I had the opportunity to attend a beautiful and inspiring Black Lives Matter rally at Government Springs Park in Enid, Okla., on Saturday, with my wife Tammy. We have attended several of these events in recent weeks -- a youth march, an NAACP-sponsored march and rally, and a grassroots protest at city hall. All of … Continue reading Black Lives Matter and the Power of Mary’s Song
Gospel
The uncomfortable path of truth
Delivered for Noon Prayer, 2.19.2020, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Enid, Okla., in observance of the Feast of Frederick Douglass (20 February). “You will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” That line, from our very brief Gospel reading today, is one of the most popular quotes from Scripture. But, what … Continue reading The uncomfortable path of truth
May Christmas transform our hearts and our society
The Christmas season is upon us — in the traditional Church calendar, Christmas began on Dec. 25 and ends at Epiphany on Jan. 6 (followed by the beginning of the Orthodox Christmas season Jan. 7). Regardless of when you believe Christmas begins and ends, the season is, at its best, a time of family, … Continue reading May Christmas transform our hearts and our society
Blessed are you, the Church Militant
This sermon originally was delivered on Nov. 3, 2019 in observance of the Feast of All Saints, at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Enid, Okla. Who is a saint? As we gather here in a sanctuary named for St. Matthew, that may seem an odd question. Certainly, all the canonized saints are included in this definition … Continue reading Blessed are you, the Church Militant
Living square with God
This piece was adapted from reflections delivered during Morning Prayer and Evening prayer, July 14 and July 16, respectively, in separate nursing home and prison ministries. How do we square our lives with God? This is one of the central questions of all theology. How should we live our lives so that we are "square" … Continue reading Living square with God
We need the “empathicalism” of “Funny Face”
It may seem strange to conflate the whimsical 1957 Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire musical "Funny Face" with the atrocious treatment of children in concentration camps on our southern border. But, the children in those cages were on my mind (they usually are, of late) while my wife, Tammy, and I were watching Hepburn and … Continue reading We need the “empathicalism” of “Funny Face”
The rewards of patience
The 14th century English phrase "Patience is a virtue" is believed to stem from the much older Latin, "Maxima enim, patientia virtus," -- "Patience is the greatest virtue." But, in English or Latin, the core lesson of these maxims has eluded me for much of my life. Not that I don't understand that patience is … Continue reading The rewards of patience
Death and life eternal: Our faith, in 10 simple words
Death. It is a tough topic. And, for many of us, it is an uncomfortable one. But, it is unavoidable. I have had to overcome my own fears of being around death and dying in the last two years of nursing home ministry. In this environment, death always is nearby in space and time. It … Continue reading Death and life eternal: Our faith, in 10 simple words
Touch, rest in Jesus’ wounds, and doubt no more
A sermon for Evening Prayer, Sunday, April 28, 2019, St. Matthew's Episcopal Church, Enid, Oklahoma. A reading from the Gospel according to St. John, 20:19-31 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the … Continue reading Touch, rest in Jesus’ wounds, and doubt no more
The paths we choose: Finding divinity in drudgery
A reflection for the feast day of George Herbert, 17th century Anglican priest and poet. Almighty God, you called your servant George Herbert from the pursuit of worldly honors to be a pastor of souls and a poet: Give us grace, we pray, joyfully to dedicate all our powers to your service; through Jesus Christ … Continue reading The paths we choose: Finding divinity in drudgery
James R. Neal 