Blog - Page 18 of 28 - LiftUpYourHearts

An Ignatian Examen

One way to pray is to look for God’s presence in the “sacred text” that is your own daily life. More than 400 years ago, St. Ignatius of Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness through what has come to be called called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a method of prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to … Read the rest

The Upward Fall

The story says fall, and I fall to my knees

onto streets paved with refuse and waste;

breathing fumes of the fuel that the highway consumes

I fall with a gasp to my knees.

Underneath paved domain slumbers dust from the stars-

of this I am fashioned and made;

but the ground of my standing is holy, corrupt-

I … Read the rest

A Blessing for Knitters

Blessed are you who stitch together
the splits at the seams of this world,
repairing the breach between poor and rich
cold and warm, cast off and cared for.

Blessed are you whose needles respond to need
and whose yarn binds the broken of heart.
May your love be felt in every fold
of fabric that warms the wearers.

Blessed

… Read the rest

Wholehearted Sacrifice

Proper 27
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The stakes were high in Jerusalem: Jesus was within a few days of his betrayal and death, and—as Mark records it, his teaching in the Temple had become very succinct. “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your … Read the rest

Of Lament and Blessing

(Sermon for the Liturgy of Lament and Blessing, Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, 10/17/2018)

Hashtag why I didn’t report: some field notes from social media.

“I didn’t report because the first time I was under 5.”

“I didn’t report because I have been raised in a society and culture that makes me responsible for the actions of grown men.”

“I didn’t … Read the rest

The Look of Love

Proper 23B

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Several decades ago, at a time when I was thinking very deeply about God and money, I went to my then Presbyterian pastor and asked her what to do. “What’s the right amount to give to the church?” I wanted to know. Should it be a tithe, a tenth of my income? That seemed like … Read the rest

Love Thy Neighborhood

Proper 18B

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For almost 20 years, my husband John and I lived in a CoHousing community in the San Francisco Bay Area. There are several CoHousing communities in the Portland metro area, so perhaps you have heard of them or even lived in one yourself. But in case the CoHousing concept is new to you, let me … Read the rest

Cloudy Insight

Transfiguration 2018

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It was about this time last year, when I was on the search for air conditioned outings—as one does in the summer in Portland—that I found myself at the Pompeii exhibit at OMSI. Perhaps some of you visited it as well? It was a breathtaking installation, at once intimate and cosmic in scale. There were … Read the rest

Awkward Episcopalian

Proper 11B

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As some of you may know, I recently spent two weeks with about 10,000 of my closest Episcopal friends—including our own Alan Murray—in Austin Texas at the 79^th triennial General Convention of the Episcopal Church. Alan was an alternate deputy for our diocese, so he had a legislatively official reason for being there. I … Read the rest

Loving, Liberating, Life-Giving

Proper 10B
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I bring you greetings from the nearly 10,000 Episcopalians who have gathered in Austin Texas for the past two weeks, for the 79^th General Convention of the Episcopal Church. The Episcopal Church has an historic relationship with the Anglican Church of Mexico, as we were partners in its birth in the 1860’s. And now … Read the rest