Pentecost Walker and Talker

Confused, Thomas walked around in circles, talking to himself, “Where am I? How did I walk so far from the city. This desert heat is killing me. I think I’m going toward the city, but the landscape looks the same, there’s my sandal-prints yet again!”

   On and on his words came pouring out.

   Suddenly he thought he saw a fire, then a wind came up and blew him in the direction of the fire. It seemed so irresistible, with its multi-colours streaming up to the heavens against the horizon. 

   “Maybe someone was there. Maybe I will survive. Maybe my life does have some reason to go on after all. It’s starting to come to me now, didn’t Jesus say something to us about the Holy Spirit and staying in Jerusalem and waiting for the right time?”   

The truth is stranger than fiction

I came across this rather quirky item on underwater weddings, which would be the last thing I'd attend or officiate at.

   Beach weddings have always been popular on Alabama's coast and now a reef-focused nonprofit is taking it to another level.

   On Thursday, a shell-covered concrete cross is being deployed at the nearshore reef called "Poseidon's Playground." Once it's in place in about 38 feet of water, 3.5 miles off the coast of Orange Beach, it will begin serving as an altar for underwater wedding ceremonies, according to Vince Lucido, president of the Alabama Gulf Coast Reef and Restoration Foundation.

   "Weddings seem to be a big industry here and we're going to offer wedding venues for anybody that has a desire to do underwater weddings," Lucido said.

   Read the whole thing here.

Maundy Thursday-what's in a name?

Today marks the foot washing of the disciples

Painting by Hanna Varghese, Last Supper

by Jesus as a symbolic act of humble service. It was also on this night that Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. The sacrament of the altar/the Eucharist/Holy Communion-whatever this meal is called by the various traditions and denominations-I believe was originally intended as a sign of unity among the followers of Jesus. Yet, to this very day, it remains a sign of the opposite, a sign of division. Moreover, the arrogance, acrimony, and know-it-all attitudes among far too many theologians and clergy is a scandal, and I believe, likely the cause of much grief for Jesus himself. 

   Where does the word Maundy come from and what does it mean? Well, down through the centuries there have been at least three interpretations. 

   First, there is the Latin word mandatum, which means "command," and is associated with the words of Jesus in John 13, when he gives his disciples a new commandment to love one another. Others associate it with the synoptic gospels and Paul's account of the Lord's Supper when Jesus says, "do this." 

   Second, there is the Latin word mundo, which means "wash," and again is associated with John 13, where Jesus washes his disciples feet.

   Third, there is the word maund, which means "basket," and on Maundy Thursday the poor were given  food baskets. The poor were also given specially minted coins called maund money. 

Caption anyone?

Today being Valentine's Day, I wish everyone a Happy Valentine's Day and invite you to think of a creative caption for this photo. 

Does anyone care to guess what it is?

Retired seniors?

For about a year prior to his retirement, a clergy colleague of mine was counting down the months, days and even hours until the BIG DAY of his official retirement. Every time I talked to him, retirement couldn't come soon enough. Fast forward to about a year after his retirement. Recently he accepted a call to serve a parish again! 

   Another clergy colleague who recently retired said he was going to enjoy time for travelling. Well, about three or four months later, what does he do? He accepts a call to serve a parish as their interim pastor. 

   All of this reminds me of a fantastic quote from Hazel McCallion, the 93-year-old recently retired mayor of Mississauga, Ontario that she made on CBC Radio's The Current: "I'm not saying all seniors should be running a city or running a business, but I am saying seniors are good for a lot more than simply running a bath, baking cookies or babysitting grandchildren." 

   Food for thought, yes? Maybe I'll put retirement on hold until I'm ninety-three! :-)))

Celebrate Christmas

There's nothing like music to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Here's a gift from the gifted Canadian singer-songwriter, Bruce Cockburn. A blessed Christmas to one and all! :-)

Prayer remembering Kristallnacht

In remembrance of Kristallnacht-the night(s) of broken glass-on November 9-10, 1938, when the Nazis attacked Jewish citizens and their property, marking the escalation of their antisemitic and anti-Judaic persecution, culminating in "the final solution," it is, I think in order to offer a prayer for the Jewish people-especially in light of the growing antisemitism around the world today. 

   LORD God, out of your super-abundant grace, you chose and elected the Jewish people to be a light to all nations. We give you thanks for the legacy of faithfulness of the ancient patriarchs and matriarchs, such as Moses and Miriam, and Abraham and Sarah. Down through the centuries the nations of the world have been jealous of your everlasting covenant with and blessing of your Chosen People, and therefore instigated countless pogroms, persecutions, and expulsions against them. Tonight we remember November 9-10, 1938-Kristallnacht, and the Jewish victims of the Nazi's hate-filled acts of violence, escalating into the Holocaust and the loss of six million Jewish souls. 

   In a world of growing hostility against Israel, and antisemitic and anti-Judaic acts, protect the Jewish people from evil and harm. Help the Gentile world and we who call ourselves Christians to defend Israel's right to exist as a nation and speak out and actively work against all forms of antisemitism and anti-Judaism. Unite Jews and Christians everywhere to serve your greater purposes, that through their unity all the nations of the world would be blessed and peace with justice would flourish as the prophet once proclaimed: "they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war any more." Amen.