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Gloria!

In those days a decree went out from Emperor Augustus that all the world should be registered. This was the first registration and was taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. All went to their own towns to be registered. Joseph also went from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to the city of David called Bethlehem, because he was descended from the house and family of David. He went to be registered with Mary, to whom he was engaged and who was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. In that region there were shepherds living in the fields, keeping watch over their flock by night. Then an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for see—I am bringing you good news o

What Time Is It?

I'm listening to the live broadcast of the King's Chapel service of Nine Lessons and Carols; in Cambridgeshire, it's already Christmas Eve.  The weather here in the Upper Valley is unusually warm.  Here it feels like it's already springtime.  So while my clock and calendar tell me it's still morning time on December 24 Christmas Eve Day, my senses and experiences are telling me otherwise.  Time seems to be in flux.  And on this of all days, that is apt.  On this day, we celebrate the moment when God enters into our world, defying all of our expectations; overturning all of our preconceptions; restoring, renewing, redeeming creation.  This is the hour when God scrambles everything, all in the name of God's love for us. What time is it? What a silly question. It's God's time.

The Last Full Measure

This is it: the last full day of Advent.  How are you spending your time?  If you're like me, you're heading off in multiple directions, trying to get any number of things done before Christmas.  That's fine.  I guess.  But in the midst of all of this last minute busyness, it's important, no, I think it's our vocation as Christians to take a moment to just stop.  And do nothing.  That's right.  Nothing.  Just sit there.  Let the silence, the stillness approach, then envelop you.  Let it shape you, if only for a moment.  Catch your breath.  Then say a prayer.  Do this, and you'll receive the last full measure of Advent, something that doesn't require us to commit all of our time, just all of our being.

Wintertime

Winter's here!  So what if it's going to be 60 degrees on Christmas Eve?  My calendar tells me that this is the first full day of winter and that's that.  Wintertime, after all, is not just a manifestation of meteorological conditions, it's also a state of mind. Wintertime as a mood can be depressing.  We can feel burdened by ice, snow, and unrelenting cold.  But it can also be freeing.  The time to hunker down, to cocoon, can be an opportunity to rest, to reflect, to be quiet and still.  We should take the chance when it arrives because before we know it, wintertime will give way to spring, bringing new life, new activity, new demands.  So, too, Christmas will arrive soon.  Soon but not yet.  Take these last moments of Advent to prepare, to pray, to get ready. It's wintertime.  Thanks be to God!

Longest Night

Tonight is the longest night of the year.  For most of us, that just means more darkness -- and the knowledge that nights will grow shorter from here on out.  But for some of our neighbors, this is the night in which they are homeless in the dark the longest.  As Advent comes to a close and we ready ourselves to hear the story of a baby born in a manger because there was no room at the inn, let us not forget all those in this day, in our community, for whom there is no room at the inn - those without jobs, those without homes, those without hope, those without prospects.  Let us remember these brothers and sisters, and let us commit ourselves to helping them find places they can call their own.

Magnificent Magnificat

Later in church this morning we'll read Mary's song of praise, the Magnificat.  Can you think of something that has caused you to want to shout out how awesome and amazing you believe God to be?  This day, take a moment to reflect on such a thing: it could be a person, an event, an experience, and idea.  Then, give thanks to God, offering up your own Magnifcat.

Time Lords

Today I ran the clock for Chip's basketball game.  Though I dutifully followed the action on the court and listened carefully for the referee's whistles, it occurred to me that I could stop the clock.  Anytime I wanted.  I.  Controlled. Time. If only. Just imagine what I could get done at this time of year if I could stop time.  More time to prepare for worship.  More time to shop for gifts.  More time to socialize.  More time to slow down.  It would be grand and glorious! But that's not the way the world works.  I cannot stop the clock.  The minutes will pass by, the hours march on relentlessly.  I do not control time. Of course, the time we know is not the only time there is.  There's also God's time.  And if I am not in control of our human clocks, I am most definitely in charge of God's clock.  Yes, the calendar tells me that Christmas Eve will arrive on the 24th of December.  But no human-made measure of time can tell me when Christ will break

May the Lord Be With You

This is the greeting traditionally exchanged by Christians in worship.  Fans of pop culture will no doubt recognize the similarity of a certain catchphrase from a popular sci-fi blockbuster.  Memo to Star Wars fans: the church got there first.  Indeed, for 2,000 years we've been expressing the hope to one another that the Lord be with you.  And during this season of Advent, we do so with added enthusiasm as we anticipate the arrival, now less than a week away, of Christmas eve and the birth of the baby who changes everything. So, dear friends, may the Lord be with you!

Good Advice

More than 2,000 years ago the Psalmist encouraged praise of God.  It was good advice then, it's good advice now.  Take a few moments to sit with this psalm (which is the Daily Office selection for noonday prayer), reflect on what the text says, and then read it aloud - with gusto and gratitude! Psalm 113 Give praise, you servants of the LORD;  praise the Name of the LORD. Let the Name of the LORD be blessed,  from this time forth for evermore. From the rising of the sun to its going down  let the Name of the LORD be praised. The LORD is high above all nations,  and his glory above the heavens.

Weird Weather

It's been a strange December, weather-wise.  Unseasonably warm temperatures have been the norm.  For those of us of a certain age, this has caused some meteorological dissonance: it's almost Christmas which means it should be cold outside, not balmy! Of course, Baby Jesus did not experience a New England winter when he was born.  And, more to the point, God's grace knows no bounds, including those of weather or season.  So, even if the weather seems weird, the incarnate love for which we are preparing will not deviate from its norm: it will arrive freely, joyfully, and fully, for each of us, for all of us.  You can count on it. Unlike the snow ...

Foggy Weather

When I woke up this morning a thick fog blanketed the neighborhood.  Now, the cover has lifted. During Advent, we look at the world around us and see that it, too, is shrouded.  We can have difficulty making sense of what's going on, of discerning the way forward.  But then, cutting through the veil, is God's light, illuminating the way forward for us.  So, be patient, the fog will lift.  The sun will shine!

A Time to Live, A Time to Die

Qoheleth, the author of Ecclesiastes, reminded us long ago in poetry of surpassing beauty that to everything in life there is an appointed hour. That includes death.  Too often in our society death is treated as something apart from living.  It's not.  It's an integral part of being alive.  What sets us apart from other creatures is that we are aware that our time on this earth will come to an end and we can shape how we think about our eventual demise.  As Christians, we do this within the context of a promise of new life, one that is brought to us by Jesus, whose arrival as an infant we will celebrate in less than two weeks. Today, offer a prayer for the dead, for their lives, their witness, for the unique gift each has shared with God's people.  Then give a word of thanks for the living, for all that remains possible in the future, for the courage to grapple with struggle, the faith to discern God's love, the grace to welcome the Christchild with joy, h

Joy

Today is the third Sunday in Advent.  Traditionally, joy is often associated with this day.  With this in mind, let's ... ask some questions (perhaps you thought I was going to suggest we rejoice; fear not, there will be time for that later) What brings you joy?  What would bring you joy?  Why might you find it difficult to experience joy?  Why might others?  How might you bring joy into the lives of others? This day, as we prepare for the arrival of Joy Incarnate in the world, let's ponder these questions and pray for answers that we can think about and act on.

The Day That The Lord Has Made

This is it.  The day that the Lord has made.  And it's a beauty.  Indeed, my hope is that you won't see this until later in the day because I would love to imagine you outside, enjoying this gift from God.  But as I write these words, I know that some may be sick, some may be at work, some caring for a friend or neighbor, and so unable to be out and about on this Spring-like day.  Still, I say: rejoice.  For this day, whatever may happening, even if the weather were to change to something cold and raw, would still be the handiwork of the One who made us.  This day is holy.  And we're present as a part of this sacred reality.  Rejoice.

High Noon

In the popular imagination, it's all down hill from here.  After midday, the sun will begin its slow journey to the Western horizon.  Once there, it will drop below the hills of the Connecticut River Valley and leave us in darkness.  Bleh. But let me share an encouraging nugget with you.  Though the days are still going to get shorter over the next couple of weeks, sunset reached its earliest time yesterday.  That's right: today we will enjoy light a little bit later in the day than we did just 24 hours before.  Tomorrow, the sun will linger that much longer.  Things, my friends, are getting better even if we don't know it! Advent is a reminder of how the Kingdom of God is breaking into our lives.  We may not see it, we may still focus on all that is wrong in our lives and the world, but the reality is that God's new creation is already unfolding around us.  If we want to enjoy this blessing, though, we need to prepare.  Part of doing that is to adapt a pe

Be Our Guest

"Come Lord Jesus, be our guest/To us this food, let it be blest." This is one of the table graces we say or sing in the Silver household.  Today, I'm focusing on the first part of the prayer: "Be our guest."  How do we treat guests?  This is a great question to ponder during Advent, especially if we're willing to consider those visitors we eagerly anticipate, but those who show up unannounced, perhaps at times when we're busy or have other priorities.  How do we deal with the unexpected?  How do we deal with disruption?  During Advent, we prepare to welcome gentle baby Jesus, sometimes forgetting he's going to grow up to be the guy who overturns tables and asks us to take up the cross.  Are we really prepared to offer the Christ child hospitality?  Are we willing to do the same with those he has named as worthy of particular attention - the poor, the hungry, the widow and orphan, all those rejected and scorned and turned away? Come Lord

Who Would Jesus Hate?

There seems to be an unusually high amount of hate-filled invective being spewed these days.  While it's disheartening to hear from politicians, it's heartbreaking when it's offered up by clergy.  Sadly, some Christians think God is calling on them to demonize Muslims, as if the way of following Jesus involves targeting those who don't share their belief systems.  I think they miss the mark, and by a wide margin.  After all, Jesus calls on us to confront our own shortcomings before focusing on those of someone else. During Advent, as we prepare to welcome the Christ child, we have an opportunity to ask if our attitudes towards others is marked by love.  If the answer is no, we should pray, reflect, and repent.  Because if we don't have room in our hearts for those who are different from us, we won't have room Jesus.

What Do You See?

Looking out the window of my study at the church I see what at first seems to be a somewhat dismal vista.  The sun can't break through the clouds, the colors of earth and sky are washed out, and a lonely crow stands vigil at the gate to the cemetery.  But as I write this, two other crows have appeared and I'm reminded of Jesus' injunction that where are two or three are gathered in his name, he is present.  Before the birds began to gather, I noticed that thanks to the cloud cover, I could actually look up at the sun, covered in a gauzy shroud that partially obscures but also protects my eye.  And then there's the frost, and the opportunity to contemplate the dazzling complexity of ice crystals and by extension God's creation. What do we see when look at the world around us?  Advent is a time to ponder this question.  If we take our time and we focus and we open our hearts and minds to the Spirit, who knows what we may be blessed to see!

History

Today is Pearl Harbor Day.  Seventy four years ago, the Japanese attacked the United States and our countries went to war.  Today, though, our nations are close allies.  Though we do not forget our history, we have chosen to not let us define us. I think of this during Advent as we are called to reflect and prepare for Christmas.  This is a time, much like Lent, when we can examine our shortcomings, something that can be hard to do.  But to help us do that, we need only remember that God, who is intimately familiar with our history, chose not to let that define our relationship.  Instead, he moved forward, coming to us in Jesus. This Advent, remember our broken, fallen past - and imagine the healing, reconciling future God offers. (This post was originally distributed via email and Facebook on December 7)

Make Some Noise!

Whether it's in a grand cathedral or a country chapel, the odds are you've encountered "church voice."  You know what I mean.  Reverent, somber, hushed tones, all of which are meant to convey a sense of respect and holiness.  These are good things.  But sometimes, something else is called for.  Sometimes, we need to shout and yell and make a fuss, even a scene.  If you think this is inappropriate, then I invite you to spend some time with John the Baptist.  He was loud, insistent, and quite possibly the Bible character least likely to be invited to tea.  But he got peoples' attention.  He led people to repent and to renew their faith and devotion to God.  On this Second Sunday of Advent, think of John, pray, and perhaps you will discern how God may be calling on you to make some noise on behalf of the Kingdom.

SEEKJOY (Part 2)

Guess what?  We found another pair of missing gloves last night!  Tucked away in a small side pouch of Chip's backpack was a pair of brand new gloves that we thought were gone forever.  That brings us up to a .750 batting average, which is better than pretty good - it's amazing!  It's phenomenal! It's remarkable.  It's, well, far more importantly, a wonderful reminder of what grace is like: unexpected, found in unlikely places, able to delight at the oddest times. This Advent, try to keep your eyes, ears, minds, and hearts open.  If you do, you'll be more likely to encounter God's grace. p.s. Chip adds: if you lose something, it can always be right in front of your face, so keep on looking.  Not a bad piece of advice, whether you're seeking missing gloves or God's presence!

SEEKJOY

This morning I visited a place of despair, a home for the lost, a destination that is usually marked by failure and disappointment.  That's right, I went to the Lost and Found bin at Chip's school, seeking gloves.  Of the four partially and fully missing pairs, I came away with two reunited sets.  In baseball terms, I was batting .500, which on the harball field of dreams or the realm of children's clothing-gone-missing is a good result.  Still, I had been hoping to find all of them.  Gloves cost money, after all.  And, there was the principle of the thing.  Besides, isn't it always nice to find what we're seeking? Of course, that begs the question: what are we seeking?  And why?  Advent is a great time to contemplate these questions.  We can seek stuff, we can seek security, we can seek power or leverage, we can seek to do someone down by gossiping.  Or, we can seek the things of the Kingdom: grace, forgiveness, light, love.  And joy. I was reminded o

Already Not Yet

This morning I heard Christmas music playing.  Normally, I find this a bit frustrating so early in Advent.  I really don't want this season to be rushed.  But it did occur to me that at least for that brief time, I was experiencing an eschatological moment. Eschatology is the church's way of discussing the end times, what it believes to be the ultimate destination of human history: its redemption, along with that of all Creation, by God.  The Apostle Paul, throughout his letters teaches that as Christians, we live in an "already not yet" world: the Eschaton has already occurred with the death and resurrection of Jesus but has to occur as he has not returned.  In more accessible terms, God's future is breaking out into our world right now.  We may not see that given all that seems to be wrong and unchanged in our lives but we are never to doubt that God is doing a new thing.  Those snippets of Yuletide music were both a harbinger of what is to come an

Miscellany

A list of words beginning with the letters "Pr" to contemplate on a raw, rainy Wednesday: Prepare Procrastinate Precision Prose Practical Prong Print Prayer Predilection Pratfall Protect Presto Which words in this seemingly random miscellany speak to you this day?  Which ones would you like to speak to you - at this moment and by the end of this Advent?  How will you go about deciding the answers to these questions?  It won't surprise you if I suggest that a most helpful spiritual tool can be found in the above list!

Calendars

With the arrival of December comes the appearance of the traditional Advent calendar, the kind with little doors to be opened each day.  On some versions, one finds a picture.  On others, there may be a compartment in which a token or piece of chocolate is hidden.  I've always been fond of Advent calendars, and in many years have had more than one going.  There's a welcome rhythm to counting down the days and having different ways of doing this.  Do you have a favorite Advent calendar memory?  How has the use of one fed into your preparations for Christmas?  Has it deepened your sense of anticipation, fed your excitement, or contributed to impatience?  This day, as you look at your Advent calendar, or even just a traditional, secular one, I invite you to reflect on these questions -- and to meditate on how you'd like your countdown to the Christ child's arrival to be different this year.

Not Yet Ready

The weather app on my phone reported a brisk 16 degrees this morning when Chip and I left for the school bus stop.  We wore hats and coats, but were still caught off guard by just how nippy it was.  Yes, Thanksgiving was behind us; yes, the church had just been decorated for Christmas; yes, December would begin tomorrow.  Still, deep in our hearts, we were not ready for the arrival of the kind of temperatures that are not a fluke but are seasonally appropriate.  In short, we were not ready for it to be, well, winter. Fortunately, the calendar tells us, winter won't be with us for another few weeks.  We have time to prepare.  This morning's chill weather was a sign, a signal, that the season is turning, that we should make ready.  Snow, and ice, and frigid spells are on their way.  But we can be ready.  We can lay in shovels and rock salt and fire wood and cocoa and all of the other things that will carry us through the winter. Advent is like this. It seems like we

What Are We Waiting For?

What are we waiting for? That's the question before us as we start a new church year. What are we waiting for? Presents? Parties? If you're reading this, the odds are you're more focused on the spiritual side of life.  You want more than stuff and merriment.  Perhaps actual Christmas carols during church. But let's reflect on that desire for a moment.  Carols are wonderful.  Fun to sing.  Filled with meaning.  But they're about the birth of the Christ child.  And, frankly, we're not ready for him.  We need to prepare.  That's why we have a season of Advent.  It's a time when we can acknowledge that while each of us wants many things, we need a time to slow down and ask God to help us discern what we need . This Advent, be still, be prayerful, listen attentively.  I'm hopeful that our time of waiting, shaped by God, will not be in vain, that it will be rewarded with the things we need: joy, peace, grace, life.

Alleluia!

Alleluia! Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed! We've arrived at our destination after our Lenten journey.  But there's no time to rest.  We need to spread the good news about the amazing God has done in and through Jesus on this Feast of the Resurrection.  Light has prevailed over darkness, hope over despair, life over death.  This is good news, great news, meant to be shared with and experienced by one and all! Christ is risen.  Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

On The Edge

It's Saturday afternoon.  The sun is shining.  Good Friday seems far behind us.  Yet Easter is not yet here.  We wait.  We hold our breath.  We anticipate. Soon.  So soon. Yet not yet. We wait.  We hold vigil. He is coming.  Soon.

Forsaken?

Jesus, from the cross, asked, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" echoing the lament of the Psalmist, by tradition none other than David.  On this Good Friday, we hold the words of Psalm 22 in prayer, recognizing the pain, the loss, the suffering in our lives, doing so in the knowledge that while God did not abandon Jesus, just as he does not abandon us, we are mean to share all, honestly and in faith, with God. Psalm 22 To the leader: according to The Deer of the Dawn. A Psalm of David. 1 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?    Why are you so far from helping me, from the words of my groaning? 2 O my God, I cry by day, but you do not answer;    and by night, but find no rest. 3 Yet you are holy,    enthroned on the praises of Israel. 4 In you our ancestors trusted;    they trusted, and you delivered them. 5 To you they cried, and were saved;    in you they trusted, and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm, and not human;    scorned by others,

Toe in the Water

In many churches around the world a foot washing, inspired by the story in John's Gospel (chapter 13), will be a centerpiece of the Maundy Thursday service.  Participants are invited to wash the feet of others and to let others wash their feet.  Often times, this can be uncomfortable.  That's not surprising.  This moment of serving and being served is one in which one makes oneself vulnerable - just as Jesus did, just as Peter did.  Today, even if you don't participate in this ritual, consider how you might serve and be served.  It need not be anything major, just a toe in the water will do.  But even just a dip will help you experience the Kingdom of God.

Who's the Fool?

Today is April Fool's Day, that calenderical delight of pranksters and jokesters everywhere.  Mischief makers will delight in making fools of their unsuspecting friends, colleagues, and family members.  During this Holy Week, though, we might ponder this truth: we are called to be fools for Christ, but often we don't respond.  Heeding this summons doesn't involve wearing a jester's hat or mastering the delivery of the snappy one-liner.  But it does require a willingness to abjure the standards of the world, to risk the mockery and condescension of those who claim to know better.  Tomorrow we'll begin to focus on Jesus' final hours and on Friday we'll watch as darkness rises.  Will we be ready to stand with Christ?  Will be ready to follow our Lord to the cross?  Will be fools for the Gospel?  Today, let's reflect on and pray over these important, life-defining questions.  The answers we offer will be no joke.

Beach ball

A light snow fell last night.  Just a dusting, one that melted away with the rising of the sun.  Still, earlier today, when we awoke, trees, cars, the street, bushes, and a beach ball were all lightly covered.  We weren't expecting the flurry, nor did we anticipate the beach ball.  The former was a reminder of the winter we wish to see gone, the latter a harbinger of the summer to come.  We seem to be in a transition moment, a time when we're balanced between what was and what will be.  This is true not just of the weather but also of our faith.  Easter is almost here, but Lent is not yet over.  We are ready for resurrection but the hour has not yet quite arrived.  Until then, we have a colorful beach ball, a playful symbol of God's surprising grace and joy.

Not Over Yet

It's snowing.  Again.  Yes, it's nothing more than a flurry.  Still.  It's snow.  And it's falling.  Winter, it seems, is still with us, if only for another day. Or two.  Or more.  But sooner or later it will come to an end.  The snow, the cold, the ice.  Just not yet. The same's true with Lent.  It's not over, not yet.  Yes, with Palm Sunday our attention shifts, with Holy Week our spiritual lives and routines take on a new form.  But even so, Lent is still with us.  We're still called to live out our disciplines, to pray, to turn in a new direction, follow a new path. Soon, Lent will come to an end.  But not yet. Thanks be to God.

Fad du Jour

Yesterday, while in Boston, I poked my head into a Starbucks on Newbury Street to pick up a cup of tea and the paper.  To get inside, I first had to make my way through a crowd of young women in the teens and twenties who were lined up for most of the length of a city block to get into a boutique.  I should note now that the hour was early, snow showers were falling, and it was cold, giving lie to the notion that spring had arrived.  What, I wondered, could be so compelling to draw so many people out on a raw, wet Saturday morning?  Whatever it was, it mattered to those waiting for the doors to open. On this Palm Sunday we will read about and sing of a different crowd, the one that has gathered to welcome Jesus into Jerusalem.  We don't know whether many congregated or just a few to offer their praises and songs, but we do know that by the end of the week they will have melted away, just like whatever fad captured the fancy of those young women yesterday (or will grab

Vespers

This prayer, "Phos hilaron (O Gracious Light)," is part of the Episcopal service of Evening Prayer.  These words seem not only apt for ending this day for concluding what I think of as "ordinary" Lent, the period from Ash Wednesday through the Saturday before Holy Week begins. O gracious light, pure brightness of the everliving Father in heaven, O Jesus Christ, holy and blessed! Now as we come to the setting of the sun, and our eyes behold the vesper light, we sing your praises, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You are worthy at all times to be praised by happy voices, O Son of God, O Giver of Life, and to be glorified through all the worlds.

Rain

I'm not normally a fan of grey, rainy days.  But yesterday was an exception to the rule.  I was absolutely delighted by the precipitation.  First, it wasn't snow.  Second, given the temperatures, it was going to make progress in melting and washing away the ground cover but without causing any flooding.  Third, it wasn't snow. As we approach Holy Week, I plan to keep these thoughts about the rain close at hand.  For as we journey closer to Good Friday, to the darkness of Golgotha, the imperative to hold onto the good will be that much more pressing.  That, in turn, is a lesson to be carried beyond Easter and into the rest of our lives.

Dead and Buried?

The BBC reported this morning that Richard III was interred in Leicester Cathedral.  Richard, you'll recall, was the last of the Plantagenets, defeated by the forces of Henry Tudor at Bosworth Field.  He has also been cast as one of the great villains of English history, blamed for the murder of his young nephews, the famous Princes in the Tower.  His remains were lost to the ages until they were discovered during the excavation of a car park in 2012.  Now he's been buried with pomp and ceremony.  All well and fine.  But what interested me most in this story was the observation of his successor on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II.  She said that Richard was "sustained by his Christian faith in life and death."  While I'm in no position to comment on the accuracy of this statement, I was struck by what it tells me of the current monarch's deep and abiding faith. It's been widely known for decades that Elizabeth is a deeply committed practitioner

Let It Go

Parents of young children seeing the title of this morning's reflection will most likely flinch as the hit song from Disney's Frozen comes to mind.  The tune became so ubiquitous that its author told a reporter that she'd begun apologizing for having written it!  Still, the title tells us something we need to hear in Lent.  We do need to "let it go."  Whether "it" is our anxiety, our denial, our anger, our frustration, our fear, our anything-that-keeps-us-from-God.  In short, our sin.  Of course, we can't let something go until we admit we have it.  We must first admit we sin, not always an easy thing to do.  Then we can work on letting it go, calling on God for his help.

License to Pray

In the realm of spy fiction and movies, James Bond was famously issued a license to kill  by Her Majesty's Government.  In the real world, no such power exists (or at least none that anybody has ever admitted to).  This is a good thing, practically and philosophically.  Still, the concept offers an opportunity to contemplate the idea of deputizing power.  Traditionally, it has been the state, whether embodied in the person of an absolute monarch or an elected government, that has been seen as legitimately exercising such authority.  Delegating this ability, something that happens when soldiers take to the battlefield or police use lethal force, is an exercise in trust.  It is one that carries risks.  The hope is that it will be used judiciously, discretely, and wisely.  This does not always happen. There are other areas in life where power is delegated.  Consider prayer.  God has given each of us and all of us a direct line of communication.  As Creator of the Univers

Somewhere In Between

This morning the shines brilliantly.  It's also bitingly cold.  If you had to choose which of these features defines today's weather, which would it be?  Sunny or frigid?  Both are factually correct, so there is no "right" choice.  Instead, it's a matter of perspective.  Focus on the sunshine and the odds are you're looking towards warmth and the happy thoughts.  Focus on the single digit temps and you're oriented towards the need to bundle up and a yearning for something different.  Of course, one can reject a binary choice and lift up both.  Nuance might be the only way to accurately depict today's weather.  So too with life, something we need to remember in Lent.  We can go to church on Sunday and lose our temper.  When this happens we need not pretend that we are either wondrous saints or irredeemable sinners.  We can instead recognize that we are fallible creatures, called by God to try, try again.  We can do so alert to the fact the

Loving the Law

The lectionary offers two choices from the psalter today: Psalm 51, which we'll read in church today, and Psalm 119.  The latter offers us a view of life in the law that is affirming and inspiring.  Nothing dead, routine, or ritualistic here.  Instead, God's law is something that engages the heart, shapes lives, and is a cause for celebration.  As you read these verses, I invited you to ask yourself how you might delight in God's decrees and precepts, how you might rejoice by following his Way, how you might love the law. Psalm 119:9-16 How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word. With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments. I treasure your word in my heart, so that I may not sin against you. Blessed are you, O LORD; teach me your statutes. With my lips I declare all the ordinances of your mouth. I delight in the way of your decrees as much as in all riches. I will meditate on your precepts, a

Birth Order

I attended a presentation on the parent-teacher relationship at Chip's school on Saturday morning.  During a fascinating talk, the presenter brought up the subject of birth order.  Apparently, research shows that where a person falls in the family birth order has a serious impact on how he or she will see, behave, perceive.  The first born will be interested in tradition and following rules.  The second born will often be a bit of a rebel who is forward oriented.  Where we come from can have a serious effect on who we are and who we become.  But this need not be deterministic.  Awareness of this dynamic can allow us to shape and adjust our responses to situations.  Another kind of awareness that is empowering, especially during this Lenten season, is that we are each beloved of God.  God treasures each and every one of us, and invites us to repair and restore our relationships with him and with our brothers and sisters (real and figurative!) - regardless of whether we

Christmas is Over. Really.

We finally removed the Christmas tree from the sanctuary yesterday.  Not that anybody would have noticed since we've been worshiping in the parish hall since the start of the year.  With frigid temperatures, the tree held its needles, its branches remained firm.  It looked great.  We could have hung Easter eggs on its boughs.  Alas, though, there is a time for everything and our Tannenbaum's has come and gone. Happily, the promise of Christmas - the inbreaking of God's love into our world - remains with us, supporting us, encouraging us, challenging us during this Lenten season.  It is because God loves us without condition that we are able to confront the injuries we have caused to our relationships with him and his people. So, this day, though we are without a tree, we are blessed with God's presence, God's grace, God's love.

Who Would Jesus Shoot?

Yesterday we learned of a massacre at a Tunisian art museum and a shooting rampage here in the States in Mesa, Arizona.  It seems as if the violence, whether motivated by religion, ideology, illness, or just plain evil, will never end.  We can despair.  We can give up.  We can say it's inevitable.  That it's the cost of freedom or human nature or God's will.  Or we can repent and follow a new path. We can ask how we are complicit in violence. We can ask what we are doing to combat violence. We can ask what we are willing to sacrifice to be peacemakers - the ones whom Jesus said would be blessed. Who would Jesus shoot?  I think we all know the answer: nobody.  What does that tell us?  Perhaps that we should ask ourselves some questions and listen for the Holy Spirit, praying for God's guidance and peace.

Sneak Peek ...

This morning I noticed the snow pack abutting our driveway had receded enough to give me a peak at the verge of our lawn.  The grass I could see was brown, muddy, and not in any danger of appearing in any lawn care promotionals.  But none of that mattered.  It was a welcome sign that spring is coming.  So, too, is Easter.  The promise of the resurrection is real and will be kept. We're turning a corner in Lent.  We're much closer to Palm Sunday than Ash Wednesday.  Indeed, this Sunday will be the last regular one in Lent.  After that, we'll turn our attention to Holy Week and all that involves.  Now, while we shouldn't get ahead of ourselves, and there's still much Lenten work for us to do, we can look forward with anticipation with what's coming.  We may only have caught a glimpse, but we know that what we will encounter will be glorious.

It's Not About the Beer

Despite the local pub's offering first pints at 9 am today, St. Patrick's Day is not best marked by downing copious amounts of suds.  Nor is dressing up like a leprechaun, wearing green, or celebrating all things  faux-Irish.  Instead, if we truly want to honor this 5th century Christian, we would seek to share God's love with those who once harmed us, we would make sharing the Word our life's work, we would listen and respond to God's call, however demanding and challenging that might be.  That's right: no drunken revelry.  Just inspired, enthusiastic service to the Lord. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

A Prayer for Midday ...

We pray for the just and proper use of your creation; For the victims of hunger, fear, injustice, and oppression. For all who are in danger, sorrow, or any kind of trouble; For those who minister to the sick, the friendless, and the needy. Hear us, Lord; For your mercy is great. Amen. This prayer is from the noonday Daily Office for today.  Join me in offering this intercession to God.  Then, if possible, take some time later in the day to reflect on these words.  Then, consider offering it again.

Beward the Ides of March ...

... and all the other days, too.  Not because you or I are dictators about to be assassinated by conspiratorial Senators, but because we should never be complacent about our faith lives.  Lent is a time for us to remember this fact.  We can all to easily be distracted from Jesus's way, from doing the hard work of making sure that we are striving to make right our relationships with God and God's people.  So be on guard.  Pay attention.  Stay alert!  God's healing, reconciling, redeeming Spirit is coming to us.  Let's not miss it.  Beware!

Have Some Pi

Yes, today is Pi Day.  This celebration of everyone's favorite oddball, magical, irrational yet highly useful number - 3.14 ... - is a special occasion this year.  For it's not only March 14 - 3.14 - but March 14, 2015 - 3/14/15 (3.1415 ...).  And twice during the day, a 9:26.53, it gets even better as one can observe on digital devices 3.141592653 ... Though many of us have a conflicted relationship with mathematics (quadratic equations, anyone?), numbers are a different matter.  They can delight, intrigue, and amaze.  Zero.  Infinity.  Pi.  Many among the faithful have often seen the hand of God at work in numbers.  They can be used, some think, to predict when Jesus will return.  Or when the Earth was created.  Personally, I don't think Scripture should be interpreted this way.  But I do think the wonders of numbers and math reflect the glory of Creation.  So on this Pi Day, take a moment to be impressed and amazed by the sheer awesomeness of this universe

At the Dump

I went to the dump this morning with large shipping cartons filled with packing styrofoam, a bit worried I'd be told to bring the stuff back broken down and bagged.  When I pulled up to the booth where the staff check what one has to dispose, I told the attendant what I had.  He asked me if I planned to throw the boxes and styrofoam directly into the dumpster.  I replied that I actually thought I'd shake out the styrofoam and put the boxes into recycling.  His face lit up.  "A lot of people wouldn't bother to do that," he said gratefully.  "Thanks."  In that exchange, the anxiety we each experienced disappeared.  It was a small thing that cause us each apprehension, but it was real.  In a moment, it was gone.  We often seem to look for things to worry about.  When we do this, when we create new anxieties for ourselves, we have less time for other things - like God.  As we continue to move through Lent, we can still take up disciplines and g

You WILL reincarnate ...

... which, it seems, is what the Chinese Communist Party has told the Dalai Lama after he suggested he might not.  The irony is inescapable - this is a putatively atheist outfit.  Now it's telling a religious leader how his faith tradition operates.  Of course, the CCP has been doing this for a while, and not just with the Dalai Lama.  They're running their own Catholic hierarchy, much to the consternation of the Vatican. Now, there are fundamental differences between Tibetan Buddhism and Christianity, including beliefs about reincarnation.  However, one of the things the two traditions do share in common, along with other religions today and throughout history, is the spectacle of governments telling the faithful to follow the lead of their political overlords, even if it means ignoring, even contravening one's holy texts and fundamental beliefs.  Even when these figures reject the idea of God, they find they like playing God.  They like to act as if they ar

Die, Heretic Scum!

Well, that got your attention, didn't it? Now, I don't intend to issue any fatwas against members of other faith traditions or divergent streams of the Christian tradition.  Rather, I'd like to call attention to the tendency of the faithful - even mild-mannered mainliners - to climb up on ecclesiastical soapboxes to hurl imprecations at those whose understanding of the will of God differs.  The truth is that we just don't do a great job of disagreeing with others.  One possible explanation is that discussions become so very heated because matters of ultimate truth are being debated.  Perhaps.  But I think that something else can be at work: identity.  How we comprehend, discuss, share (or even reject) God is at the heart of who we are as people.  When those conceptions are are challenged, we can feel that we are being attacked, our very sense of self questioned.  At such moments, we might do well to remember Jesus' admonition that to save one self, one

Fallen

The story hasn't generated much attention here in the States but the world of competitive dog shows in the UK has been rocked by an awful scandal.  Up to six dogs participating in Crufts, the British equivalent of the Westminster Kennel Club Show here in the US (recall the movie"Best in Show") have been killed by poisoning.  The authorities are working under the assumption that the guilty party is the owner of one of the other competitors.  This is appalling and sickening.  And, sadly, reflective of just how fallen humans can be.  Killing a helpless creature so you can walk off with a ribbon?  Really?  Something is very, very wrong here.  In the church, we name this "something" sin.  When we sin (and yes, that's we, not other people), ties are frayed, even broken.  Relationships are thrown off kilter. And, harm is done, sometimes, irreparably. During Lent, we have the opportunity to reflect on how we sin, and to pray to God to help us turn in a

Jargon for God

We talk a lot about repentance and the amendment of behavior during Lent.  But what does this mean?  How, to use an inartful phrase, do we make this call operational? One place to find an answer to these questions is Jeremiah 7: The word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: Stand in the gate of the Lord’s house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you people of Judah, you that enter these gates to worship the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your doings, and let me dwell with you in this place. Do not trust in these deceptive words: “This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.” For if you truly amend your ways and your doings, if you truly act justly one with another, if you do not oppress the alien, the orphan, and the widow, or shed innocent blood in this place, and if you do not go after other gods to your own hurt, then I will dwell with you in this place, in t

Selma

This weekend marks the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.  The awful events that unfolded at the Edmund Pettis bridge shocked the nation.  Out of this painful incident momentum built and the Voting Rights Act was passed.  As we in the church know, Christians offered vital leadership, beginning with but not limited to The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in the fight for equal rights for all Americans.  But as we take pride in, and are inspired by this, we acknowledge that some Christians sided with the forces of segregation.  During this Lent, we should give thanks for faithful disciples, repent for the sins of the church, and pray for the strength and courage to hear and respond with action to God's call for righteousness, justice, and mercy.

Spring Training

I can see Fenway Park from where I'm staying in Boston.  The ball park beckons.  Home runs, hot dogs, cheering fans, neatly turned double plays.  They're all so close.  Mind you, I can also see snow.  Lots of it.  The first pitch of the season may need to be thrown by someone wearing snowshoes.  Clearly, Mother Nature and the grounds crew have a lot of work to do if they're to be ready for Opening Day.  So too with Easter.  It beckons.  We can imagine the day: it's now less than a month away.  Great hymns, beautiful lilies, and, of course, the story of the Resurrection.  We're ready.  Or so we think we are. As much as we want Easter now, we still have work to do.  Spiritual clean ups still require our attention and effort.  And there's less time than we think!  Just as Opening Day is on the calendar, so too is Easter: April 5.  While it might seem like we have to wait forever and a day, baseball and, far more importantly, Easter will be here sooner

Goodbye, Ma ...

Goodbye, Ma Bell that is.  It seems that Apple, now the world's largest company by capitalization, is to displace AT&T from the Dow Jones Industrial Average.  Talk about how the might have fallen!  AT&T was once the most powerful, prestigious business in the nation.  Many of us remember when it provided the only option for long distance service.  It WAS the phone company.  And it could do anything.  Now it can't even keep its seat at the stock market's big kids table.  It all goes to prove that nothing of this world is forever, a message that is repeatedly shared in Scripture. Lent is a good time to reflect on the transience of things.  What we think is enduring is not.  Kingdoms, nations, companies will all pass from the scene.  So, too, can our sin, if we'll let it.  That grudge?  Resentment?  Pique? Hurt? Bad or dangerous habit?  They can all go the way of the dodo.  All we need to do is turn to the One who is forever, the eternal God who comes

Psalm

This psalm is about a deep confidence in one's relationship with God.  I invite you to join me in reading the psalm this morning and to reflect on your relationship with God as I will mine, remembering that it is in this season we are specially called to set things right with the One who has created us.   I encourage you to join me in repeating this tonight. Psalm 71 1 In thee, O LORD, have I taken refuge; * let me never be ashamed. 2 In thy righteousness, deliver me and set me free; * incline thy ear to me and save me. 3 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe; * thee are my crag and my stronghold. 4 Deliver me, my God, from the hand of the wicked, * from of the clutches of the evildoer and the oppressor. 5 For thee are my hope, O LORD God, * my confidence since I was theeng. 6 I have been sustained by thee ever since I was born; from my mother's womb thee have been my strength; * my praise shall be always of the

Darkness

Occasionally, I'll write these reflections at the end of the day.  Sometimes it's by choice, a desire to engage in a form of compline, the order of prayer for the evening.  Others times, like today, it's simply because the day's been full and I haven't had a chance to sit down, think, and write.  Either way, it is dark. What does the dark make you think of? Sitting around a campfire? Or fears and anxieties lurking in corners?  Star dappled skies?  Or things that go bump in the night?  Lent is a good time for us to look at the darkness, both within us and beyond, to think about it, to pray on it, to consider how it fits into God's creation and what role it may play in our lives. It's dark now.  It's hard to see.  But look carefully - there's so much out there!

What, Again?

What, again? More snow?  While listening to the morning news on the radio I learned that we are in for some precipitation with potential accumulations of two to five inches here in New Hampshire.  My only thought was when will this winter end?  We've had enough! Thinking this, it occurred to me that our reaction this year's endless snow might just mirror God's to our sins.  "What, again?" God might wonder.  "When will they stop?"  The answer, sadly, is most likely never.  Still, God never gives up on us, he gives us chance after chance to set things right.  Lent is an especially good time to look to our sins, both those things done and those left undone, towards God and God's people.  We can pray, we can reflect, and we can take assurance that there is another way.  That just as the winter will come to an end, so, too, can our alienation and straying from God.

The Word We Do Not Say ...

I was just listening to Bach's Cantata "Singet dem Herrn, ein neues Lied!" (Sing a new song unto the Lord - BWV 190).  It's filled with the joyous singing of the word "Hallelujah."  In the Catholic and Episcopal traditions, this bit of vocabulary is given a liturgical rest during Lent as a way of marking the somber nature of the season.  We generally avoid Hallelujah in our church, too, at this time for the same reason.  This doesn't meant that all signs of joy our mirth ought to be exiled from our lives at this moment.  But Lent is serious business and it deserves our attention.  If we're to truly experience the joy of Easter, we will need to be fully present during Holy Week.  And for that we need to prepare ourselves.  So let us lay off the Hallelujahs for now.  With the Resurrection we'll have time to say and sing them aplenty.

In Like a Lion

March, so we're told, comes in like a lion.  As initial forecasts suggest that this week's weather may well be beastly, this seems apt.  It's also appropriate today as we're reading from Mark, the evangelist whose symbol is the lion.  Further, in today's lection, Jesus speaks with the ferocity of a lion, setting both Peter and us straight about what it means to be one of his followers.  It's not easy, we're told.  But, the rewards are tremendous and magnificent.  I pray that this day we all experience the love of God, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit with the force and power of a lion!

Daylight

It's 5:10 as I write this (admittedly late) daily reflection.  Not so long ago, it would have been dark at this hour.  Now, the sun still shines.  The days grow longer, spring slowly approaches, and our anticipation for a new season mounts.  This is good.  This is understandable.  But we should also take a moment to pause, to not let this Lenten time pass us by.  The call to repentance and renewal deserves to be heeded, to be given a prime spot in our daily lives. The days grow longer.  Let us take this as a symbol of God giving us more time to focus on Lent, to not be rushed, but to be present.

Tired

I'm tired today.  I didn't sleep well last night and before I knew it, much of today had slipped by.  Too much to do, too little time in which to do it.  Writing a reflection seemed like yet one more thing to check off a too-full to-do list.  Yet now as I write this, I know it's more.  It's a time to slow down, reflect, consider what it is I'm doing with this day with which I've been blessed by God.  "Slow down, be quiet, it's Advent" are words with which we're familiar.  "Slow down, be quiet, it's Lent" are ones we should take to heart, too.  If we don't, we'll never have a chance to figure out just what it is we need to set right with God and God's people.  And then we won't be ready for Easter.  And that would be a shame.  So, yes, I'm tired.  But at least for a few moments, when I've had to slow down, I've been able to live a bit more fully into Lent.

Honesty

This coming Sunday we'll read Psalm 22 with its famous lament of abandonment, the ones echoed by Jesus from the cross.  "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" reflect a depth of despair and forlornness that is hard to comprehend, especially when coming from Jesus, who according to our Christian story knew God better than any other person in history.  What are we to do with such a cry?  Are we to surrender to the fear that if Jesus, Son of God, could feel that he was alone, then there is no hope for us?  That is one possibility.  But another path beckons.  The cry of the psalmist, and Jesus' appropriate of his words, speak to us about honesty as the basis for our relationship with God.  It is when things are dark, challenging, when we are frustrated, confused, angry, that we should not, cannot hold back in opening ourselves to God.  It is in precisely such moments that we need to let God know what is truly going on with us for in doing so we enable o

Yet More Perspective

Our water was finally restored at the end of the day yesterday.  At times I wasn't sure it would happen - I spoke with a DPW representative at 8 am.  A plumber came by to modify our connection to the city water main at noon.  I was feeling optimistic.  But then ... nothing.  Nobody came to do the next part of the project.  In a sense, things were worse than before since we were now actually disconnected from the water supply.  By 4 I was frustrated.  After two days I was tired of having to leave my house to wash up or go to the bathroom.  I pulled out the phone book to call the public works office.  And then the men arrived with their machine.  An hour later, the water was flowing.  I was relieved, even happy. Though far more banal and far less important than the events that we commemorate at the end of Lent, I felt that this episode was offering me a preview of the emotions that we can experience during Holy Week and Easter.  Consider: All is normal, then things sudd

More Perspective

Alas, still no water.  However, on the bright side, I've been touched by the offers of hospitality that have come our way: use of bathrooms, guestrooms, houses.  And, everybody with whom I've spoken at the DPW has been unfailingly polite during what I've learned has been a very demanding few days for them.  This extends to the nice man who was out working in the fifteen degree below zero weather this morning. All too often in life we are tempted to look to the negative, to be drawn to the shadows, to complain.  This little (mis)adventure has been a reminder that there is almost always a bright side to things.  During this season of Lent, we have the opportunity to reflect on whether we're drawn to the light or to the shadows and to pray that the Spirit will guide us to the former and give us the strength to turn away from the latter.

Perspective

I'm not feeling very patient right now.  The water main has frozen and we've been without water since yesterday afternoon.  All the DPW can tell me is that a crew is scheduled to work on the problem today.  That's nice, but I want my water now. As I've gotten hot and bothered about this, I've reflected on more than one occasion just how fortunate we are at the parsonage.  We have bottled water, we can go to the gym to shower, there's always the restroom at the church.  And I have no doubt the water will be restored.  We're dealing with an inconvenience.  There are people who don't have access to these fallback resources.  And around the world there are people who don't have access to running water period. While there may never be a good time for me to lose water, Lent is as good a moment as any for this to happen.  It offers an opportunity to recalibrate, to gain some perspective, to give thanks for what I have and to pray for patience a

Reflection and Service

One of the bywords of Lent is reflection.  This is a time to pray on and think about those things we have done and those things we have left undone with the goal of amending our behavior and renewing our relationship with God and God's people.  While we do this serious work of looking inwards, though, we should never lose sight of God's wider creation.  There are still people to be served, still people to befriend.  Whether it's through participating in the Community Dinner or the Sunday School Lenten Offering - or some other way - let us thank God for the opportunity to serve while we reflect.

Giving Up

The joke making the rounds these days is that one is giving up snow or winter for Lent.  Understandable - but that kind of misses the point.  Lenten disciplines aren't meant to be fun.  Nor - and this is even more important - are they meant to be impossible.  Instead, they should challenge us but also should also be attainable.  God is looking for us to repent - and God wants us to succeed at this.  So let's move on from giving up snow or winter for Lent and let's do something fulfilling and possible that will help us make things right with God and God's people.

Settling In

When I went outside this morning I thought it was chilly but not remarkably so - just another winter's day.  Then I looked at the temperature on my car's thermometer and learned that it was just 3 degrees outside.  Clearly, I'm getting used to our Arctic conditions.  Reflecting on this, I hope and pray that I can settle into my Lenten disciplines with the same ease.  I don't want to take them for granted, but wouldn't it be wonderful if habits of reflection, repentance, and renewal could become second nature.  By the end of Lent, they might become a permanent part of my life.  Something, I can say, I do not wish for our wintry weather ...

A Prayer of Penitence

At last night's Ash Wednesday we joined together to say a prayer of penitence.  These are good words to guide us in our Lenten journey.  I invite you to join me in reading them, reflecting on them, praying on them, and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, taking them to heart, letting them shape us, form us, and even transform us. Merciful God, we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done, and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart and mind and strength. We have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.   In your mercy forgive what we have been, help us amend what we are, and direct what we shall be, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name.   Amen.

And So It Begins

And so it begins.  Today, Christians around the world, including here in Lebanon, set out on a spiritual pilgrimage of reflection and repentance, one that leads to Easter.  As we embark on our Lenten journeys, we can do so focused on the final destination of April 5.  Or, we can go forth with open hearts and open minds, living in the moment of each day of this season.  If we do the latter, we may find ourselves being led by the Spirit to surprising new places, and in the end discover that we are better prepared for the wonder of the Resurrection.  So on this Ash Wednesday, let us pray for a holy and surprising Lent, one that takes us deeper into the life of faith and closer to the One who made us.