We've heard the Beatitudes many times, so why is it still so hard to follow them? Peter Walsh and Elizabeth Garnsey explain Jesus' reversal of concepts like rich and poor, how we can make space inside ourselves for more love, and what part of this passage is the most important teaching for our time. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

Another episode, another parable. This week, Jesus addresses people who are self-righteous and regard others with contempt. Peter Walsh, Elizabeth Garnsey, and John Kennedy warn against comparing ourselves to one another, attitudes of contempt among religious people, and the problem of labeling people good/bad or insider/outsider. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https...

What can the Parable of the Persistent Widow and the Unjust Judge teach us about prayer? Peter Walsh, Elizabeth Garnsey, and John Kennedy highlight why the widow's actions are so shocking, how times of opposition call for bold prayers, and why the message of this story isn't just "pray harder". Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

In this week's reading, Jesus heals 10 lepers, but only one returns to thank him. Peter Walsh, Elizabeth Garnsey, and John Kennedy draw several parallels between this story and our modern world, including the treatment of foreigners, societal blame and scapegoating, and Jesus' challenge for us to be thankful. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaa...

This week, we welcome The Rev. Dr. Chuck Robertson, Canon & Senior Advisor to the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church. Along with Peter Walsh, Elizabeth Garnsey, and John Kennedy, the group explores who we put our faith in, how we practice it each day, what our faith is for, and where it resides in our being. Plus, what does it mean to be a beloved child of God? Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-50...

Our three clergy are reunited this week, and they're tackling another parable from Jesus: "The Rich Man and Lazarus". Peter Walsh, Elizabeth Garnsey, and John Kennedy discuss beliefs around who goes to Heaven or Hell, and examine the spiritual hazards of wealth and how money can blind us to God and neighbor. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan...

Is "The Parable of the Dishonest Manager" pretty straightforward or downright confusing? Peter Walsh and John Kennedy examine 5 different paradigms for understanding it. Which one is correct and why can't scholars seem to agree? Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

This week, we cover two of Jesus' parables about lost things that teach us what it's like to be sought after by God. Peter Walsh and John Kennedy delve into these stories that show us examples of earthly and heavenly joy, demonstrate how God seeks us in love, and challenge the belief that God is a taskmaster waiting for us to earn acceptance. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mar...

This week, Jesus is once again making it pretty hard to follow him. Peter Walsh and John Kennedy explain Jesus' requirement that we "hate" those we love, break down his two mini parables, and discuss how he reminds us we're not the center of the universe. Plus, how can we learn to see the world and our own religiosity in shades of grey? Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at...

Where should you sit when invited to a dinner party? Who should you invite when you're hosting one? Jesus has thoughts on these situations and more in this week's reading! Peter Walsh is again joined by our guest, the Rev. Dr. Justin Crisp. They discuss the alternative social hierarchy found in Luke's Gospel, the freedom in being a "nobody", and the danger of turning a freedom into a shackle. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotl...

In this week's reading, Jesus heals a woman who has been bent over for 18 years. But it seems not everyone is thrilled with his actions. John Kennedy and Rob Schwartz examine why Jesus and the leader of the synagogue had such different views of the Sabbath, what this woman's reality must have been like, and how being seen is a transformative event. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more ...

Jesus sure doesn't sound like himself in this week's reading...or does he? Peter Walsh and John Kennedy unpack this fiery apocalyptic language, why Jesus causes division, and how some people end up as hypocrites. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

In a world where so many of us are plagued by fear, this week's reading finds Jesus reassuring us that we need not be afraid. Peter Walsh and John Kennedy talk about the relationship between fear and faith, Jesus' invitation to be free from worry and attachment, and how we can be more in the divine flow. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

This week, Jesus is asked to weigh in on a family inheritance...but be careful what you ask for! Peter Walsh is joined by the Rev. Dr. Justin Crisp, former "Rev'd Up" host and current Rector of St. Barnabas Church in Greenwich, CT. Together, they dissect "The Parable of the Rich Fool", explore how we find true freedom, and highlight what this passage teaches us about tangible and intangible things. Plus, how have their experiences of death shaped their views on mortality? Want to have your qu...

This week's Gospel offers some great insights into what Jesus taught his disciples about prayer. John Kennedy is joined by the Rev. Jessie Gutgsell Dodson, Canon to the Ordinary for the Diocese of Ohio. They explore not only what we ask God for but what God asks of us. Plus, learn how prayer can lead to an intimacy and ease for connecting with God and how we're called to respond to the brokenness of the world. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on...

Recently, our lectionary readings have highlighted the importance of service. This week, however, Jesus asks us to slow down and sit at his feet. John Kennedy and Rob Schwartz discuss active vs contemplative faith, the dangers of doing too much, and even a strange medieval story about Martha fighting a dragon. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcana...

What makes a neighbor? This week, John Kennedy and Rob Schwartz dive into one of Jesus' most famous parables: The Good Samaritan. But has this parable become so well-known that it's lost its edge? What were the hidden motives of the lawyer Jesus speaks to, what was so shocking about calling a Samaritan good, and how do we learn to not only provide help but receive it? Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002....

This week, Jesus is sending loads of disciples into the world...with some quirky instructions. Peter Walsh and John Kennedy explain why this is so urgent, how Jesus is coaching these disciples, and how we can function in a world of wolves. Plus, did Jesus see Satan fall from Heaven? Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

No one said being a disciple would be easy! This week, Jesus heads toward Jerusalem and he has some harsh words for his disciples along the way. Peter Walsh and Elizabeth Garnsey share some insights into James and John, examine Jesus’ rough advice, and address the behaviors that give Christians a bad name. Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. Mark's at https://www.stmarksnewcanaan.org

This week, Jesus encounters a man possessed by many demons...and the demons recognize him! Peter Walsh and Elizabeth Garnsey examine how this story represents a classic scapegoat story, how we react to our own demons being revealed, and how we can understand demons in today's cultural context. Plus, what about the poor pigs in this story?! Want to have your question or comment featured on the podcast? Leave a voicemail on our Rev'd Up hotline! Call (203) 442-5002. Learn more about St. ...