When will we stop sacrificing our children to appease unresponsive gods? Our children die on the altars of hatred, fear, ignorance, and greed on a daily basis. And the funny thing is the spilling of their blood changes nothing. We continue to blame addicts for their “weakness” and tell ourselves that they are not worth … Read More
She Speaks a Language Not Our Own Come, Holy Spirit, Come we pray over and over again expecting an answer suitable for our sanctuaries and comfortable for our souls forgetting that she’s the one who set holy heads afire and blew away notions of what ought to be Come, Holy Spirit, Come we pray once … Read More
Between the Samaritan woman’s five husbands and the unnamed man’s blindness, sin and shame bounce around, defining these people. The woman was pushed to the margins of her community either by her neighbors or by her own inclination to avoid explanations. The man also was marginalized because his blindness was thought to be a punishment … Read More
I am in the midst of vacation and just don’t quite have it in me to say all the things I’d like to say about this week’s lectionary readings. My recommendation is to listen to those who call all Christians, particularly white Christians, to be repairers of the breach. Pay attention to the promise of … Read More
During my years as a clinical chaplain in a psychiatric facility, I met several people who had committed horrific crimes while in a psychotic state. Generally, these were individuals who were kind and gentle when they were well. They also struggled to believe that they could be forgiven for what they had done. I had many … Read More
Here’s a little meditation that came to me while preparing worship for this week. If you’re preaching and looking or sermon help, you might want to try here. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. On the first day … Read More
Many years ago I became an advanced open water diver. If you’ve never been scuba diving it is the most peaceful, beautiful experience. It’s just you, the sound of your breathing, and all the wonders the ocean has to offer. Two of the reasons I chose to learn to dive are that I am claustrophobic and I … Read More
Holy One, Will you be disappointed if I confess my unreadiness? It seems I can still feel the creekiness in my knees as I regain my feet after kneeling at the manger. The trek to Bethlehem was long this year. Yes, despair gave way to joy as your Light danced from horizon to Bethlehem to … Read More
This week John’s gospel gets weird. As one colleague pointed out, Jesus says something that will make the adolescents in and among us giggle. Beyond that, though, is the question of just what exactly is happening here. Surely, Jesus didn’t just say that! Taking a closer look means asking what Jesus really meant when he … Read More
I have mixed feelings about the events of the first Pentecost. It’s one of those things that I wish I had directly witnessed. What must it have been like to experience that much power in one place. On the other hand, I am also extremely grateful that I have not ever seen such things! Whatever … Read More
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