Chaplainmike

Tokah: On the Sunday of Forgiveness

It is my second favorite day of the year, the Sunday of Forgiveness, also known as Cheesefare Sunday. We gather for the Forgiveness Vespers in the evening, candlelight dancing in front of paintings of those who have walked this path before us. Vespers starts normally enough, until we come to the prayer, “Vouchsafe, O Lord”. This prayer isContinue reading “Tokah: On the Sunday of Forgiveness”

Nostalgia. As bad as relevance.

Nostalgia. It’s as bad for you as “relevance.” Sunday in church, the pianist played a lovely arrangement of the old Maranatha! chorus, “I Love You, Lord.” Then in response, we sang another chorus that has been a big part of my adult Christian experience, “Give Thanks.” In the more traditional service at our church, we sprinkleContinue reading “Nostalgia. As bad as relevance.”

ECT on “Reclaiming Marriage”

• • • UPDATE: In light of Eeyore’s insightful comment, I have added another point to my remarks. First Things has published a statement by Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) called The Two Shall Become One Flesh: Reclaiming Marriage. Catholic and Evangelical members of ECT are listed after the article, and then there is a listContinue reading “ECT on “Reclaiming Marriage””

Music Monday: Lent with Wilco

I wander thro’ each charter’d street, Near where the charter’d Thames does flow, And mark in every face I meet, Marks of weakness, marks of woe. In every cry of every Man, In every Infant’s cry of fear, In every voice, in every ban, The mind-forg’d manacles I hear. From “London” by William Blake •Continue reading “Music Monday: Lent with Wilco”

Sundays with Michael Spencer: February 22, 2015

Note from CM: In 2015 we will mark five years since the death of Michael Spencer, the Internet Monk. Today, we continue our “Sundays with Michael” series with an excerpt from a post that was originally published in February 2005. • • • I believe most Christians use the word “inspiration” to mean “the Bible is aContinue reading “Sundays with Michael Spencer: February 22, 2015”

Saturday Ramblings, February 21, 2015

Hello, imonks, and welcome to the weekend. Ready to ramble? You may have noticed that Lent began this week. For you Baptists, here’s an explanatory article. So then, Wednesday was Ash Wednesday (Baptists, see here), and at least one Church was ready with drive-thru service. Clergy at Advent Evangelical Lutheran Church in Upper Arlington, Ohio,Continue reading “Saturday Ramblings, February 21, 2015”

Wendell Berry: Lamenting Modern Christianity

Lent is a time for lamenting. The Book of Psalms teaches us that lamenting is a primary form of prayer in an unjust and unloving world. Through lamenting prayer, we cry out to God in the pain of our suffering and weakness, beseeching him to restore righteousness and peace to our world. In our individual livesContinue reading “Wendell Berry: Lamenting Modern Christianity”

Lent is not about getting better

Very truly, I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. • John 12:24, NRSV • • • Lent is not about getting better. Lent is about preparing to die. The word “lent” means “spring.” ButContinue reading “Lent is not about getting better”

Ash Wednesday: Psalm 51 in music

For Ash Wednesday Two renditions of Psalm 51 “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love . . .” • • • Psalms and Hymns of Isaac Watts Psalm 51:14-17 O God of mercy, hear my call, My loads of guilt remove; Break down this separating wall, That bars me from thyContinue reading “Ash Wednesday: Psalm 51 in music”

Let’s Discuss . . . Mardis Gras

I don’t normally put two posts up on one day anymore, but today is Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), the day before the Lenten season begins, and I would like us to talk about something. Let me put my thoughts in a brief paragraph for you to consider and respond to today: One measure of ourContinue reading “Let’s Discuss . . . Mardis Gras”