A reflection for the Feast of St. Mary the Virgin As I prepared for the Feast of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Saint Mary, the Theotokos, I considered several readings on which to focus. The most natural for me, and the one verse I think most beautifully and succinctly captures the strength, faith, courage and importance … Continue reading The last teaching from the cross
Episcopal
Let Christ do the doing
Anamnesis -- A walk into the Real Presence of Christ The most rewarding part of my week usually is when I take the Eucharist to nursing home residents. A chance to pray together, to worship, reflect on Scripture and administer the Sacrament of Unction (anointing with oil) -- this service as a Lay Eucharistic Visitor … Continue reading Let Christ do the doing
Going into the deep
A primer on the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius As I mentioned in my last post, our aspirancy group in the Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma is using the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius to prepare us for the spiritual journey toward possible ordination. I had read about the Ignatian Exercises, and more specifically, the Examen, … Continue reading Going into the deep
Be the child
A first crack at the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius A couple of posts back I reflected on Luke 10:21, when Jesus praises the "Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious … Continue reading Be the child
And so it begins — Aspirancy to Holy Orders
Today starts a new journey for me, and I humbly ask for your prayers as I begin it. This path goes back more than two years, to a lunch I had with our priest and my spiritual director, Fr. John Toles, from St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, in Enid, Okla. I had been visiting with Fr. … Continue reading And so it begins — Aspirancy to Holy Orders
Let go, and HOLD FAST
In the Navy, particularly in days gone by, tattoos hold special meaning. Sometimes that meaning, like my uncle's giant tiger head on his chest, is simply "I had too much to drink in the Philippines." Other times the tattoos have deep meaning about service, selflessness and duty. One of the oldest is the words "HOLD … Continue reading Let go, and HOLD FAST
Making the most of life in the shadow of time
"Time flies over us, but leaves its shadow behind." If you want to fully appreciate the truth of Nathaniel Hawthorne's quote, I recommend a few hours in your nearest nursing home. The shadow of time hangs heavy there, among those who live for the opportunity to share with someone -- anyone -- the glories, loves, … Continue reading Making the most of life in the shadow of time
The Journey Within
A reflection on Anglican writer and mystic Evelyn Underhill This post was delivered as a sermon, June 19, 2019, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Enid, Oklahoma. In our Gospel reading today, Christ invites us to a new journey, to go beyond our holy mountains, our temples and the trappings of this world, and to rest … Continue reading The Journey Within
Going beyond Scripture
Scripture is an invaluable and irreplaceable resource for any traveler on The Way of Christ. We must immerse ourselves in the Word, and in it find God's instruction and His nourishment for our souls along life's path. But, is there more we must do to understand and truly digest God's teaching beyond mastering the written … Continue reading Going beyond Scripture
‘Won’t back down’
A reflection on Bernard Mizeki, catechist of the faith and martyr "Well I won’t back down; No I won’t back down; You can stand me up at the gates of Hell; But I won’t back down." I've always loved those lyrics from Tom Petty's 1989 song "I Won't Back Down." They speak of courage, steadfastness — … Continue reading ‘Won’t back down’
