Ash Wednesday – the Little Things and Mystery © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com I delivered this homily at this year’s annual Ash Wednesday Service celebrated together by the faith communities of Wauwatosa Area United Methodist Church and Mary of Magdala, Apostle to the Apostles Community. George was my best friend growing up. He…
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Who knows where we are going? Thoughts on 6th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 11, 2018 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Today’s passage from the Gospel of Mark gains in meaning when placed alongside the same story of the healed leper in the other two synoptic gospels – Luke and Matthew. The spare, yet complete,…
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Who are we? Thoughts on 5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 4, 2018 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com “Who are we?” is the third in a series of questions we have been considering over the past three Sundays. We began first with “Who are You?” with consideration of Moses’ conversation with YHWH on Mount Horeb. …
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Who Am I? Thoughts on the 4th Sunday in Ordinary Time, January 28, 2018 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com So, here’s the thing about asking the “Who am I?” question. Well, it’s the thing for me, maybe for you too. Much first needs to be removed because the response to the question too often starts…
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Who Are You? Thoughts on Christian Unity Sunday, January 21, 2018 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Christian unity is the name we give to an effort that is marked with a lot of hand-wringing and agony over the actual disunity among the followers of Jesus. Unity being ever elusive, to celebrate unity in a liturgical…
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Spiritualiity, the Radical Notion © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Community blog: https://maryofmagdala-mke.org/blog This past weekend marked a moment for our Mary of Magdala community. The moment was about sharing and storytelling and spirituality. The moment lasted two days beginning with Saturday morning’s community meeting and flowing into Sunday’s Eucharist. Pastor Alice, who facilitated Saturday’s…
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The 12th Day is for Showing – Happy Epiphany! © by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com Here’s a thought or two for those (count me in) who operate on the conviction that the Epiphany story is an elegant myth. If you believe that the fulfillment in time and space of God’s Word requires the manifestation of…
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Thoughts on the Sunday between Christmas and New Year’s Day, December 31, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com This Sunday is a not quite this and a not yet that kind of day. Today is after Christmas but not yet New Year’s Day. It’s New Year’s Eve but we gather in the morning. With this…
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Advent …………… the feeling is mutual. Thoughts on the Third Sunday of Advent, December 17, 2017 – Gaudete “Rejoice” Sunday by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com This multi-layered reality we call Advent is at risk of being left-behind. Those who have little appreciation for a religion, a theology that is so much deeper than a “me…
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It’s Advent …………… what if I don’t feel it? Thoughts on the First Sunday of Advent, December 3, 2017 by Rev. Jim Ryan, jimryan6885@gmail.com The liturgical version of “What goes around comes around” means that, like it or not, Advent comes around every year – right about this time. If you’re not liturgical you don’t…
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