by jakeowensby | May 1, 2020 | grace, John 10:1-10
As she entered her second term of psychological studies at university, the now-renowned mental health researcher Eleanor Longden began hearing a voice. Initially, a single speaker would dispassionately narrate mundane things like her ordinary comings and goings. The...
by jakeowensby | Jan 4, 2019 | Matthew 2:1-12
My dog Gracie frequently holds my gaze for several moments at a time. She peers directly into my eyes. Researchers have found that extended eye contact between dog and companion affects the secretion of oxytocin. Oxytocin is a hormone that regulates neural...
by jakeowensby | May 4, 2018 | 6 Easter, John 15:9-17
“I teach to their eyes,” my friend Tom once told me. Middle aged with thinning, slicked back hair, Tom wore grey Hush Puppies and favored polyester pants. The black, rimless frames of his eyeglasses were vintage 1950’s. His syllabus assigned a burdensome reading load....
by jakeowensby | Mar 31, 2018 | Easter Day, John 20:1-18
In the early hours of the third day, Mary Magdalene went with a group of women to Jesus’ tomb. They carried spices to anoint his shattered, lifeless body. At least, that’s how Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell the story. In John’s Gospel, Mary Magdalene arrives at the tomb...
by jakeowensby | Jan 12, 2018 | 2 Epiphany B, grace, John 1:43-51
Star Wars fans have been mixed in their reception of “The Last Jedi.” My daughter Meredith and I saw it together. We both loved it, each for our own reasons. Among other things, the role of holy texts in the Jedi religion caught my attention. Doing my best to avoid...
