“Whoever says, “I am in the light,” while hating a brother or sister, is still in the darkness. Whoever loves a brother or sister abides in the light, and in such a person there is no cause for stumbling.” (John 2:9-10, NRSVUE) Here, as elsewhere, John places the contrast before his readers in its ultimate essential form, as of light and darkness, love and hatred. He assumes that there cannot be a vacuum in the soul. In...

“Are you okay?” asked a gentleman who grabbed my arm. “Are you hurt?” asked another. “Only my pride,” I responded as another gentleman told me, “That was a good recovery!” “Jump school training, tuck and roll,” I replied. As everyone drifted off, I told myself I’m not wearing this sweatshirt for the rest of my vacation. I didn’t want anyone to recognize the old guy that fell down the steps. We were on vacation in Breckenridge, Colorado, and we...