Sacrificial Love Wins
In 1969 in New York City at the end of June, the New York City Police planned to raid an establishment called The Stonewall Inn. The Inn, which was a bar and gathering place for LGBTQ+ persons that were excluded from the larger LGBTQ+ community such as ‘drags,’ ‘queens,’ and young and homeless LGBTQ+ persons (generally between 16 and 25 years old). It served as a place in which those who were excluded even from the larger LGBTQ+ community could…
Bodies of Color; One Body
If one member suffers, all suffer together with it; if one member is honored, all rejoice together with it. 1 Corinthians 12:226 NRSV Bodies have been in the news a lot this week. On Sunday, The New York Times used the whole of its front page to publish the names of the 100,000 dead bodies from the plague ravaging humanity right now. It painted a picture of what is happening in our nation and in the world, and it served…
Finding Vocation: A Way of Belonging
In the past two months, most of us have entered some kind of state of isolation. It is important to point out that those of us that have been able to do so are the privileged ones in our society. We are the ones that have the luxury of working from the safety of our homes in the midst of a plague that is sweeping the world. We have been able to remain inside a harbor while a storm has…
Rogation, Creation, and a Pandemic
In one week’s time, the Church will celebrate the Feast of the Ascension on May 21. It is a feast day that happens every year and is considered one of the principle feasts of the church year. On the Sunday prior to the feast of the Ascension, the church recognizes another type of celebration called Rogation Sunday. Rogation days originated in the 5th century in France when a bishop called for days of fasting and prayer to ward off a…
Life in the Now
All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Acts 2:44-45 NRSV A few weeks ago, the vestry voted to launch a special giving campaign called Foundations of the Apostles and Prophets. (I hasten to add that we have received just over $3,000 through this campaign thus far.) The effort of the campaign is pitched as one way that our parish…
Proclaiming the Good News
“And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” Mark 16:15 NRSV Over the last month (can you believe that it has nearly been a month?!) our parish has been learning anew what it looks like for us to be disciples of Christ Jesus. In a parish that has prized the beauty of gathering together in the same location for our worship and prayers, we have had moments of grief…
A New Commandment
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. John 13:34 NRSV Tonight, the beginning of the Triduum, we hear these words proclaimed in the Gospel reading. We are given a new commandment: that we are to love one another as Christ has loved us. In our practice as a parish, we embody this commandment in the way that we have our feet washed and then…
O God, our times are in your hands…
When I was in high school a series of movies came out that had everyone on the edge of their seats. It was one of those movies that you did not want to miss in the theaters. The impact of the surround sound coupled with the fantastic imagery just drew you in deeper and deeper as the whole audience went deeper into the rabbit hole. I suppose, if you wanted to, you could have taken the blue pill, but the…
COVID-19 Update: March 26, 2020
To all God’s beloved of Church of the Epiphany, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. On Thursday, March 26, 2020, the Arizona Department of Health Services upgraded the community spread of COVID-19 from “Moderate” to “Widespread.” With the upgraded status, it seems more than prudent for Church of the Epiphany’s campus to be closed. In real terms, this means that the staff of our parish will…
Daily Prayer: March 21, 2020
The Collect of the Day Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Psalm 87 Fundamenta ejus…
Daily Prayer: March 20, 2020
The Collect of the Day Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Psalm 88 Domine, Deus…
Daily Prayer: March 19, 2020
The Collect of the Day Almighty God, you know that we have no power in ourselves to help ourselves: Keep us both outwardly in our bodies and inwardly in our souls, that we may be defended from all adversities which may happen to the body, and from all evil thoughts which may assault and hurt the soul; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Psalm 42 Quemadmodum 1…