“Your daughter is dead.” I can imagine no more dreadful words for a parent to hear, and it almost makes me tremble to say them out loud on a Sunday when we celebrate my own adult child’s ministry at Trinity. Given his childhood mischief—some of it acted out in church—Lord knows how he reached adulthood alive! And soon … Read the rest
Continue reading "Live Without Fear" »
What’s the deal with mustard, anyway?
I know it’s an odd question. But since we just heard Mark’s version of the famous parable of the mustard seed I want to reflect a bit on my relationship to its condiment cousin. I don’t know about you, but I have lots of mustard in my refrigerator. There are all these odd shaped … Read the rest
Continue reading "Growing Sacred Seeds" »
“How can anyone be born after having grown old?” It’s a reasonable question. How indeed? But rather than waiting for an answer, Nicodemus narrowed his focus to biology “Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” Jesus was not impressed, evidently. “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not … Read the rest
Continue reading "Born into One" »
Mortals, can these bones Live? Can these tired and lonely people know God’s love, can this online worship glorify God for those who need to be at home, can the Altar Guild and ushers re-group for the benefit of those who are in church, can the choir sing safely, can these bills be paid? Can the church as … Read the rest
Continue reading "Tell it [and] Live" »
Happy Mother’s Day, to all of us who have mothers. Good mothers, stressed mothers, imperfect mothers, addicted mothers, angry mothers, surrogate mothers, loving mothers. All of them—and all of us—doing the best we are able to, with the help of God’s own motherly care.
Most of you know that my own son Aaron has been serving as Trinity’s … Read the rest
Continue reading "A Joy Complete" »
How do any of us ever get up and walk? “Through our own power or piety?” Peter asked rhetorically of people who had just witnessed a healing at the Jerusalem temple. The lame man walked only because of God’s grace. Likely we didn’t get onto our feet through our own power or piety either, but how would we … Read the rest
Continue reading "Beyond the First Step" »
Last Sunday, during our noon forum hour we showed the first of twelve videos produced by the Episcopal Diocese of El Camino Real. They feature conversations with local Episcopalians of color, and I have found them to be very moving. Today we’ll be hearing from Salying Wong, rector of St. Thomas Sunnyvale. But last week the video featured Brett Wormley, … Read the rest
Continue reading "Can it be that Bad?" »
The week before last I traveled to Denver Colorado to visit my father, who is very sick. More about that in a minute. But here’s the thing. In order to get there within our COVID bubble, my husband John and I drove the 1300 mile trip, out and back. Which meant that we crossed the Rocky Mountains in … Read the rest
Continue reading "Remembering the Future" »
Someone in this house has just recovered from a fever, has been lifted up, and is serving God. I don’t necessarily know who it is. Although… you may. The person recovered from the fever may even be you.
I know that it has been me. Lord knows I’ve had some debilitating fevers in my life: the fever of … Read the rest
Continue reading "Fever for Service" »
Some eight years ago, just before my ordination, I had the privilege of making a long spiritual retreat. It was an entire month, and it was at a Jesuit retreat center that kept a rigorous rule of silence. There in the quiet of the Colorado mountains, I learned—like Samuel—to hear God call me by name. Or rather, I … Read the rest
Continue reading "Can Anything Good Come Out of Georgia?" »