A Positively Poetic Priest

"Remember the sabbath day, and keep it holy. For six days you shall labor and do all your work. But the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; you shall not do any work—you, your son or your daughter, your male or female slave, your livestock, or the alien resident in your towns." Exodus 20:8-10 The fourth commandment reminds us to rest. Rest!? You might think? Who has time to rest? In the American culture at this time, rest is not a priority. Rest is for the weak. And we are all the strong who can keep going forever! I hope you realize I'm being facetious. Rest is extremely important to our health and happiness as human beings. God created us to need and desire rest, in multiple ways. Not only do we require physical rest in sleep, but we also require mental and emotional rest in order to stay healthy. Many people experience stress and burn out because they do not allow themselves to rest enough. Being well rested allows us to work in our strengths and ...

3/26/17 Lent 4A It was a beautiful Saturday morning. Jesus and his disciples were walking around Jerusalem, deciding what they were going to have for lunch and what he was going to teach about in the synagogue that afternoon. As they were walking, Jesus happened to lock eyes with a blind man and when his disciples saw who he was looking at, they asked him a question. Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?  They assumed that he had been born blind, he must not have been an old man. Neither, Jesus replies, he was born blind so that God may be glorified. And he makes one of his famous I AM statements, I am the light of the world. Seems like a bit of a non-sequitur. Then Jesus spits on the ground, makes mud, and spreads it on the blind man’s eyes. Reminding the disciples of the story of creation, where God created humans out of mud. Jesus tells the blind man, face covered in mud, to go wash in the pool. It wasn’t far from where they were and the man...

21 August 2016 Proper 16C As you may have guessed, I am a lover of words. Today’s gospel passage shares with us the story of Jesus healing a woman and the fall out that comes from his actions. Healing, literally means to make whole. A perfect definition for what Jesus does for this woman in the synagogue. He makes her whole again.  Jesus healing this lady was a gift, a gift of compassion. Not sought for, not asked for. This woman never asked to be healed. There she is minding her own business in the synagogue and Jesus interferes with her life. Simply a gift out of the goodness of Jesus' heart. He saw her and felt for her and knew he could make her better.  Yet, this gift from Jesus was quite disturbing to the leader of the synagogue where it took place. Interestingly, the leader of the synagogue doesn't seem to be surprised that the woman is healed of a demon that has kept her bent over and away from God for 18 years. No. What surprises and bothers him is the ...