faith – Ordinary Time

How ‘holy envy’ enhances religious pluralism and guards against spiritual shoplifting or appropriation

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tdXAGm5xm9M Palm Sunday, 2016, Saint John's Orthodox Church, Warren, Ohio. I've been thinking lately about the concept of "holy envy" and the Swedish academic who coined the term. That's partly because I worry that the whole idea of pluralism -- both religious and secular -- is under sustained attack now at home and abroad. I … Continue reading How ‘holy envy’ enhances religious pluralism and guards against spiritual shoplifting or appropriation

Second of two posts looking ahead to the new liturgical year and making new (church) year's resolutions. For the earlier post, link HERE. Mural of St. Francis, Creative Commons Prayer. Photo Jim McIntosh (CC BY 2.0) Fr. Richard Rohr's daily meditation for Friday poses a theological question I want to work on in the coming … Continue reading A Franciscan take on the presence of God in all of God’s creation — including brother wolf … and all of us

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phngTmv7IW4 From "Mountain Vespers" service for Holden Village by Dr. Kent Gustavson Many of us pray best in church, or in the resonant silence of an empty cathedral. Others pray at home, relying on candles, music or other aids to help ease them into a prayerful attitude. Me? It seems like I pray best in … Continue reading Praying for good courage in a hospital emergency room … and quiet confidence while sweating out a scary diagnosis

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BXf1j8Hz2bU Ezekiel 2 (NRSV). He said to me: O mortal,[a] stand up on your feet, and I will speak with you. 2 And when he spoke to me, a spirit entered into me and set me on my feet; and I heard him speaking to me. 3 He said to me, Mortal, I am sending you to the people of … Continue reading How shall we know a prophet has been among us? Listening for the good news in Nazareth, Babylon — to a reggae beat

Resurrection of Jairus' daughter, Albert von Keller, 1886 (Wikimedia Commons) Mark 5 (NRSV). 35 While he was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, “Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?” 36 But overhearing[b] what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” 37 Sunday's gospel … Continue reading ‘Do not fear, only believe’: Unpacking the good news in a the miracle of healing a synagogue elder’s daughter in Capernum

Bread and wine for Holy Communion on Galilee tour boat Mark 4 (NRSV): 35 On that day, when evening had come, he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side.” 36 And leaving the crowd behind, they took him with them in the boat, just as he was. Other boats were with him. 37 A great windstorm … Continue reading The historical Jesus and the Christ of faith on a dark and stormy night (Pentecost IV)

"Century Marks," Christian Century, April 21, 2021, p. 8. We're still quarantining magazines as they come into the house, and when I was going through them last night, a billboarded pull quote from British theologian N.T. Wright in a back issue of Christian Century jumped up off the page, snuggled up to me and wanted … Continue reading Theologian N.T. Wright rethinks ‘multi-ethnic, polychrome, mutually supportive’ early church, justification by faith