A priest is to pray frequently. Sometimes it is as a designated or honorary pray-er, as at a church dinner. “Father N., will you bless the food, please?” Anyone could do this, of course, but it often falls to the priest. While it is a token moment, it is also an important one. This serves as…
Eucharist and Forgetfulness
One of the greatest of the abundant joys of celebrating the Eucharistic liturgy is the sure knowledge that few, if any, parishioners will congratulate me afterwards on a job well done. Certainly, it does happen from time to time. When it does, it is a gift graciously offered and graciously received. I have forgotten myself in…
Wearing the Collar
In my diocese, there are no policies, rubrics, or clear guidelines on when and where a priest must wear the clerical collar. A troika of local custom (what your fellow priests do), common sense (church services but not church picnics), and personal preference informs that choice. For a new priest, there is a trial-and-error feel…
A Baptismal Affront
For several reasons, I’ve been thinking often about baptism lately. These two beautiful children recently became my sister and brother in Christ. It involved a little water, a little oil, some vows made by parents and godparents, and some prayers offered. The courts of heaven and Apostles Anglican Church resounded with joy. Every baptism is a mystery…
That’s Not the Gospel
Priests spend a considerable amount of time in hospitals, visiting the sick and praying with and for them. Some of those we visit are young and generally very healthy; they are expected to make quick and full recoveries. They almost always do. Praying for them is “easy” because our prayers for healing are often answered,…
The Gospel in Human Decline
In several of his books, Henri Nouwen recounts how the severely physically and mentally disabled residents of Daybreak, a L’Arche community became his spiritual mentors. Nouwen saw, with the eyes of faith, what many could not: the Spirit is not hindered by human frailty. He believed that great saints who are in continual, hidden converse…
