A Positively Poetic Priest

"Dear People of God: In this Christmas Season, let it be our duty and delight to hear once more the message of the Angels, to go to Bethlehem and see the Son of God lying in a manger. Let us hear and heed in Holy Scripture the story of God's loving purpose from the time of our rebellion against him until the glorious redemption brought to us by his holy Child Jesus, and let us make this place glad with our carols of praise." (A Bidding Prayer, BOS 39) During these twelve days of Christmas, we cannot too often hear the story of Jesus' birth and entrance into this world. God loves us so much that he gave his son to be with us, and that is good news we need to hear over and over again. This coming Sunday, we will hear the story in nine lessons and sing joyously in praise of what God has done for us. In contrast to that beloved Christmas carol, the Twelve Days of Christmas, where the true love gives bounteous material gifts each day of the season of Christmas, our Tru...

it hardly seems like victory the giving up of love yet constant stories, epics, tales repeat the lesson again in order to love, you have to set free you can't love a child by smothering you can't love a cause by keeping it you can't love a passion by controlling it you have to let it be victory is in the gift

Purify our conscience, Almighty God, by your daily visitation, that your Son Jesus Christ, at his coming, may find in us a mansion prepared for himself; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Fourth Sunday of Advent, BCP 212) The Collect for this coming Sunday, the Fourth Sunday of Advent, has a very optimistic view of our spiritual lives. It assumes that God visits each and every one of us each and every day and that the openness we have inside of us for God can be compared to a mansion. Granted, it is the Church's and mine own personal belief that God does visit each and every one of us each and every day. Unfortunately though, I'm not sure all of us have mansions waiting inside of us for God. Mansions are huge. Monstrous affairs with high ceilings, lots of extra space, lots of windows and light and freedom of movement. Most of us don't live in mansions, let alone have mansions inside of us. Sadly, many of us...

12/14/18 When the Presiding Bishop, Michael Curry, announced the Jesus Movement emphasis on the Way of Love this summer at General Convention, I heard many comments about the Episcopal Church not needing another new tagline. The Episcopal Church is already known for some of our short and sweet taglines: "The Episcopal Church welcomes you!", "We are the Episcopal branch of the Jesus Movement", "The Episcopal Church: all of the fun, none of the guilt." As much as the mainline denominations in the United States are worried about decline and decay in their churches, we all know having a new tagline isn't going to save the church. However, the introduction of the Way of Love made it clear it was not a new tagline. The Way of Love is a journey, started by God millennia ago, continued by the prophets, walked by Jesus, and carried out by the disciples and follower of Jesus throughout the centuries. The Way of Love is simply a new way of designating and st...

firmly planted grounded in each passing second whisking by so much fluff blown in the breeze unregistered by human thought caught up in past or future dilapidated by realization the now you've noticed has but passed and in thinking caught up in past there is no moment recognizable without memory impermanence is impermanent all is static fluid 10/24/17

Two years ago, when I moved here, I experienced a baptism by fire. For the first time ever, I hosted my family in MY home for Christmas. I don't know how you felt about it, but hosting Christmas in my house the first time for my family was a big deal, Which made me feel very pressured going into the Christmas season. I needed to make sure I had multiple rooms all done up properly. I needed to find all the dust in the house and get rid of it.  I had the nightmare of my mother coming to my house with the white gloves and running her finger along the mantel and making a face about my house cleaning skills... I needed to stock all the foods.  I have two twenty something year old brothers.  We are talking ALL the food. I needed to make sure I took care of our family traditions of having a pickle ornament for the tree and the particular Christmas morning CD we always listen to with the one wrong note in the seventh piece. I had to buy the ri...

I see a town, sleeping by a river I see a festival, celebrating history I see a street, cute store fronts galore I see a playground, the future at work I see the lights, at home in the night I see the elegance, of architecture preserved I see the people, community engaged I see God, waiting for me 10/19/17

12/7/18 John the Baptist Merciful God, who sent your messengers the prophets to preach repentance and prepare the way for our salvation: Give us grace to heed their warnings and forsake our sins, that we may greet with joy the coming of Jesus Christ our Redeemer; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (Second Sunday of Advent BCP 211) Because we live in a time after Jesus' first coming, it does seem a little odd to be preparing for him to arrive. Yet, each year we hear and relive the proclamations of John the Baptist who was sent to prepare the people for Jesus' arrival. The coming of the Messiah was not going to be sudden or unannounced, John makes sure to tell everyone he can that the Messiah was coming and time was short to prepare. Thankfully, this remembrance of John the Baptist and the season of Advent allows us time each year to prepare again for the coming of Jesus into our hearts and lives. When we truly open our li...