Habits Are Hard to Break
As of January 1st, I no longer have a regular preaching gig. This is a good thing. After almost 25 years of weekly preaching I feel more than a bit crispy and tired. I'm ready for a change of pace from the weekly grind of sermon prep. But we all know habits are hard to break. So today, I found myself listening to a favorite lectionary podcast and jotting down a few notes. The text for this Sunday (Epiphany 2B) is John 1: 43-51 . The pericope is a rich one for sure. Come and see and be transformed would certainly preach. Or unpack the question, "What are you looking for?" The same question asked of the soldiers at Jesus' arrest and of Mary in the garden following the resurrection. I'm struck, or maybe stuck, on the question, "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" The question reveals the community rivalry between Cana, Nathanael's hometown, and Nazareth. What is my Nazareth? Is it a neighborhood, a town, a region? What is that place or group o