Yesterday was GREAT! It all started on Saturday with the Great Vigil of Easter, that great service of darkness to light, death to life, silence to music, and so much more. The resonances are multifaceted, complex, and supremely satisfying. Then comes Sunday morning with the hats and the clothes and, at least where I was … Continue reading Arise! Shake off the Dust!
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And Today We Rest
Today is a holy Sabbath. Today is a day of waiting. Today is a day we rest. O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with him the coming of the … Continue reading And Today We Rest
We Stand on the Sea’s Shore
Yesterday, after Evening Prayer, we removed all the adornments from the Chapel, then we sat down for a one more meal in Egypt. It was a simple affair: lentil stew with greens, bread, olives, raisins, wine and grape juice... chocolate cake. We talked about God and faith. We laughed at each others jokes and listened … Continue reading We Stand on the Sea’s Shore
The Last Table in Egypt
Despite the title of this post, this is not some hyperbolic Yelp post for my favorite Egyptian restaurant in Lexington. "OMG! You have to try the falafel!!" No. Not quite. This post is about Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, or Thursday in Holy Week, or whatever you call today. In the round of our Church … Continue reading The Last Table in Egypt
The Temple of Your People
This year has been full of sadness as we have watched fires injure and destroy some of the most beautiful houses of worship in the world. The fire at Notre Dame de Paris is particularly on my mind since the fire brought down so much of it during Holy Week. As I watched the flames, … Continue reading The Temple of Your People
Holy Week at St. A’s
St. A's will again be offering a variety of services to commemorate Holy Week on UK's campus. All are welcome and invited to participate in our services. Here is our schedule: I hope that no matter where you end up for your Holy Week, you find a community with which to share these commemorations of … Continue reading Holy Week at St. A’s
Spring Art Show
Back in the autumn, I got a letter out of the blue from an elementary school art teacher. I'd never heard of her; I had no previous relationship with the school. The letter was an invitation to support Ashland Elementary's art program. I looked down the list of ways to support them and I was … Continue reading Spring Art Show
A Kentucky Calling
A few years ago, I had a friend who was standing for election as bishop to a place that would not be in my top ten places to live. We had been talking about the election for a while one day when I blurted out, "Why do you want to be bishop there?" The answer floored … Continue reading A Kentucky Calling
Entering the Word
Tonight at sundown the Jewish holiday of Purim, or Lots, begins. There are several fun rituals associated with Purim, read more here, but the one that I'm interested in today is the ritual obligation to read the book of Esther. This obligation is not, however, a dry reading by oneself in a quiet room, rather … Continue reading Entering the Word
Making Space
Last Sunday, while the students and I were enjoying our Shrove Sunday breakfast for dinner extravaganza, we also talked about "giving something up for Lent," and how unsatisfying it can be. We talked it around for a while, and it seems that many of us grew up being told to give something up with no … Continue reading Making Space
