It is interesting to me that today’s Gospel selection (JN 7: 40-53) begins where it does:

Some in the crowd who heard these words of Jesus said… 

In what follows, there is no direct mention made about the actual words that Jesus said, which elicits so many responses from the crowd. …

Epistemology is a philosophical term that refers to the nature of knowledge.  It asks questions like:  How can we actually know anything at all and what exactly is knowledge?  And given any definition, we may ascribe to knowledge what exactly are its parameters or limits? …

Is there one thing that you could say is more precious to you than anything else? Something that should you lose it, you would be devastated. Something that is life to you, or even something that is more than life to you, something you would give your life for.…

Something happened in the night. She couldn’t recall all of it.  Was it a dream?  Was it real?  She awoke and knew instinctively that something was different. No…EVERYTHING was different.  She was scared and afraid to move.  The floor felt cold and somehow safe. …

The old spiritual “Wade in the Water” is a song that that gives covert direction as well as spiritual consolation.  As many of the spiritual songs sung by slaves, the words of the songs contained hidden meanings or codes that instructed escaping slaves attempting to escape on the Underground Railroad, as well as edifying them in their Christian faith.  …