Posts

Image
  Friday after Ash Wednesday Gospel – Matthew 9:14-15 I Give Up! Gaming in the Old City Back when I was a high school Junior in the seminary, I learned to play bridge and it became an obsession.   With 3 of my best friends, we played every chance we could!   So it felt appropriate, when Lent rolled around, that we bond together and, as a group, we gave up bridge for Lent.   It was painful!   So as soon as midnight Easter Vigil services were over, we raced down to the rec room and proceeded to revisit our passion after 40 days of ‘fasting’.   We played non-stop for 12 hours!   So how was that Lenten practice experience?   Yes, it was painful and yes we suffered.   But at the end of Lent, what really changed?   We went right back to what we were doing beforehand! Did it matter?   Did we change at all? Did we grow at all? Did it really make any difference? There must be more about fasting, about giving up something, than just t...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  Thursday after Ash Wednesday Gospel – Luke 9:22-25 Bearing Crosses! The Corner   Recently my sister Mary came for an extended visit.   2 Weeks!   Wow! I can’t remember the last time we were able to spend 2 weeks together, probably not since high school.    The days were filled with memories, laughter, quiet reflection, some tears and a bit of touristy adventures. At one point, we were all making dinner together – cube steaks, veggies and mashed potatoes.   My responsibility was the mashed potatoes.   And I screwed up!   I started plating the mash before everything else was ready.   And I got yelled at!   Don’t do that yet; they’ll get cold!   So as ‘punishment’, I heard THOSE words – go stand/sit in the corner and think about what you did!   Boy, talk about old memories!!   That was my ‘cross’ for the day!   We all have our crosses to bear!   Some are health-related; some deal with family relatio...
Post a Comment
Read more
Image
  Ash Wednesday Gospel – Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18 Overstuffing! Razzouk’s, Jerusalem      I heard this story from a friend of mine!     “You were probably overstuffing it. That’s what causes burnout,” the repairman explained, smiling gently as I nodded and signed the service receipt.   He was right. With seven people in this house, I’ve been known to shove dirty school uniforms and sweaty basketball jerseys and tiny pink pajamas and roughly 4,000 stray socks all into one load and press start. Then our dryer groans under the heavy load of EVERYTHING tumbling inside. Day in and day out.   I overstuff.   Until finally one day last week the heating element in our dryer burned out, and I’ve been hang-drying the wet clothes of seven people all around the house.   “You need smaller loads,” the repairman emphasized on his way out.   I thanked him for the reminder. I needed it in more ways than one!! Because haven’t I been here before? S...
Post a Comment
Read more