Author Archives: Chaplainmike

Demythologizing “Radical” Christianity (2)

By Chaplain Mike I remember meeting with a friend over lunch one day. We had been in Bible college together. I had gone on into the ministry in a small church in the Vermont mountains. He never was able to find his way into “full-time ministry.” And he felt terrible about it. One of theContinue reading “Demythologizing “Radical” Christianity (2)”

The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies On The Cross

Scripture From noon to three, the whole earth was dark. Around mid-afternoon Jesus groaned out of the depths, crying loudly, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” Some bystanders who heard him said, “He’s calling for Elijah.” One of them ran and got a sponge soaked inContinue reading “The Twelfth Station: Jesus Dies On The Cross”

Demythologizing “Radical” Christianity (1)

By Chaplain Mike As genuine Christianity diminishes, the adjectives we require in our attempt prop it up get more and more outlandish. One such example is the word, “radical.” It’s not enough to be a Christian, one must identify as a “radical” Christian to show that one is really, really serious about Jesus and “theContinue reading “Demythologizing “Radical” Christianity (1)”

The Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross

Scripture “They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means The Place of the Skull). Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And they crucified him …” (Mark 15:22-24, with references in Meditation to Genesis 22:1-18, Zechariah 13:1, Matthew 27:33-44, Mark 15:22-32, Luke 23:32-43, John 19:18-24, 2Continue reading “The Eleventh Station: Jesus is Nailed to the Cross”

Tenth Station: Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments

Scripture And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. (Matthew 27: 35, NIV. See also Genesis 3: 7 and Matthew 21:18.) Meditation Jesus is at the top SkullContinue reading “Tenth Station: Jesus Is Stripped Of His Garments”

Show Me the Way to Go Home

By Chaplain Mike Let me put this question to you: How did your new life begin? Was it by working your heads off to please God? Or was it by responding to God’s Message to you? Are you going to continue this craziness? For only crazy people would think they could complete by their ownContinue reading “Show Me the Way to Go Home”

Liturgy of the Palms

By Chaplain Mike Today’s Gospel: Matthew 21:1-11 (see Psalm 118) hymn for palm sunday color, color everywhere greets the king on donkey’s foal crowds are gath’ring! now, come quickly! bless the lord with heart and soul! pathway lined by royal sage zion’s skies are dazzling blue hail messiah! sing hosanna! bless the lord who visitsContinue reading “Liturgy of the Palms”

The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time

Scripture “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” (Isaiah 53:3 NIV). “In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should makeContinue reading “The Ninth Station: Jesus Falls the Third Time”

The Eighth Station: Jesus Meets The Women Of Jerusalem

Scripture A huge crowd of people followed, along with women weeping and carrying on. At one point Jesus turned to the women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children. The time is coming when they’ll say, ‘Lucky the women who never conceived! Lucky the wombs thatContinue reading “The Eighth Station: Jesus Meets The Women Of Jerusalem”