Rowan Williams offers his thoughts on Pentecost

The former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, gives his thoughts on Pentecost, the seventh Sunday after Easter, is 'the moment when the friends of Jesus discover that they can communicate to all sorts of people they never thought that they would be speaking to'.

Glad to see I got a shout-out on Patheos Blog!

Glad to see I got a shout-out on Patheos Blog (even if it was many months ago!)

A Benedictine Blessing

October 29, 2012 By Jessica Church 0 Comments

I must admit, I didn’t pay much attention to Sunday’s service. I think the sermon went something like, “Be your true self as you were created in God’s image,” but I don’t remember details. I was tired and a little bit cold. And mostly my brain was honing in on the mountain of schoolwork that awaited me at home.  But then, as I flipped through my hymnal in preparation for our closing tune, Rev. Peter Carey read off this blessing:

May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships so that we may live deep within our hearts. Amen. 

May God bless us with anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace. Amen.

May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war, so that we may reach out our hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy. Amen.

May God bless us with enough foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world, so that we can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.

Suddenly I was present.  “Read it again,” I wanted to say. I wished to hear it spoken once more in Rev. Peter’s powerful voice. I wanted someone to shower me with those true and honest words.

This blessing, as they often do, came at the perfect time. Here on the East Coast, we’re staring down Hurricane Sandy. And nation-wide, Election Tuesday is but a week away. Keeping in mind the impending consequences of both events, this Four-fold Benedictine Blessing asks God for some unusual things: discomfort, anger, tears, and foolishness.

Wait a second… discomfort?

Discomfort at easy answers, half truths, and superficial relationships.

Anger at injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people.

Tears to shed for those who suffer from pain, rejection, starvation and war.

Foolishness to believe that we can make a difference in this world.

This blessing, above all, calls us to be better citizens of this world. It asks us to open our eyes to what’s happening not only in our backyard but also half of a world away. In the context of this week, I think it says, “Shed tears for those suffering the wrath of the storm.” For many, it might mean a day off of work or school, but for many others it means destruction and devastation.

Read more HERE

The Holy Spirit ~ Sweeping our house empty!

The Guest House

This being human is a guest house.

Every morning a new arrival.

A joy, a depression, a meanness,

some momentary awareness comes

as an unexpected visitor.

Welcome and entertain them all!

Even if they are a crowd of sorrows,

who violently sweep your house

empty of its furniture,

still, treat each guest honorably.

He may be clearing you out

for some new delight.

The dark thought, the shame, the malice.

meet them at the door laughing and invite them in.

Be grateful for whatever comes.

because each has been sent

as a guide from beyond.

-- Jelaluddin Rumi,

    translation by Coleman Barks

Four - Fold Franciscan Blessing

From time to time, I use this blessing, that I first heard in Washington, DC at the Church of the Epiphany back in 2004.  I have a copy of it pasted in the back of my prayer book and I prayed it yesterday at the end of our service.  There are slightly different versions of it, but this is my favorite.

Some have argued that it's origin is likely more Benedictine than Franciscan, but, when I first discovered it, it was called a Four-Fold Franciscan Blessing, so that is what I call it.

Blessings!

Peter+

Four - Fold Franciscan Blessing

May God bless us with discomfort at easy answers,

half truths, and superficial relationships,

so that we may live deep within our hearts. Amen.

May God bless us with anger at injustice,
oppression, and exploitation of people
so that we may work for justice, freedom and peace. Amen.

May God bless us with tears to shed for those who suffer from pain,
rejection, starvation and war,
so that we may reach out your hand to comfort them
and to turn their pain into joy. Amen.

May God bless us with enough foolishness
to believe that we can make a difference in this world,
so that we can do what others claim cannot be done. Amen.

Congratulations to the Berkeley Preparatory School Class of 2014!

Congratulations to the Berkeley Preparatory School Class of 2014!

From the Tampa Bay Times

Graduation 2014: Berkeley Preparatory School
By Michael Newcomer, Sunday, June 1, 2014 5:54pm
BERKELEY PREPARATORY SCHOOL
NUMBER OF GRADUATES: 142
VALEDICTORIAN/SALUTATORIAN: Berkeley does not rank students.
SPEAKERS: Jay Majumdar (student forum president), Abigail Scott, George Pennington III, Kelley Sheets, Natalie Cramling (class president).
CLASS GIFT: The Class of 2014 raised almost $5,000, the majority to be donated to the Students Helping Students Scholarship Fund.
PRIVATE SCHOOL PUN: "I've had this recurring nightmare ... I was in a Tampa Prep class." — Majumdar, the welcome speaker.
CLASS SONG: Stay With Me, written by seniors Pennington and Natalie Yob. Michael Newcomer, Stony Brook University, tb-two* staff
Graduation 2014Brought to you by tb-two* — the Times' weekly newspaper and website produced by high school students during the school year. Check out our graduation stories and photos at tb-two.com and tampabay.com/education. Send us your graduation photos from Instagram and Twitter tagged #tbgrads2014.
Graduation 2014: Berkeley Preparatory School 06/01/14MICHAEL NEWCOMER | tb-two*Senior Abigail Scott recites the class poem Sunday during the commencement ceremony for Berkeley Preparatory School.
© 2014 Tampa Bay Times