“Now, in reading today’s Gospel in commemoration of Martin Luther, one could easily fall into thinking that the “pruning” and “casting into the fire” that’s being referred to here is about tossing heretics and apostates into the flames of hell.”

“The realm of emotion is also a place of fickleness.  Sometimes I feel God’s presence there and sometimes I have only ashes in my heart.  I can feel a deep joy in a melody, the winging of a goose over the rooftops, the prisms in a snowflake.  But just as quickly I can be crushed by loss, fear or illness.”