Last week I had the privilege of giving a chapel talk at an independent school on the Upper West Side. The students were middle-school aged, and despite some very real generalized anxiety about coronavirus, they listened closely and respectfully as I spoke about Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen. They had studied HASK as an example in their “Love in Action” unit. I was there to make it real(er)…..

If someone were to ask you, “why is it we are here as a church?” Would you have an answer ready to give them? We might think we are here to have a place to worship. We might think we are here to hand out food. We might think we are here to encourage each other. We might think we are to do things for God. Those things are all good and we are thankful for them, but that’s not the big why behind why we are here…..

The Vestry gathered for a day-long retreat last Saturday, comprised of a morning program and some business-like discussion in the afternoon. This year our time before lunch was led by the Rev. Posey Krakowski, a clergy colleague who is also an artist. She guided us through some exercises that involved looking closely at artwork. She started with a piece that she brought with her (this first exercise was to introduce us to the process and offer us an opportunity to practice). Then we moved into the church. Together we observed one of the stained glass windows, sharing observations, questions and insights….

…The commission to pay attention is central in this season of Lent. We are asked to pay attention to our sinfulness; to all the ways in which we separate ourselves from God and from the abundance that God puts before us always. The first step in this process is taking some time to look closely and honestly at what is before us, as well as the choices we make accordingly (“things done and left undone”). So as we think about giving things up or adding commitments to our lives during this holy season, it might be a spiritually edifying first step to look closely—and without judgement—at some area of our lives that needs tending and care; to gaze at a part of our existence that, with restorative work and penitence, might be a point of entry for the Holy Spirit.

The musical Come from Away has been running on Broadway since it opened in 2013. It is adored by those who have seen it. Tourists and residents alike continue to fill seats at the Schoenfeld Theater, and no wonder. The show tells a story of open hearts and generosity in the midst of heartache and fear. The plot is based on something that really happened: in the aftermath of the attacks on September 11, 2001, when airplanes were grounded in the U.S., 6600 passengers and crew from 38 planes originally scheduled to fly into our country were diverted to the small town of Gander, Newfoundland….

…Although romance is the main focus of Valentine’s Day, the real St. Valentine was a healer who ministered to Christians who were persecuted in the earliest days of the church. His actions embodied Christ’s command to love others through acts of mercy. His commitment to Christ was made visible in his commitment to those around him who needed help….

Light is a very common metaphor in the Bible. Along with darkness, light is often used to contrast. Light allows people to see. We can’t see without light. Christians show the world how much God loves them and what Jesus has done to restore their relationship with him.

We are meant to be conspicuous to others. Christians must set the example. Suppose there is a group of people and someone suggests they do something bad. Unless someone speaks up and protests, the wrong action will be acted upon. But if someone rises and says, “I will not be a party to that,” then another may rise to say, “neither will I” Christians must take the lead and not remain silent….

n her book Illuminated Life, Joan Chittister shares a story from the tradition of the Desert Fathers and Mothers that describes Abba John visiting Abba Paesius. Abba John was the abbot of a large monastery, while Abba Paesius had been living far off in the desert for over forty years. They were close and could speak openly with one another, so when Abba John approached he asked his friend, “What good have you done by living here in retreat for so long, and not being easily disturbed by anyone?” Paesius replied, “Since I have lived in solitude, the sun has never seen me eating.” Abba John paused, and then said back to him, “As for me, since I have been living with others, it has never seen me angry.”…

On Friday, January 24, we celebrate the ordination of Florence Li Tim-Oi, the first woman priest in the Anglican Communion who was ordained in 1944!  Her name is a combination of the name she was given by her father when she was born in Hong Kong (Li Tim-Oi, meaning “much beloved daughter”) and the name she chose when she was baptized as a student (Florence, in honor of Florence Nightingale)….

On one of the ordinary days in between Thanksgiving and Christmas last month, I entered our soup kitchen and was greeted by boxes. A lot of them. There were probably 15 large cardboard containers that had been shipped to us from an unknown source. And around the boxes stood a group of HASK staff, one of whom eventually opened the closest one. Inside were lots and lots of white, lunch sized bags. Each was beautifully decorated with a child’s drawing; brightly colored, some with messages as well. And in each bag were non-perishable snack and beverage items….

Jesus’ submission to baptism was no simple act of personal piety. Jesus saw John’s baptism and fiery preaching as a declaration that there would be a new world order where God will set right what the evil world did wrong. By submitting to John’s baptism, Jesus declared that he was ready for this new world order he is to start with His ministry.

We as Christians are called to live our baptism. We can’t afford to make ourselves comfortable or do only what will be appreciated or be satisfied with the way things are. We have to struggle with what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s important and what’s not important. Baptism changes us. It is a celebration of grace and an enactment of the Word of God….