May 26, 2022

“How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? Or cry out to you, “Violence!” but you do not save?” (Habakkuk 1:2)

In the wake of the recent mass shootings in Buffalo and at an elementary school in Texas, here is a prayer for our nation.

"Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will. Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion; from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust the authority of government, that there may be justice and peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth. In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness, and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail; all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (For Our Country - BCP)

May 25, 2022

There are only 2 forces that can get you off of the scorekeeping hamster wheel (aka – the Law). The first is love (aka – grace). Love/grace travels outside of karma. It breaks in from the outside to set you free from the this for that skullduggery of the devil. Love/grace is entirely unrelated to deserving, whether you think you deserve good or bad. Contingency gets buried with Christ in his tomb.

Which leads to the second force – death. Death is God’s only prerequisite for resurrection (aka – a life completely ungoverned by tit for tat). You are going to die eventually, so why not do it now? As Wilco sings, “You’re gonna lose / You have to lose / You have to learn how to die.”

Terrifying to let go of all that you think is life? Really? Is holding on for dear life in the game of life really living? Dying is a super short step to take. In fact, you are already there, so just relax, why don’t you?

Straight from the bible: “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

“Most loving Father, whose will it is for us to give thanks for all things, to fear nothing but the loss of you, and to cast allour care on you who care for us: Preserve us from faithless fears and worldly anxieties, that no clouds of this mortal lifemay hide from us the light of that love which is immortal, and which you have manifested to us in your Son Jesus Christour Lord; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Eighth Sunday after the Epiphany – BCP p. 216)

May 24, 2022

Most graduation speeches are filled with soul-deadening platitudes, but this one from Taylor Swift (!) to NYU grads contained this exceptionally insightful nugget. “Learn to live alongside of cringe. No matter how hard you avoid being cringe you will look back on your life and cringe retrospectively.” 100% true.

The apostle Paul embraces cringe. “If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am.” (2 Corinthians 11:30) Imagine how liberating it would be to trot out before God and man all that you are desperate to hide? Ha!

“Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Proper 18 – BCP)

May 23, 2022

“Let your ways be known upon earth, your saving health among all nations.” (Psalm 67:2)

The woes of the world can be burdensome and defeating, especially in an age of instant global information. And by the world, I mean just that – from the Ukraine, to Haiti, to Your Own Back Yard.

That’s why the psalmist’s prayer is a refuge; it is short and covers the gamut. Let your ways be known upon earth and your saving health among all nations.

Amen. Amen. Amen.

“Almighty God our heavenly Father, guide the nations of the world into the way of justice and truth, and establish amongthem that peace which is the fruit of righteousness, that they may become the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.” (For Peace Among the Nations – BCP p. 816)

May 20, 2022

That College Inn has been replaced by Chipotle on the hallowed UVA Corner is a sure sign that the world is falling apart and that the “centre cannot hold; mere anarchy is loosed upon the world.” (Yeats). Well, that’s a little extreme, but still – Chipotle? What’s next to go – the White Spot replaced by Wawa?

“Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. “Do you see all these things?” he asked. “Truly I tell you, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down.” (Matthew 24: 1-2)

Admittedly the destruction of the temple in Jerusalem must have truly felt like “the end of the world as we know it.”(REM) Thankfully, your hope and foundation and still point and mooring is not in the transient or ephemeral, but in and on the Solid Rock. Not even death could do Him in!!!!

“O God, you have prepared for those who love you such good things as surpass our understanding: Pour into our hearts such love towards you, that we, loving you in all things and above all things, may obtain your promises, which exceed all that we can desire; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Sixth Sunday of Easter – BCP)

May 19, 2022

UVA graduate Tina Fey said, “Say ‘yes’ and you’ll figure it out later.” This strikes me as a faith-infused way to approach life. Saying ‘no’ is often motivated by fear of failure. (See Finding Nemo) Come to find out, however, that failure is the bread and butter of God. So, either way, you just can’t go wrong! And there might even be a fun adventure through the Yes Door.

In any case, Jesus is God’s YES to and for the world. “For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

God our Father, you see your children growing up in an unsteady and confusing world: Show them that your ways give more life than the ways of the world, and that following you is better than chasing after selfish goals.  Help them to take failure, not as a measure of their worth, but as a chance for a new start.   Give them strength to hold their faith in you, and to keep alive their joy in your creation; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen. (For Young Persons – BCP)

May 18, 2022

“If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.” (1 John 1:8)

This from the brilliant Czeslaw Milosz: “When I was, as they say, in harmony with God and the world, I felt I was false, as if pretending to be somebody else. I recovered my identity when I found myself again in the skin of a sinner and nonbeliever. This repeated itself in my life several times. For, undoubtedly, I liked the image of myself as a decent man, but, immediately after I put that mask on, my conscience whispered that I was deceiving others and myself.”

Being in harmony with God (and the world) is dropping the dogged quest for “spirituality” and inhabiting the creaturely skin you were given by God at your birth. And it is to recognize that God has already dealt once and for all with your fruitless, feckless and fallacious quest for perfection by forgiving you lock, stock and barrel.

As Jesus told the paralytic – “Look here, fellow, your sins are forgiven. Just pick up your mat and be on your way. Go peddle your papers elsewhere.”

“All glory be to thee, Almighty God, our heavenly Father, for that thou, of thy tender mercy, didst give thine only Son Jesus Christ to suffer death upon the cross for our redemption; who made there, by his one oblation of himself once offered, a full,
perfect, and sufficient sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world.” (Holy Communion – BCP)

May 17, 2022

Cheap Trick strikes the affixed and submerged bell that peals across our inner universe from cradle to grave. “I want you to want me / I need you to need me / I’d love you to love me / I’m begging you to beg me.”

Nearly everything we do is an attempt to have someone in particular or anyone at all say “Yes! I want you. Yes! I need you. Yes! I love you. Yes! I beg you.”  The problem with everyone clogging the airwaves with the same question is that nobody has the bandwidth to respond to anyone else.

Nobody except Jesus. He can feel like cold comfort when you want an answer from someone with flesh and bones. But, He did take on flesh and bones and answered your inner drum-beating question with His cross.

See Paul’s pithy summary. “Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2:5-8)

“Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Fifth Sunday of Easter -BCP)

May 16, 2022

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” (1 Samuel 16:7)

On the day that Lewis and Clark set out on their extraordinary exploration, each man recorded his thoughts in his journal. Clark’s is matter of fact; Lewis’ goes deeper.  Clark: "Rained the fore part of the day. ... I Set out at 4 o Clock P.M., in the presence of many of the neighboring in habitants, and proceeded on under a jentle brease up the Missourie ... a heavy rain this after-noon." Lewis: "We were now about to penetrate a country at least two thousand miles in width, on which the foot of civilized man had never trodden. I could but esteem this moment of my departure as among the most happy of my life."

Two different accounts of the same event. We all have 2 journals, don’t we? One that can be read by the public, and one that is for our eyes only. God’s eyes, too. He isn’t all that interested in your Clark journal. He deals directly with your Lewis journal.

“Almighty God, unto whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse thethoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love thee, and worthily magnify thy holy Name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.” (Holy Communion – BCP)

May 13, 2022

Theologians tend to bloviate (not a typo – look it up!), but rocker Peter Gabriel cuts right to the heart when talking about God. He said, “When I’m thinking of God I’m a Buddhist, when I’m in pain and despair I’m a Christian.”

God wants you to “Cast all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) He is always, always, always there for everybody and for you.

“O Lord our God, accept the fervent prayers of your people; in the multitude of your mercies, look with compassion upon us and all who turn to you for help; for you are gracious, O lover of souls, and to you we give glory, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.” (Collect at the Prayers – BCP)

May 12, 2022

“Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat.  But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” (Luke 22: 31-32)

Jesus is in the Garden of Gethsemane about to be betrayed by Judas and then denied by Peter. He knows what is coming, so He tells Peter that after the denial he, Peter, will turn back to be of use. Another word of grace from Jesus despite the extreme anxiety of what lies ahead.

Our interior lives are ramshackle at best. Our best efforts are often piddling. Yet, that doesn’t stop God from using us. Rickety and ragtag is the church triumphant.

“O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Fourth Sunday of Easter – BCP)

May 11, 2022

“Once safely on shore, we found out that the island was called Malta. The islanders showed us unusual kindness. They built a fire and welcomed us all because it was raining and cold.” (Acts 28:1-2)

Slant spring light, as if newly birthed and testing its sea legs, promises a warmth that it sometimes can’t deliver in the nip and the gust. Longed for thaw is longed for longer. The body must remain guarded at least until after the frost date. Even then, one is wary.

Warmth has a way of dismantling the tightly wound internal coil. Like Jimmy Buffet sings in Boat Drinks, “This morning, I shot six holes in my freezer / I think I got cabin fever / Somebody sound the alarm….  I gotta go where its warm.”

Warmth welcomes, as Paul and crew describe in this verse from Acts. The peace of God that has been given to us in Jesus Christ is an all-season warmth, always there to uncoil your innards and keep you from reaching for your pistol. His Holy Spirit is described as a fire, after all.

“Eternal God, who led your ancient people into freedom by a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night: Grant that we who walk in the light of your presence may rejoice in the liberty of the children of God; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.” (Order of Evening – BCP p. 111)

May 10, 2022

“Jesus answered, "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick.” (Mark 2:17)

Jesus could have been responding to any number of yammering voices.  My popcorn bag tells me that “when your spirit is guided by wellness, you are your own guru.” Another pernicious, perpetuated message that we are basically A-OK and with a little balance here and meditation there we will be fit as a fiddle.

As C. S. Lewis says, “Christ takes it for granted that men are bad.” Jeremiah calls our hearts “desperately sick”, and therefore in need of the Great Physician. The long and the short of it? We need a Savior, not a guru.

“Grant us, O Lord, to trust in you with all our hearts; for, as you always resist the proud who confide in their own strength, so you never forsake those who make their boast of your mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Proper 18 – BCP)

May 9, 2022

I like the way the Australian author dismantles the myth of steady personal progress and improvement in life. In America, is characters are described as losers. He describes them as "battlers". Says Carey, "A battler is someone who struggles forever and will never, ever, really get anywhere. And in Australia that's a really honorable position."

By the grace of God “progress” might – just might – look like the Apostle Paul’s description in Romans.  “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.” (Romans 5: 1-5)

Note that God is charge of the whole shooting match, from Alpha to Omega.

“Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Fifth Sunday of Easter – BCP)

May 6, 2022

Kierkegaard, whose birthday as yesterday, tells us, “Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards.” True, yes?

We can often (but not always) see the hand of God in our lives looking back. What at the time seemed horrible or confusing turned out to be a beautiful part of God’s plan. Sanctification may mean something like having slightly more trust in God as we go on “stumbling through the dark” (The Jayhawks) going forward.

As the prophet says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” (Jeremiah 29:11)

“O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people: Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Fourth Sunday of Easter – BCP)

May 5, 2022

Here’s the thing that you and I need to wrap our heads around. Christ’s death and resurrection did not just put the Powers of Sin and Death in abeyance; i.e.., a state of temporary inactivity. The cross and tomb are not just taser guns. No, Sin and Death are vanquished, blown to pieces, destroyed beyond recognition. Sin and Death are the Abominable Snowman (Rudolph) defanged by Herbie, serviceable now to put the star on the Christmas tree.

Just listen to this. “He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.” (2 Timothy 1:9-10)

Do we still sin? Yes. Will our bodies still die? Yes. Well, here’s what we say about that: big whoop on both counts.

“O God our King, by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ on the first day of the week, you conquered sin, put death to flight, and gave us the hope of everlasting life: Redeem all our days by this victory; forgive our sins, banish our fears, make us bold to praise you and to do your will; and steel us to wait for the consummation of your kingdom on the last great Day; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (On a Sunday – BCP p. 835)

May 4, 2022

“For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?” (Romans 8:24)

A remarkable woman in her mid-nineties, the day after a major operation, said that she signed up for one more surgery called an Ophtho-Rectal surgery that involves a stent that runs from the eyes all the way down to the rear end. The purpose of the surgery, said this dear, faithful and long-suffering lady, is “to correct your sh**ty outlook on life!”

She must have had this surgery as a child, because I’ve never met a more sanguine, yet honest, person in my life. Goes to show that we all have our moments – and lots of them.

Good thing that we walk by faith and not by sight and our hope is in what is unseen. For what is unseen is the hand of God at work making all things happy – and when the time comes, plain as day.

“O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Third Sunday of Easter – BCP)

May 3, 2022

I played golf with my friend Clay last Friday. We stood on the tee box of the 10th hole – a notoriously long and difficult par 3 on this golf course. Clay pulled a 4 iron, commenting that it wasn’t enough club for the hole. His swing and contact were excellent and we watched the ball in flight on an excellent line. It landed just shy of the green and rolled toward the pin placed at the back of the green. It kept rolling until, unbelievably, it disappeared into the hole! Clamorous joy and celebration ensued.

I had absolutely nothing to do with Clay’s ace, yet I experienced the joy as my own -as if I had gotten a hole in one myself! So too with Christ’s resurrection. Paul says, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand.” (Colossians 3:1)

You have been raised! Past tense. His victory over death is yours to celebrate.

“ O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” (A Collect for Sundays – BCP p. 98)

May 2, 2022

“Deep calls to deep at the roar of your waterfalls.” (Psalm 42:7)

Deep calls to deep, and not just at the roar of God’s waterfalls. The gospel message penetrates into the deepest part of your being. 

I believe that people don’t actually live out of their heads, but rather out of their hearts. We are all so full of hurt and disappointment and inner conflict, however deeply or successfully buried, that most of what we do in life is cry for help and a plea for love and acceptance. Theology is not just a head game, but a heart game. Which is why we need to hear about the forgiveness of sins and the cattywampus love and grace of God every single day, several times a day. That is what people need, almost exclusively.

“O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith, that we may behold him in all his redeeming work; who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.” (Third Sunday of Easter – BCP)

April 29, 2022

Even the experts get things wrong. Here’s Flannery O’Connor on To Kill A Mockingbird. “It’s interesting that all the folks that are buying it don’t know they’re reading a child’s book.”

Maybe she was jealous of the Pulitzer Prize? More likely she was cleaving to her own strong sensibilities. Being wrong is wonderful. Not knowing an answer is wonderful too. The other day I was asked a theological question – which, BTW, always masks an emotional or psychological issue. It was long, rambly question; more statement than question. Finally, he said, “Well, what is the answer?” “I don’t have an answer,” I said. “Why don’t you have an answer? You of all people should have an answer.” I said, “I’m sorry. I don’t have an answer.” “You’re really not going to give me an answer?” “No, I would if I had one, but I don’t have an answer.”

You’ve heard the prophet before, I bet. “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9)

I’m more than good with that.

“Let your continual mercy, O Lord, cleanse and defend us; and, because we cannot continue in safety without your help, protect and govern us always by your goodness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.” (Proper 13 – BCP)