I walked into the Parish Hall yesterday, and I swear I could still smell pancakes!  Or maybe it was the sausage.  It was a faint smell, but still evocative.  It brought back memories of Tuesday night, when we gathered to mark the end of Epiphany with celebration.  There were celebrations in many parts of the world Tuesday night: Mardi Gras, Carnival.  They were enjoying more than just pancakes!  But come Wednesday morning, the crowds had all gone home to sleep it off. On Wednesday we gathered in a much more solemn atmosphere, kneeling.  We sought God’s forgiveness for the wrongs … Continue reading Images of God in the Shadows of Lent

Last evening a crowd gathered at Christ Church to commemorate the end of Epiphany with a huge party.  We ate pancakes and bacon and sausage (which was the hit of the evening).  A few folks talked about what they might give up for Lent.  Some were going to log-off Facebook for the 40 days of Lent.  Others talked about eating better, or living a more regimented lifestyle. Isn’t it interesting how we’ve turned a season like Lent into something very self-centered.  We have come to think of it as a second chance at our New Year’s resolutions.  “Now, I’ll definitely … Continue reading Lent Beyond Ourselves

This morning we have heard two stories, stories of faith, but also stories of restoration. There was perhaps no more dread disease in the Biblical world than that of leprosy.  There is much debate over whether this was what we have come to call “Hansen’s Disease” today.  Many scholars suggest the term may have simply been a catchall for many different kinds of skin diseases, such eczema and even fungal infections.  People didn’t go to the doctor to be diagnosed, they only knew there was something wrong.  Regardless of what is exactly being described here, a skin disease was not … Continue reading Restoring the Outcast with a Touch