Last night, a discussion of Mary Magdelene reminded me of a poem about her by Jane Kenyon. You can find the text of “Woman, Why Are You Weeping?” here, but be warned: if this is a cheery day for you and you’d like to keep it that way, read no further.   The poem opens … Continue reading “Holding onto Faith”

To my mind, Pharaohs and Egyptians, who have been showing up with Moses & Co. in our Sunday readings recently, were the Old Testament equivalents of Darth Vader and the stormtroopers, the sort of folks whose drowning gets celebrated in poems and happy camp songs.   But a few years ago, I saw a little … Continue reading “Sarcophagi, Shiny Things, and the Great Right Here”

by the Rev. Paul McLain   Last Wednesday morning, we were running late. It had taken longer than we expected to pick up my mother’s birthday cake at LaBaguette Bakery, so we tried to find the quickest route possible to Jackson, Mississippi, where we were to meet my mother and family for lunch to celebrate … Continue reading “Comfortably Numb”

by the Rev. Amber Carswell There’s a scene in Harry Potter where the bookish and brilliant Hermione Granger abuses her copy of Hogwarts, A History, a tome that Hermione heretofore had held in highest esteem and quoted at length. The reader (and Harry) look on with confusion as she furiously exclaims, “A Revised History of … Continue reading “A Summer Lenten Experience”

by the Rev. Scott Walters   On Sunday afternoon, Ardelle and I packed up the Subaru and headed west for a few days away. Our itinerary is to read, write, fish, eat, walk, rinse, and repeat through Thursday. So, after a few hours of reading Monday morning, I headed down to the Little Red River … Continue reading “When the Real is Just a Little Deeper Down”

by the Rev. Paul McLain   ‘As Jesus walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea – for they were fishermen.’ – Matthew 4:18   My Dad was a fisherman. Fishing was not just a hobby for him, … Continue reading “Advice from a Fisherman”

It was a 10-hour car ride to reach our vacation destination, and I was going through some habitual motion of my pre-pandemic self: searching for the local Episcopal church to attend. I reached the website on my phone, and here was the notice about online Sunday services, yes, the various ways I could spend more … Continue reading “Thoughts on Eucharist”

Sometimes, in our reflective hours, Missy says, “Just think. When we get through this pandemic, we’ll have stories to tell about living through such times.” I’m guessing she plays in her head the stories from our grandparents about the olden days, the amazing tales of grasshopper plagues and bathtub gin, of the first circus to … Continue reading “The Best Stories We Know How to Tell”

by the Rev. Paul McLain   “We are members of one another.” – Ephesians 4:25   When forming an opinion on whatever happens to be the issue of the day, I must confess that often my first thought is: “How does this affect me?” For instance, when looking at the current issue of the day … Continue reading “One Body, One Baptism, One People”

“God did not become a movement, a concept, an ideal, or even a committee, but a man of flesh and bone with a parentage, friends, a language, a country, a home. He inhabited not just a time but places, streets, rooms, countrysides, and by his presence in the flesh he changed them all.” – Aidan … Continue reading “Linked by Separateness”