“As a teacher for many years I learned that you cannot progress the class along based upon the needs of those who are at the very head of the class, it is always necessary to make sure that those who are the furthest behind get what they need to catch up. And often the very best thing that those who are far ahead in the class can do, is stop, turn around, and offer help and assistance to those who are lagging.”

“Undoubtedly Jesus knew of the illness by this time and very probably offered to help. Immediately after he rebuked the fever (which people associated with possession of evil in those days), the mother-in-law immediately got out of bed and headed for the kitchen to cook for the whole group as if she’d never been ill.”

“Sergius of Radonezh was born with the given name of Bartholomew sometime around 1314. (We really only know the date of his death, and he reportedly died at the age of 78.  His older brother Stefan had chosen the monastic life, and Sergei followed suit, being given the name of Sergius (Sergei).  Yet almost from the get-go he started persuading Stefan that the two of them should move to a more secluded spot to practice their vocation, and eventually the two of them settled in the woods.”

“Last week we saw God provide them with meat and bread, manna and quail that fell from the sky, and all the Israelites had to do was go and pick it up. Today, it’s water—or, specifically, the perceived lack of it. Gripe, gripe, gripe. Complain, complain, complain.”