Category: General Interest

Items of General Interest about liturgy, the liturgical calendar, church customs and culture, our unique “Episcopal vocabulary,” the intersection of faith and culture, and all other items not fitting into the other categories (or fitting into multiple categories).

7/24/12—Maturing in wisdom and age

Thomas à Kempis

My “go-to” book on discernment is Hearing with the heart: A gentle guide to discerning God’s will for your life (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2003) by Debra K. Farrington. She begins Chapter 1 with this prayer by Thomas à Kempis whom the Episcopal Church commemorates today (July 24):

Grant me, O Lord, to know what I ought to know, to love what I ought to love, to praise what delights you most, to value what is precious in your sight, to hate what is offensive to you. Do not allow me to judge according to the sight of my eyes, nor to pass sentence according to the hearing of my ears; but to discern with a true judgment between things visible and spiritual, and above all things, always to inquire what is the good pleasure of your will.

The wisdom of Thomas has helped and continues to help shape my spirituality. My prayer is frequently not as eloquent as this prayer, but it is nonetheless fervent in seeking to know and do God’s will.

What do you think—is his prayer something you have prayed? Something you would like to pray? Something that a Christ-follower might actually achieve (knowing and doing God’s will)? Let us know.

7/22/12—Maturing in wisdom and age

Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people. Luke 2:52 CEB

Mary Magdalene: Apostle to the Apostles

Jesus and Mary Magdalene by Bruce Wolfe in the Mission Santa Barbara
Jesus with Mary Magdalene by Bruce Wolfe in the Mission Santa Barbara

Every July 22nd the Episcopal Church commemorates Mary Magdalene, Apostle to the Apostles. This year her commemoration is moved to Monday, July 23rd.

Misidentification of Mary as reformed public sinner achieved official standing with a powerful homily by Pope Gregory the Great (540-604).
Henceforth, Mary of Magdala became known in the west, not as the strong woman leader who accompanied Jesus through a tortuous death, first witnessed his Resurrection, and proclaimed the Risen Savior to the early church, but as a wanton woman in need of repentance and a life of hidden (and hopefully silent) penitence. Interestingly, the eastern church never identified her as a prostitute, but honored her throughout history as “the Apostle to the Apostles”. Read more at Mary of Magdala– Apostle to the Apostles
Mary Magdalene looking to the Risen Christ
The Gospel narratives give a prominence to women in the Jesus movement unusual in ancient society; this culminates in the extraordinary part which they play in Matthew’s, Mark’s and John’s accounts of the human discovery of the Resurrection. All three evangelists make women the first witnesses to the empty tomb and resurrection of Jesus; this is despite the fact that in Jewish Law women could not be considered as valid witnesses. The most prominent named woman, first in all three accounts, is Mary Magdalene (‘from Magdala’ in Galilee). She was a close associate of Jesus in his public ministry and has continued to arouse a set of variously motivated fascinations among Christians throughout the ages. Some overexcited modern commentators and mediocre novelists have even elevated her (on no good ancient evidence) to the status of Jesus’s wife.
(MacCulloch, Diarmaid (2010-02-25). Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years, Kindle Edition. Search word: Magdalene

7/20/12—Maturing in wisdom and age

Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people. Luke 2:52 CEB

The wisdom of a Lutheran Pastor …

Note: The House for All Sinners and Saints is in Denver, CO.

As far as we know, all the House for all Sinners and Saints folks are safe, but many of us had friends and loved ones who were at that theater last night who are quite shaken. Kyrie. Let us pray for all those involved including the shooter. It’s one of the less pleasant elements of the Christian faith, but loving the enemy was not a suggestion.
–(The Rev.) Nadia Bolz-Weber (on Facebook)

After the killing in Aurora, CO our bishop wrote …

The horrific tragedy in Aurora, Colorado rightly brings us to our knees in prayer. Our emotions are myriad: shock, sorrow, anger, and disbelief. While we pray for those who have died, their families, and indeed the perpetrator and his family, we should pause to question the culture of violence that is pervasive in our country.

Guns, violent films and video games did not commit murder yesterday night; a very disturbed individual did. However, it is not a remarkable supposition to think that a contributing factor to this senseless massacre is the lethal combination of available guns and the relentless presentation of violent acts. The latter makes violence seem incidental and inconsequential.

As followers of the prince of peace, we must redouble our efforts to stop senseless violence before it happens. We can go a long way as a society by having sensible gun control and by saying no to entertainment through violence. This will not bring back the victims of this dark moment, but perhaps it will prevent others.
—The Rt. Rev. James R. Mathes Bishop

Long on Jesus

The Rev. Gay Clark Jennings is the newly elected President of the House of Deputies. She has written an op-ed essay published in the Washington Post. I’m proud to be Episcopalian:

Episcopal churches: Short on politics, sexuality debates and long on Jesus

7/18/12—Maturing in wisdom and age

Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people. Luke 2:52 CEB

World Water Day video from charity: water

World Water Day is observed on March 22nd every year. However, the need for clean water is constant. This short video was prepared by charity: water. The video speaks volumes. The need is great. I want to be part of the solution; I hope you do, too.

7/17/12—Maturing in wisdom and age

Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people. Luke 2:52 CEB

The Lord’s Prayer as you’ve (probably) never heard it before

The Lord’s Prayer in Lakota.

Some of you were as privileged as me to receive the wisdom, experience, and ministry of The Rev. Margaret Watson at St. Margaret’s in Palm Desert, CA. Currently Margaret is serving Episcopal churches from Eagle Butte, SD on the Cheyenne River Reservation. She has a daily blog post—leave it lay where Jesus flang it—written as part of her morning prayer time. I encourage you to check out my “Garden & Compost” note of 7/13/2012. As we listen for the whispers of the Spirit we may hear the voices of our brothers and sisters in Christ from as far away as South Dakota and as near as the Reservations in our own Coachella Valley.

A matter of perspective

The Episcopal Church Welcomes YouI’ll begin by thanking Ann for sending the link to a Wall Street Journal article titled What Ails the Episcopalians by Jay Akasie. The article appears online in the “Houses of Worship” column on the Opinion webpage. The article states that Jay Akasie is “a journalist and Episcopalian” living in New York.

Jay’s article has evoked a strong critical response from those who attended the General Convention. Rather than tell you what to think I encourage you to read the article for yourself. Remember: just because it is published by the Wall Street Journal (or any newspaper or news service) there is no guarantee it is accurate. The critical responses (which I encourage you to read as well) especially point out factual errors in the opinion piece.

The article in question

Three responses to the article

I am more hopeful than ever about the desire of our Episcopal Church to seek and know God’s will and then have the courage to act upon that knowledge. I am more hopeful than ever that we will find a way forward together even if we don’t agree with each other on specific items.

7/13/12—Maturing in wisdom and age

Jesus matured in wisdom and years, and in favor with God and with people. Luke 2:52 CEB

Introducing 2 new items for our blog

Luke tells us that when his frantic parents found Jesus (who had been lost to them several days) in the Temple they reprimanded him, brought him home, that, in her heart, Mary treasured all she had witnessed, and finally that “Jesus matured in wisdom and years…” (Luke 2:52)

  1. From time to time those of us who post here will offer an “Aside, Link, Quote, Status update, or other short note” as part of OUR “maturing in wisdom and age.” These will be shorter than a full post. They will be a “quick read.”
  2. As you may remember we make our posts within a particular “category.” In the right hand column you will now find a convenient drop down list titled “Go to this category.” Use it to take you to those posts (and quick notes) in a specific category (like Art & Music).

Let us know what you think about these additions. Thanks for being part of the Sunday Morning Forum at St. Margaret’s in Palm Desert, CA.

Texts of terror

Sacred Scripture, Violent Verses: How Should We Read the Bible’s Texts of Terror?

The sacred scriptures we use contain lots of violence (just recently our Sunday lectionary texts have featured a number of beheadings and this Sunday 7/15 we hear Mark’s account of the death (by beheading) of John the Baptist).

Daniel Clendenin explores our sometimes uneasy relationship with scripture, especially these “texts of terror” a term first used by Phyllis Tickle to describe them. Go to Sacred Scripture, Violent Verses: How Should We Read the Bible’s Texts of Terror? This is the essay for the week on Journey with Jesus (a weekly E-zine I frequently visit; the archived material is wonderful, too). ~dan

Lessons learned at St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic

Lessons learned at St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic

Here is a real-life example of what it means to be a “missional” church. This is posted by the Episcopal News Service.

Lessons learned at St. Andrew’s Children’s Clinic

Here is a real-life example of what it means to be a “missional” church. This is posted by the Episcopal News Service.