The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is a familiar story. For those who do not know it: Jacob has 2 wives. He has Leah and Rachel, and two concubines, Bilhah and Zilpah. He has 6 sons with Leah and one daughter, 2 sons with Bilhah on behalf of Leah, 2 sons with Zilpah on behalf of Rachael and 2 sons with Rachael. They are the daughters of Laban who took Jacob in when he ran away from Esau from whom Jacob cheated out of the birth right. The

The story of Lazarus and the rich man has an eternal lesson: God is always in front of us and in the least likely places. We do not need to know how Lazarus got to a place where he had to beg, how his health deteriorated to a point where his legs had sores, or anything else. All we need to know is that he needed help and a person who could have helped walked by him every day. Even after they both died, the rich man still treated Lazarus like a servant when he asked Abraham t

Today’s gospel was the first gospel I offered a public reflection on while I was in college. Every time I have read it since, I am drawn to the last lines: Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave These are sobering words to anyone called to leadership in the church. It is easy to be caught up in power. It can be intoxicating for many. Jesus reminds us today that if we want greatness, then