A Positively Poetic Priest

O God, who wonderfully created, and yet more wonderfully restored, the dignity of human nature: Grant that we may share the divine life of him who humbled himself to share our humanity, your Son Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (Second Sunday after Christmas Day BCP 214) "The dignity of human nature." God both created and restored the dignity of human nature by coming to live among us as a human being. Dignity is one thing I have kept my eye on this past year, trying to make sure, in the ways that I am able, despite the continuing crises, that dignity for all people was not forgotten in our little corner of the world. Jesus, as a child and later as a man in ministry, recognizes everyone dignity and shows that regard throughout his interactions.  This has been a hard year, and many times has allowed people in power to overlook the dignity of other human beings. Thankfully our hope is not in the peop...

O God, you make us glad by the yearly festival of the birth of your only Son Jesus Christ: Grant that we, who joyfully receive him as our Redeemer, may with sure confidence behold him when he comes to be our Judge; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen. (The Nativity of Our Lord: Christmas Day BCP 212) For most of us this year, it has been the little thing getting us through. The days in the sun, laughing at bad jokes and memes, dreaming up shenanigans with friends. Everywhere we look there are frustrations and restrictions threatening to depress and defeat us. Thankfully, our yearly festival of Jesus' birth comes around again. While it will not look like it has in years past, it is still a reason to rejoice.  In all our struggles and humanity, God comes to us. This is no little thing. This is one of the resounding truths of our God. God is with us through every struggle. No matter how hard, how frustrating, how devastating, God is in th...

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) Daily visitation! God visits us daily!? Unfortunately, while we notice when the stray cat visits us daily, I am not sure all of us notice God's daily visit. Thankfully, like the cat that comes back, God always does come to visit us daily. Our daily visitation from God happens whether or not we notice. God visits us because God loves us. However, when we do notice, that is when our spiritual lives start growing.  For some of us, noticing God on a daily basis in our lives is an old practice. It is a habit and a visitation which gives shape and meaning to our lives. For some of us though, noticing God in our lives is one of those things that lives on our to-do lists that somehow never gets crossed off. Des...

Stir up your power, O Lord, and with great might come among us; and, because we are sorely hindered by our sins, let your bountiful grace and mercy speedily help and deliver us; through Jesus Christ our Lord, to whom, with you and the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and for ever. Amen. (Third Sunday of Advent BCP 212) Sorely hindered. Check. In need of help. Check. In need of mercy. Check. This has been a hard year. Instead of settling into a reliable pattern, this year has shifted and moved and confused us all. It is almost as if someone did stir up us all up, and with any stirring, what was on top before has fallen, what was on the bottom before has come to the top, and generally everything is different now. I like this prayer, but praying it means that things will only change more, not less. When Jesus comes to stir the world, life definitely changes!  Thankfully through any stirring, God continues working good for us. Throughout this year, this pandemic, these daily crises...

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) One of the many things that has come to light during this year is the full depth of what it would mean for our country to truly repent of the sin of racism, and how we haven't managed to do so yet. This coming Sunday in the Gospel reading we will hear the call of John the Baptist by the River Jordan asking people to confess and repent. John was not the first and he hasn't been the last prophet sent by God reminding us to repent and return to God. What does it truly mean to repent? The root word for repentance in Hebrew means to turn around. Repentance means a fully life change. When we recognize and confess our sins, we name th...