52 Postings in Under a Year

Take one down and pass it around... or so the song goes. The good thing about a weekly sermon review is I don't get "Blog Ennui." Today's sermon/skit was a little hard to follow due to lack of amplification for the kids voices. I got the message. To me the message is this, we would like to throw them from from city walls after they speak in Church, but we might be making a big mistake. Most of us would be in the angry crowd after hearing the voice of prophesy. We are trapped by the layers of "knowledge" we have placed over our inner selves and we cannot sense the truth especially when spoken by another earthly creature. I may not have liked the "skit" today, but it reminds me to keep an open heart and quiet mind. I will need to better develop these things if I am to return next year on youth Sunday.

Fear of Flying (Click Here)

Mary Kat's skiing accident was described today as an attempt at flight. So now we have a flying Priest. I have heard that taking off is easy, but landing is the hard part. The national Church has been taking us for a ride lately. New blood in the form of new clergy is being installed on the fly. Will the Episcopal Church stick a landing like a gymnast, or will we fall and break apart? I say, make God my pilot, Jesus my flight attendant, and the Holy Spirit the propulsion to keep me aloft and I will be fine. But if you put the P.B., the Clergy, or you and I at the controls we will crash and burn.

A Triple Play

I was fortunate to be able to attend the triple ordination at the cathedral in Columbia today. It was a very moving service, although it slowed down during the sermon quite a bit. I think we were meant to inwardly digest e...v...e...r...y... word. Mama always said to chew your food well before swallowing. It was a good sermon as far as content goes. It must be difficult giving a sermon to 3 new priests and to be speaking in the presence of so many of your peers.
We had good representation from Our Saviour with acolytes, choir, friends, Church family, and even a special guest as Reader. I thought Mary Kat was resplendent in her neon pink cast. None of the other ordinands could match that cast. Her accident makes me think that we must remember that today was not about the person we call Mary Kat. This was the day the Lord made, and the Mary Kat we see will be continually remade by God into a new creation just as the new bone growing in her leg will be constantly remodelled by her body, even after the initial healing, the bone will be changing daily. I am also reminded that when we put things in God's hands, he tends to throw a curve ball to let us know who is in control.

Signs or Miracles?

This Sunday's sermon by Fr. Dunbar was an excellent example of why we have sermons more than 4 times a year. His emphasis on "signs" vs "miracles" and the importance of "Charity" was enlightening. And what about the miracle of a 10:30 service sans organ? How about Beethoven for an anthem with the choir not masked by the organ? The only thing I can't understand is when we put MLK II right up there with the Virgin Mary and Wulfstan of Worcester (patron Saint of vegetarians) (see link in title). While not yet granted sainthood, we should remember MLK II for applying part of Gandhi's teaching, that is the principle of nonviolence, in bringing equality of civil rights to all Americans. Perhaps MLK's nonviolent leadership is a miracle worthy of consideration. Remember no miracle or sign ever occurs in the absence of God. Gandhi said "Nonviolence is a power which can be wielded equally by all-children, young men and women or grown up people, provided they have a living faith in the God of Love and have therefore equal love for all mankind. When nonviolence is accepted as the law of life it must pervade the whole being and not be applied to isolated acts." For more on MLK II and Gandhi see: http://www.mkgandhi.org/nonviolence/index.htm

The Cat Call

I have to give Mary Cat a well done on her sermon today. She appropriately answered the question, "why did you decide to...." by allowing God to lead her, through the opening of her heart, mind, body, and soul to God (I am putting words into her mouth again). Let us pray that her discernment process never ends. (see link in title). It was also a perfect time for us to renew our Baptismal vows. I don't know about you, but I was ready to be immersed.

Meditation Bell

For those of you who want to meditate , use this timer on your computer or portable listening device. (click on the title of this post)