Lection: Luke 8

June 22, 2025

1 Kings 19:1-15a
Luke 8:26-39

“Talking about Mental Wellbeing”

When I read the Scripture stories that were set for this Sunday in the Revised Common Lectionary, it was the mental anguish that stood out to me. Jesus met a man who was tormented by a legion of demons. In a Roman army at that time, a legion was 6000 soldiers – so we’re talking about thousands of demons tormenting this poor man – filling his mind with negative thoughts, taunting him with threats and misinformation, plaguing him with anxiety and fear, and keeping him from living a fruitful and happy life.

Although first century people described what they saw in this man as a legion of demons, in the millenia since that time, we’ve come to understand that not only our bodies, but also our minds can suffer illness and cause all kinds of mental anguish.

As a young adult, I had the opportunity to learn a little about mental health when I worked for a few years in a group home that supported folks living with these kinds of challenges. I learned a little about bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and OCD. And I started to recognize severe anxiety, depression, and manic episodes, as I worked … Read more »

June 23, 2019

1 Kings 19:1-15a
Psalm 42
Luke 8:26-39

“In the Strength of that Food”

This is the season in the Church Year that is called “Ordinary Time.” If I were dressed more formally in my alb and stole, I’d be wearing the dark green stole and I’d be sticking with that colour all the way through from now until Advent at the end of November.

Now, it’s not called “ordinary time” because it’s nothing special or just a regular Sunday. Ordinary Time actually refers to the ordinal numbering of the Sundays after Pentecost. Today is the 2nd Sunday after Pentecost, and we’ll keep counting the Sundays like that all through the summer and fall.

But some commentaries suggest that paying attention to the more common meaning of the word “ordinary” may actually help us think about what comes after big events for a community. We celebrated Holy Week and Easter with great planning, and many people involved, and special music and liturgies. We marked Pentecost too – the birthday of the church – and rejoiced in the gift of the Holy Spirit poured out to give us courage, and confidence, and wisdom in sharing the good news with all people.

Now that the high holy days are past, … Read more »

June 23, 2013

1 Kings 19:1-15a
Psalm 42
Luke 8:26-39

“I Shall Again Praise God”

Over the last several weeks, today, and next Sunday, the Old Testament readings in the lectionary have been the great stories of the prophet Elijah. We heard about Elijah challenging the prophets of Baal to a contest between the gods, and demonstrating powerfully that the God of Israel is the one true God.

Then we had the story about Elijah’s visit to a poor widow in Zarephath. He invited her to share the few resources she had in the midst of a drought, and with God’s help he multiplied her grain and her oil so that she and her family were fed for many days. Then when the widow’s son died, God gave Elijah the power to raise him back to life, and he did.

We skipped over last week’s reading about Elijah in order to celebrate Christian Family Sunday, but it was the one in which King Ahab and his wife Jezebel get a man killed in order to take possession of his vineyard. God sends Elijah to challenge the king and accuse him of his wrongdoing. Elijah serves as the prophet of truth and justice, assuring the … Read more »