Rector’s Corner

Dear Doubters of Great Faith, Today, I was given a tour of a most amazing place, nestled in the heart of downtown Dallas, called Thanks-Giving Square. I already knew that it is a wonderful, peaceful, serene setting within the hustle and bustle of our major metropolitan area. But hearing about its mission, for this city, our city, and beyond, from its CEO, Kyle Ogden, and touring the building and grounds (and behind the scenes!) was nothing short of awe-inspiring! The mission of the Thanks-Giving Square Foundation is to “…make North Texas a better place to live, work and play by educating, inspiring and moving its people towards becoming the City of Thanks-Giving.” The common ground upon which we can all stand is gratitude. Gratitude for all that we have, all that we are, all that we have been given, and all that we can possibly hope to be. Gratitude for…

We know that the whole creation has been groaning in labor pains until now; and not only creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly while we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies. – Romans 8:22-23, NRSV Dear Doubters of Great Faith, Back in the late days of June, some time after the 8 minutes and 46 seconds that marked the end of life for a 46 year old African-American man named Mr. George Floyd, and riots, and protesting, and looting, and lockdown, I was in conversation with our Theologian-in-Residence, the Rev. Dr. Stephen Sprinkle, about what an appropriate community response might be to that which grieved (and grieves) all our souls, the racial injustice, violence, and unrest, unnamed, and yet lived out by our brothers and sisters of color all around. This was before we began to study Isabel Wilkerson’s book,…

For God alone my soul in silence waits: from God comes my salvation. – Psalm 62, v.1 My dear Doubters of Great Faith, Every time this piece of psalmody comes up in my observance of Morning Prayer, my daily ritual, I am always grateful, because it always seems to be so timely, so well-placed. There always seems to be some reason, something upon which my soul is contemplating and anticipating (and longing and hungering for) some mighty act of our great and glorious God. The time in which I find myself typically praying for “patience,” is usually the time that I want God to sweep in on chariots of thunder and righteousness, and make God’s way known, clearly! I know that God identifies with the plight of the suffering, and the downtrodden, and the disaffected, and the weak. Why, last week’s lectionary Gospel, the Beatitudes, tells us to go be…

My Dear Doubters of Great Faith, We are winding down the final days, hours, and minutes of this election cycle. Whatever your particular political persuasion, I hope and pray that you have either voted or made your plans as to how you will accomplish this act which is both a right and a privilege, as well as a duty. Your voice, every voice, ALL voices are important, and should and must be heard. In these tumultuous times in which we find ourselves, having our voices heard seems practically sacramental. I felt that way when I cast my vote and they handed me my “I voted” sticker. It was like getting a communion host. It somehow represented my being heard above the cacophony, the proverbial voice in the wilderness crying that finally got recognized! I think there’s something to this notion of lament, this deep groaning, that we need to pay…

My Dear Doubters of Great Faith, This week I had conversation with a friend about what Episcopalians believe (scary thought!) regarding the presence of Jesus Christ in communion. Of course, we believe in Christ’s “real presence” in the elements, bread and wine, but what does that really mean? Are these things transformed, in some way, because of the words that a priest breathes over them? Our Articles of Religion, the basic footprint of Anglicanism, while not clear what “real presence” is, is definitive about what it is not – transubstantiation. The beauty is in the mystery! O magnum mysterium. She knows that Christ is there; she can feel his imprint. This outward, visible sign of an inward, spiritual grace. If Christ falls to the floor in distribution, she quickly bends to pick him up, and consumes. Christ IS there. Presence, real presence is this glorious mystery of words and Word…