Mar 11, 2023 | Church Community, Faith, Lent
In the words of my troupe of spiritual directors, Monty Python, “And now, time for something completely different!” Humor is a wonderful spiritual gift to employ in times of stress. To laugh at life’s circumstances is to be completely human, and I understand...
Mar 10, 2023 | Faith, Lent
Sometimes in life, we are overcome with the horror, fear and unknown which lies in front of us. It’s about time for our hero to appear, and in fact, we Christians believe our hero has already arrived to save the day, the year, and all eternity. His name is Jesus,...
Mar 9, 2023 | Faith, Lent
I subscribe to the axiom espoused by an unnamed science fiction franchise beloved in my family. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one. Our congregation has long painted on such a broader canvas than simply caring for our own members. For...
Mar 8, 2023 | Faith, Forgiveness, Lent
Father Brooks talks this week about using the season of Lent to practice forgiveness – letting go of old hurts and pains. He encourages us to release those (or that person) who causes us to be in pain or angry, be he/she living or dead. Use this Lenten Season...
Mar 7, 2023 | Faith, Lent
People seem to ask me rather consistently how I do the work I do as a priest. They are curious, and usually very empathetic, as I answer them. They then usually respond with some version of “great for you but I could never do that!” Well, neither could I. Not...
Mar 6, 2023 | Faith, Lent
Begin with the end in mind. One of Stephen Covey’s hallowed seven habits of highly successful people, and for someone like me, fielding so many different daily challenges from both expected and unexpected fronts, so very challenging. The same Lord who reminded us to...Mar 5, 2023 | Faith, Lent
Today’s Gospel reading from John 3 contains two foundational axioms of our Christian faith. The first is Jesus’ enigmatic claim to the Jewish sage Nicodemus that to be included in God’s realms, the Kingdom of the heavens, we must be born a second time. Traditionally...
Mar 4, 2023 | Faith, Lent
Yes, I know. Two local cases of COVID-19 contagion in our own valley. Yes, we are. I am convening my Council of Advice, our circle of trusted lay leaders, to examine every stratagem to respond in a safe and protecting way going forward. No option is off the table...Mar 3, 2023 | Faith, Lent
Don’t defeat, retreat! Since my Lent Madness brackets continue to fall in (mildly) ignominious defeats, Lenten Fridays seem like the right day to continue introducing the (other) great Lenten disciplines discovered and honed by generations of our Christian...
