The Servant Crushed Sacrificial Grace, by Makoto Fujimura. Fujimura uses a Japanese style of painting called Nihonga, in which semi-precious stone such as lapis lazuli is crushed into mineral pigments. It is the breaking and crushing of the stone which brings out the splendor of the colors shimmering in refracted light. This piece is a…
Ordinary Saints Wear Capes
Celebrating Cabrini The film Cabrini, 2024 from Angel Studios, starring Christiana Dell’Anna and directed by Alejandro Monteverde appropriately launched in theaters nationwide for International Women’s Day. Based on the true story of Frances Xavier Cabrini, an Italian missionary who came to New York in 1889 to serve Italian immigrants, Cabrini is alive with hope that the kingdom…
Celebrate Women
International Women’s Day 2024 Theme: Inspire Inclusion. When women are inspired to be included, there’s a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment. When women aren’t present, or equally valued, we must ask: “Why not?” When women are discriminated against, or abused in any way, we must call out injustice and take action. A student friend…
Ash Wednesday Meets Valentine’s Day
Ash Wednesday and Valentine’s Day intersect this year for an epic “opposites attract” mashup. A tattoo with a dagger through the heart symbolizes sacrifice and can be a sign of devotion to Christ. (This tattoo is Justin’s from Tampa, Florida). Celebrating these two days together is the musical equivalent of the Good Friday hymn “O Sacred Head…
Discerning People Hold Fast
Christian discernment is not the same as decision making. Reaching a decision can be straightforward: we consider our goals and options; maybe we list the pros and cons of each possible choice; and then we choose the action that meets our goal most effectively. Discernment, on the other hand, is about listening and responding to…
Human Trafficking Awareness
January is a designated month to raise awareness for human trafficking, modern-day slavery, which includes both forced labor and sex trafficking. This illegal act involves the use of force, fraud, or coercion to obtain labor or sex and involves an estimated 27.6 million victims worldwide. I met Abeni on the streets of Malaga, Spain. We…
Ring in the New
Rule of Life O, Begin! Fix some part of every day for private exercises… Whether you like it or no, read and pray daily. It is for your life; there is no other way; else you will be a trifler all your days… Do justice to your own soul; give it time and means to…
Ring Out the Old
Year End Examen Resources Ring out, wild bells, to the wild sky, The flying cloud, the frosty light: The year is dying in the night;Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. Ring out the old, ring in the new, Ring, happy bells, across the snow: The year is going, let him go;Ring out the false, ring in the…
Pray as you Move
The water splashes around me with the rhythmic mermaid dance of my arms, legs, and torso, along with the not so graceful slapping of my yellow fins. This early morning, I have reluctantly entered the cool water of the swimming pool, grumpy and bored with the routine of the day and the restlessness of emotions…
Our Breath is a Prayer
Morgan Harper Nichols Art This past year I experienced some chronic chest pain. In these days of respiratory disease, I was really concerned something might be wrong with my lungs. My doctor ruled out anything serious with my heart and lungs. The pain seemed to be costochondritis, or cartilage inflammation, most likely due to age…
Robe of Righteousness
God’s Beauty on Display In every culture and people around the globe there is great celebration of joy at a wedding along with all the festivities. My favorite wedding scene took place in a small rural village in South Asia. The bridegroom arrived on the back of a horse wearing a dashing turban, escorted by…
Jesus Asks
What do you want me to do for you? And they came to Jericho. And as he was leaving Jericho with his disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out and say, “Jesus, Son…
Hymn History: Turn your Eyes Upon Jesus
A Spirit Connection Between Two Artistic Women of Faith “The word of the Lord came to me this morning through a dandelion. It was early morning & I was sitting in a little wood near the Hotel. The sun was climbing behind a steep cliff to the east, & its light was flooding from a…
Pentecost Peace
When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4 All of them were filled with…
Sun Tracking
A Look at the Healthy Rhythms of Sunflowers In the heavens God has pitched a tent for the sun. It is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, like a champion rejoicing to run his course. It rises at one end of the heavens and makes its circuit to the other; nothing is deprived of its warmth….
Emmaus
A Visual Meditation on the Post Resurrection Appearance of Jesus That very day two (disciples of Jesus) were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven mile from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their…
Post Resurrection Appearances
UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL Easter Sunday is so amazing with the global pageantry of joy as the crucified Lord Jesus is raised in power from the dead to bring to completion the plan of God for our redemption and salvation. Yet, I have to admit that after a long Lent and focus on inner work…
Good Friday
Readings: John 18:1-19:42; Psalm 22; Hebrews 10:16-25; Isaiah 52:13-53:12 The dandelion has long ago surrendered its golden petals, and has reached its crowning stage of dying—the delicate seed-globe must break up now—it gives and gives till it has nothing left. The hour of this new dying is clearly defined to the dandelion globe: it is…
Crowing Roosters and Betrayals
Holy Week Meditations Upper Room, Thursday at dinner, sometime before the betrayal and arrest of Jesus: Jesus to his disciples: You will all fall away, for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee. Peter: Even…
Lazarus, Come Out
5th Sunday in Lent. John 11:1-45, Ezekiel 37:1-14, Psalm 130 Jesus Raises Lazarus 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead…
Look at the Heart
4th Sunday of Lent. 1 Samuel 16:1-13 The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. I Samuel 16:7 NIV “Arise, anoint him, for this is he.” These are the words of the Lord to the prophet Samuel about David, the youngest of eight sons…
Celebrate the Voices of Women
Third Sunday in Lent International Women’s Day You can never tell to what untold glories any little humble path may lead, if you only follow far enough. Lilias Trotter, Diary and Painting, 1899 Celebration is central to all the spiritual practices because without joy and festivity in community our spiritual lives would become dull and…
Temptation to Triumph
First Sunday in Lent Take the very hardest thing in your life—the place of difficulty, outward or inward, and expect God to triumph gloriously in that very spot. Just there He can bring your soul into blossom. Lilias Trotter, Parables of the Cross. Gorse is a yellow-flowered dark green bush that grows in Europe and…
Ash Wednesday
Preparing for Lent “Even now,” declares the Lord, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” Joel 2:12 “I am crucified with Christ” — I myself in the very essence of my being, I let myself go to that death, and by the mysterious power with which God meets faith, I find that He has made it true:…
Half-Eared Listening
Answering before listening is both stupid and rude. Proverbs 18:13 MSG Half-eared listening is the kind that “presumes already to know what the other person has to say. It is an impatient, inattentive listening…and is only waiting for a chance to speak and thus get rid of the other person.” This kind of poor listening diminishes…
COME O COME IMMANUEL
Fourth Week of Advent Isaiah 7:10-16; Matthew 1:18-25 Joseph: A Just Man of Honor 18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her…
Make Your Way Home
Third Sunday of Advent Isaiah 35:1-10 There will be a highway called the Holy Road.No one rude or rebellious is permitted on this road.It’s for God’s people exclusively— impossible to get lost on this road. Not even fools can get lost on it.No lions on this road, no dangerous wild animals—Nothing and no one dangerous or threatening. Only the redeemed will walk…
Rest on Me
2nd Sunday of Advent Isaiah 11:1-10 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.5 Righteousness will be his belt and…
The Mountain of the Lord
First Sunday of Advent Isaiah 2:1-5 The word that Isaiah the (prophet) saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. 2 It shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the house of the Lordshall be established as the highest of the mountains, and shall be lifted up above the hills;and all the nations shall flow to it,3 and many peoples shall…
Climb a Tree
Zaccheaus in the Sycamore Tree I am drawn to the story of Zacchaeus, a well-loved children’s Bible Story, because he climbed a tree to get a better view of Jesus above the crowds. When I was a kid, my brother Bruce and I played outside all day and climbed many trees. Bruce was small…
Light a Candle
And Look into Your Heart When we look into the heart,May our eyes have the kindnessAnd reverence of candlelight. For Light, John O’Donohue Lighting candles has been a wonderful morning practice to intentionally open my day and spirit to the sacred place of connection with God. I love candles, so I thought, why not try…
Fall Habits: Life in the Presence
Rhythms, Resources and other Holy Habits, Part 2 In my sorrows, Lord, walk with meIn my sorrows, Lord, walk with meWhen the shades of life are falling LordI want Jesus to walk with meAll along my pilgrim journeyI want Jesus to walk with me African American Spiritual There are days that all of us wake…
Fall Practices: Put your Boots On
Rhythms, Resources and other Holy Habits, Part 1 Autumn has caught us in our summer wear.–Philip Larkin, Poet Fall is here with mostly welcome changes in daylight time, weather, foliage, schedules, holidays, and rhythms of life. If we pay attention to the migrating birds, the color of leaves on the trees, and the arrival of…
Slow Down and Sploot
It’s splooting season in the squirrel world, and it’s not just laziness, but nature’s way of cooling down since squirrels don’t sweat or pant. I found “my” backyard squirrel splooting on my concrete bird bath. Turns out that splaying on a cool surface acts as “heat dump” as the heat moves from the hotter surface,…
Driver Attention Low
My car of choice has always been a Honda Accord, except that time I came back from living in Asia and could only afford a Honda Civic. I mean the Bible even says we all need to be in one Accord! Now we drive a Honda CR-V, a sensible choice with many safety features. On…
Two ARE Better than One
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? … Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 Early one morning, I interrupted my bike ride…
I Remember You, Dad
1949. Walgreens Drug Store on 8th and Congress AvE, Austin, TX. An 18-year-old tall, skinny, Air Force corporal named Charlie, comes in to his night job as soda jerk. At the cash register is Marian, a beautiful, blue-eyed, dark haired, high school senior. The first chance he gets to speak to this goddess, his opening…
Come Holy Spirit
Pentecost Sunday Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed…
Poisonous Irritants
Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13 As a volunteer at a retreat…
What Washes Up?
Our family often escapes to the Texas coast. Even though it is not a European riviera or a Caribbean island, it is just a half day’s drive for fresh seafood and “ocean” waves. Long walks in the surf as the sun rises or sets offer beauty, release, and cleansing. As the spring winds and high…
Behold My Servant
Holy Week Meditations All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,…
Restore My Soul
A Lenten Journey thru Psalm 23 RESTORE MY SOUL, A LENTEN JOURNEY, is a sensory and imaginative look at Psalm 23. It begins with Ash Wednesday, followed by four Sunday reflections, Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. BEHOLD MY SERVANT, Holy Week Meditations follow the Lectionary readings for Holy Week from the Servant Songs…
Touch Me and See
Story 10: Sharing Breakfast in Jerusalem In this series, Every Meal is a Story, we are looking at stories in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus breaks bread with all sorts of folks where they live in order to teach simple truth. In stories 8-10, Jesus reveals his true identity through the symbol of sacrifice in…
Stay with Us
Story 9: Breaking Bread at Emmaus In this series, Every Meal is a Story, we are looking at stories in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus breaks bread with all sorts of folks where they live in order to teach simple truth. In stories 8-10, Jesus reveals his true identity through the symbol of sacrifice in…
Prepare a Place
Story 8: Sacrifice in the Last Supper In this series, Every Meal is a Story, we are looking at stories in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus breaks bread with all sorts of folks where they live in order to teach simple truth. In stories 8-10, Jesus reveals his identity through the symbol of sacrifice in…
Choosing Welcome
Story 7: Hospitality at Zacchaeus’ House In this series, Every Meal is a Story, we are looking at stories in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus breaks bread with all sorts of folks where they live in order to teach simple truth. In stories 4-7 Jesus addresses the tension between faith and culture by challenging his…
Choosing Humility
Story 6: Seat of honor at a Sunday Dinner In this series, Every Meal is a Story, we are looking at stories in the Gospel of Luke where Jesus breaks bread with all sorts of folks where they live in order to teach simple truth. In stories 4-7 Jesus addresses the tension between faith and culture….
Sacred Spaces
Creative Wintering Finding the will or way to practice our spirituality in the winter months can be a challenge, especially without sunshine, and the inclination to stay under the warm covers. Maybe boredom and probably laziness can cause us to abandon the very practices that connect us to the God we love. Try creating and…
Wintering Together
With Soul Friends and Gratitude One of the coldest adventures of my life was visiting Stonehenge in the winter while traveling with fellow team members. We didn’t want to miss this monumental encounter, but we were woefully and inadequately layered for freezing wet wind. So we literally ran around the circle of stones, grabbed a…
Winter Practices
Great Annual Examen 2021 This week between Christmas and New Years is a perfect time of reflection using a tool called The Great Annual Examen, developed by Stephen W. Smith. For years I have gone through the Annual Examen with a group of soul friends. It is a great way to encourage our shared humanity…
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