June 5, 2011

 This has been one of those weeks where being a priest seems a whole lot like being a victim of whiplash. Four parishioners are dealing with the deaths of parents, either in the last week, or in the past few weeks, and chance encounters with them, or planned meetings became occasions for making room for the presence of God in the midst of grief. Someone else is dealing with an unexpected diagnosis of cancer but uncertainty as well until there are further tests. And one of the children in our parish is looking forward to hospitalization and possible pacemaker surgery. For all of these people, and their loved ones, the world they knew no longer exists—they are entering uncharted territory. Continue reading →

April 10, 2011

There are many dramatic stories in the scriptures; many stories that grab our imagination and won’t let go. There are stories that are far-fetched and unbelievable. There are stories of people who, quite literally, wrestle with God. But for sheer dramatic power and shocking imagery, there may be no story quite like the story of the dry bones in Ezekiel.

It has come down to us as a spiritual that became something of a children’s song: “Dem bones, dem bones, dem dry bones.” But however familiar we might be with the song, the biblical story in itself presents an even eerier picture, like something out of a horror flick. Ezekiel is brought by God to a valley that is filled with bones. God asks him, “Mortal, can these bones live?” Ezekiel’s response might be a statement of faith but it could also be a sign of his futility, that he thinks the question is unanswerable. In any case, the bones begin to come back together, bone on bone, sinew on sinew. But they do not live. It is only when God’s breath or spirit comes upon them that they come to life. Continue reading →

Who Sinned?
4 Lent
April 3, 2011

We’ve all asked the question—sometimes for ourselves, but often on behalf suffering people we know and love. What did I do wrong, that God is punishing me? What did he, or she, do to deserve this? It’s a natural, human response to pain or misfortune. There must be some reason for it, and when we begin looking for a reason, we often seek the reason in a moral failing or weakness. This tendency, or temptation to blame someone’s misfortune on some personal failure is even more pronounced when it comes to people whom we don’t know. Continue reading →

March 27, 2011

One of the things I’ve learned over the years is that no matter how much we bring to God—our questions, fears, hopes, and needs, God has a way of transforming it all into something quite different. Take me, for example. In my former parish, I was the person who was always thinking ahead—urging staff to look at the long-range planning calendar, to make sure we had all of our ducks in a row, or service bulletins, well in advance of Holy Week, to take just one example. Continue reading →