"Jesus sought to challenge and change Israel's expectations.  He was conceived by the Holy Spirit but out of wedlock.  He was born in Bethlehem but in the humblest of environments.  His arrival was announced by angels but to a bunch of shepherds.  He lived in Egypt as a refugee.  He grew up in an insignificant backwater town called Nazareth.  Jesus did everything he could to enter into the world in a way that communicated that while he was indeed the Messiah, he did not come in power to militarily or politically overthrow their Roman oppressors and establish another earthly kingdom.  But changing those expectations was one of the biggest difficulties that Jesus faced throughout his earthly ministry."

"The Church is not for ready-made saints. The Church is for sinners, doubters, half-brewed Christians, conversions-in-process, tipsy wagon-riders who tumble off and climb back on again."

"We must risk delight. We can do without pleasure, but not delight. Not enjoyment. We must have the stubbornness to accept our gladness in the ruthless furnace of this world. To make injustice the only measure of our attention is to praise the Devil."

“If you’re willing to sin to obtain your goal or if you sin when you don’t get what you want, then your desire has taken God’s place and you’re functioning as an idolater.”

“It is a core part of our mission to offer thoughts and prayers. But our prayers must include confession and the promise of repentance, hope and the plea for strength to do what is right, a calling to account of those in power-- especially when we hold power ourselves -- and the admonition of evil and yearning for the kingdom of God.”