Selfies would be a nightmare for Luther. Or Zoom meetings where you keep looking at yourself and how you look when looking at the camera.

We are so wired to decode every parable in the same way. King or authority equals God. Son equals Jesus. Banquets are basically figures of speech for communion. The disciples are the good people, the Pharisees the bad. End of story.

There is a limit to everything. Too much is too much.

Back in elementary school, I remember learning about the cycle of water for the first time. It’s the cycle that enables all life on earth. A cycle of blessings.

Nobody really seemed to know how to pigeon-hole us. We were Christians from Germany, living in Berkeley, hanging out with cowboys-at-heart, letting our kids admire their guns, listening to their stories. None of this made sense.

A wolf’s rule according to a poster at the Oakland Zoo is: “Talk more, fight less.” It basically summarizes today’s Gospel. Sounds easy.

So much has happened since March. It seems like the world stopped turning and speeded up all at once.

“Who am I to you?” That’s the kind of question calling for trouble. We all know that. It’s the perfect indication that something is wrong. “Who am I to you?” will almost always end in a conflict that will reveal some truths.

Naomi is the mother of a beautiful daughter. The girl suffers daily, and nobody knows what it is. Why she can’t just be like all the other kids?

Jesus tells us a parable. And that’s usually great for me as a preacher. Well, this one time it’s different.

They considered Jesus to be “a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinner.” Because he ate and drank like regular people do. And that’s highly suspicious for the Son of Man, right?

Today, I want to tell you the story of Noah. Not the old Noah who survived in a boat with animals. Another Noah who survived a big flood in his life.

It’s awful. It feels like it will never end. It changes how you behave completely. It defines who you interact with and who you are afraid of. It is always on your mind. It defines your reality.

How many pictures of a Jesus with dark skin have you ever seen in your life? And I am not talking about old icons that turn dark by age. I am talking about portraits of Jesus as the man of color he was.

Theo also saw his great-grandfather and our deceased dog in the skies, God and Jesus, and Mary. All of them were happily in heaven and he was so glad to know that our dog was watching God now. What an eternal upgrade.

“No, I am fine. Don’t worry. Thanks for asking.”

I didn’t even notice it. I just bought it, every time. Until our freezer filled up with ice-cream off all kinds. The kids love ice-cream, but even they couldn’t eat as much as I kept buying.

“Do what they tell you. Whether it is reasonable or unreasonable. Because it is not about you and your freedom.”

Two friends are walking down a street. It’s something they used to do in a group of 13 or more. Just a week ago. Which seems like a life ago. Now, it’s only the 2 of them.

There he is again. Thomas, our Easterly friend.