A Psychologist looks at Scripture

Send us Fan Mail This teaching on leadership must have been revolutionary to the first listeners to this teaching.  Jesus addresses this in Mark 10:42-45, as Jesus called them together and said, "You know that those who are regarded as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. Not so with you. Instead, whoever wants to become great among...

Send us Fan Mail Peace is not just an absence of conflict.  Lasting peace needs justice.  There are also several levels of peace.  There is peace between countries, communities, families and ultimately our own internal peace.  Most of us are not in a position to directly impact peace between countries but we can work for peace within our communities, our families and ultimately ourselves.  Are we...

Send us Fan Mail This Gospel is one of the early resurrection stories.  We read about Mary of Magdala going to the tomb, knowing that she would not likely be able to go into the tomb because it would be blocked by a huge stone; but she went anyway.  She gets to the empty tomb and understandably believes the body has been taken away.  Later she would recognize Jesus.  Getting back to this story Pet...

Send us Fan Mail This Gospel is an account of the last meal Jesus had with his disciples.  The meal is better known as the last supper.  Soon Jesus' earthly mission will be over.  The disciples do not realize yet that this evening is going to take a very different turn.   I wonder what Jesus was feeling.  We read that he was in agony in the garden but what was he feeling when he is having thi...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s Gospel is a teaching, Gospel.  Its also unusual.  In most instances the person seeks out Jesus or recognizes him before asking for something.  I suspect the woman in this story wanted to be anywhere else but there.   She was not only embarrassed but terrified.  Without Jesus’ intervention she faced a painful death.   She has a brief but powerful conversation with Jesus. An...

Send us Fan Mail Jesus describes a young man who wants adventure and asks for his share of his father’s estate.  After he receives his inheritance, he leaves and lives a carefree life.  I want to draw your attention to the fact that he did not earn the money he is spending, it is his father’s hard-earned money.  This would be a good time to pause and reflect on the many opportunities that we enjoy...

Send us Fan Mail In this Gospel Jesus talks about two situations where innocent people were killed.  Jesus articulates the thoughts of the people who believed that the people who were killed were not only responsible for their misfortunate but that their bad luck was likely a result of God punishing them.  Jesus challenges this “blaming the victim’ stance.   This theme, namely  that misfortune is...

Send us Fan Mail This Podcast focusses on one of the most unusual Gospel passages of all the Gospels; the Transfiguration.  Moses and Elijah appear with Jesus in front of  Peter, James and John.  The event seems unexpected and following  the event the disciples are silent about the experience.  They don’t tell anyone.  How could they possibly explain to someone what they saw and then expect to be...

Send us Fan Mail We don’t know for sure what Jesus actually did while he was in the desert. In biblical times, going to the desert held significant spiritual, symbolic, and practical meanings. Here are some key aspects of its significance. The desert was often a place where individuals were prepared for their destinies. The desert offered solitude, which was conducive to reflection and prayer.  Jo...

Send us Fan Mail Jesus is calling his followers to be wise.  He gives a few tools on how to be wise.  The list is not complete.  What is wisdom?  Wisdom is correlated with intelligence but its not absolute.  I suspect you may know someone who is highly educated but not wise, often making the same mistake over and over again.  On the other hand, you may know someone else who may not have all the ac...

Send us Fan Mail Christians are called to go beyond the bare minimum.  Let’s unpack this Gospel, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.  Bless those who curse you.  Tough words.  The basic message is Jesus telling the people that your actions should be based on your personal values not a reaction to someone else’s bad behavior.  The teaching is a call to freedom.  Sure, it hurts when so...

Send us Fan Mail The Beatitudes are not merely statements of happiness; they encapsulate profound spiritual truths about God's kingdom and our spiritual development. They highlight qualities such as humility, mercy, and a thirst for righteousness, promising future rewards for those who embody these traits. Consequently, the Beatitudes are foundational teachings outlining the ethical and spiri...

Send us Fan Mail The call of Peter and the other disciples illustrates God's invitation for us to follow Him. Despite his initial reluctance and desire to return home after a long night of fishing, Peter allows Jesus into his boat. This kind of openness is crucial for our own spiritual growth. I want to emphasize the moment when Jesus asks Peter to lower his nets for a catch—this serves as bo...

Send us Fan Mail When Jesus was presented in the temple, it was likely an ordinary event among many similar presentations each week. However, Simeon and Anna's ability to perceive something extraordinary suggests that spirituality often eludes those who do not actively seek it. What insights did they possess that others lacked? This passage prompts us to consider whether God communicates with...

Send us Fan Mail During Sabbath services, it was customary for males to read from Scripture or the Torah. Jesus reads from the scroll of the prophet Isaiah, which is significant because Isaiah made many prophecies about the Messiah.  The Gospel of Matthew speaks about how these prophecies are fulfilled.   This reading serves as a blueprint for Jesus’ ministry.   Even though Jesus is reading from t...

Send us Fan Mail The Gospel today is about the first miracle that Jesus performed. It is unique. There are no healings, or obvious teachings. The teaching is actually rather subtle. Jesus makes wine for a wedding at the request or expectation of his mother. There are a few points that I want to draw your attention to because they are useful teachings about spirituality. The first is the amount of...

Send us Fan Mail In Luke’s Gospel we have a brief description of Jesus being baptized by his cousin, John the Baptist. The details are scarce. We don’t know why Jesus chose to participate in this ritual or how it impacted his ministry.  This story is problematic however, as this ritual was designed for sinners, why would Jesus who had not sinned be participating in this ritual?  This is a good les...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s Gospel the arrival of the Magi is noted.  This Gospel is full of symbolism about who Jesus would be.  Some biblical traditions list the Magi as kings and some traditions have even named them, Caspar (or Gaspar), Melchior, and Balthazar.  Likely, this naming is primarily derived from Western Christian tradition.  Its highly unlikely that three kings would have gone  into...

Send us Fan Mail I like to do something special for Lent and Advent. Last Easter I set up an internet retreat. This Christmas season I want to talk about the spirituality of New Years Resolutions. I feel very strongly about this. I am surprised the Church doesn’t say more about New Years Resolutions.  I believe there is something spiritual happening when people at the end of the year look at their...

Send us Fan Mail The Gospel today is quite different from our usual readings. It is a story from when Jesus was a twelve-year-old boy.  This Gospel story is likely every parent’s nightmare; having one of their children lost. I can hardly imagine what Mary and Joseph were going through during those 3 days of searching for their son, Jesus. It seems that Jesus knew early in his life or  might have h...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s podcast we have Mary visiting her cousin Elizabeth.  There are several points in this Gospel I want to point out.  We have Mary who is pregnant herself going to help her cousin Elizabeth  .  Mary’s sense of service is obvious.  We know that Elizabeth  was likely past childbearing years.  She was not able to have a child in a culture that expected women to have children,...

Send us Fan Mail In this podcast from Luke, we hear more about John the Baptist.  John is giving advice to individuals who want to change their life to reflect their beliefs.  These individuals realize that their faith is not just practiced on holy days but will also impact their behavior at work and at home.  There are a couple of key points that I want to draw your attention to.  When asked what...

Send us Fan Mail In today’s podcast we are introduced to John also known as John the Baptist not to be confused with the apostle John, the beloved disciple.  John the Baptist was related to Jesus, his mother Elizabeth and Mary, the mother of Jesus were first cousins.  Likely John and Jesus knew each other growing up.  John is seen as the one prophesized by the great prophet Isaiah to prepare the p...

Send us Fan Mail We are encouraged to stand firm Lk 21:19 and be careful (Lk 21:34). These are valuable lessons for life, not just for coping with the end times but also applicable in the present moment.  I wonder if Jesus was talking about the end of the world or teaching us something about our spiritual lives.   I wonder if Jesus is telling us to be resilient and be determined.  We are called to...

Send us Fan Mail Jesus is asked by Pontius Pilate if he is the king of the Jews.  Pilate is not talking about a heavenly kingdom but an earthly kingdom.  Pilate was not making an act of faith.  He wanted to know if Jesus was a political threat or not.  Jesus responds knowing that Pilate would not likely understand but encourages Pilate and the listeners to learn about God’s kingdom.  Pilate’s pers...