Blog - Page 22 of 27 - LiftUpYourHearts

Between Them and Us

“God made no distinction between them and us.” From our present standpoint it takes some effort to hear how very radical was Peter’s statement at what’s come to be known as the First Council of Jerusalem. But for Luke, who is also the author of Acts, this is the pivot point on which the story of Spirit-inspired expansion … Read the rest

Habits of Heaven

Easter 5C

Last night when I took off my watch before bed, I didn’t leave it where I usually do. That little mistake played havoc with my morning rituals, which is kind of ironic because—since my iphone also tells time—I barely even look at my wristwatch anymore.

Still, the misplaced watch and the consequent search for it unsettled me because … Read the rest

Memories of Camp, Dreams of Heaven

Genesis 2.4b-9
1 Corinthians 15.35-49

“It is not the spiritual that is first,” wrote Paul, “but the physical, and then the spiritual.”

This statement comes at the end of a long list of contrasts between the mortal body and the resurrected body: perishable vs. imperishable, dishonor vs. glory, weakness vs. power. It would be possible to read this as a … Read the rest

Thomas the Obedient

Easter 2C

Complete this sentence. Obey your…

So in our first lesson this morning, we’ve met Peter and the apostles, boldly announcing to the Senhadrin—the central council of religious authorities in Jerusalem—that they obeyed God rather than any human authority. That’s the kind of statement that’s bound to get you into trouble with those same human authorities. And in fact … Read the rest

Take Up Your Towel

Maundy Thursday

For several days last week, I was driving around with a kind of scary black garbage bag in the back of my car. And the bag got a bit scarier every day that it stayed there, because it was full of damp used towels. Towels that came from a service of footwashing. And the feet belonged to the … Read the rest

How Much Is Too Much?

Lent 5C

How much are we willing to give?

Just a week ago today I might have said that I had given it all I had. That’s because last weekend I had the privilege of serving the almost 60 high schoolers who took part in our annual diocese wide “Happening” retreat. For those of you who don’t yet know about … Read the rest

Hunger for Home

Lent 4C

Lately I’ve been listening to lots of stories about parents and children. You probably all know the variations on the theme: children doing things their parents don’t want them to, adults failing to parent their children adequately, siblings taking very different paths and dividing loyalties. Makes for messy holidays and family reunions, no? But it has always been … Read the rest

Been There, Done That

Ash Wednesday

There’s this silly graphic making the rounds on social media these days. Maybe mostly on nerdy clergy Facebook pages, but perhaps you’ve seen it too. It’s a series of crosses that might be made on people’s foreheads. There’s the clean, crisp one called “first in line,” and the very pale one called “add toner.” There are also some … Read the rest

Keeping Up With Kanterbury

Tuesday After Epiphany 3C

A few years ago my husband and I hosted our local Episcopal Service Corps Interns—six young adults committed to a year of volunteer service in the Bay Area—at our home for Thanksgiving. Other members of our family were present as well, including our teenage sons. So the meal felt full and festive and everyone seemed to … Read the rest

Waiting on Gospel Wine

Epiphany 2C

Three weeks ago yesterday I was at a wedding. At The Bishop’s Ranch, which is a pretty special thing because the Ranch normally doesn’t host weddings. For those of you who may not yet be familiar with it, The Bishop’s Ranch is an Episcopal camp and retreat center in the heart of the Sonoma County wine country. … Read the rest