Archive for February, 2009
The beauty of work
As we hear report after report of increased job losses, I sometimes think about work — how much the human spirit depends on work for our self-worth and for meaning. It’s easy to take work for granted, until we or someone we know can’t find a job. Of course, work comes in many forms. There is salaried work — laborers, service industries, professionals, and so on. There is unsalaried work — domestic work, volunteer labor, and so on.
The Boston Globe has a wonderful blog called The Big Picture. It’s just what you’d expect from the title. Not long ago, they collected a bunch of photos of people working. They are all kinds of people, doing all kinds of work, from all kinds of places around the world. I strongly encourage you to pop over and have a look.
Herbert Festivall Poetry — Love (III)
Love (III)
LOve bade me welcome: yet my soul drew back,
Guiltie of dust and sinne.
But quick-ey’d Love, observing me grow slack
From my first entrance in,
Drew nearer to me, sweetly questioning,
If I lack’d any thing.A guest, I answer’d, worthy to be here:
Love said, You shall be he.
I the unkinde, ungratefull? Ah my deare,
I cannot look on thee.
Love took my hand, and smiling did reply,
Who made the eyes but I?Truth Lord, but I have marr’d them: let my shame
Go where it doth deserve.
And know you not, sayes Love, who bore the blame?
My deare, then I will serve.
You must sit down, sayes Love, and taste my meat:
So I did sit and eat.
Again and again, I have spoken with people who don’t understand why God should love them. “I have done terrible things!” they exclaim. Or “I didn’t pay enough attention to God.” But, of course, God is relentless in reaching out to us.
Herbert here captures beautifully the human quest for God and even more beautifully God’s quest for humanity. Our very desire to be loved by God is itself a gift from God. What is our proper response to our very desire to be loved by God? Why, to feast on God’s presence — on Christ in the sacraments of the church — and to delight in God’s presence in the people of God.
This poem is from The Temple (1633) and you can find it online here. The photo is by flickr user freephotouk.
Meditation for Saturday after Ash Wednesday
The Pharisees and their scribes were complaining to his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” Jesus answered, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I have come to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance.” Luke 5:30-32
Lord Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of your saving embrace: So clothe us in your Spirit that we, reaching forth our hands in love, may bring those who do not know you to the knowledge and love of you; for the honor of your Name
Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, page 101
Trying to fast? Here’s a cute way to make that happen!
I love bento lunches. These bento boxes are just too cute to eat though. If you were to make your lunch this way, you could find a unique Lenten discipline: fasting through cuteness.
Spiritual note: this kind of fasting doesn’t really count. If you choose to fast, I’m afraid you have to do it the hard way. Self denial means, um, really choosing the difficult path. But that’s not to say we can’t enjoy a bit of Lenten levity here on 7WD.
From Adventures in Bentomaking via boingboing.
My letter on same-sex marriage in Rhode Island
Posted February 27, 2009 
Comments(5)
Comments(5) I just emailed the following letter to several Rhode Island senators. Our state is currently debating passage of a bill to permit same-sex marriage. If you are a Rhode Islander so inclined, I hope you will express your thoughts as well.
To:sen-perry@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-blais@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-goodwin@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-jabour@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-levesque@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-lynch@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-maselli@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-mcburney@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-mccaffrey@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-metts@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-weed@rilin.state.ri.us, sen-connors@rilin.state.ri.us
Dear Senators,
I am an Episcopal priest serving at Christ Church in Lincoln. I am writing to urge your support and passage of S-0147, enabling same-sex marriage in Rhode Island.
As a religious leader, I view marriage as a sacred covenant between two people before God, in which their mutual love is manifest. In the Episcopal Church’s Book of Common Prayer, the first purpose of marriage is described as “for their mutual joy.” Two men or two women who share a committed relationship should be able to enjoy the same protections and benefits that I enjoy in my marriage of sixteen years to a wonderful woman.
Herbert Festivall Poetry — Lent
Today is the feast day of George Herbert. Since this little corner of the interwebs is named after a line in a Herbert poem, we like to keep his octave. Last year, it is bits from A Priest to the Temple. This year, I’ll have a new Herbert poem each day for the octave. After each poem, you’ll find some commentary.
Lent
Welcome deare feast of Lent: who loves not thee,
He loves not Temperance, or Authoritie,
But is compos’d of passion.
The Scriptures bid us fast; the Church sayes, now:
Give to thy Mother, what thou wouldst allow
To ev’ry Corporation.The humble soul compos’d of love and fear
Begins at home, and layes the burden there,
When doctrines disagree.
He sayes, in things which use hath justly got,
I am a scandall to the Church, and not
The Church is so to me.
Meditation for Friday after Ash Wednesday
Go and learn what this means, ‘I desire mercy, not sacrifice.’ For I have come to call not the righteous but sinners.” Matthew 9:13
Make us worthy, Lord, to serve others throughout the world who live and die in poverty or hunger. Give them, through our hands, this day their daily bread, and by our understanding love, give peace and joy.
Prayer by Mother Teresa of Calcutta
40
Tip of the hat to Andrew Plus.
7WD on air RIGHT NOW!
At this very moment (10 a.m. EST on February 26), you can tune in to hear another appearance by yours truly on Dave Kane’s radio show on WNRI. If you are near northern Rhode Island, you can dial up 1380 on your AM radio. Elsewhere, point your web browser to www.wnri.com. I’m on the air with Peter Mayer, rector of Emmanuel, Cumberland. It’s a call in show, and we’d love to hear from you.
Meditation for Thursday after Ash Wednesday
I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Choose life so that you and your descendants may live, loving the Lord your God, obeying him, and holding fast to him… Deuteronomy 30:19-20a
So the day dawn for me, so the day break
Christ watching over me, Christ as I wake.
Be the day shine for me, be the day bright,
Christ my companion be, Christ be my light.
Be the day dark to me, be the day drear,
Christ shall my comfort be, Christ be my cheer.
Be the day swift to me, be the day long.
Christ my contentment be, Christ be my song.
So the day close for me, so the night fall.
Christ watching over me, Christ be my all.
Poem by Timothy Dudley-Smith
7WD on the air!
Tomorrow at 10 a.m. EST, you can tune in to hear another appearance by yours truly on Dave Kane’s radio show on WNRI. If you are near northern Rhode Island, you can dial up 1380 on your AM radio. Elsewhere, point your web browser to www.wnri.com.
I’ll be on the air with my friend Peter Mayer (Rector of Emmanuel, Cumberland). We’ll be talking about Lent, the economy, and whatever Dave thinks is interesting. It’s a call in show, so please telephone us while we’re on the air. It’s always more fun when a caller has a question or comment.
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