The only constant is change. That observation is not new, but it’s still news. With every headline, no? I am just now returning from two weeks at Virginia Theological Seminary—one of the flagship schools of our church—where I spent a lot of time reading about and listening to professors talk about leadership during times of change. You know … Read the rest
Continue reading "If It's Not All Right..." »
Where do we find hope these days? In things torn down, or in things raised up? According to Matthew, yes, and yes. The lessons of Advent seem so divisive, and the stakes seem so high, that I sometimes find it nearly impossible to see past the messages of judgment to the tender compassion of our God. And yet, … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Baptist and the Burning Man" »
I’m a California native, so I’ve known a lifetime of water scarcity. Which is not actually that different from the experience of Jesus’ followers living in the Galilean desert. And yet, there were six stone water jars, each holding twenty or thirty gallons. Glory… God’s glory is like that!
We live in a grape-growing region, where what limited … Read the rest
Continue reading "Glorious" »
Among my earliest childhood memories is of the time I almost drowned, when I was about three. I was playing on the beach with my parents, when suddenly a sneaker wave pulled me into the foamy surf, tumbled me around, and then pushed me downwards where responsible adults couldn’t see me. I struggled against the power of the … Read the rest
Continue reading "Breath of Power" »
In this, the second Sunday of Advent, the church traditionally remembers the prophets. Scripture names them and records their words—in this case, Isaiah and John and Baptist—but they’re really prophets because people recognized their wisdom to challenge the status quo. You probably know this, but it’s worth repeating: Biblical prophecy is not so much about predicting the future … Read the rest
Continue reading "Dressed in Truth" »
Several years ago, when I was a brand new priest serving on the staff of the bishop of the Diocese of California, I was asked to be the spiritual director for a weekend retreat. The retreat, an extension of well-established prison ministry, was designed for women whose husbands or … Read the rest
Continue reading "The Name You Know" »In the 2012 movie “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel,” manager Sonny Kapoor has marketed the Jaipur hotel he inherited from his father as a retirement home for budget conscious English retirees. The place is terribly dilapidated—basically it’s a wreck—so central to the narrative is how a small colony of English expats adjust to the reality of an Indian … Read the rest
Continue reading "If it's not all right, it's not the end" »“What was written in former days was for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope,” wrote the author of the letter to the Romans. Which sounds comforting in a season when I am actively searching for signs of hope. And of course there are plenty: even in the … Read the rest
Continue reading "Things Hoped For" »
