Posts

Showing posts from 2018

The Nativity of Our Lord

The Nativity of Our Lord according to St. Luke, chapter 2, verses 1-20 Authorized (King James) Version And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel

Time's Up?

It's 10:20 on the morning of Christmas Eve and, frankly, it feel's like time's up.  Our rota of services begins in just a few hours and I can't say I'm ready.  Oh, don't worry, the bulletins are ready and the sermon has been prepared but I'm not yet prepared for the arrival of the Christ child.  Then again I never am.  And you know what?  It doesn't matter.  He's still coming.  And though my soul may still be wandering and my heart might be perplexed, Almighty God will still love me, save me, forgive me, no matter the hour, no matter the day. 

Are You Ready?

Honestly, are you ready for the Fourth Sunday of Advent? What, you're focused on Christmas and haven't been paying attention? Sigh.  I suspect there's a lot of this going around, including in many pulpits today.  Understandably we're excited by the imminent birth of Jesus but we shouldn't rush things.  Every moment of our lives is fashioned by God and should be treasured, even those where we have to wait. Tomorrow will be chock full of excitement.  Today, let's take advantage of this last moment of quiet.  Let's pray, let's reflect and get ready.

Last Minute

A lot of people are going to be scrambling around today, trying to get presents and make ready for guests.  Christmas is just a couple of days from now and time is running out.  But why are we running around, doing things at the last minute?  Jesus isn't really going to be born on Monday evening.  He isn't coming.   He's already been and gone and, our faith tells us, coming again at a time of his own choosing.  Our deadlines really don't matter to God, the Holy Spirit takes no note of them. I won't tell you to sit back and be quiet today (though you should), but I would ask you to remember that Jesus loves you even if that card arrives late or you don't have all of the gifts you wanted.  There's always Christmas 2019 ...

Winter

The Winter Solstice falls today.  With the shortest day before us, the darkness will fall early and linger longer.  Winter will be felt by many, some in their bodies, others in their souls.  During Advent, we recognize this fact as we prepare for a new reality grounded in God's love.  To someone without food or shelter, or love or friendship, that can seem like a grand, but empty, promise.  You can help make this coming change real for others.  By sharing food or an open hand, you can reflect the hospitality that is so often in short supply, but is so, so needed. 

Perspective

I've said it before and so have others: a lot of life depends on your perspective, who you choose to see things.  Is the glass half full or half empty?  Circumstances help to dictate our choice, but it is ultimately a choice.  Advent is a time to reflect on the coming of Jesus into our lives, to ask what his presence means, whether we see him as a gift or an inconvenience.  To paraphrase a popular TV saying, Jesus is coming. There's not much time.  We need to prepare ourselves for his arrival.  And that includes whether we will welcome him with joy or resentment, the way of God's grace or this fallen world.

Crazytown

In case you haven't noticed, the weather, at least here in New England, has been, well, crazy this winter.  Cold snaps followed by warming, snow, then rain and back again.  Today it started out in the teens and by Friday it's supposed to be in the 50s.  What's going on?  Who knows.  Climate change, polar vortex, New England being New England, something we don't yet understand - they're all viable explanations for why we live in the winter wonderland that might also be called  Crazytown.  All I can do is be prepared. Salt the ice on the walk, have a scraper in the car, you know the drill.  I'll try to be prepared. Advent has been like this, too.  We know what's supposed to happen but for each of us there have been surprises large and small, joyful or sad.  We're able to deal with the roller coaster of life by grounding ourselves in prayer, by taking time to reflect on what it all means.  Winter and Advent will both end, bringing new seas

The Dump

This morning I went to the dump.  Or should I say the "transfer station"?   Frankly, I'm not sure what it's officially called here in Lebanon; I just know it's where I go to bring boxes to be recycled, trash tossed, debris disposed of, you get the idea.  When we lived in Rockport, Mass. the dump was officially rechristened a transfer station and, hoo boy, that decision from years ago is still a point of contention. What we call something matters.  There's been a lot of discussion about this in recent years, some helpful, some not.  But names matter.  There's a reason we call this time Advent, and not pre-Christmas.  Something special is going on right now.  With one week to go until Christmas Day, I hope we'll make the most of the Advent season that remains.

Prayer

Are you praying this Advent?  What are you praying for?  Just "religious" things - or perhaps other things?  This morning, I was asked to offer a prayer for a non-church meeting in which I was participating. It didn't take me long to realize that the rhythms of this season are appropriate to other parts of life, especially as we look to the future.  So I asked God's blessing on our work and off we went. As we embark on this last full week of Advent, I invite you to think about this.  And to pray.  A lot.

Joy!

We're going to take a break today from our preparing and contemplating and praying to experience a little joy.  When we consider all that God has done, is doing, and will do for us we have ample reason to rejoice.  All that is good in our lives can ultimately be traced back to a loving and munificent God who blesses us in so many ways.  In a week and a half, we may feel happiness when we turn to open our Christmas presents.  But the true joy will be ours when we recognize that greatest of gifts, which was given to us 2,000 years ago: the infant Jesus. Rejoice!

A Quiet Day?

It's Saturday morning and not much is going on.  We've had breakfast and will soon begin preparing for tomorrow's parsonage party.  All told, it looks to be a quiet day.  But I can't say that with total assurance.  Things happen.  People call.  Life intrudes.  It may get very busy.  Maybe I should be on guard. But that's not the type of preparation Advent calls for.  It's one thing to get the proverbial emergency kit ready. It's another to make ready for God.  When our maker breaks into our daily routines, it's anything but a disaster though we might think we're being inconvenienced.  Our routines and habits may need to change to make room for Christ.  We may need to make room for the Holy Spirit to move in our lives.  When this happens, it will be anything but a quiet day.  It will be blessed and holy and wonderful.

Preparing

Yes, that word again.  Preparing. Getting ready. Blah, blah, blah. Can't we just get on with it? Well, no, we can't.  Those parental maxims from childhood about the need to have everything in order are true, even if they may annoy us.  We need to prepare for all sorts of things: moving, new jobs, changes in relationships, and, yes, the arrival of Christ.  We now have ten days until Christmas Eve.  Think about that: ten days and then we'll be in church presumably singing carols and reading the nativity story and welcoming guests or hitting the road for a visit and then making a dinner and opening presents and it's all so much if you think about it.  So, so much.  So use these last days of Advent (we're more than half way there!), to pray, to prepare, to make room in your heart and your life for the Christ child.

Brrrr ...

My phone reported a temperature of 4 degrees Fahrenheit this morning.  A chilly morning.  Gelid, even. And a reminder that part of preparing for the coming of the Christ child is to take care of those in need of help now, not to wait for someone else to do so in the future.  So, help out at a shelter, make a gift, open your door.  Joseph and Mary didn't have a place to stay, and we feel bad about that, don't we?  Well, there's no reason to feel any less concern for those without food and shelter in our neighborhoods today.  Helping out is one way to be holy, and being holy is part of getting ready for God's arrival.

Witches

Yeah, I thought that title would get your attention. This morning Ross Douthat wrote a column about paganism in the United States.  He's long commented on the ebbing of orthodoxy in the nation's Christian churches so I wasn't surprised that he once again turned to this theme.  But what caught my attention was a factoid deep into the piece: there may be more witches in the U.S. than members of the United Church of Christ.  For those of you not paying attention, First Congregational Church of Lebanon is part of the UCC, as are most Congregational Churches today.  This statistic is depressing, but there's a delicious irony if you think about the history of the Witch Trials. What does any of this have to with Advent?  Well, this is the time for us to reflect and prepare.  We need to ask ourselves with honesty what the church needs to do to successfully share the message of Jesus Christ with the world.  I think both the fundamentalist right and the pro

Slow Phones

My phone was slow this morning.  Yes, I know this is a first-world problem, but I'll complain anyway. Stories and messages were taking what seemed to be an eternity to load up.  I wanted to see things now and felt myself becoming impatient.  As I stared at screen with gray boxes rather than images related to news stories my frustration mounted.  That's when the irony of the situation made itself know.  This is Advent.  Waiting and patience are to be welcomed.  We're supposed to slow down.  So I lay my phone down to do other things. It wasn't that long ago that smart phones didn't exist.  In the Arcadia of memory, I was super productive, reading Balzac, helping the hungry, and doing other amazing things with my time.  Now it seems I waste my time looking at screens.  Of course, in the past, I wasn't as virtuous as I imagine nor am I as lost in cyberspace today.  But it's something to think about.  How are we spending out time?  Is the re

Preparing

We're now well into Advent. Have you been reflecting and praying?  What have your discerned?  While we tell people to be quiet, to pause during this season, we are not called to just sit around and do nothing.  We are called to prepare.  You've surely had guests over -- preparations never take care of themselves.  They take focus, they take work.  While we're getting ready, it may not feel as if much is happening - but when we're done.  Wow.  The results can be breathtaking.  So to with readying ourselves for the arrival of the Christ child.  We may not feel like we're getting anything done but if we commit ourselves, the results will be amazing.

Pay Attention

Pay Attention Today in church we'll read from Luke 3 and learn about John. You remember him?  The irascible, angry guy who wears animal skins, eats bugs, and rants? They man who called our attention to the coming of God, the need to repent, the urgency of preparing a way for the Lord?  Yeah, that guy. John clearly wanted to get the attention of the people and by including his story in the Gospel, the early church leaders wanted to get ours, too.  That John went to such lengths to get through to us should give us pause.  Yes, we're busy. Yes, we have other claims on our time.  But maybe we can listen to John for a minute.  Then we can think about what he says.  And, then when we realize we've given him our attention, we can act on his call. Pay attention. God's coming.

30%

Did you know that we're through 30% of Advent?  I feel like we've barely started and yet before we know it Advent will be over!  Help! This might be a convenient moment to panic, but I'll suggest a different course of action: take a deep breath. We still have 70% of Advent to go.  It may seem banal and cliched, but there's truth in the thought that how we look at things makes a difference.  Let's take this moment to appreciate the time still before us, the opportunities for reflection, the chances we will have to be still and pray. Christmas will get here.  Let's not rush it.

Remembrance

I was catching up on my newspaper reading this morning and read George W Bush's eulogy of his father.  It was poignant and moving, everything the moment called for, indeed all one hoped for.  But already in today's fast moving world, it seems like that service was long ago, a piece of history. Today, we remember another piece of history: December 7, 1941 and the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.  That event drew our country into the greatest war ever.  Millions died, even more were injured.  FDR was right when he said it was a day that would live in infamy.  But what else might we recall from that event long ago?  Just the perfidy of the enemy?  Or how that foe, now a democracy, has become one of our nation's greatest and steadfast friends. History isn't simply facts but meaning. What and how we choose to remember shapes who we are.  Advent is a time to stop and remember the past, to pause to remember God's promises to his people, and to think

Quiet

It's quiet today.  Oh, there are things to be done at work and at home. But the mania of the season has yet to descend.  That will come in due course, most likely before it's anticipated and in unwelcome form.  You know, stuff happens.  Which is why I treasure this time, this quiet, this peace.  It's a chance to really reflect on Advent, to think about the Gospel passage for this coming Sunday, of John's arrival and his call to repentance and preparation. I pray that we will take advantage of this respite.  The storm, the chaos, the craziness will arrive.  For now though ... it's quiet.  Thank God.

Looking for Information

When I was growing up and for many years thereafter, I had to look out of a first floor window at an externally placed thermometer to find out what the temperature was.  For a forecast, I looked at the paper or could turn on a radio (but had to wait for the information to be shared).  Now, I just tap an app and there's all the information in one convenient place.  I love the how accessible the forecast is.  But there's a bit of regret.  There's no work and thus no real reward, no true sense of discovery. During Advent we look for answers (or at least should) to life's biggest questions, for the light in the darkness, for the hope of the world.  We will have to work.  To have them handed to us on a platter would devalue them.  So as we search for the Lord this season, let us be grateful that it isn't too easy, that we may have to exert ourselves, to find the One who is also seeking us.

Not So Random Acts of Kindness

Surely you've seen the bumper sticker or heard the phrase: random acts of kindness, playing off the unwanted reality of random acts of violence.  It's a nice thought, but this Advent might we take it a step further?  Rather than be random, let's be intentional.  Let's think about who in our lives -- relative, friend, acquaintance, colleague -- would benefit from some extra kindness. Imagine how much it will mean when the recipient realizes that you were thinking about them.  It's kind of the way we should feel, after all, when we acknowledge that God has been thinking about us.  The gift of and in Jesus wasn't random but very much planned with all of us in mind. So let's take a moment this Advent for some intentional acts of kindness.

Starting Out

Advent began yesterday, but in some ways it feels as if it should begin today.  Why? Well, it's Monday, when most of us begin our work week.  Of course, thinking of Advent as 'work' suggests we may be missing the message of this season.  Advent shouldn't be something we do with heavy hearts.  It shouldn't be a burden to be borne or assignment to be completed.  Instead, it's an opportunity to reorient ourselves, to refresh our perspective, to make sense of what is going on around us.  Advent is the time to prepare ourselves for Jesus, not to run to and fro in a mad quest to complete our spiritual errands. As we start our Advent, let's first get our bearings and make sure we're heading off in the right direction, the one which will take us to the infant in a manger.

Welcome ... And Wait

Welcome to Advent.  As has been the case in previous years, you may now wait. The idea of a season of waiting is counter-cultural, especially in today's on-demand society.  We like everything NOW.  Which is why we are so in need of this break.  If you think you're ready for everything this season offers and demands, I think you may need to think about things some more.  Nobody is ever ready for Jesus.  That doesn't mean we can't try to get everything in order, to clean our spiritual houses, to throw out the existential junk, to wait for his arrival. Welcome to Advent.  And get ready to wait.

Alleluia!

He is risen.  He is risen indeed! Today we celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection, remembering when Jesus Christ was brought back to new life. We rejoice that hope has prevailed over despair, the light has overwhelmed the darkness, the life has triumphed over death! Jesus Christ is risen today. Alleluia!

Almost

Lent is almost over.  Easter is almost here.  Almost ... but not yet.  So rather than focus on everything you'll do when the future becomes the present, take time to focus on this moment, to repent, to pray, to reflect.  Think about what you've experience this season.  Meditate on Christ on the cross and what this says about God's love for creation and for you in particular.  Do these things and you'll be in better position to celebrate the Feast of the Resurrection.

Gray Skies and Rain

The weather seems apt for Good Friday, at least here in the Upper Valley.  The skies are gray and drizzle falls from the sky. It is, in all, a depressing tableau. It is on this day that death seemed to prevail, when Jesus was mocked, tortured, abandoned, crucified.  We've all seen pictures of Christ on the cross but how many of us have ever experienced that level of pain, of desolation?  How many of us have had a role in doing someone down? This is the moment we recognize just how cruel, how violent, how destructive humanity can be.  On Sunday we will celebrate Easter, when we learn that Good Friday was not the end of the story.  But lest we fall prey to the dark temptations that entice us, let us meditate on what transpired on Golgotha.  Let us gather at the foot of the cross and see what men and women can do. And let us remember that Christ went to the cross in spite of this, in spite of our failures, our indifference, our sin.  We will give thanks b

The First Supper

The meal that Jesus shared with the disciples on the night before his crucifixion has come to be known as the Last Supper. It has been immortalized through Scripture, in art, and in an age of religious illiteracy, is still one of the most known incidents in Jesus' life.  It was here that Christ shared the bread and the cup, here we he set the outlines for what we know as communion, here that the earliest church found the model for living. But why is it the last supper?  Yes, we know that it was the last one Jesus ate before he was executed.  But it was also the First Supper: it was here that he told us about the bread and the wine and what they symbolize, here that he first gave us this means to memorialize him.  It was here that the Lord's Supper was born. Tonight, in this church and in many others around the world, we will remember with faith and gratitude the Last Supper, the First Supper, by sharing the Lord's Supper.

Spy Wednesday

I am not making this up.  Today is Spy Wednesday.  It's the day that Judas betrayed Jesus to the authorities. His skulking about was reminiscent of spies, who operate in the shadows. Voila, Spy Wednesday, which just might be the coolest name in the liturgical lexicon.  Of course, that's if you set aside what happened. At the heart of the passion story is human failing. Fear, paranoia, betrayal, greed all come to the fore.  Some modern people might look for "root causes" to explain what happened, but if they do, they miss the point.  Jesus died because people acted badly: they did not have moral compasses, they did not have courage, they did not want to go to the light.  They sinned.  If society was flawed, it was because of the actions and choices of people.  This isn't to say that good people were not present, but they did not carry the day.  Men and women still sin today.  We are just as prone to stumble, fall, err, and fail as our forebears.

No Name Day

I don't think today has a sobriquet.  Just like yesterday, this day is a No Name Day in Holy Week.  All of the others have names, famous or obscure.  So what do we do with this day?  Do we ignore it.  Of course not!  It's still a day made by the Lord, still a day in which to pray, love, work, play, help the poor, remember the marginalized, and more.  Don't wait for tomorrow; live this day to the fullest.

What Time Is It?

This morning, I gathered up the palms from yesterday's service and stowed them to be burned on Ash Wednesday of next year (March 6, if you'd like to mark your calendars). It's rather disorienting to think about next year's Lent, when this year's isn't even over.  But I was reminded that our sense of time, which we might call chronos, is not the same as God's, which we might refer to as kairos. In recent years we've come to know a lot more about our universe, and just how strange it is.  We talk of the space time continuum, and wonder whether time must flow in one direction.  Time isn't just what we see on our watches. As we await Good Friday and Easter, we prepare for the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we remember that these events have already occurred.  Yet when the liturgy is alive, we can feel as if we are experiencing them for the first time.  My hope and prayer is that you are alive to Holy Week, that it all seems

And So It Begins

Today is Palm Sunday and we are now in Holy Week.  Before us lies an intense journey, where will explore the great range of human emotion and experience.  From the joy of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem to his death on the Cross, we are invited to stand witness to see how God in Christ is always with us.  My hope is that this week, and in all the ones to come, we will be with Him.

The End and the Beginning

Today is the last day of "ordinary" Lent.  Tomorrow is Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week.  But before we rush ahead, and relive Jesus' last days, let us take a moment to give thanks for these past weeks of Lent.  These ordinary days have been anything but, with our efforts to repent, to reflect, to pray, to remake ourselves extraordinary for they have been blessed by the Lord.  When something ends, something new may begin.  We've all heard that.  But how about this, before something new may start, something must come to a close.  We need to wrap up this portion of Lent, not just to move on to the next, but because it's time.  Today, reflect on where you've been, what you've done, what you wish you'd achieved, and then say a prayer of thanks to God, for giving you this sacred moment.

Letting Go

Every spring, a huge used book sale takes place in the Upper Valley.  I'm planning on donating some of mine to the effort, which raises money for some colleges.  In principle, it's easy. I give away some books, of which I have too many, get a receipt for my donation, and somebody will hopefully finds something new and interesting to read.  Simple. No, no really.  Every book has a story to tell, and not just the one on the printed page.  I remember where I bought my books, when in my life.  They've been with me a long time and letting go isn't easy.  It can actually be hard.  But I should do this.  Looking at the stacks on my floor, I probably have to.  More books will come into my life, and I need a place to put them.  So, I'll prune.  Sigh. Lent is a good time to reflect on how hard it can be to let things go, especially things we like but that may not be good for us.  Bad habits?  Surely you've got at least one?  How about letting that

Too Much To Process

I'm sure that I'm not the only one to feel that there's too much news to process these days.  And not only is there a lot of news, it's coming at us with increasing speed and frequency.  Looking at my phone I'm inviting more information in to my life.  Plus, if we don't like what we're being told, we can always find a different version offering an opposing perspective by just clicking a mouse.  Thanks iPhone.  Thanks internet. When I was a kid, we received the newspaper and could watch local TV.  I remember when our regional paper published editions twice a day.  When cable didn't exist.  We have a chance to reflect on the news of the day.  That world is long gone.  No more Uncle Walter on the evening news. So what are we to do?  Well, we can choose not to be overwhelmed.  We can choose not to look at our phones all the time.  We can take advantage of what's good about the internet and not seek to confirm our biases, but be wi

Early Easter?

I've been receiving emails from Amazon.co.uk for more than a week now encouraging me to take advantage of their "Early Easter Sale" savings.  Question: just what is Early Easter?  Your answer is as good as mine.  Obviously, a marketing gimmick. Now, as I sip my morning tea and wish it were a cup of coffee, I can see the merit of an Early Easter.  Less Lent! But that's like shortchanging your diet or exercise regimen or savings plan.  It might feel good at the moment, but you'll be the worse for it in the long run.  We need Lent.  All of it.  The 40 days, and the Sundays, too.  All of it.  In fact, to be honest, Lent should be longer.  But that pose another kind of problem.  Let's just appreciate the Lent we have.  Easter will be here soon enough, there's no need to rush it. I'm going to live into these last few days of ordinary Lent, throw myself into Holy Week with all it has to offer, and then, on April 1, I'll celebrat

"Spring"

Today is the beginning of "spring."  I use quotation marks, because this seasonal moniker appears to be a cruel ruse, at least here in the Northeast.  I shouldn't complain.  We in the Upper Valley of NH and Vermont are looking at temperatures in the 30s to 40s with sunshine tomorrow; our neighbors further south in Boston are facing up to 10 inches of snow.  So, happy "spring." Still, despite my resort to ironic quotation marks, it is indeed spring.  Today is the vernal equinox.  It will get warmer, the snow will melt, new life will be born.  No matter what it looks like, the reality is spring weather is coming. And that brings us to Easter. Our culture sees Easter as a day to fuss over bunny rabbits and to dye eggs.  A weird mix of commercialism and pseudo-pagan practice has emerged to give definition to this day for many people.  Yet we know better.  We know that Easter marks God's triumph over death in the person of the Resurrected

What's Important?

What's truly important in your life?  What really matters?  And do you spend time on that thing, or are you distracted by other claims on your time?  If so, is it really that important to you? Something to think about on a Monday morning, as you plan for the week ahead.  I know mine will be busy.  And at times I won't spend time on the things, the people, that are important to me.  It's not because I don't care.  I'll be distracted, called away, a victim of poor planning.  So I'll try to do better. I'll try to be more focused and to use an overused word, mindful. Lent is about doing better.  First we admit what we get wrong, then we say sorry, and then we try to get it right.  With God and with people.  It's about saying what's important and then making that our priority, even if that requires some planning.  It's about doing the hard work to make it possible to focus on what's important.

Reflections

This Sunday marks the last full week of 'regular' Lent, with next week being Holy Week.  This is a good moment to reflect on our Lenten journey.  How and how much have we repented?  How have we grown in faith through our disciplines?  Have we been changed?  Has this Lent made a difference in our lives?  Has it mattered?  There are no right answers, but I would suggest these questions should be asked and answered honestly.  If you haven't done what you planned on during these weeks, fear not.  Lent is not over!

St. Patrick's Day

Today is the feast day of St Patrick, the man who brought Christianity to the Irish some 1400 years ago.  He has become something of secular icon in modern times, the patron saint of Guinness stout.  What a sad development. I'm all for having a good time.  I enjoy a fun party.  But to conflate one of the great apostles of the faith with drunken revelry suggests we've lost the plot.  Mind you, the Church hasn't done a very good job of talking about what Patrick did, nor in emulating the life he led.  That doesn't mean we can't try to do better. During this Lent, let us remember the man who though he was abducted and subjected to slavery in a foreign land so felt the love of Christ, that when freed, he wanted nothing more than to go among the people with whom he'd known captivity to share with them his Lord's faith.  Talk about a generous, faithful spirit.  Talk about a man of God. If only he were with us today.

Never Too Late

Sorry this is coming to you this late in the day, but things have come up.  I thought I might write this early in the morning but, well, here we are.  The temptation was to skip this today, but I made a commitment to you and to God to follow this discipline.  So, better late than never. Which is something we need to remember about repentance during this Lenten season: it's never too late to repent, never too last to turn back to the Lord, never to late to make things right with other people. We're closer to Easter than we are to Ash Wednesday but that doesn't matter.  There's still time to repent, to pray, to try to make things right with others.

Ides

Today is the Ides of March.  I'm sure you get the reference, whether from history or Shakespeare, to the murder of Julius Caesar.  I'm not sure that many young people would.  History is ultimately about stories.  If those aren't passed along, they fade from memory, and can be lost. Like the Ides of March, the Christian story is in danger of fading and the way it is being represented today isn't encouraging.  We have a responsibility to tell the story of Jesus, not in a way that is 'relevant' but neither in a way that will confirm our biases and preferences.  We need to do so with honesty, integrity, and faith. In fact, more honesty, integrity and faith would be good in all parts of our lives.  Not a bad thing to commit ourselves to during Lent.

Pi

Happy Pi Day! It's not on the liturgical calendar, but this day honoring a very special number reminds us that God's glory is revealed in the most astounding ways.  Despite their best efforts, physicists  and mathematicians have yet to explain how the universe came into being.  We Christians believe we know: God.  While the biblical accounts of creation should be read as mythic, they point to a truth: something, someone, was responsible for the universe.  The cosmos is a grand and wondrous thing, whether in the formation of galaxies or the minutiae of math, like pi.  3.14 is a number that delights, in part because of its name.  But what it represents is remarkable, too. This Lent, let us give thanks to God for the gift of science in all its forms, and let us repent for humanity's misuse and abuse of it.

Empathy

Yes, it's snowing again.  Hooray for the local ski areas, hooray for the kiddos who get another day off, hooray for everyone who loves the white stuff.  For everyone else, tough darts.  Shoveling beckons tomorrow, and meetings have had to be rescheduled.  Frankly, this storm is a major inconvenience.  To many people, it will be much worse. We often look at things from a very narrow perspective, and are oblivious to what others might be experiencing.  Empathy, however, is central to being human.  We need to try to understand what others are experiencing.  Only then might we understand their motives, their wants, their demands, even their needs.  We don't have to agree with them or acceded to whatever they want, but we will be better informed and more humane. During this Lent, we should repent for our self-centeredness and we should pray for some perspective, some empathy.

Mercy

One of the appointed psalms of the day, the 51st, expresses the conviction that the author would be the recipient of God's mercy. That might seem presumptuous, as if the psalmist thought he was deserving of the Lord's favor.  Instead, he is a penitent, confessing his sin, knowing he 'has done evil in your sight.'  Still, he comes to God seeking mercy.  We don't like to think of ourselves as sinner. Today we are taught about self-help and self-actualization, that all that is wrong is 'systemic' or society's doing or, at the least, is somebody else's fault.  While there is no doubt corporate sin, there is also personal sin, that wrongdoing which is our own and which we must acknowledge. The psalmist did that.  And he knows that having made his confession, having accepted accountability, he my expect mercy from God, the divine judge.  This is one of the powerful truths of our faith and this season of Lent is a time for us to accept th

Deep

Today is the fourth Sunday in Lent.  We're now deep into this season of penitence and can even catch a glimpse of Easter coming.  But we're not there yet.  We're here.  How has this Lent been for you?  Have you lived into this season?  Have you truly repented and made amends?  If so, keep on going! If not, there's still time to get right with God.  Two weeks until Palm Sunday.  There's not a moment to lose.

Best Laid Plans

I wrote what I thought was a pretty good reflection and had it ready to go at 8:30 this morning.  But I was in Boston for a meeting and my wifi hotspot didn't work.  Then the wifi network where we were meeting wasn't available.  So here we are on Saturday night.  Tomorrow we begin one of the banes of modern existence, Daylight Savings Time.  It starts so much earlier and ends so much later in the year than when I was a kid.  Can't we leave anything alone?  Why do we have to mess with time itself?  Part of it is a desire to have the world be more to our liking. Part of it is because we like to play at being God.  But whatever we do, whatever we try, we will fail.  Those proverbial best laid plans will come a cropper. I'm not saying we should just give up or be resigned, but I do think a little more humility in our approach to the world, to God's creation, might be a good Lenten discipline.

Kindness

Yesterday, I went out to shovel the drive.  A foot of snow had already fallen and thanks to the city's efficient plowing, the berm at the end was huge and packed.  A lot of work beckoned. I had taken no more than two shovelfuls when a pickup with a plow pulled up, the driver smiled, and - wham - the berm was gone.  We exchanged a couple of words and I got back to work. I don't know the man who was driving the truck.  He just happened by when he could do good.  Some might call it a random act, but I disagree.  He chose to clear my berm.  His act was anything but random.  So, too, with an act of kindness.   They're never random.  Somebody always had to choose to do them. This Lent, try showing some extra kindness to others.  It will be worth your effort, will make somebody's day, and will please the Lord.

Digging Out

Yep, another weather-themed reflection. Most of the snow has fallen.  Where there was bare grass yesterday, now lies a foot of cover.  The mounds had more shrunken to a manageable size but now they will once again loom large.  Digging out seems so Sisyphean. But it needs to be done.  We need to get to work, to school, to church, to play, to wherever we are going.  If done properly, it provides a good work out.  And the old snow and the new are not the same.  You remember the old saw about no two flakes being the same? Well, its true for mounds and piles and berms. Our sins, whether the personal kind, or the ones we perpetrate as communities, keep on building up.  Lent is a reminder that despite this reality there is hope.  We can take time to hack away at them, to reduce the pile, to get ahead.  And on Easter, well, Sisyphus finally will make it to the top.  Imagine that.  Life conquering death, hope conquering sin, love conquering hate.  But we have to he

Here We Go Again ...

A winter storm is once again visiting us.  Right now, flurries are falling, but later on the snow will fall heavily.  It all seems so familiar.  But a storm at this time of year is different.  With average temperatures higher than earlier in the year, the snow pack will melt much more quickly.  The storm will hit hard and fast, then be gone.  We should enjoy the snow while it is here. Lent is a bit like a late season storm.  While it's unfolding, it may seem intense, it may be intense.  But soon, very soon, Easter will be here.  Our time for repentance and reflection will have passed by and we'll move onto other things.  Let's live in the moment.  Let's put aside our jejune thoughts that we've been here before, it's just another Lent.  Instead, let's live into this moment for all it's worth.  Because before we know it, this Lent, precious, unique, blessed, and holy, will be gone.

Daily Prayer

When I was in Oxford last summer, I often went to Christ Church Cathedral for one of the offices of daily prayer, usually evening prayer.  It was wonderful stuff, even when I felt antsy.  The psalms, the anthems, the rhythm.  I miss that. One way to keep up with this tradition, is through an app.  Yes, an app.  The Church of England publishes one called, aptly enough "Daily Prayer," which offers three services for the day, morning, evening and night.  It's not the same as using a prayer book or being in a sanctuary, but it's great that this aid exists.  Perhaps you'll give it a try. Perhaps you already have a preferred form for your prayer routine.  Just make sure you have one. This Lent, let's all resolve to take up a prayer routine.  We know someone is waiting to hear from us.

'Tis the Season

This morning, after getting my haircut and before heading to the office, at stopped in at the Dartmouth Coop.  In the front window of the store was a picture book about Easter, a sihloutte of a man in the opening of a tomb on the cover.  But on the table on the inside, where books for people to touch and look at where displayed were a whole lot of bunnies, and no Jesus.  In the center of the table was a sign, announcing 'For the Season.' No. First off, spring is nowhere to be seen.  A winter storm warning for this week is forecasting up to a foot of snow. Second, why are celebrating bunnies?  Because their fecund and represent life?  Then why not focus on the reason for the symbol: Jesus?  Why the adorable neo-pagan stand in? Third, the season has a name: Lent. Am I tetchy?  Yes, a bit.  It's bad enough the wider culture is ignorant of or even hostile to what the Christian faith has to say.  But that's a reminder of what a cock-up the church

Church

It's Sunday morning and I'm at the church.  Early in the morning I have the place to myself.  Nobody else has arrived.  Later, the building will be filled with conversation, music, prayer, the sound of running feet, and more.  But for now - silence.  I'm alone. Or am I?  I recall the story of the call of Samuel.  The young boy and the his boss, the old priest had the sanctuary to themselves at night.  But God was present, even if they did not recognize his presence.  Is God here?  I pray he is.  And I hope he is where you are, too.  There's a very good chance he is, for Scripture tells us of God's steadfast loyalty.  Wherever we go, whatever may befall us, God will be present.  It may not seem obvious, or even likely, but God is there. And he's here.  So, I'm not alone.  Thank God.

Cleaning Up

Yesterday, my son Chip suggested I write about taking care of the environment as a Lenten practice.  He's in good company - the Church of England has made care of Creation a centerpiece of its Lenten messaging this year, specifically finding ways to cut back on the use of plastics in our lives. Why the environment?  What does this have to do with being a Christian?  Well, for starters, God created the earth.  While we claim to worship him, we then go and trash the planet.  Seems hypocritical.  Second, there's the verse in Genesis about humanity being given dominion over the earth and all that is in it (Gen. 1.28).  As Christians, we profess that Jesus is Lord -- and by extension, we look to him for a model of leadership.  Dominion to him is service, not exploitation.  So, taking care of the environment is something we should do cheerfully. I'm not suggesting we substitute earth worship for Christian practice.  There's a name for that: paganism and I

Night time

A bit later than usual, yes.  But I still wanted to share a message with you.  That's part of a discipline.  Stick to it. Don't give up. Don't make excuses. But there needs to be more.  We need to be moved by our faith.  Sometimes that movement will be powerful, other times not.  But we need to look for it, react to it, and then respond. Jesus didn't always have things easy.  And, things did not end well for him in Jerusalem.  Until they did.  Yet he kept going, kept making his way forward, kept sharing the good news that the Kingdom of God was near and that we should ready ourselves.  The hour may be late, but the sand has not yet run out of the hourglass.  So let's attend to our Lenten disciplines, whatever they may be, whatever they may require. And then resolve to get an earlier start tomorrow ...

Just Say No

Nancy Reagan's campaign against drugs came in for a lot of ridicule from some quarters but the truth is, she was onto something.  The first step to resisting temptation, to turning to a new path from the one that is destructive or leading nowhere is sometimes simply saying 'no.'  I was reminded of this this morning when I went to breakfast and I was presented with a cup of black coffee shortly after I sat down.  Good service!  And tempting, too.  But I quickly told my waiter that it was Lent and I was drinking tea.  He whisked the java away and some minutes later, returned with hot water and tea.  It was that simple. That easy.  But sometimes we make things hard.  We focus on all that can go wrong, on the inconvenience, on the things that really aren't germane. So, if you're struggling with your Lenten discipline of denial, or just getting bored with it and want to stop, just say no.

Two Weeks In

So, how's your Lent progressing?  Are you still following your disciplines?  Still praying?  Still feeling its just started?  Longing for it to end? Lots of questions!  Do any of them really matter? What we should be focusing on is our spiritual health, not spiritual metrics.  I honestly doubt God has a ledger with milestones to measure our progress, that Jesus hoped we'd focus on the seven habits of a religious person, or that the Spirit is nudging us to stay in our lane.  Lent is bigger than this, deeper and more meaningful. Now is the time to consider the state of our prayer life, our disciplines of caring, how we communicate with the Lord.  To do this, frankly, we're going to need more time than we have left.  So, should we give up?  Not on your life. Do what you can, then do a bit more.  After all, there's always the season of Eastertide to keep on with our disciplines.

John and the Jews

This coming Sunday's Gospel lesson comes from John.  He often places events in the life and ministry of Jesus differently than the Synoptic authors - Mark, Matthew, Luke.  This week is a fine example.  While the Synoptic Gospels place Jesus rant in the Temple during his final days, John has it early in his ministry.  They also speak of the Chief priests and scribes.  John writes of 'the Jews.' Uh huh.  Bit of a broadbrush there, no?  I can try to explain this away with a recourse to polemical strategies and tensions in the world of Judaism in the first and second century.  But that doesn't do away with the problem John has with Jews. Nobody in the early first millennium knew what anti-Semitism was but Jew hatred existed nonetheless and we see it in our own holy texts.  Should we expurgate them?  I don't think so.   We see the dangers today of editing history to address modern sensitivities.  We should instead educate, counter, and know what was go

Run Away

Every year I write a message apologizing for the late hour at which this reflection is being written and bemoaning how the day has gotten away from me.  Then I muse on how Lent is not as long as we think it is and we'd best make the most of the time we have.  Well, guess what.  Today's the day.  It's run away from me.  I've actually gotten a lot done, so I can't feel too bad.  But I do regret the feeling that my Lenten discipline can become an afterthought.  Fortunately, the important thing is that I have stopped to think about Lent and all it means. If you have yet to do so today, do yourself a favor.  Take a few minutes.  Pray and reflect. Don't let the day run away from you.

Snow

As a minister, snow on a Sunday morning is the last thing I need.  Fewer people in church, difficult driving for those who do come, walks to be shoveled.  Why now? Why not yesterday? I know the the weather is what it is, that God isn't moving this cloud here, that storm there.  But surely, there is a lesson to be learned here.  About patience, perseverance, obstacles to overcome, and -- you know what? I don't want to learn any lessons.  I just want to appreciate the beauty of the weather, the power of nature, the moment that is now.  Darn it.  A lesson anyway.  Somewhere, somehow, you'll receive a gift, a blessing today.  It may be big. It may be small.  It may be obvious, it may be hidden.  Whatever shape or form it takes, express our gratitude to God, something we do not do often enough.  Lent is a good time to think about that, and to remedy our failure to be thankful.

Fasting

Confession time: I've never really gotten the idea of fasting.  I know why we do it and what it's supposed to facilitate.  But the truth is, I get hungry.  And instead of setting aside my appetites and wants in favor of prayer and God, I focus on them even more.  So, why bother?  Why bother with abstinence?  This year, I find myself missing my coffee something fierce.  It's not working for me.  Ah, for me.  But it's not about me is it?  Or at least it should not be about me.  It really is about God.  Who, we Christians confess, came to us to be with us, live with us, die for us.  Talk about giving up something. It doesn't make my forfeiture of coffee or a meal seem all that onerous.  I'll keep abstaining from coffee, I may even try fasting.  I won't like it.  But if I do it enough, I may break through my reservations and find myself closer to God.

Retreat

Last Sunday, we read of Jesus' 40 day retreat into the desert, during which we he prayed and prepared for his ministry.  It was lonely and, we may surmise, neither comfortable nor totally safe (there were wild animals and Satan for company).  Still, Jesus stayed. Where do you like to go on retreat? Where do you like to pray?  What kind of distractions or temptations do you have to fend off?  And, why do you like going to this place?  What about it makes you feel able to engage in the work of spiritual renewal? Questions to ponder now as we are still at the beginning of our Lenten journey.

Praying the Psalms

Do you ever pray with psalms?  If you come to our church on Sunday, you do.  Our call to worship is taken from the psalter, usually the reading for the day.  But when else?  The psalms are a rich and powerful collection of prayers, praises, laments, celebrations, theology and more.  In many ways, they cover the whole breadth of the human experience.  I would encourage you to draw on this treasure of the Bible to enrich your prayer life.  Try committing yourself to reading a psalm each day.  As did generations before ours, you'll be surprised and inspired by what you find.

Spring ... Then Winter, Again.

Here in New Hampshire the forecast for today is for temperatures in the sixties.  Spring has sprung.  Alas, not so fast: tomorrow the mercury will be back in the thirties.  So, what to make of this weather anomaly.  The first is to recall the tired old adage, "It's New England, if you don't like the weather, wait a minute and it will change."  The second is to stumble into a fruitless debate about climate change.  It's here, the science is settled, discussion over.  Third is to reflect on anticipation and the Kingdom of God.  We long for a world that is healed, where all walk with God, where righteousness abounds.  But that's not our world.  Ours is fallen.  But we can get a glimpse of this Kingdom world when we see people helping one another, loving God, doing something for the church and the community.  These grace-filled moments are more common than we let on and we should look for them to see what God's future will be like. If you

Tuesday

Tuesday doesn't have any real significance on the calendar.  Sunday is the day we worship, Monday is when Federal holidays fall, Friday's can be the start of a long weekend, Saturday's a day off.  Wednesday is hump day and Tuesday is, well, Tuesday.  Sure, have church council meetings on the third Tuesday of the month and my trash and recycling are collected every other Tuesday.  But, by and large, Tuesday is a non-event. And that's not bad. Days when nothing supposedly happens are days when we can regroup, think, plan, rest, get ready for what comes next. Tuesdays are a gift. Reflect on the wonder of this most unremarkable of days during this Lent and give thanks for God for all that you may do on this Tuesday in Lent.  Thanks be to God!

A Useful Lesson

I'm old enough to remember when we marked the birthdays of Lincoln and Washington individually.  But then the Federal government announced President's Day, which would honor all of the holders of that office.  I have no evidence, but I suspect budgets drove this decision, enabling two holidays to be wrapped into one.  But the upshot of this is that we wound up honoring some decidedly unworthy men.  Andrew Johnson?  Really? But the day is what it is, a reminder that while we don't always get what we want, we should make the best and most of what we have.  A good lesson for President's Day, a good lesson for Lent.  May we learn how to actually do this during this season of repentance and reflection

First Sunday. So What?

It's the First Sunday in Lent.  So what?  What does this mean?  What should we do?  Who cares?  These may seem like flip questions, but they're not. They ask us to look at this season with fresh eyes, to try to approach these days and weeks with a sense of possibility and appreciation of the profound.  Take some time this day, and each day in Lent, to think about why you need to repent, then do it, then try to make amends.  Sounds easy?  Then you're not really trying.  Sounds too tough?  Not when we know that God is waiting for us. It's the First Sunday in Lent.  Be excited. Be faithful. Be grateful.

Saturday

This is the first Saturday of Lent.  There are no special liturgies for the day, no prayers or services.  But it is a holy day nonetheless.  Crafted by God, each minute is sacred, each is blessed.  How will you used this gift?  Lent is a great time to reflect on and repent for the way we have squandered the precious time we have been given.  Try to do something with your day which would please God -- or at least make your mother proud.

Thoughts and Prayers and ...

I've been at a loss for words since this week's shooting in Parkland, Florida.  Yet again, someone with easy access to a gun murdered people, this time 17 students and teachers.  Yet again, there are demands from some to 'do something' and from others a call for 'thoughts and prayers' that spur a response of anger and incredulity.  I'm sympathetic to the call to take action.  I thought something would be done after Sandy Hook and that was back in 2012.  But I don't criticize the call to reflect and pray.  What I do think is lacking is any follow-on action.  This Sunday, we'll read of Jesus heading into the wilderness where he will pray, be tempted, and make ready to embark on his ministry.  The Hebrew word for repent has "to turn" as its root. We take action when we repent.  Prayer without follow through is not enough.  So let us think, pray, and resolve to act in all areas of our life.

Are We There Yet?

Ash Wednesday is now behind us.  Lent stretches before us.  Now what?  We've imposed our ashes, done all sorts of "Ash Wednesday" things.  Can't we just skip to Easter? No.  Lent is like any journey.  We can focus on getting to our destination and, most likely, become impatient and dissatisfied. Or we can focus on making the most of our trip.  Look around, take in the sight, be prepared to see or experience something new.  The journey can be rewarding in itself. I urge you to live into Lent.  Make the most of the moment.  You'll be surprised at what God has in store for you.

Ash Wednesday

Today we begin our journey to Easter.  In many ways, that day seems far, far off.  There seems to be so much time for us to repent, to reflect, to change our ways, to grow closer to God, to let Jesus into our lives, to be moved by the Holy Spirit.  Except there isn't.  Before we know it, these forty days (exclusive of Sundays), will be past, the Feast of the Resurrection will be upon us, and, if we're not thoughtful, faithful, and prepared, we won't be ready.  Take a few moments today to adopt a discipline, perhaps a time of intentional prayer - it need not be long - and resolve to do this thing (or not do it as the case may be) each day of the season. You'll be glad you did.