A Positively Poetic Priest

the consequences are their own reward the actions must be chosen carefully the rust belt resiliency grinds on polishing the only metal worth the spit indeed there is no transparency when the motivations lack symmetry love gives and takes, holds and lets go love is its own reward, waiting to be enjoyed 10/11/17

Almighty God, give us grace to cast away the works of darkness, and put on the armor of light, now in the time of this mortal life in which your Son Jesus Christ came to visit us in great humility; that in the last day, when he shall come again in his glorious majesty to judge both the living and the dead, we may rise to the life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (First Sunday of Advent BCP 211) Advent is the season of preparation for the coming of Jesus Christ, into the world and into our hearts. In the Church we prepare and celebrate this coming of Jesus on three levels. The first is Jesus' birth, and the wider world is good about capitalizing on this. We remember Jesus came into the world as a baby, born and laid in a manger. The second is Jesus' coming again to usher in the coming of God's Kingdom. We anticipate this event in the future. The third is Jesus' coming into our hearts and op...

11/16/18  Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Thanksgiving Day BCP 246) Less than seven days until Thanksgiving!! Its go time! Preheat the oven! Prepare the pie crusts! Bake the cookies! Thanksgiving in contemporary culture seems to be a day simply about the food. And increasingly, it seems like we have to rush through the food to get to the Black Friday sales... starting on Thursday. It is important to set aside regular times to be thankful. Given all the gifts we are given, by God and our communities, we could really be setting aside a day a week to honor them all! However, setting aside one ...

the soundtrack of a lifetime simple settings in the background a table here, a chair over there the carpet pathways carrying the melody of daily routine the patterns only we can see punctuated by the harmonies of the intersection of our lives with others 10/6/17

Savor the bridal veil of spiderwebs trailed behind in the flow air artfully streaming in the curved aerodynamic symmetries glinting in the sun 9/26/17

Illness is an invitation Into another way of being Coming without fanfare Or even cream colored paper Yet you stand invited nonetheless An invitation like so many others Giving pause for preparations Bringing worry as to wardrobe Unprepossessing all the same A chance to look at life again

Aka the Commemoration of All Faithful Departed. "O God, the Maker and Redeemer of all believers: Grant to the faithful departed the unsearchable benefits of the passion of your Son; that in the day of his appearing they may be manifested as your children; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen." (Holy Women, Holy Men, p. 665) In the official calendar of church feasts, November 2nd is the day of remembrance and celebration of all those saints whom me have known and love but aren't known to the wider world. All Saints Day (Nov 1) celebrates the official church Saints, the ones known by everyone, like St. John, St. Patrick, St. Lucy. All Souls Day is for our local communities, for us to remember those who have walked among us who have been faithful followers of Jesus. Every year we lose church members, friends, family, who have been for us examples of Godly life. We remember them and the ways ...