“This tree preaches resurrection as quietly as resolutely as can be. Our redbud is a marvelous reminder of the wisdom of waiting, of watching, of being alert to the subtle signs of life that can suddenly come into focus before our eyes even in the dead of winter, the same beautiful message encapsulated by the season of Advent.”
“During this season in particular, as we wait for the light of Christ to illumine us, and as we light candles on our Advent wreath, I look at that moon under Mary’s feet and think about what a perfect symbol the moon is for what Mary teaches us as a faithful servant of God. Just as the moon itself reflects the light of the sun, Mary’s boldness, agency, and compassion reflects the light of Christ, her son, who was associated with the sun in medieval Christian iconography. The moon with its monthly cycle of birth, growth, death, and rebirth reminds me of the hope we have in resurrection and new life through Christ.”
“We thank you especially for sending prophets among us, to teach us to return to the ways You have hallowed and blessed.”
“May we remember as we gather around our family tables those who have no table, and in unity with them rededicate ourselves to alleviating hunger and poverty within this land and act on that priority within our common life. May we welcome the stranger and the refugee to the table alongside us, that we may give thanks unfeignedly, exercising gratitude as a spiritual practice that excludes no one.”
“Even as the shoulder of Earth turns toward night with a sigh, like a sleeper settling deeper into dreams,
so we too rest secure, Blessed Savior…”
“It becomes as simple as this: are we a resurrection-shaped people, or not? Is it possible for us to drop our thin veneer of cynicism to take seriously the idea that resurrection is at the very center of our faith? Isaiah 65 calls us to reclaim our faith with not just boldness but with joy. Real joy. Real hope. Real energy.”
“Some claim that it was mere coincidence that the leadership of the warring nations involved chose St. Martin’s Day as the day the armistice in World War I officially began. But I love the symbolism that the thirty-two nations involved in this terrible struggle laid down their arms on this feast day of St. Martin, much as St. Martin himself renounced his participation in warfare centuries before.”
“Last week in our gospel, we heard the story of one man who was sure he belonged on top because he thought himself perfect, and another man who thought he was a worm due to his own acknowledgement of his sins. Yet it was the man who bewailed his sins and prayed to God for mercy who was justified, Jesus tells us. That’s a declaration that is a huge reversal to what most of us witness in our lives.”
“Later, I thought about how much our own concerns about being justified, about how we can see the fault in others without seeing our own imbalances and flaws can overshadow our ability to deal kindly with each other.”
“Prayer changes things – starting with the person who does the praying. Prayer changes things by giving the one who prays a chance to both speak and listen to the presence and support of God in that person’s life.”