Tag Archives: God

May 27, 2018 · 10:07 pm

For Trinity Sunday…

Some parts of the Church observe a “Church Year” or Liturgical Calendar that gives some shape to the topics emphasized through the year. Like Christmas (and the run-up to it, Advent), and Easter. We mark the time between Christmas and Easter thinking about the various events in the earthly life of Jesus, and continue that through Pentecost, which starts the history of the Church. After Pentecost, we think more about how the life, death, resurrection and continuing presence of Jesus affects us in the here and now, culminating with “Christ the King” Sunday, the last one before the cycle starts again.

This Sunday is the first in that “ordinary” time, and is called “Trinity Sunday” where now that we have thought about God the Father, talked for months about Jesus, and last week reflected on God the Holy Spirit, we look at the Blessed “Three-in-One” – The Holy Trinity, which we Christians hold as the fundamental understanding of God.

It is always interesting to me to see what different preachers have to say on this Sunday…

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February 18, 2018 · 11:07 am

Of “Small Voices”

Last night I had an interesting, and corrective, experience.

I play guitar and bass with a local guitar club. Mostly just for the joy of making music with other people, and to improve our skills, but sometimes we get to play out, for one event or another. Last night, we had the joy of playing for one of our own, a wedding reception for one of our members.

This is not a group of 20-somethings. They would not likely know the songs. We are not ALL my age, there is a pretty good range, but at 62, I fit right in. I find it fascinating that in the few short years I have been part of this group, this is the third wedding. That seems more prolific than among the groups of those 20-somethings I hung with 35+ years ago! Continue reading →

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January 31, 2016 · 5:52 pm

“Paradise Lost” (but trying to understand the map)

“Bid welcome your new landlord – whose mind will not be changed by tome or place.
The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, or hell of heaven. What does it matter where I am? What matters is that I am and shall remain…”

 

“Here at least we shall be free. Here we are beyond his almighty envy; he will not drive us out from here. Here our reign is secure. And what we won is worth it, in my view, even if our kingdom be in hell.
Better to reign in hell than serve in heaven.”

“Paradise Lost”, book 1, lines c254 – c264
Prose edition by Dennis Danielson

__________________

I don’t read nearly as much or as well as I once did. But I am working on tying up a few loose ends, one of which is that I never read Milton’s “Paradise Lost”

I know many of my friends do not have this failure on their record. I specifically would value your point of view on the thoughts below. Continue reading →

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April 19, 2014 · 3:00 pm

“He descended into hell…”

This is a post I wrote a few years back. But Today, Holy Saturday, I think these ideas are worth wrestling with. Not so much for my ideas, but the thing itself is worth wrestling with. I welcome your own thoughts. May we, like Jacob, not let go until we have been blessed!

When I was young, we didn’t think much of the days before Easter other than the crucifixion itself, the whole period between the betrayal of Jesus and the Resurrection was pretty much ignored.
There is even a name for these days, “The Triduum.” Who knew?

There is much to think about, and today, Holy Saturday, the “Great Silence” is a good day for pondering.

I had been pondering a part of the creed little used in the branch of the Church I grew up in: “He descended into hell” particularly in connection with Jesus’ words from the cross “it is finished” and “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.”

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January 4, 2014 · 6:27 pm

A Story of Two Groups of “Wise Men”

Well, I’m going to go WAAAY out of character for me, and out on a church calendar limb. Tomorrow is Sunday, 5 January, 2014, the last Sunday in Christmas this year. So I am going to race ahead and post about Epiphany. “Sin Boldly”; to half-quote Martin Luther.

So why jump ahead two days as if I were impatient for them to be gone? Well, perhaps I am in mid-revelation, and revelation is sort of what the word “epiphany” means. Or perhaps I am receiving my Christmas gift, which also marks it as OK as a Christmas post (now I feel better!). I understand that in many places in the world, in many parts of the Church, Gifts are not exchanged on Christmas, in remembrance of the Gift of the Incarnation, but on Twelfth-Night, Epiphany (“…my true love gave to me, …”) in remembrance of the gifts of the Magi, given TO the incarnate Son of the most High. I sort of like that, in that it puts the focus a little more where I think it belongs, on me giving to God as I seek to serve Him in all people, in recognition of my baptismal vow.

Well, rambling over, on with the point. In Matthew’s account of the Gospel, Chapter 2, he says of the “wise men” (or Magi): Continue reading →

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February 17, 2013 · 4:17 pm

Shopping For A New Church, part 2

I wrote earlier about what I called “Church shopping,” or, the process of deciding what church to join. Not to repeat the earlier post, but I said I hated it, because it required me to sit in judgment and evaluate where I would do better to sit in submission and learn. But the decision must be made. So what is one to do? Continue reading →

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December 2, 2012 · 4:12 pm

Church Shopping – and why I hate it!

I have announced and asked for prayers in too many places for me to pretend it is still a secret, at least a secret from anyone to whom It would matter. I am actively exploring the possibility of leaving my church of the last dozen or so years for another, yet to be discovered. And I hate the process. Continue reading →

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November 27, 2012 · 1:54 pm

Thoughts on the beginning of Advent; “O Come O Come Emmanuel!”

O come, O come, Emmanuel and ransom captive Israel;

that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

 
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free Thine own from Satan’s tyranny.

From depths of Hell Thy people save, and give them victory o’er the grave

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer our spirits by Thine advent here.

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night and death’s dark shadows put to flight.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Key of David, come, and open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high, and close the path to misery.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, O come, Thou Lord of might, who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,

 In ancient times did’st give the Law, in cloud, and majesty and awe.

Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel Shall come to thee, O Israel.

My favorite song of this season, Advent, and one I am full ready to proclaim this this year. I need the awareness of Emmanuel (“God with us”) now, as proclaimed in the third verse, to

“Disperse the gloomy clouds of night, and death dark shadows put to flight.” Continue reading →

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September 17, 2012 · 4:49 pm

Book Review: “Unabashedly Episcopalian” by Andy Doyle

Well, I just finished my weekend reading, a new little book entitled
“Unabashedly Episcopalian” 
written by the Rt. Rev. C. Andrew Doyle,
9th Bishop of the Diocese of Texas (Episcopal)

Before a review, something of a disclaimer:

First, Bp. Doyle is my bishop.

Those who know me well will know what an amazing statement that is.
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July 4, 2012 · 12:11 pm

On Questions and Mirrors, Truth and Images

“Would it possible to be tempted, in such a way that we miss God’s desire for us, by being part of a church that is almost perfect?”

As an answer to the question, I will suggest that part of the reason for the story of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament is to answer a related question. It is one I have sometimes heard from skeptics. It goes something like this:

“If God is real, why doesn’t he just “show up” and prove himself? Then people would believe in him! Instead, all we get are some writings in a book (and those kind of hard to understand), and the word of people like you who tell us just to ‘have faith and trust him.’
I’m sorry, but if he is real, and expects to be acknowledged, he needs to say so, directly. Then we would all see the truth, and could all believe. Until then…”

I think there is some merit to the question. Continue reading →

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