And not the least of which is because we heard Mark's rendition of it last Thursday.  But our focus changes with this feast day.  Instead of focusing on Jesus's question, we focus on the keys and the role of Peter within and among the group of apostles.PS - my apologies for the late upload.  For whatever reason, the server was not uploading this morning.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk.

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 9, verses 14-29Today we hear a story of Jesus healing in a place of both faith and doubt.  Let that be good news to us, for it is in that place that most of us live. My apologies to listeners today: for some reason the volume of the podcasts increases significantly around the 17:40 mark of the pod today.  I'm uncertain of the reason why, but be aware so that you don't drive off the road with the sudden volume increase ;)Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapters 8/9, verses 34-1Jesus picks up from where he left off in his chastening of Peter, this time inviting the crowd (read: you and me!) around to hear it.  The ultimate question?  Who is leading whom?  If we are leading, we will often end up in the exact wrong spot - placing ourselves, our ego and our comfort in the center.  If Jesus is leading, it's going to go places not only unexpected but also unwanted.  Do we trust Him enough to follow on that road?Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 8, verses 27-33Jesus, walking with his disciples in the area of Caesarea Philippi, has the courage to ask two questions: Who do people say that I am? and Who am I to you?  These are questions that can only be asked either by someone searching for an identity or someone already certain of their identity.  Jesus is the latter.  All too often, we are the former.  The Gospel turns on this question, because it points toward where Jesus will now be headedOriginal score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 8, verses 22-26In a unique story that is only found in the Gospel of Mark (I believe), a blind man is brought to Jesus and asked to be healed.  What takes place is both humorous and poignant.  And it has something to say to you and I today as well.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 8, verses 14-21Presumably on the same day that Jesus just fed the multitude with a handful of loaves of bread, the disciples are crossing the Sea of Galilee w/ Jesus and are concerned because they forgot to bring any food with them.  Jesus, however, has something different on His mind: beware of the food that the Pharisees and followers of Herod are giving out.  Which menu do we order from?Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 8, verses 11-13On this Feast of Ss. Cyril & Methodius (ok, and St Valentine!), Jesus is confronted (I'm shocked!) by the Pharisees, demanding a sign from heaven to test Him.  This is immediately following Jesus's feeding of the 5,000 - so I'm not quite sure how they missed that one.  Their eyes are closed to what is all around them.  And while it's easy to chuckle from a distance, are we all that different?  Ss. Cyril, Methodius and Valentine, pray for us.  

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 7, verses 31-37We conclude Mark's seventh chapter with another encounter of a Gentile in Gentile Territory - this one blind with a speech impediment.  Jesus takes him off on his own...and only there is wholeness found.  My friends, there is truth there for us as well - and it relates to our baptism.Then I tell a story of our daughter Bridget (the same one who created the music for this podcast) in relation to this feast day: Our Lady of LourdesOriginal score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 7, verses 24-30Today's Gospel is a real challenge.  Jesus tries to escape to non-Jewish territory but is met by a Gentile woman.  And in this interchange, Jesus treats her in a way that He treats no one else in all of the Gospels, at least to my recollection.  Is He testing her?  Is He tired and ornery?  Does He need to be opened?  I invite you into the enigma that this Gospel presents and to chew on the answer with me...St. Scholastica - pray for usOriginal score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 7, verses 14-23Jesus turns His attention from the Pharisees and Scribes to the crowds and focuses on a single issue: how do we pollute the environment around us?  Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 7, verses 1-13Some Pharisees and Scribes from Jerusalem come up to spend time with Jesus - and give him a hard time about how His disciples don't keep the traditions of the elders.  Jesus has no problem holding a mirror up to them and challenging them on their understanding of tradition.  With a Gospel like that, it's an appropriate time to talk about the Tradition of the Church vs. what traditions the church holds.  And what are the blessings and pitfalls of traditions?Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 6, verses 53-56Jesus draws closer to his home in Capernaum, where He is well known - and the crowds come out in droves to hear Him, bringing their sick to Him for healing.  And how does much of this healing happen?  Through touch.  We hear today in this Gospel reading of how we recognize Christ and of the importance of touch in our lives as well.Original Score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 6, verses 14-29We step away from the story of Jesus to instead focus on Herod Antipas and John the Baptist.  It's a story we know well: adultery, speaking truth to power, dances and being trapped in our own promises.  So what does it have to teach us today?  Plenty.  Let's start w/ our own baggage.Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 6, verses 7-13Jesus summons his friends and sends them out two by two on mission.  But prior to sending, he instructs them not to take too much along with them.  Trust in God.  Trust in the goodness of those to whom they will minister.  Trust in themselves.  And do so with a joyful heart, because that will be the witness as to how life can be approached differently.  There seems to be a message for us in there as well...Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Luke, Chapter 2, verses 22-32It is 40 days after the Great Feast of Christmas - and so today we celebrate the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.  This feast celebrates and focuses on two people: Jesus and Mary.  Poor Joseph was along for the ride.  Consecration and Purification.  And it holds lessons for us today.  

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5, verses 21-43We close out chapter 5 of Mark's Gospel (in two days!) with another long reading containing a story within a story: two women, suffering and moving closer to death.  Both cause acts of desperation.  And both lead toward salvation and new life.  What do we have to learn within these stories?  It's ok to be honest with God.  And desperation can, at times, lead us to a safe harbor. 

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 5, verses 1-20On this feast of St. John Bosco, Jesus gets into a boat with his friends and crosses over to the other side of Lake Galilee.  What he encounters there is a madman, awe, anger and ultimately healing.  He simply had to have the courage to make the journey.  Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 4, verses 26-34We celebrate Thomas Aquinas, one of the most brilliant minds in all of Christianity.  And one of Thomas's tenants: God can be rationally seen within creation.  So what better than to apply that reasoning to our Gospel today.  Jesus uses two other images for what the Kingdom of God is like and he uses images that would be familiar to the people to whom he is speaking.  Growth and seeds.  Time and Life.  It's God's work -- but we participate within it.  Just keep swimming...Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 4, verses 21-25Jesus, fresh from speaking to us about planting the seed in good soil, reminds us that that seed is within to be grown.  The light is given to us in order to be shown, not hidden.  And counterintuitively, in giving it away, we find we have more to give.  Generosity begets generosity.  Original score written and performed by Bridget Zenk

Gospel of Mark, Chapter 4, verses 1-20Another day, another feast - today the Feast of Ss. Timothy & Titus.  Today we hear Jesus teach a familiar parable - the sower and the seeds.  Our challenge?  Don't let it get too familiar.  Let's invite ourselves into the story and ask - which soil, which field are we today and how do we become familiar when the soil within us changes?  And what field are we sowing the seed in today?Original music written and performed by Bridget Zenk