Could St. Francis have been a pastor? How about Mother Theresa? Was there something so uncompromising in their calling and conviction that would have gone against the very nature of the pastoral role which inevitably calls you to be compromising. Sure, there are uncompromising pastors. But they seem to build niche [...]
Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
The Pastor and the Prophet
Posted in Uncategorized on July 25, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
Don’t Relent on Lent
Posted in Uncategorized on March 16, 2009 | Leave a Comment »
We are two and a half weeks into Lent and as usual, I have broken all my lenten goals. So it goes. This year, I put forth my most sweeping agenda yet, doing a pretty thorough moral inventory of my interactions with prayer, scripture, alcohol, generosity, exercise, and sexuality. And two weeks in, I’m back [...]
The Theology of the Tire
Posted in Uncategorized on January 7, 2009 | 2 Comments »
I love analogies. This one came to me tonight.
Our theology should be like a well-inflated tire.
If the tire is pumped too full, it becomes rigid. The slightest stone or pothole causes it to pop rendering the tire not just useless, but shredded. Like a systematic theology too tightly woven, one problem and the whole thing [...]
Our Father in Heaven
Posted in Uncategorized on December 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment »
A Meditation on Matthew 6:9-10
Our Father in heaven.
Our Father in heaven.
The God to whom we pray.
Our Father is in heaven. Our God is beyond us.
God Almighty, El Shaddai, the omnipotent, omnipresent, omniscient creator of all the universe.
God can do all things.
Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand [...]
That’s just Philly.
Posted in Uncategorized on October 29, 2008 | 2 Comments »
It’s hard to describe the mood in Philadelphia right now. I likened it to the movie Meet the Parents where he has the perfect engagement set up and then through a series of escalating bad circumstances, the whole thing collapses. What appears clear destiny suddenly has you saying, “Sorry I cared so much.” I know [...]
Remember the Poor
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged politics, poverty on October 17, 2008 | 1 Comment »
When I was in Assisi last year, I met a friendly monk. When he learned I was to become a pastor, he got very excited, promised to pray for me, and made the sign of the cross on my forehead (I was Catholic for the day). We talked for a bit, though the language barrier [...]
Musings
Posted in Uncategorized on October 17, 2008 | 1 Comment »
Some important thoughts on the world:
I was listening to the 885 Essential XPN songs countdown today and they said, “This countdown is sponsored by Canada Dry.” This struck me for two reasons: 1) Who drinks Canada Dry? I was unaware the product was still on the market. 2) What’s with the name Canada Dry? I [...]
Bienvenue a Quebec
Posted in Uncategorized on September 13, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Paging all Francophones…Did you know that people speak French in North America? Just a myth, right? No, actually, it’s true. Tonight, I drove 97 kilometers from Burlington, Vermont (Holy crap! We have a French state in America!?! What’s going on?!) along 133 Nord and exited onto Rue Universite Ouest. I’m not really sure what to [...]
Seasons and Creation
Posted in Uncategorized, tagged Creation, Fall on August 16, 2008 | 2 Comments »
Today is beautiful. It is 86, low humidity, blue sky, and white puffy clouds. But one of the things I am noticing today is the way the sun is coming in my apartment at a lower angle than it has all summer. And this, of course, means that fall is coming. I have always been [...]
