The Mainline Minister

What are you doing with your "bonus" day?  More of the same?  Something unusual?  True, this leap day is a sleight-of-hand bearing the fingerprints of Roman dictators and long-deceased popes, but the idea of extra time has such appeal.  So ask yourself this question today: you've been blessed with an additional hours in your life span.  What would would you do with that time?  Then ponder these questions: If it's something you wouldn't bother doing otherwise, why waste this gift on something so unimportant to you?  And if it's something you would do otherwise, why aren't you doing it now? Lent, with our without a 29th day in February, is a good time to ask if we're making wise, faithful use of the gifts with which we've been blessed - including the gift of time.

We're close to the mid point of Lent.  How has this season been for you?  I invite you to take stock of your Lenten journey today.  If all is going well, ask why, and then double check to make sure you're not missing something.  Then pray for discernment and God's support and direction.  If things aren't where you'd like them to be, pause, reflect, and chart a new direction.  Then pray for discernment and God's support and direction.  Either way, know that there is still a lot of Lent ahead of us - and yet know that Lent will be over before we know it.  Don't delay: Take stock today!

Have you looked out the window this morning?  If you're in the Upper Valley, you'll see a clear blue sky, everything bathed in brilliant sunlight.  Radiant is the word that comes to mind.  It's not only sunshine that's radiant.  Many things are.  But on this morning, the radiance that comes to mind is that of God's love.  It's a wonderful, grand thing.  And it's a proof of how powerful we humans are. Come again? Think about it: through our actions, our inattention, our, yes, sins, we have the ability to block out the radiant love of God.  That's power!  Of course, it's one we should never, ever want to use.  Alas, we do, usually without thinking. This day, let's resolve to travel a different way.  Let's look out the window, think of God and all God is doing for us and in our lives.  Let's bask in the sunshine.  Let's bask in God's love.

How is it only 9:47 am and I already feel like I've fallen way behind schedule?  If you're like me, you've had days like this.  Maybe you're having one like it just now.  Such times call for triage, the ruthless management of one's schedule to get back on track, to make a semblance of progress before the sun sets.  Alternatively, there is the wisdom offered long ago by a former colleague: "There's nothing you can do today that you can't put off until tomorrow."  Now, you might say, aren't these both ways of choosing to do some things and not others?  You'd be right, of course.  But these are two very different ways of looking at things, of setting priorities.  The first approach is hurried, hastened, and operates from a position of scarcity - we don't have enough time!  The second approach is more relaxed, measured, and is rooted in a position of abundance - we have not only today but tomorrow to do what needs to be done; w...

Chip spotted it first as I approached the school.  Perched on a limb, surveying the grounds, was a peregrine falcon.  After Chip got out of the car and made his way into the building for class I drove away to find a better place to park.  The bird sat serenely, watching all about.  It was large, its head especially so.  The falcon radiated presence and command. I was delighted to see something so  majestic at the start of the day.  It was an unexpected encounter with the wild, the created, the other.  It was a reminder of the glories of God's kingdom, a living symbol of God's grace.  This sighting also got me thinking: lf the many things we repent of during Lent, one should be how easily we - I - allow myself to be distracted from grace.  When we do, what a shame - for think of all we might be missing.  Let's focus on what's important, let's be alert.  For when we are, who knows what God will show us ...

Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor. Most 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; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We are truly sorry and we humbly repent. For the sake of your Son Jesus Christ, have mercy on us and forgive us; that we may delight in your will, and walk in your ways, to the glory of your Name. Amen. Almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us all our sins through our Lord Jesus Christ, strengthen us in all goodness, and by the power of the Holy Spirit keep us in eternal life. Amen. I invite you to read this prayer, taken from the Book of Common Prayer.  Look for the word or phrase that speaks to you, or, even better, challenges you.  Then take some time to reflect on that word and phrase before making it the centerpiece of your own prayer of confession to God...

A confession: I'm not really feeling inspired this morning.  Yes, I could easily bang out some hackneyed reflection for you about grace or perseverance or some such theological concept.  But you, gentle reader, deserve better.  So what to do? Well, there's what I'm doing right now.  I'm just typing, waiting to see what comes out.  Perhaps the Holy Spirit will give me a nudge.  Or perhaps the Holy Spirit will leave me where I am.  And if that's the case, perhaps I should take a moment to look around, to think about the moment, to see if there's a clue or message to be discerned.' For example: perhaps, above, I was too quick to dismiss writing about perseverance.  Sometimes, after all, that's exactly what we have to do.  Perhaps in slogging our way through a fallow moment of prayer, or writing, or discipleship, or faith, we are being given an opportunity to acknowledge that God isn't necessarily looking for peak performance but si...