There is an idea in Celtic Christian thought about the “thin veil,” that the presence of God is there before us, behind us, all around us – veiled by only the thinness of our attention. It has been that way since the Spirit of God hovered over the primordial waters and brought forth life.
“In the beginning was the Word,and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came to be through him, and without him nothing came to be.”
“Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home” (Matthew 1:20)
I really looked forward to my first Christmas in Kenya. I thought this was gonna’ be so different. It was different from the start – even the precursor signals that let us know Christmas is coming were very different. Certainly the slum in which I lived was devoid of any of the commercial excess. There were no malls, no black Friday, none of the things we just accept as part of our background and routine. Occasionally, you could hear Christmas carols, traditional and tribal, float out of one of the dwellings or tin sheds that passed for stores. As for my traditional Christmas expectations about the season or weather were different – the days were growing a little longer and warmer – such is life below the Equator. Continue reading
The prophet Zephaniah exhorts us to “Sing joyfully, be glad and exult” with all of our hearts. He writes in the context of the worst kind of spiritual and political corruption by the very leaders who are supposed to care for the poor and the oppressed of Judah. Isaiah writes in the midst of suffering, as the people experience the devastation of the Babylonian exile. Paul is writing from prison. But each in their own way tells us to rejoice. Why? Zephaniah says it best: God “… will rejoice over you with gladness…he will sing joyfully because of you.” (Zep 3:17-18). Because of you. Because of me. Wow! The source, the overflowing fountain of joy pouring into the world. The words of the second reading are the hallmark of Guadete Sunday: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I say again: rejoice.” A call for a universal chorus of joy. Continue reading
Oh my gosh… Advent is here. It seems like just yesterday it was summer and then “boom” it’s Thanksgiving. I hope y’all had a nice “turkey day” with family and friends. I hope you had a chance to bask in the warm glow of those days and enjoy the love that bonds you together with all those folks important to you. And that you brought that sense of family and that warm glow here to church on Sunday morning. Continue reading
As children on a family road trip, who among us has not lamented from the back seat, “Are we there yet? How much longer?” It can be the plaintive cry in the weeks and days before Christmas: “How much longer?” Plaintive in the sense of impatience and joyful anticipation.
How much longer? It is easy to understand how it would be the question for people “In those days after that tribulation [when] the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will be falling from the sky, and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.” It is not a stretch to imagine how in the midst of such terrible days, even the faithful will lament, “How much longer?” – a question of fear, dread and anxiety. Continue reading
In the gospel for last Sunday, a scribe approached Jesus and asked, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” All the centuries later, we Christian people know the answer. We know it well. The first commandment is to love – to love God with our entire being, all that we are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. We all know what to do…but… Everyone of us can easily think of our epic failures in fulfilling the first and greatest of the commandments. During the Sacrament of Reconciliation, a very common confession includes “failing to put God first.” If I ask what that means to the person it is often answered with accounts of falling short on love of God or neighbor. As I said, we all know what we are called to do. As challenging as it is, simply put, we are called to be all-in. How do we become “all-in”? Continue reading
A scribe approaches Jesus and asks, “Which is the first of all the commandments?” All the centuries later, all Christian people know the answer. We know it well. The first commandment is to love – to love God with our entire being, all that we are, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. The scribe agrees, essentially repeats Jesus’ answer and then adds a great insight. One that barely registers in our memory, if at all. The commandment to love is “worth more than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” It is worth more than all we might hold dear about the practice of our religion. It is worth more than the language used, the elaborate churches we build, the outward piety we show, and the traditions of faith we repeat – sometimes without registering a lasting memory at all. Continue reading
There was a young friar who sought to live simply and a contemplative life. His Guardian gave him permission to live in his own lean-to down by the river. For the first week the friar was ecstatic – his prayer life blossomed and he really felt he had taken a major step on his journey to God. At the end of the week, the young friar washed his one habit and put it out to dry. The next morning he was dismayed to find that some rats had torn his habit to shreds. So he covered himself as best he could, went to a nearby village and begged for another. A week later, after washing, the rats destroyed that habit as well. So, the young friar got a cat – and presto – rat problem solved. Continue reading
I remember family road trips when I was a child. All my cousins on my father’s side lived in Atlanta. My dad was the only one of the 7 siblings that did not live in Atlanta. Each year – sometimes over Thanksgiving, sometimes over Christmas – we would load up the car with kids, bags, and whatnot and off we went. There were games, snacks, and drinks for us all. There was a suitcase with my clothes. The car was serviced, the oil checked, and the gas tank filled. This was before the days of the interstate highways and so there was route planning that needed to be done. I contributed to none of that. My only job was to be on time having recently gone to the bathroom and subsequently thoroughly washed my hands. I wasn’t in charge or responsible for any task or duties. I was 8 years old. Continue reading
“Would that all the people of the LORD were prophets!” – so said Moses to the people of the Exodus. And did you know that at your own baptism you were anointed with the Sacred Chrism to share in the prophetic ministry of Christ? Were it that each one of us would know that we are prophets of the Lord and would live accordingly….. Of course, that raises the question of what it means to be a prophet. When I ask around there are a couple of ideas that seem to be popular: Continue reading
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