Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Psalm 19 Walking in the frozen dawn, this morning, I was awed by the glaze of marmalade light on steel blue snow. Despite everything that is happening in the world, color and beauty still possess the morning. I stopped to watch a large crow, black and shiny as...
Wednesday, February 21, 2018
Last night, I attended a local vigil and call to action following last week’s terrible slaughter at a high school in Florida. These lines formed part of my remarks. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus asks the crowd, “Who among you, if your child asks for a fish, would...
Monday, February 19, 2018
I couldn’t move. Nor did I have any desire to move. Finally, my 6-month-old fell asleep. He fell asleep in my arms. He’d been fighting sleep for a while. We did that nap-time-please-fall-asleep-baby-dance for a while. He’d cry. I’d hold him. He’d cry some more....
Sunday, February 18, 2018
Many years ago, in a small Episcopal mission church, we celebrated Shrove Tuesday with pancakes, fresh deep fried donuts, games, and general silliness, until about a minute before midnight. The Vicar stood up, and we all got quiet. “The Lord be with you.” And we...
Saturday, February 17, 2018
Psalm 31 Whether you are facing life or death, there is something here for you. Either way, it is the path of surrender. Some of you are old enough to remember the gospel-pop song written by Gene MacLellan called Put Your Hand In The Hand. It was...
Friday, February 16, 2018
O God, whose Son the Good Shepherd laid down his life for the sheep: We give you thanks for your faithful shepherd, Janani Luwum, who after his Savior’s example gave up his life for the people of Uganda. Grant us to be so inspired by his witness that we make no peace...
Friday, February 16, 2018
Readings for the feast day of Charles Todd Quintard, Bishop of Tennessee: Psalm 94:2-15 Sirach 34:14-19 Romans 14:10-13 Luke 14:15-24 Charles Todd Quintard is, at best, a complicated character in the pages of the history of the Episcopal Church, and it gets...
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
John 17:1-8 “And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” – John 17:3 When I think about what it means to know the only true God, I think of Brother Lawrence, the kitchen monk, who practiced the Presence of...
Tuesday, February 13, 2018
We have again arrived at Ash Wednesday and the penitential season called Lent, when some in the Christian tradition focus on sin. Others, especially post-Christians harboring a gripe with the faith, characterize Lent as a time for flagellating ourselves while...
Monday, February 12, 2018
O Lord, here we are again. The season of Lent. That time of the year to dig deeper To reach wider To love stronger. The season of Lent That time to embrace death To walk towards the cross To humble ourselves To pray, fast, and give our lives in service....
Sunday, February 11, 2018
Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy,...
Saturday, February 10, 2018
I will miss Epiphany. It’s called the season of light because for these few weeks between Christmas and Lent we allow the light of the Christmas star to illuminate our hearts and minds with a new understanding of who Jesus was, and who he still is for each of...
Wednesday, February 7, 2018
Romans 12:9-21 Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord. – Romans 12:11 I was talking to a friend the other day who was feeling disenchanted with the church. “Why do we even do church?” he asked. “What good is it?” I talked about serving God through...
