A Positively Poetic Priest

Sara Miles started to come to a realization about the Christian life: “The words I read and prayed, and the different acts of a liturgical year, continued to bounce off one another: walking, talking, carrying plates of food to a table, eating. Somehow the sanctified and ritual parts of church, as I told Jeff, were merging with the parts that reminded me of ordinary life: dinner parties, working in a restaurant kitchen, hanging out with my friends. “It’s like there’s not really a line between what’s holy and what’s not,” I said in amazement. “Or not such a sharp one.” “That would be correct,” said Jeff.” (173-174)

O God of peace, you bring tranquility into our conflicted lives. You raised Jesus from the still tomb; yet we continue to be entombed behind the closed locked doors of our fear. Open wide our doors and windows to the fresh air of new life. As Jesus showed his disciples his hands and feet, may we show ours to those waiting for our love. We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God for ever and ever. Amen   Shalom aleichem. Assalam alaykum. Peace be with you.   What do you think of when you think about peace? Lack of war? Lack of stress? I would like you to close your eyes for a moment think about your favorite place to relax. Remind yourself of how you feel when you are there. The happiness, the undisturbed feeling. The beach, the mountains, the lake. The vacation home, the smells, the wind in your hair, let your muscles go for a moment ... relax   Now if you'll rejoin me and return to this room.   Was that peac...