A journey with Luke

04/06/2026

10/28/2025

I’m thankful to have been asked to be a speaker at the first Nashville Neighborhood Summit next Saturday, November 1 from 1-4pm. The summit is a grassroots event organized by folks who are involved in their own neighborhood groups. The organizing committee is led by Alex Abels from the Renraw neighborhood and Alexa Little from the Glencliff neighborhood. Both leaders have taken great strides to build connections with people in their hyperlocal communities, but also to empower others to do the same in their own communities.

This free event will do just that. Attendees will hear stories from local neighborhood leaders, including a keynote from Mike Hodge. You will also get resources from non-profit organizations, like the Civic Design Center and Greenways for Nashville, that will outline the steps for taking action to make change. Whether you are new to community involvement or already leading a neighborhood group, you will gain tools, inspiration, and connections to make your neighborhood stronger.

The event is free and being hosted at Nashville Public Library - Donelson Branch!

Link to RSVP: https://www.civicdesigncenter.org/all-events/neighborhood-summit

10/15/2025

Luke 18:1-8 is the story of the persistent widow who defiantly pesters the unrepentant judge to hear her case and give her justice. His lack of empathy for her human condition is openly on display with no hint of shame but he gives in to get rid of her. Jesus tells the disciples if they are persistent in prayer that the loving Gd they worship is much easier to persuades and willing and able to show compassion and justice. It is a plea for faithfulness in living. A righteous person will find justice. A person who turns to Gd will be shown grace. Does this reflect reality? In the history of the human race with all the pogroms and genocidal behavior, the famine and murderous destruction, does this believe seem practical. Of course it is a faith claim Jesus is making based on his closeness to Gd and recognizing His mercy. But for humans this appears insanely optimistic. It is clearly a place where the believer must assert the reality of nevertheless. The widow was faithful in her petition and perseverance. Humans are called to resist the negative defeatism of the practical when going against power structures and struggling with the cruel and mean spiritedness of entrenched self interest. Humans are to embrace the struggle and deal with the trouble, to repair the broken and heal the sick in spite of the odds. Because we believe in our hearts that being righteous is its own reward. THH

10/08/2025

We looked at Luke 17: re: the ten lepers who asked to be cleansed and when told to show themselves to the priests as good Jews would do seeking healing they headed to the temple. They realized they had been made clean while on their way. Nine continued on the path to Jerusalem but one a foreigner went back to thank Jesus and praised him giving glory to God. The text says the Samaritan turned to go back to thank Jesus.. would it be a stretch to see this as a conversion experience?
Jesus asked were there not ten healed where are the other nine? Is he questioning the gratitude of the other nine or simply praising the one who returned? I think the latter.
The subtext here could be that Luke wanted to make the point that the nine were doing as they were told and following Jewish Law by going to the temple to show themselves to the priests. They were grateful for their healing and demonstrating their gratitude as good Jews were expected to do. However the Samaritan would not have been welcome at the Temple; Samaritans were considered heretical.
So this one on recognizing he had been cleansed turns back to thank Jesus who does accept him. All show gratitude. But the Samaritan finds greater acceptance from Gd because he is not judged as an other as he would be by the Jewish establishment. Hence the judgment may be that the Jews need to be less concerned about legal requirements and more concerned with personal relationships and be ready to see everyone as acceptable to God since all ten were healed: Jew, Gentile and Samaritan.
It isn’t that one side was more righteous and more acceptable or more full of gratitude than the other. It’s that all are acceptable to Jesus. When he asks were there not ten healed he is stating facts. When he asks where are the other nine he probably knows good Jews would follow his instructions. But by acknowledging the gratitude of the Samaritan for his healing Jesus is subtly pointing out to good Jews that he is the way.
It might be worth pointing out that when Luke wrote this gospel the temple and Jerusalem had been destroyed. Luke may be hinting to diaspora Jews that they have a good and acceptable home in the church of Christ.

What makes relationships valuable
Why do we appear to need them
Why do we go to authorities such as priests or prophets to validate relationships
Why do traditions play an important role in affirming our healing and blessing our relationships
Why do we seek out new or more powerful sources for validation of healing and relationships
What role do we give authority in this process

Thh

09/14/2025

08/02/2025

Here's a powerful quote about hope by a fine writer named Victoria Safford.

Of all the human virtues, hope is one of the most important. When people ask me how I stay hopeful in an era of deep darkness, my answer is simple: "Hope helps keep me alive and engaged with the world."

There's a big difference between optimism and hope. OPTIMISM often means shutting one's eyes to the hard realities around us and hiding out in wishful thinking. HOPE means refusing to blink how tough things are, but still seeing what Thomas Merton called "the hidden wholeness" that lies beyond the broken surface of things—seeing and acting on it.

At http://tinyurl.com/ztj2s6l, my friend Maria Popova of Brain Pickings posted a beautiful write-up of the Safford essay that contains this quote. At the bottom of Maria's post, there's a recording of me reading the quote on one of Krista Tippet's shows.

WHERE AND HOW ARE YOU FINDING HOPE THESE DAYS? Bad news is easy to come by—but when it comes to hope, a lot of us could use a little help from our friends. Thanks!

[Safford's book, "Walking Toward Morning" is at https://tinyurl.com/4xe7dwdf. My 10 books are at http://tiny.cc/jsqsxz AND http://tiny.cc/c2vsxz. Please join me on Substack parkerjpalmer.substack.com where I publish longer pieces than I can on Facebook. FREE subscriptions are welcome.]

07/20/2025

Stand down thh

I have been thinking about the phrase “stand down” and what it means for those who desire peace and crave freedom.

“Stand down” isn’t backing down. It is a powerful step in de-escalating hostility in dangerous situations.

To stand down means to keep your position and dignity, while honoring the truth that violence begets violence. It is like Gandhi says, “an eye for an eye and the whole world goes blind.”

Standing down is a mantra for pacifists who are engaged in conflict. It is a prayer uttered by people who allow their better angels to keep them from lashing out in anger.

Standing down is a brave and holy act.

Lynne McFarland, one of my oldest parishioners at the chapel where I serve in Nashville, was recently arrested in the Tennessee state capital.

As she sat in silence holding a sign, Lynne was arrested for, what she believes with all her heart, was loving her neighbors. Lynne never gave in and never fought back.

Although in her eighties, she stood down as troops carried her down the stairs, handcuffed her, and placed her in a state trooper car. When we talked later, she said she had no idea that was going to happen, but that she felt ready.

For my eighty-year-old friend, who had buried her husband this year, it has been a faithful practice of the Prayer of St. Francis.

Standing down was born out of years of preparation and practice.

Photographer credit: Nicole Hester, Tennessean

07/14/2025

Original

The enemy has no face But plenty of time to make one. A full technique ready to manufacture dreams  with new identities, Then sell the difference. A vast social media startles the mind, Dazzli…

03/18/2025

Yep thh

03/18/2025

Luke 13:1-9 Commentary

Jesus is asked about the tragic sufferings of a group of people. He responds: what about this group and what about this one back when. They suffered calamities as well. He adds repent. He reiterates this after every example cited to the crowd querying him about suffering. Jesus seems to want to make a point.

He tells a quick story of a fruitless fig tree and a second chance. The implication is before we are cut down for lack of fruit, or whatever reason, make the most of this one opportunity. This moment is grace. You have whatever time you have to create a life. To be who you want to be. You can even choose to improve yourself. So repent.

Jesus uses repent like a mantra.

I wonder if these days he might say stop your whining and get on with living.

His instruction refers to turning ourselves around in the midst of life, in the midst of suffering, to stop looking for someone to blame. He suggests gratitude for the life given is the best attitude. Only then,
are you free to concentrate on nurturing the gift bestowed. This life you have is your moment to make something worthy of Gd’s gift.

To repent : turn from your pain, worry, and shame. To repent : accept the gift with humility. You will never know the reason why. It is pure grace.

The gates of life have opened, for however long, don’t waste your time.

Don’t let the abrupt nature of it scare you.

Life is a gift beyond understanding. Go live it.

It is the hardest lesson.

Jesus admits life is hard. Jesus doesn’t whistle past graves of the dead or ignore the pain and suffering endured during our lives.
He refuses to judge the suffering of others, as if they brought trouble on themselves by sin.

Suffering goes with life. No one deserves it. No one earns it. It is not punishment for anything done or left undone.

Living with suffering is the difficult task of wearing your heavy gloves to do good work and preserve the tenderness of your heart as well as you can.

Jesus asks us to stop fear mongering, to love neighbors as yourself.

A favorite quote of mine from Zorba the Greek sums up this story pretty well.

It goes: ‘ Life is trouble only death is not, to be alive is to undo your belt and look for trouble.’ Zorba tells his boss wear suffering like work clothes, but take them off when not needed. Live with passion and joy as best you can and confront troubles with integrity.

I think Jesus would endorse his approach with a happy smile and say be on your way.

THH
3/18/25

01/22/2025

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The inaugural prayer service at the Washington National Cathedral on Tuesday morning featured a number of interfaith leaders, including the Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, who delivered the homily.