Presbymom

  Sometimes it feels like Jesus’ parables were in an accidental order a hodgepodge – but then take a step back and look at the order and content. The grouping in chapter 18 before these verses deals with:   An unjust judge who grants a widow justice because she is persistent, a pharisee who thought he was righteous - and a tax collector who knelt at Jesus feet begging for mercy knowing he was a sinner, he is the one who Jesus says is justified. We also hear the parable of the rich man who followed the law but couldn’t give away all his belongings and is then told it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God. A blind man at the gates of Jericho had such strong faith that Jesus tells him his faith has healed him. And now – we enter Jericho having listened to parables about righteousness, wealth, and mercy. Maybe we have it figured out – let’s see.  Luke 19:1-10 (NRSVue)   He entered Jericho and was ...

  As I sat in a frozen community this week, I was restricted to an electronic world and communication through screens. Yet, I found a few forgotten friends and a few new ones.     Technology warned me before the storm to prepare!    My daughter thanks Alexa after an interaction is finished – “you just never know” she says.    Science fiction abounds with horror and fantasy of artificial intelligence becoming human – enhancing or replacing us as the wise dominant species of the known world. As a pastor who began my career in artificial intelligence (AI), it brings me pause as our world shrinks, bends and redefines what we ‘know’.   This week that took the form of articles on AI writing sermons. Is this ethical? Effective? Helpful or the end of church as we know it? The concept of papers being written by this other intelligence was safely removed from my realm of existence until it wasn’t. I happily type along and let my word processor correct my sp...