The cashier at Big Y

 I was going through the line and a cashier said to me, "you look like a sea captain!"

I told her I was an Episcopal priest.

She thanked me for my work.

I had her again today and told her my story, since no one was in line behind me.

How I was and English major and wanted a Ph.D. and to teach in a small liberal arts college somewhere north of Virginia.

How two of my professors nominated me for a Rockefeller Fellowship for a trial year in seminary. I got it and when they asked 'where?" I said, "Harvard".

I stayed another year to get a degree--rather useless "Master of Theological Studies."

Went back to Morgantown, so Bern could finish college, and started an Episcopal House Church in our attic.

Then Maria Cartledge told me to go back to seminary...and I did.

The cashier is an Episcopalian and said, "God guided you...."

I guess she's right.

A poem from college

 Two people in my life have died in the past two weeks, so I remembered a poem I printed in the student magazine, which I edited in college.

It was written by a friend of mine after someone she loved was killed in Viet Nam.

Here it is.

Lean into it.

    When people die

    It's like a bird flying into a window

        On the coldest morning of the year.

    When people die

        It's like the bears have escaped from the zoo

            And are eating children on the street.

    When people die

        It's like a maniac has taken over the power station

            And the lights go off and on and off

            And on and off...

    When people die.

I agree.

How is this possible?

 Polls show Trump leading Biden.

A man with 91 criminal charges against him that already owes over half a billion dollars in civil trials leads a man who's only negative is his age.

How is this possible?

And more importantly, how can we reverse it?

That, my friends, is the question.

Warmth (again!)

 When I went out on the back porch at 8 a.m. it was already 40 degrees.

I took that as a good sign and only wore a sweater and sport's coat to church.

When I got home, it was 50 degrees.

Lordy, Lordy--I love warmth.

Out my office's window as I type this, the sun is brightening the trees in our side-yard.

And now, at almost 4 p.m., it's 60!

I'll check the weather later to see if this is going to continue.

I hope so....

 

Sunday's sermon

 

Lent 3, 2024

        The Old Testament lesson and the Gospel today share a common theme—What is Right and What is Wrong.

        That’s what we need to ponder—you and I—“What is Right and What is Wrong.”

        In Exodus, God speaks to Moses on the mountain and gives him what has been called The Ten Commandments.

        They are pretty straight-forward and easy to use for what is right and what is wrong.

        Have no other gods/make no idols/do not use God’s name in vain/keep the sabbath/honor your parents/don’t murder/don’t commit adultery/don’t steal/don’t lie about your neighbor/don’t covet anything that belongs to your neighbor.

        Like I said: straight forward and easy to understand.

        But not do easy to do.

        For example, there are 3 or 4 cars and trucks in the parking lot out there that I would like to have as my own. I covet them.

        And that’s just one example!

        While what God gave Moses about right and wrong was in words, in John’s gospel, Jesus does right and wrong in action. And pretty brutal action….

        He took a whip and drove out those who were selling cattle, sheep and doves in the Temple.

        Then he turns over the money changers tables and poured out their coins.

        “Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!”

        And I can only imagine he didn’t ‘speak softly’ to them.

        When it comes to right and wrong, you folks here at Trinity come down on the side of righteousness.

        You give to the poor.

        You look out for each other.

        You welcome visitors.

        You support your church with your generosity.

        You want to make the world more peaceful and kind.

        (No doubt, you do some wrong things too, but we’ll leave those for another day…..)

        Just keep on doing what’s right—God smiles when you do….Shalom and Amen.

       

What's the answer?

 That's something we ask all the time--'what's the answer?'

What's hard to hear is 'that there is no answer.'

Like this: what can we do when most people would rather have someone to vote for besides Biden and Trump?

No answer to that.

Why are the Republicans in the House blocking so much needed legislation?

Unless you accept that they don't respect Democracy, there's no answer there either.

How can we thwart climate change?

Lots of answers to that, but none of them a majority will get behind.

Where is God in all of this, though our money says we Trust in God?

Your guess is as good as mine.

What can we do to counter the Evangelical Christians support of Christian Nationalism?

Good luck with that.

Maybe I'm just feeling lost, without answers I need.

Maybe that's it....

Warmth

 It was 44 degrees today at 4 p.m.

Cold in August--but in February, warm.

Enjoyed it, as did Brigit, our dog.

Cold in July.

But in late Feb.--lovely,