Seeking Authentic Voice

A few years ago I began an exploration on spirituality with members of the church where I am the priest. We asked questions like, “What is spirituality?” and, “What does spirituality mean to you.” Almost to a person I heard, “I yearn for deeper spirituality”. And yet, none of us could really articulate what that meant nor how we’d know if something were spiritual. We came to realize that what makes something spiritual is a very individual experience, what works for one person may not work for another. One member of the spirituality exploration group said something to me that I hear in the back of my mind every time I prepare a sermon. “Please,” she said, “Be hard on us, make us do something.” This was a plea for me to be more political in my sermons, more focused on social justice and more directive in what people are supposed to do to live out the Gospel.  In this Advent season I am thinking a lot about the Good News, that the Greek word euaggelizo was not a Christi...

Summer is one of my favorite seasons. One of them because I like all four. Here in southeast Michigan we do have four seasons, and spring can be lovely. Spring in this region can bring blooming fruit trees and yards full of spring flowers with comfortable temperatures that last three weeks or more. (Hey, that is not bad considering other nearby regions have a dreary spring that feels more like winter and then suddenly it's hot and summer). Still, despite the lovely spring climate here, summer is one of my favorite seasons. I don't really mind being hot although I am not fond of high humidity. Being drenched all the time is just not my thing. Aside from the stickiness of humidity I like the ease of slipping on a pair of sandals, shorts and a T-shirt and heading out the door. No need for layers of attire, summertime walks are easy. Walking, for me, is a means for maintaining good health and a social justice statement. Instead of driving I walk every where I can anytime I am able....

Time flies. I swear it was just March, with only a hint of spring in the air. In a blink of an eye - it's June. Where in the world did April and May go? We did have the most beautiful spring, days and days of glorious sun warming the earth, enabling the blooming trees and flowers to linger longer than usual. Unlike last year, when we had unseasonable warm temps in March and then a frost that took all the fruit. he harsh, unseasonably late frost and heavy rains didn't hit until the blooms were gone and the leaves had unfurled. All we lost were a few fledgling vegetables in the garden - all of our cucumbers, beans, zucchini, and basil, and many of our marigolds succumbed to the frost. The day before the rains and frost hit, (and oblivious to the weather forecast) I was determined to get my planting done before the little plants toppled over in their temporary plastic containers. So I set forth with gloves and shovel to get them in the ground. Five long hours and a major backa...

 A reflection on Acts 2:1-21 for the Day of Pentecost John Lewis, a Congressman from Georgia, has written memoirs of his days working with Martin Luther King, Jr. These books reflect Lewis’ deep spirituality and describe how faith, hope, and love have been the guiding principles of his life. In his book, “Across That Bridge, Life Lessons and a Vision for Change” Lewis tells a from the early 1960’s, which I paraphrase here: On day Lewis entered a restaurant and ordered a meal. As a black man he was not allowed in the restaurant and was asked to leave. He gently refused and tried again and again to order his meal. Finally the waitress brought him his meal. Just as he was about to take his first bite, the waitress proceeded to pour disinfectant down his back. She then poured water all over his meal. Then restaurant owner proceeded to spray Lewis with an insecticide intended to kill cockroaches. The owner sprayed Lewis until his skin was burned. All the while Lewis of...

I grew up practicing drills in school. The alarm would sound and we would all scramble to the floor, hunch under our desks, knees bunched up, and our arms over our heads. Air raid drills for the next event of nuclear war fare.I grew up with the real potential for mass killing. Any day it was possible. Nuclear testing took place not far from where I grew up, the winds blowing from the western desert region of Utah carried the residue of toxic, cancer causing, waste. The potential for a nuclear bomb was real to us. Then the drill practices and that kind of thinking stopped. I don't remember when, how, or why. Maybe it's because I moved away from the west? When I was ten we moved to Wisconsin. When I was fourteen we moved to Texas. Then, when I was fifteen my family moved to Chicago, a city that became my home for forty years. The first twenty-some years I lived in Chicago I took public transportation everywhere. I would ride buses and trains late at night and early in the ...

A reflection on the readings for  Proper 15B - 1 Kings 2:10-12; 3:3-14; Ephesians 5:15-20; John 6:51-58  Over the course of the last two Sunday’s the story of David in 2 nd Samuel continued – a story of war and more war, of violence and many family problems. David’s daughter, Tamar is raped by her half- brother, Ammon, thus preventing her from being marriageable because according to ancient custom women were property of men. According to this custom Tamar’s value as a commodity diminished. There are still some cultures in the world today who view rape and incest in the same manner as this ancient culture – it is a defilement of property. As a piece of property that has no value Tamar’s feelings are never taken into consideration by David. The rape causes problems for David as he tries to decide how, or IF, to punish his son. Sadly, David does nothing.   The story of Tamar is central in religious discussions about violence against women, with several books written...