A "Pilgr-image" through the Sermon on the Mount

A few months ago, Amazon got me with one of their “you might like” recommendations. They recommended the book, Following the Call: Living the Sermon on the Mount Together edited by Charles E. Moore. It is a DEEP dive into (mostly) Matthew’s version of this teaching of Jesus and breaks it up into 52 chapters. Each chapter is a collection of beautifully diverse voices reflecting on the themes of that small piece of the larger message. There are ancient and modern voices. Women and men. Christian and Jewish. Progressive and Conservative. There are voices from different nations and ethnicities. It was a stunning read and spoke to me so deeply that I have been talking it up at the congregation I serve and we will begin a long 26 week series in worship and in small groups based upon Moore’s book.

I am very much viewing this as a pilgrimage of sorts. A pilgrimage is a long journey towards a deeper experience of faith and this will be a long journey for our congregation for sure, but I believe it will be a transformative experience for all of us.

Along with what we are doing in worship and in small groups, I am going to be crafting two visual reflections a week drawing from the chapters and they’re going to be somewhat like postcards. I’ll include a quote from one (or more) of the writers, a short reflection from me, and then a photograph to go along with (hence the term “pilgr-image.” I’m envisioning each post somewhat of like a postcard being shared from different points along the journey.

I am going to be sharing these not behind the paywall of this site but instead for everyone who has subscribed to my site. I am sharing these not to make money but instead to offer up what I am experiencing along this pilgr-image and I’d love to hear what you experience as well. If you want to purchase the book, you can find it at any online retailer or a local bookstore. One “postcard” will be sent on Sunday of each week and the second on Wednesday of each week starting June 4.

I will say that if you wanted to support my work, I would welcome your subscribing to the paid side of this site, but I want this simply to be a blessing to you regardless of how you interact.

Finally, while the Sermon on the Mount (SotM) does come from the Christian scriptures, some of my reflections will be on the wider sense of the deep, eternal, and ethical teaching of the SotM that speaks even if one doesn’t ascribe to the Christian worldview. I believe there is universal truth within this amazing teaching. After all, it was Ghandi who drew upon the SotM (among other teachings) in his philosophy of non-violent resistance and he said of the SotM…”It went straight to my heart” and that it left a deep impression upon his mind. So regardless of where you are on your journey, I hope you find welcome in this space and in these reflections in the months ahead.