A Jewish saying goes: God created humans because God loves stories. I love stories, how about you? I read lots of nonfiction but for true enjoyment, the ability to relax, to slow down and savor, to walk in another’s shoes,you can’t beat a really good story. Jesus, of course, knew this. His teaching technique, if you will, was all about stories. He didn’t gather his followers around him and unveil his five-year plan, his goals for spreading love and justice, his objectives for transformation. No, he told a really,really good story. And those who listened found themselves in his words and their lives were changed. In turn, many of them continued to tell the stories…..and here we are today, people of faith, continuing the great storytelling tradition.

The author Madeline L’Engle, also a wonderful spinner of tales with such books as A Wrinkle In Time, was asked if the she believed the Bible. Her answer was" I do not believe that all of the stories in the Bible are fact, but I do believe they are true." Her wise words, in my opinion, are what make the Bible the "living word". Our job is to read and study these ancient words and find how we fit into the story, how we find truth in them and then how that truth inspires our living.

I have often said every church could simply read the story of the Prodigal Son every week for a year. At the end of that year, I believe we would still find ourselves learning from the story. In this story I sometimes find myself as the Prodigal, other times I can behave like the father. There is always a part of me that acts like the other brother. feeling cheated and wronged….and then what about all those "missing" from the story? The Mother? Sister?

Sounds like this weekend might be another chance to curl up in front of the fire with a cup of cocoa and a good book. May you find yourself held in the comfort and the beauty of a really good story….go ahead…..it is our faith tradition!