July 29, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Window Stories: Rear Nave – NE Corner

As you stand at the front of the church and look back to the east entrance, there are two windows on either side of the double doors. Today we look at the one on the left, titled “Nativity.”

This is a typical Nativity scene with Joseph, Mary, and Jesus (thankfully omitting the wise men). Joseph, standing, and Mary, kneeling, are gazing down at the infant Jesus who is lying in a manger. Unlike last week's window where only Jesus had a halo, all three are depicted with a halo.

Joseph is garbed in brown robes and holds a shepherd's staff or crook. Although he is identified as a carpenter (Matthew and Mark record people calling Jesus “the carpenter's son”), the shepherd's staff in art is used to symbolize being a descendant of King David (a shepherd in his youth and the great shepherd of Israel) and for his care and protection of Mary and Jesus.

Mary, looking rather put together for just having given birth, is dressed in her traditional blue.

Infant Jesus is lying in a manger covered by a pink blanket and gazing lovingly up at his parents. In one article I read, pink was once seen as a “boys” color because, as a shade of red, it was a strong, decisive, and active color. Blue, on the other hand, was seen as more delicate, adding one more reason why Mary is given blue clothing (although there was nothing delicate about Mary).

A single star is shining down on Jesus (borrowing from Matthew), and, if you pay attention, you can see the head of an ox or donkey on the right side of the window.

In the left margin of the window is a 5-pointed flower, most likely a five petal rose, symbolizing the five wounds of Christ. The right margin has something that looks like a woman's broach, but I can't identify what it actually is (if anyone has any ideas, let me know).

The story of the Incarnation is, perhaps, the greatest story of our faith. In that story the omnipotent, omniscient, eternal creator of everything that ever was, both seen and unseen, chose to become human. God didn't appear as a warrior king, fully formed, to defeat enemies through battle, but as an infant child, reliant on parents for food, protection, shelter, and nurturing. And, being born in a manger, a feeding trough for animals, he became food for the world.

We all have faith stories to share. What's yours?

Blessings,

Todd+

July 22, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Window Stories: North Nave – Rear

The north wall of the nave (on the right as you enter the church) has three windows, and the rearmost window on the north side depicts Christ blessing children.

Jesus, centered in the frame, has three children gathered around him, while holding an infant in his left arm. The oldest is a girl I would put at about 12-years old and she is holding two bouquets of flowers, one white and one orange (although the white flowers could be a headpiece or crown to contrast the crown of thorns Jesus will wear later). If you didn't know this child was a girl, the artist makes it explicit by putting her in a pink dress or tunic.

A second child appears to be a young boy of about 8-years old who is wearing a white tunic. The third child could be either male or female, about 4-years old and is wearing a green tunic. Jesus is reaching down with his right hand to touch him or her on the head. A woman stands to Jesus' right, and is most likely the Blessed Virgin Mary as she is garbed in the traditional blue.

Out of the six figures in the window, only Jesus is shown with a halo. This is a departure from other windows that depict Mary with a halo and often show children with halos to convey their innocence.

The left margin has a butterfly, which is a symbol of resurrection and/or new life and could have been chosen as a nod to children who grow and change into adults over time. The right margin has an image of what I'm guessing is a beehive. This has several meanings in Christian art such as a good work ethic, the purity of the Church (because worker bees don't mate), and the community of the Church (many individuals working for one goal), among other things.

All three synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke) have stories about Jesus blessing children over the objections of the disciples, and in each Jesus says something along the lines of, “It is to these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” There are many interpretations of this, but my favorite is for us to view the kingdom of heaven with the same awe, wonder, and fascination that children often view life. In sharing stories of our faith, can we do it with the same excitement and fascination that children have when showing a new bug to their parent?

We all have faith stories to share. What's yours?

Blessings,

Todd+

July 15, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Window Stories: North Nave – Center

The north wall of the nave (on the right as you enter the church) has three windows. The center window bears an image of three women meeting an angel. The window is titled, “Resurrection,” and while it doesn't give a scriptural citation, this scene comes from Mark 16:1, as that is the only resurrection story with three women and one angel. The women are identified as Salome, Mary the mother of James, and Mary Magdalene. In the left margin is a peacock. The peacock has been part of Christian art symbolizing immortality, resurrection (new, vibrant feathers replacing older feathers when it molts), and possibly the many-eyed creature of Revelation 4. The right margin contains a pomegranate – a symbol of Christ's suffering, the blood he shed, and the many seeds representing the unity of believers in the one Church.

The women in the window aren't named, but I'm guessing that Salome is in gold, Mary the mother of James is in blue, and Mary Magdalene is in a purple-ish red. Unfortunately we really don't know who exactly Salome was, but there are several conjectures as to who she might be without having a clear identity. The Blessed Virgin Mary is always depicted in blue, and I wonder if “Mary the mother of James” refers to James, the brother of Jesus, thereby making this woman Mary the mother of Jesus. Mary Magdalene is often depicted in red from a story where she proclaimed the resurrection to Emperor Tiberius who said, “If Christ is risen, this egg is red,” and the white egg became red.

In Matthew, Luke, and John, the women (woman in John) leave the empty tomb and proclaim the resurrection to the eleven disciples. In Mark, however, the women leave the tomb and “say nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.” I love this ending because it's an open-ended story. It tells us the resurrection happened, but then leaves it up to us to proclaim the good news of the resurrection. This gospel reminds us that we can either say nothing to anyone because we are afraid, or we can be the ones to proclaim the good news. If we do not tell this most important story of our faith, it ends with us. But if we tell the story of the resurrection, and how that story of new life relates to us, the story will continue.

We all have faith stories to share. What's yours?

Blessings,

Todd+

July 8, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Window Stories: North Nave – Front

The north wall of the nave (on the right as you enter the church) has three windows. The front window (closest to the lectern) bears an image of Jesus carrying a lamb with a ram on his right and a ewe on his left. He carries a staff or shepherd's crook in his left hand, and wears a red robe draped with a gold (?) mantle (again signifying his human/divine nature). In the margins of the window is a depiction of a lamb carrying a flag (a traditional rendering of Christ, the Lamb of God) and the IHC* Christogram. The window is titled, “Christ the Good Shepherd.”

The story of the Good Shepherd comes from John 10:11-18 (11-16 is often read at funerals), and is part of a longer section where Jesus is speaking to the Pharisees about who he is. It is in this passage where we hear that Jesus cares for all of God's people and that he is willing to die for their safety. It's also in this passage where we learn that Jesus is shepherd to sheep (people) not belonging to the flock of Israel – good news for us Gentiles!

This story and this window have deep meanings. The story of the good shepherd reaffirms who Jesus is and what he does throughout this particular gospel. It was John the Baptist who first identified Jesus as the Lamb of God. The image hearkens back to the Passover lamb that is sacrificed, tying Jesus to this sacrificial act of God's people. And Jesus' statement that he has “other sheep that do not belong to this fold” further strengthens John's comments that he has come to take away the sin of the world and Jesus' statement that God so loved the world that everyone who believes in him may not perish.

The image of Jesus carrying the lamb in the window reinforces the fact that Jesus cares for the most vulnerable among us. And the ram could be – could be – seen as the ram provided for Abraham to sacrifice instead of his son Isaac.

The story behind this window is that Jesus came to save the entire world from sin, that Jesus has other sheep we don't know about, and that Jesus was willing to die to protect and save us.

We all have faith stories to share. What's yours?

Blessings,

Todd+

* We've all seen the IHC and IHS symbols in churches but we may not know what they mean. IHS is the more common of the two, but they both reference Jesus Christ with no discernible difference. It comes from the first three letters of Jesus in Greek: iota (rendered as an I that morphed into the English J), eta (H in ancient Greek that has evolved into an “ee” sound), and sigma (originally rendered as the Latin S at the end of words, but can look like a C in the middle of words). So the JES in Jesus was rendered as IHS or IHC. Over time other meanings were (incorrectly) attributed to the letters, the most common one being the Latin Iesus Hominum Salvator (Jesus, Savior of Men).

July 1, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Window Stories: Choir

On the wall of the choir is a window of St. Cecilia, the patron saint of music. She is dressed in an ankle-length purple skirt, blue blouse with gold collar, and a teal shawl, and she is depicted playing an organ. There are three Easter lilies in a vase next to the organ. On the left margin of the window is a harp that signifies her patronage of music, while the right margin shows a kettle sitting on logs with flames coming up out of it signifying her martyrdom (even though she died by sword not by burning). She is flanked over her head and shoulders by two angels.

As with any story of saints and martyrs, you're apt to find more than one; but there are commonalities. It's said that she was born into Roman nobility (hence the purple skirt and gold collar). At some point in her early life she took a vow of virginity (the blue blouse). Despite this vow, her parents forced her to marry a pagan nobleman. At the wedding she sat apart from everyone singing to God in her heart, thereby leading to her becoming the patron saint of music. Shortly after the wedding she told her husband she was being protected by an angel of God and that if he violated her God would punish him, but would love him if he respected her. Her husband asked for proof, so she sent him to be baptized by Pope Urban I, and then he saw the angel standing with Cecilia and crowing her with lilies.

She was martyred either between 176 and 180 or around 230 by being struck on the neck three times with a sword. She lived for three days afterward and asked the pope to convert her home into a church.

The first music festival in her honor was held in 1570. Pope Sixtus V founded the National Academy of Saint Cecilia in Rome in 1585 invoking both St. Cecilia and Pope Gregory the Great. Pope Gregory developed Gregorian chant used by clergy and monks, while Cecilia symbolizes the central role of all music in the liturgy.

Music is an integral part of our liturgy. It is used to praise God (the Gloria or other songs of praise), to tell stories (I sing a song of the saints of God and others), to focus our attention (Lord, be thy word my rule and other sequence hymns), and to draw us deeper into the presence of God (Let all mortal flesh keep silence and other Communion hymns). Music binds us together in a way that words alone don't often do – I've left church whistling/humming a particular tune, but not always reciting the Creed.

The story of Saint Cecilia is one of devotion, dedication, and determination. In her time and in her way she found a path to putting God first in her life. As we make our way through our own lives, may Cecilia inspire us to connect with God more deeply.

We all have faith stories to share. What's yours?

Blessings,

Todd+

June 24, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Window Stories: North Sanctuary

On the north side of the sanctuary (the right side of the altar as you look from the nave) is a window of Christ. It shows him standing, dressed in a gold robe and red mantle (a type of cloak or loose garment worn over other clothing), and flanked by two trees. There is a blue sky and the faint outline of a city in the distance. On either margin there is a small cross and crown of thorns, which are subtle reminders of what Jesus is to face in the future.

It appears this is a pre-crucifixion image as there are no wounds on his hands or feet, nor are there marks on his head from the crown of thorns. His clothing, the gold robe and red mantle, depict his dual nature – gold that symbolizes his divinity, his role as high priest, and being King of kings, and red that symbolizes his humanity and sacrifice. The colors of his halo alternate between red and gold, further symbolizing the dual nature of Jesus as fully human and fully divine.

In looking at the two trees you wonder about location. One's mind is drawn to Jesus on the Mount of Olives with Jerusalem in the background. The two trees in the window bear a resemblance to real olive trees, confirming that this depicts Jesus on that mountain. The significance of Jesus between the two trees could be that Jesus is the connection between the Old and New Testaments, or maybe that he is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets.

The Mount of Olives is also significant in the gospels. It was from there where Jesus entered Jerusalem on what we know as Palm Sunday. It was there where he foretold the destruction of Jerusalem and the world. It's the traditional site of Gethsemane. And it was from there where Jesus ascended to heaven.

Finally, the window bears the words, What think ye of Christ.

This window, placed where it is in the sanctuary and especially visible to those coming forward to kneel and receive the blessed Sacrament of Body and Blood, asks us to ponder this question – What think ye of Christ?

As you worship God in this place, and as you receive Holy Communion week after week, what think ye of Christ? What stories can you share about Christ in your life? And if you aren't sure, think about where Christ and his Church have been particularly important in your life, meditate on it, and rehearse it until you feel comfortable telling that story.

We all have faith stories to share. What's yours?

Blessings,

Todd+

June 17, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Stories

I read an article the other day about the importance of stories. A mother, who happens to be an Episcopal priest, told about a recent trip with her family on a Disney cruise. She pointed out that Disney makes every effort to tie its symbolism to the Disney stories and how they reinforce those stories at every turn. Subtle mouse ears in the design of carpets, ice cream shops designed to look like the kitchen in Ratatouille, pre-cruise phone calls to the children from Disney characters, and the list went on. All of these things helped make the stories of Disney come to life for the cruisers.

And then she reminded her readers that Christianity is also full of stories. Stories of Christ, the Saints, and other people and events fill our imagination and memory. Our churches are full of stained glass windows and tapestries that reflect these stories. They are entrances into stories (a picture can't tell the whole story) and they invite us to go deeper. They invite us to expand on and fill in details about why a particular story is important enough to enshrine in a window.

But somewhere along the line, she thought (and I agree) we have lost our ability to tell the story of our faith. We have lost the ability to tell the stories of the imagination of our faith. Or maybe not our ability, but our willingness. Faith has become such a personal issue that we are hesitant to speak about it with others. And then, because we don't speak about it, we either forget how or become unwilling to tell the stories.

Like any skill, though, the more we practice it the better we become. Conversely, the less we do something the more we are unable to do that thing. It's the difference in free throw percentage between Larry Bird and Shaquille O'Neal. Larry Bird had a free throw percentage of 88.6 percent, while Shaq only shot 52.7 percent. The difference was how often the two men practiced shooting free throws.

So over the next several weeks I'm going to tell the stories of our stained glass windows. Not the stories of who sponsored them or in whose memory they were given, but the stories they depict. My hope is that you will learn (or re-learn) the stories of our windows and that you might be inspired to begin telling your own stories.

Blessings,

June 10, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Good Habits

Habits can be good or bad. Habits are things we do over and over again on a regular, recurring basis. And whether good or bad, we miss them when we don't do them.

I came down with a cold last week. I muddled through things, feeling like I was in a thick fog for a funeral on Monday, taking all of the quils – DayQuil, NyQuil, ZzzQuil – along with cough medicine, water, Gatorade, and single-handedly going through a gallon of orange juice in three or four days. I was only in the office in the mornings to get things done, going home to sleep the rest of the day.

But last week was also Bar Week and I didn't make it. I almost didn't realize how much I enjoy that particular habit until I couldn't make it. So I moved it to this week and all seems right again.

Monica is on vacation for the next two weeks. She got everything prepped that she needed to do ahead of time (bulletins, weekly e-mails, etc.) so things around here will continue to flow as normal. But our weekly Tuesday meeting didn't happen, nor did I have a bulletin to proof. So I was a bit off yesterday.

And at Eucharist this morning, just about the time I was consecrating the bread and wine, I realized it was Wednesday and I had forgotten to write the Wednesday Word. So for those of you who have a habit of reading the Wednesday Word over breakfast or morning coffee . . . oops, my bad.

These two things got me thinking about good habits. I have a habit of visiting bars that I wanted to get back to. Maybe you have a habit of waking up to the Wednesday Word that sometimes isn't there because I missed writing it and your morning is a little off. We can have habits of daily prayer, weekly worship, a morning or afternoon walk, or of purchasing a hygiene item or two to donate to the Food Pantry.

Whatever our habits are, we miss them when we miss them; and if we miss them too often, we will fill that time with something else. Our lives are full of both good and bad habits. The trick, over time, is to have more good habits than bad.

Blessings,

Todd+

June 3, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Good, Not Perfect

In the first story of creation (Gen. 1:1 – 2:4a), six times God saw what was created as “good,” and once God sees that everything created was “very good.”

I think about this every so often, especially when something doesn't go as expected or as I had planned (primarily in the case of worship services).

Years later I still think about Easter Vigil fires that wouldn't light or that almost took out a tree, or planned liturgies where each step is counted out only to have participants not pay attention and get the procession out of sync. Altar guilds have misplaced the wine and water causing an acolyte to pour wine on the priest's hands. Lectors have read wrong lessons and mispronounced words. Deacons have read the wrong gospel. Things happen. Mistakes are made.

In looking back at that creation story, even God didn't do perfect. God did good.

We are often our own worst critics, harder on ourselves than others are on us. Can we allow ourselves to come to a place where we recognize that others benefited from our actions rather than focusing on our failings?

As a priest, there are plenty of times for me to fail – forgotten parts of a sermon, spilling wine or dropping bread, forgetting to administer Communion to people in pews, and many more. But I need to ask myself, “Did the people find this worship service meaningful?” And if the answer is yes, then worship was good. Not perfect, but good.

Wherever you are and whatever you do, be willing to allow yourself some grace and forgiveness in the same way you allow grace and forgiveness to others. Because none of us are perfect; but if we strive to be good, things will be okay.

Blessings,

May 27, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Un-Ordinary Time

This coming Sunday is the First Sunday after Pentecost, also known as Trinity Sunday because it is the Sunday specifically dedicated to the Holy Trinity – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This Sunday also marks the end of what is often referred to as “Liturgical Time,” that time of year when we are focused on the events of the life of Christ: birth, baptism, preparation, death, resurrection, ascension, and the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Season after Pentecost follows. This season is otherwise known as “Ordinary Time,” not because things are plain, ordinary, and boring, but because the Sundays that follow are simply referred to by their ordinal numbers in sequence – 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th, 5^th, etc., Sundays after Pentecost. Whereas Liturgical Time focused on the events of Christ's life, Ordinary Time focuses on the life of Christ. They are anything BUT boring as we hear stories of calls, healings, dead people being raised to life, commencements, family strife, and much, much more.

As we get ready to move into Ordinary Time, I'm thinking back to this past Sunday and Pentecost. I'm thinking specifically about Peter's speech to the crowds after they had heard the apostles speaking in many different languages and his quoting of Joel: In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams.

This is the reading that moves us out of Liturgical Time. This is the reading that sends us into Ordinary Time. What would it look like if we lived into a summer of dreams? What would it look like if we took those Pentecost visions and worked to make them a reality?

We have all been given gifts – not only to use for the glory of God, but so that others may come to know God through us.

The Holy Spirit has descended upon us and given us power to proclaim the Good News of God in Christ. As we move forward, let us make this Ordinary Time as unordinary as possible.

Blessings,

May 20, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Forgiving and Retaining Sins

If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained. – John 20:23

This is the final verse from the gospel reading for this upcoming Sunday. For years I would read this passage, and this verse, and immediately think that the disciples whom Jesus is addressing, and by extension the Church, were being given the authority to pass judgment on people. They were being given the authority to forgive sins and/or continue to use a person's sin as a form of punishment, giving this whole thing a kind of Law & Order feeling: “In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: the police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys who prosecute the offenders.”

In that system people are either found innocent (their sins are forgiven) or guilty (their sins are retained). That certainly seems to be the “plain reading” of this verse. And there are many churches, in both the denominational sense of the word and in the congregational sense of the word, that use this verse in that way; just think about how many people have been ousted from churches because their sins were retained.

But, and I've said this before, forgiving sins isn't about the other person. When we forgive those who have sinned against us, we have come to the point where what was done to us no longer holds sway over us. We are no longer beholden to the feelings of hate or revenge or whatever that permeated us when an act was committed (or maybe omitted). This does not mean we forget, because there are plenty of reasons why a person would not want to forget what was done; but it does mean we can move on with our lives instead of dwelling on the event.

So instead of creating an ecclesiastical court system of forgiving and retaining sins, I think this statement was, and is, addressed to individual people. “If you (Tom, Bob, Sally, Mary) forgive the sins of any, then you will be able to live in peace. But if you retain their sins, then you will continue to live with that sin festering within you and you will not live in peace.”

Forgiving the sins of others isn't about letting them off without consequences. Forgiving the sins of others is about allowing ourselves to move on in peace.

Blessings,

May 13, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Faithful Perseverance

Our vacation last week took us back to Maryland to visit good friends and spend some time with our daughter and her boyfriend. All in all it was a good trip, and United didn't lose our luggage.

While there I had a conversation with a clergy friend of mine (a non-denominational pastor who has served several churches and now also teaches a couple of courses at the local community college) that started when he asked, “Do you ever get tired of doing this?”

I had almost that same conversation with another clergy friend this past Monday when they talked about the low attendance at their church on Sunday and scrambling to find replacements for the assigned liturgical ministers.

We (clergy) are called to teach and preach. We administer the Sacraments. We absolve and bless. We baptize and bury. We do any number of things, seen and unseen, for the benefit of people, church, and God. And, at times, it can feel like a futile endeavor as we struggle to form disciples of Christ.

In a results-driven world, we can be our own worst enemies as we wonder why people don't attend the bible studies or other formation classes they've asked us to create. We wonder how we can make Sunday worship essential to people who see it as just one of several activities to choose from that day. We try to come up with creative answers when asked, “How many people are in your congregation?” And we fight to keep from comparing what we offer against what others offer.

Do I ever get tired of doing this? Sometimes. Some days are worse than others. Which is why I look for opportunities to learn and refresh, like the webinar I've signed up for later today called, “Holy Limits in a Burned-Out World: A Conversation for Clergy.”

But when I feel particularly tired of doing this, I remind myself that, more than anything else in my job description, I am called to be faithful. I am not called to be a corporate CEO. I am not called to have the most entertaining sermons. We are not called to have the slickest website or most polished streaming production. We – me and you – are called to be faithful in worship, prayer, and working for the spread of the kingdom of God. It can be hard. It can be discouraging. It can also be extremely rewarding and life-giving. And looking back, I wouldn't have it any other way.

Everyone gets tired. Everyone needs a break – even Jesus went away to recharge. May we all be faithful, as the Lord is faithful, and persevere in working for the spread of God's kingdom.

Blessings,

May 5, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Vacation

In case you missed it, Joelene and I are off on vacation this week. We left last Thursday evening and will return sometime this coming Sunday.

We went back to Maryland to visit our daughter and her boyfriend, take in some sights, and have family photos taken. We are also reconnecting with a number of our friends while out there.

Vacations, for me, are a mixed blessing. The planning, prepping, packing, and pre-trip organizing can seem like more work than it's worth. And when I return, there's the unpacking, laundry, getting back into my time zone, and falling back into the rhythm of everyday life. I need a vacation from my vacation.

On the positive side, we get to spend time away, put work pressures out of mind, and just enjoy things as best we can. The fact that it hasn't been as hot and humid as it is during the summer also helps.

So know that we are enjoying ourselves, but we are also looking forward to being home in a few days when I hope to find everyone safe and healthy.

Blessings,

April 29, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Visibility and Invisibility

We pray that N. may be to us an effective example in word and action, in love and patience, and in holiness of life. – BCP 535

What does a priest do? They write sermons. They preside at the Eucharist. They pray. They anoint. They listen. They offer guidance. In the ordination service (BCP 531), they are tasked with “proclaiming by word and deed the Gospel of Jesus Christ . . . to love and serve the people among whom they work, caring alike for young and old, strong and weak, rich and poor. They are to preach, declare God's forgiveness to penitent sinners, pronounce God's blessing, and celebrate the mysteries of Christ's Body and blood” – among other things. Another place says that the job of a priest is to “administer the saving benefits of Christ's passion through word and sacrament.” And still another source says that the priest acts on behalf of the gathered congregation. If you look, you can probably find other descriptions of what a priest is and does.

Not all priests perform these roles perfectly. Some are performed better than others. Some days we fail more than we succeed. Hopefully we succeed enough to make a difference. These are tall orders and, as my ordination chaplain said, “not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently and deliberately.”

The silver chalice we use here at Saint Luke's has a mostly hammered finish, but the bottom eighth of the stem is polished to a mirror-like finish.

On Easter, as we were praying the Lord's Prayer, my eyes were focused on the sacraments there in front of me. It was at that time I noticed my reflection in the stem of the chalice; or, rather, my partial reflection. The polished bottom eighth clearly reflected my chasuble, while the hammered finish immediately above obscured my face.

There are some who say that the priest is a stand-in for Christ at the Eucharist. I'm not sure about that, but I am sure that I am administering the saving benefits of Christ's passion through the sacrament being offered, and that I am acting on behalf of the congregation, especially in that moment. As I looked at that reflection of clear chasuble and obscured face, I was struck with the remembrance that what I do at the altar isn't what I do but what Christ does through me. Another way of saying that is, “It's not about me, but about Christ.”

Teresa of Avila said that we are the hands, feet, eyes, and heart of Christ. There are times when we all are called upon to be the hands, feet, eyes, and heart of Christ in this world. When that time comes, may we clearly reflect the presence of Christ while obscuring ourselves for the greater good.

Blessings,

April 22, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Whom Do You Follow?

The gospel passage for this coming Sunday is John 10:1-10, the first half of what is known as “the Good Shepherd passage.” It is here that Jesus talks about being the shepherd who leads his flock. He talks about being the gate that protects the sheep. And he describes those who try to climb into the sheepfold by another way as thieves and bandits who come to steal, kill, and destroy the sheep. This is in direct opposition to himself who comes to give the sheep abundant life.

A number of Church Fathers discuss this passage. St. John Chrysostom says, “Jesus rightly calls the Scriptures 'a door,' for they bring us to God and open us to the knowledge of God.” St. Augustine says, “Whoever would enter the sheepfold, let him seek Christ's glory, not his own. For many, by seeking their own glory, have scattered Christ's sheep instead of gathering them;” and, “Who is he who enters by Christ's door? He is the one who imitates the suffering of Christ, who is acquainted with the humility of Christ.”

Earlier this month the president threatened to wipe out the entire civilization of Iran “never to be brought back again.” This was a genocidal threat not based in life but based on death and destruction.

Early last week the president posted an AI generated image of himself as Jesus, later claiming he was posing as a doctor. This doesn't come close to seeking Christ's glory, nor is it anywhere near humble.

Also last week Pete Hegseth, in a Pentagon prayer service, supposedly recited Ezekiel 25:17, but quoted Samuel L. Jackson's assassin character from the Quentin Tarantino film Pulp Fiction just before that character shoots a man to death. In using this quote, Pete was using the wrong door.

In Sunday's epistle, Peter writes, “when he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten . . .” once again reminding us of how Christ actually behaved.

We are asked to follow the Prince of Peace. We are asked to serve him who served us. We are asked to follow the Good Shepherd who leads his flock to abundant life.

These events of this past month should make us all stop and ask ourselves, “Who are we following?”

Blessings,

April 15, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Church

A church is a community that exists as, and only as, a participation in God's life-giving movement. – Anthony D. Baker, Wisdom, Knowledge, and Faith, pg. 20

The Episcopal Church hosted a Zoom seminar a few weeks ago that featured Episcopal theologians from a variety of schools and disciplines. The seminar was not quite what I was expecting, but the various participants (and some who were not present) had written essays collected in this book. In his essay, Baker puts forth the idea that Christian theology is “a study of motion;” that is, it's the study of our journey from and back to our home with God.

If we think about this journey, and we think about God, we can see that God is motion. From the beginning when God created “the vast expanse of interstellar space, galaxies, suns, the planets in their courses, and this fragile earth, our island home” (Eucharistic Prayer C), to the sending of the prophets and his Son, to the eventual gathering of God and people in the heavenly city, God is in motion. And we are part of that motion.

Like the Prodigal Son, there are times when we wander away, but we also always make our way back. Like that son's older brother, there are times when we refuse to participate in God's expansive love, but hopefully we also choose to be part of God's family and make our way back into the house.

The mission of the Church is to “restore all people to unity with God and each other in Christ.” The duty of all Christians is to follow Christ, come together for worship, and to work, pray, and give for the spread of the kingdom. This is our participation in God's life-giving movement that Baker is addressing.

When we invite people to join us for worship, we are helping them move into God. When we sit with them and help them through the service, we are helping them participate in God's movement. If we are worshiping by ourselves, we are moving into God. In the moment we participate in Holy Communion we have made the journey to join with God in the hope that we become one.

May we never forget that, as God is bound together in the unity of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and moves in love, we are bound together in a faithful community as we move from separation to union.

This, then, is the point of Church – to help move us ever closer into the live-giving movement of God.

Blessings,

April 8, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Making Christ Known

O God, whose blessed Son made himself known to his disciples in the breaking of bread: Open the eyes of our faith . . . Collect for Wednesday in Easter Week, BCP 223

The gospel appointed for this day is the story of the disciples on the road to Emmaus. This is one of the most famous resurrection stories – two unnamed disciples are traveling to Emmaus after the crucifixion and have an encounter with the risen Christ. They don't recognize with whom they are talking until Jesus takes bread, blesses it, and breaks it. It's at that point that their eyes are opened.

A few things to note here:

They didn't recognize him while they were talking about the events of the past few days. They didn't recognize him after they had been told about the empty tomb. They didn't even recognize him while discussing the scriptures. They recognized Christ when they had the experience of participating in what we now recognize as the sacrament of Holy Communion – taking, blessing, breaking, and receiving bread.

Christ is not limited to the overly miraculous. While Christ can be found in scriptures, it's probably not a dissertation about Christ in the scriptures that draws people to the faith. And we can talk to people about our experiences of Christ, but it's not our experiences that cause people to experience Christ for themselves.

Christ is made know in a number of small, intimate, personal interactions. Christ is made known in caring for someone in need, in the sharing of a meal, in a quiet conversation, in providing shelter or safe passage, and in any number of ways in which our eyes are opened to seeing another person as a child of God.

We don't need to heal someone of cancer or raise someone from the dead to demonstrate the presence of Christ . . . all we need to do is open our eyes to everyday interactions and love others as Christ loved us.

Blessings,

April 1, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Present Sufferings

Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time . . . – Collect for Wednesday in Holy Week, BCP 220

What does it mean to “accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time?” Are we asked to not complain about what we're going through? Are we asked to lie there and take it? Are we asked to say, “God knows best,” and give up?

I don't think that's what this prayer is asking of us.

Instead, what if this Collect is asking us to compare our sufferings to the sufferings of Christ during Holy Week? Are we suffering because we speak up for those on the margins? Are we suffering because we show compassion to those whom others ignore or abuse? Are we suffering because proclaim a Jesus who didn't resort to violence?

And yes, I know that our sufferings don't always revolve around the above. Sometimes we suffer because of a severe illness, chronic pain, the loss of a loved one, or end-of-life issues.

Suffering comes in many forms and many contexts, and there is no one size fits all way to deal with it.

So maybe what the Collect for this Wednesday in Holy Week is asking us to do is to continually make Christ our focus during all times of our life. Are people attacking us because of our faith? Then let us honestly compare what we proclaim to the teachings of Jesus and use that as our foundation. Are we in chronic pain? The let us continually live a life focused on the life of Christ, in order to show there's more to our life than pain. Are we dealing with end-of-life issues? Let us live in the hope of the resurrection.

All of this may come across as pithy answers that don't really address the issue. But it just may be that this Collect is asking us to find a way to gracefully live in a way that proclaims the presence of Christ, no matter what we're going through.

Blessings,

March 25, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . More on Hope

Deal graciously with Daniel, Jamai, and Mackenzie in their grief. Surround them with your love, that they may not be overwhelmed by their loss . . . – BCP 494

I use this prayer from the Burial Office to remind people attending funerals that the family members of the deceased are in the midst of grief and need support. I also use it to remind the family of the deceased that they are being upheld in prayer and support.

This family recently lost their 14-year old son and brother to suicide. I heard about it at Youth Group last week, and I attended a candle-light vigil at CCMS held on Monday night, March 16.

The death of a son, brother, friend, grandson, nephew at this young age is devastating for those who are left to deal with the loss. Questions of why, or guilt over missing signs, flood minds. Unimaginable grief overwhelms family members as they live in a house no longer occupied by their child and brother. Thoughts of “lasts” – last meals, last conversations, last arguments, last days – become a permanent fixture in memories. Never agains, never wills, and what ifs creep into imaginations.

The reasons for someone dying by suicide are wide ranging – from addiction to bullying, chronic pain to divorce, financial insecurity to long-term unemployment, and so many others. And in the end, the suicidal person has a belief that they would be better off by removing the pain from their lives, or that everyone around them would be better off if they were gone. Either way the decision is made because of an overwhelming feeling of hopelessness.

What can be done? That is a hard question to answer. But we can look for, and be aware of, signs that a person is struggling. We can remind them that there are resources available of qualified and trained people who will talk with them. We can remind them of the 988 Life Line. We can remind them that their story is not yet over. We can remind them that they are loved. We can stress that our lives are better with them than without them.

And sometimes we can't see the signs because, as Robin Williams said, “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.” So it just might be that, by casually talking about resources in everyday conversations, you will unknowingly provide a Lifeline people need.

Our Baptismal Covenant reminds us that our lives are inescapably interconnected with other lives. As we continue in fellowship, as we persevere in resisting evil, as we proclaim the Good News of God in Christ, and as we work to love our neighbors as ourselves, may we always work to provide hope for the people we know and meet.

May our eyes be ever open to seeing hopelessness so that we can offer the love and hope of Christ,

March 18, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Hope

I've been pondering hope lately.

Hope is one of the three theological virtues – faith, hope, and love (or charity) – as put forth by Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians. Widely defined, hope is the desire and search for a future good that is difficult, but not impossible, to attain. In the First Letter of Peter, we are told that the resurrection of Christ has given humanity a new birth into a living hope – that is, we now live our lives with the hope of resurrection where there is no more pain or sorrow, only life everlasting. Our life with Christ may often be difficult – after all, Christ told us to take up our cross, not put up our hammocks and eat BonBons. Following Christ is a difficult proposition, just ask the disciples; but it is in that following and in those difficulties of discipleship where hope flourishes.

And yet, hope can also be an elusive thing. We hope for good medical diagnoses. We hope for recovery from illnesses. We hope life will return to normal. We hope for easy deaths. We hope for things that might be realistically impossible to attain. But even so, sometimes hope is the one thing that keeps us moving forward day by day.

At the Committal, while earth is cast upon the coffin, the Celebrant says, “In sure and certain hope of the resurrection . . .” Christian hope allows us to continually move forward in faith as we work toward attaining union with Christ, both in the here and in the hereafter. And in that vein, Lent is a season of hope. We take on particular disciplines or abstain from certain things in the hope of changing and renewing our lives with Christ. We hope to eat better (by giving up an excess of sweets). We hope to be more diligent (by taking on the discipline of reading Scripture daily). We hope to be more Christ-like (by closely examining where we have fallen short).

As we draw closer to Holy Week and the events of the Passion, may you live each day in the hope of the resurrection.

Blessings,

March 11, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Women

March is Women's History Month. Like Black History Month, this is a time to recognize people who have made an impact on society but who also, because of their skin color or gender, have been removed from or ignored in mainstream history. To be honest, this celebration and month of recognizing women in society slipped past me unnoticed.

As I've mentioned before, a group of us are reading Honest to Goodness: Discovering the Truth and Beauty of a Loving God through Lent and discussing it after the 10:00 service. The subject for today's devotional is “I will comfort you like a mother.”

In a number of places Holy Scripture uses feminine imagery to describe God. From the creation story where both men and women were created in the image of God to Isaiah describing God as a mother comforting her children to Jesus longing to gather up God's children as a mother hen gathers her chicks, and others, Scripture makes clear that God is not a boy's name and neither is God male or female, but that male and female are both in the image of God.

Even with these scriptural images of God in the feminine, we overwhelmingly ascribe male attributes to God. Images of king, father, or warrior dominate. Even images of inanimate things – rock, wind, shield, and others – seem to be more prevalent in our thinking than feminine images.

How might our image of God change if we were willing to see God in the feminine? In our attempts to be more godlike, how might our relationships with others change if we became more motherly as God is motherly?

Here's something to consider during this Women's History Month and this season of Lent:  Could having feminine images of God help draw us closer to the divine?

May you continue to have a blessed Lent,

March 4, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Advertising

In the Lenten devotional book, Honest to Goodness: Discovering the Truth and Beauty of a Loving God, the topic for this Second Week of Lent is, “Dear Mortal, here's what I expect from you.” This Second Week of Lent is all about learning and meditating on what God requires of us to uphold our end of the covenant we have entered into.

Over and over again we are called to listen to God (the Jewish faith is based on the Shema – “Hear, O Israel”). We are called to be holy as the Lord God is holy. We are called to be generous with our wealth and share of our abundance with others. We are called to do justice, love mercy, and forgive others as God forgives us. We are called to shine the light of God's love, both so that others will see and so that we dispel the works of darkness. And we are called to love others as God and Jesus love us.

Notice that we are NOT called to place bumper stickers on our cars, wear hats or clothing with pithy biblical quotes, or stock up on any other religious trinkets we might use to identify us as people of God.

We can have all the clothing, stickers, and trinkets we want that advertise us as Christians, but if we don't do the very basics of what God is calling us to do, then it's all just so much false advertising.

What are the basics of what God is calling us to do, and how do we let people know that we are Christian people of God? We do it by listening to and respecting others. We do it by giving liberally and sharing our abundance with the less fortunate. We do it by working for justice, being merciful, and living humbly. We do it by living in and sharing the light of Christ that banishes all darkness.

And that is the only advertising needed.

Have a blessed Lent,

February 25, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Merciful God

This Lent a group of us are reading Honest to Goodness: Discovering the Truth and Beauty of a Loving God. It's a book of daily Lenten meditations focusing on “some of the most profound, surprising, and even hilarious words attributed to God.”

The reading for this Friday focuses on Exodus 34:6 – A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger; and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Even when people sin and God is moved to act with justice, God also acts with mercy. When people are about to sin, God acts with mercy in an effort to call them back. When people are in the midst of sinning, God begs them to repent and return to him.

But people tend to overshadow this mercy, graciousness, and steadfast love of God by focusing on God's wrath and punishment. What is it about punishment that we enjoy seeing doled out? Friday's devotion references Jonathan Edwards (Congregationalist pastor of the 18^th Century) and his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

This Lent, what if we looked for ways to find God's mercy? What if during this Lent we pursued repentance not out of a fear of being punished but out of a sense love, mercy, and faithfulness in an effort to rightly restore our relationship with God?

And then, what if we worked to exhibit love, mercy, and faithfulness toward others that God extends to us?

Have a blessed Lent,

February 18, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Season of Lent, those (roughly) 40 days in which we participate in self-examination, repentance; prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and meditating on God's holy Word.

Over the years this day, and this season, have been focused on the aspect of giving up: giving up things of the self in favor of doing things for God; giving up things that waste time in favor of being more productive; giving up harmful language in favor of speaking well; etc. In more modern times we've seen practices of giving up television, social media, or chocolate. I'm aware of one priest who gives up wearing socks during Lent in order to help him understand just a little better of what many homeless people experience.

And while some of these practices are more pious than others, what all of them have in common is a sense that they are Lenten disciplines which can be ended with the arrival of Easter.

I came across and email yesterday with a link to a podcast about Lent where the tagline was, “Ash Wednesday is not an ending. It's a true beginning.”

That line sums up what I've been saying for several years: The point of Lenten disciplines is not to make us miserable. The point of Lenten disciplines is to give us time to make permanent changes.

Whatever your Lenten discipline is this year – reading more Scripture, purchasing additional hygiene products for the Food Pantry, attending worship services more often, turning off the tv to pray, – take a new look at what and why you're doing it. Could you look at that discipline as not just a seasonal practice but the beginning of a long-term change?

And whatever you do this Lent, may your practice be based in and reflect the love of Christ.

Blessings,

February 11, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Let us bless the Lord.

Lent begins next week with Ash Wednesday. This is a season of penitence, self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, and self-denial. In addition to fasting from certain activities or behaviors, it has become fashionable to take something on as a Lenten discipline. This year our youth group is encouraging everyone to take on the practice of purchasing extra personal hygiene products which will then be given to the Food Pantry.

You will also notice that the liturgy takes on a more somber tone. The Gloria or song of praise is replaced with the kyrie (Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy), our hymns are noticeably different, and alleluias are omitted. Our dismissal also changes from one that specifically sends us out into the world with both joy and in acknowledgment of what we have just heard and participated, to, “Let us bless the Lord.”

This last form of dismissal (pp. 340, 366) was traditionally used in more solemn and penitential times, such as Advent and Lent. I have probably spent too much time searching for why this was, or the meaning behind why this dismissal came to be used during these times only to find nothing. This seems to be the classic, “We've always done it that way.” So let me give my interpretation of why we use that particular dismissal during Advent and Lent.

Lent, especially, is a penitential season. The Exhortation reminds us of our need for penitence and to make restitution. The Rite 1 Confession acknowledges that our sins “most justly provoke the wrath” of God. Nevertheless, we are also reminded of God's great mercy and steadfast love. We see this in many places, but most notably in Ps. 103 which begins, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”

This psalm proclaims that, even in the midst of sinners, God is the God of mercy and grace. It proclaims a message of steadfast love and compassion, while also claiming that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.” It is in the knowledge that even though we are sinners God is yet merciful and loving, we are called to bless the Lord always.

That is why, in the Season of Lent, we are dismissed from the liturgy with the words, “Let us bless the Lord.” As we travel through this penitential season, working to change our habits and get right with God, remember to give thanks and praise to our God who is full of compassion and mercy.

Blessings,

February 4, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Extend Hope to All People

This is the second clause of our Vision Statement. And while I think it's a good phrase, you might be wondering just how, exactly, do we do that? How do we “extend hope to all people?”

If you think about it, there are multiple ways to do this.

We offer our parish hall for AA meetings on Mondays and Thursdays. AA provides hope and resources for those people suffering from an addiction to alcohol and the chaos that can create in lives. Having a place to go that is consistent and safe provides hope for the people of AA.

The Johnson County Suicide Prevention Coalition provides hope for those struggling with thoughts of suicide. Through resources, advocacy, trainings, and awareness, the SPC works to provide hope for those contemplating suicide as well as their families. When we are sincere in telling people that we are better with them than without them, hope takes root.

At our Annual Meeting this past Sunday, Horizon and Balyn made a presentation to the congregation on behalf of the Confirmation class. As part of the class' “faith in action” segment, the group discussed a variety of needs within the community and settled on a hygiene drive through the season of Lent. Personal hygiene items are the one thing that the Food Pantry is always in need of and are items that go quickly when they do have them in stock.

How does the hygiene drive extend hope? Well . . . it's always easier to be hopeful when you're shaved, showered, and have your teeth brushed.

Supplying hygiene products for the food pantry would be an excellent Lenten discipline for the people of Saint Luke's. I encourage you to support this youth-led project by purchasing additional toothpaste, shampoo, soap, pads, wipes, and/or any other additional items that come to mind.

Through this project we can help provide daily hope for the people who rely on the Food Pantry, and thereby begin to live into our vision to extend hope to all people.

Blessings,

January 28, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Holy Communion Thoughts

Holy Communion is the foretaste of the heavenly banquet.  Holy Communion is the sacred meal of bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus.  As Episcopalians we do not hold that the elements of bread and wine are changed into the substance of body and blood, but we do believe that the bread and wine are substantially changed such that they are infused with the real presence of Christ’s Body and Blood through the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

These gifts of Body and Blood are then given to us, the members of Christ’s one holy catholic and apostolic Church, by the appointed ministers. 

With regards to Communion in conversations I’ve had and overheard, the phrase “I am taking Communion,” (or words to that affect where take is the primary verb) often comes up.  And while that is perfectly acceptable to think in those terms, let me give you another option.

“Take” most often refers to an action where we are the primary players.  It implies bringing something into our possession, sometimes by force, sometimes by choice, sometimes through a victory of sorts.

If we remember that Holy Communion is a gift given to us by Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit, and if we remember that we partake of this holy Sacrament in remembrance of his great love for us, then it would be proper for us to receive this great gift humbly and with awe and reverence.  I encourage you, therefore, to change your vocabulary around Communion. 

Rather than seeing Communion as an object to be taken, begin to see and talk about Communion as a gift to be received.  You receive this great gift of Christ’s Body and Blood just as you receive the love of God (or other gifts that are freely given). 

And in your receiving Holy Communion, may you be drawn ever deeper into its mystery. 

Blessings,

January 21, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Common Prayer

Joelene and I went away this past weekend for some much needed rest and lazy time.  We made a short trip to Thermopolis where we drove through the park taking pictures of a small bison herd and drove up to Cody to visit the Buffalo Bill museum.  Tickets there are good for two days because the museum is so massive.  Unfortunately that was about all we did because we both suffered from head colds.

Sunday morning we worshiped with the people at Holy Trinity.  As we walked in and grabbed our bulletins, I noticed it was Morning Prayer.  Holy Trinity, we discovered, will be advertising for a new priest shortly, having done the hard work of developing their parish profile.  During this interim time they rotate between supply priests for Eucharist and lay-led Morning Prayer.

I have often said that one of the things I like about the Episcopal church is that you can walk into almost any church and pretty much know what to expect.  There will be some differences (Rite 1 or Rite 2, Prayer A, B, C, or D) in the service, and there will be some local customs (placement of announcements, children’s time, birthday blessings, etc.) that a parish makes, but the same lessons are read and the flow is pretty much the same.  For me, that’s comforting because I can focus on the worship and not wonder what’s going to happen next.

That is our Common Prayer – that we are all bound together by the genius of the Prayer Book.  Not necessarily doing the exact same thing as each other, but praying together in commonality.

And this past Sunday, whether by fate, or luck, or divine scheduling, Joelene and I prayed and worshiped the service of Morning Prayer.  As we went through the service I had to smile knowing that the people of Holy Trinity and Saint Luke’s were praying this same service.

Once again I was reminded that we are all bound together through our Common Prayer, and that is a very good thing.

Blessings,

January 14, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . God’s Creation

Joelene and I are going away this weekend for some much needed rest and lazy time.  We’re making a short trip to Thermopolis, leaving tomorrow and returning sometime Sunday afternoon.

I’ve spent these past few days working on my portion of Annual Meeting stuff (Reminder:  the Annual Meeting is Sunday, February 1, with 9:00 worship followed by breakfast and the meeting) and working with Monica to get the bulletins ready for this coming Sunday service.

As I was proofing the 10:00 bulletin I came to the Prayers of the People.  During the Epiphany season the 10:00 service uses Form IV (found on page 388 of the BCP).  I like to rotate through the various prayers during the Church year, so this certainly isn’t the first time I’ve paid attention to the prayer; but for some reason the third petition caught my attention:

Give us all a reverence for the earth as your own creation, that we might use its resources rightly in the service of others and to your honor and glory.

In this short petition we ask for a sense of reverence for the earth.  In this short petition is the recognition that the earth was created by God, therefore the earth belongs to God.  In this short petition is a prayer to use resources rightly – and not for ourselves but in the services of others.

This touches on everything from strip mining and logging to drilling for oil in fragile environments all in the pursuit of the almighty dollar.  It touches on over-fishing and a refusal to look for alternative energy sources.  It touches on the equitable distribution of food items.  It touches on the heresy that my individual rights are more important that the well-being of my neighbors.  And it brings to mind the famous saying, “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors; we borrow it from our children.”

May we all do our own small part to help bring this petition to fruition.

Blessings,

January 7, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Christmas Season Thoughts

With the Twelfth Night Party on Monday, the Twelve Days of Christmas officially came to a close.  Those who gathered celebrated with good food and a lively gift/theft exchange.

Yesterday we celebrated the Feast of the Epiphany, also called The Manifestation of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.  This is the day when the Church remembers and celebrates the arrival of magi (of an unknown number) from the east who journeyed to Bethlehem and presented gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

In short, the Twelve Days of Christmas arose because the Western and Eastern Churches (the two Churches based in Rome and Constantinople) celebrated Christmas on December 25 and January 6 respectively, and those days were twelve days apart.

We generally tend to think of the Christmas season as one of joy, gift giving, frivolity, and carols, among other thoughts along those lines.  But the Christmas season also gives us the days of Saint Stephen, the first deacon and martyr of the Church who was stoned to death (12/26); Saint John, who was exiled on Patmos (12/27); and the Holy Innocents, remembering the children of Bethlehem that Herod had slaughtered because he wanted to eliminate threats to his rule (12/28).  And on Epiphany, when we remember the arrival of the magi and the gifts they brought, we also remember that both the magi and Joseph were warned in a dream to hastily get out of town to escape Herod’s wrath.

Christmas reminds us of the joy of new birth and of God with us.  We are also reminded of the horrors and abuses in the world.  God is with us in both the good times and the bad times.  As we close out the Christmas season, may we have the courage to stand with the innocent, abused, neglected, and downtrodden in the name of the One who came to be with us through all manner of human conditions.

Blessings,