Friday, November 1, 2019 | Reflections
On this principal feast of All Saints, we remember and honor those whose witness to Christ and to the gospel was writ large, of heroic proportions. These are souls that have been purified and made holy and reside in the unfiltered presence of God. It is not without...
Thursday, October 31, 2019 | Reflections
Last November, I went to Guatemala with my son and my parents. We lived there in the early 1970s, while my dad attended seminary. I wanted my son to see where we lived and where his grandparents had planted churches. While we were in Guatemala, many of the...
Wednesday, October 30, 2019 | Reflections
I love nature—clouds, flowers, beaches, rocks, seashells, trees, and landscapes. If you look at the pictures in my phone or in my albums, you will find many nature pictures. I may not want to camp out and sleep under the stars, but I do love nature. Even through the...
Tuesday, October 29, 2019 | Reflections
One of the things I love about flying into Latin American airports is that people clap when the plane lands. I have never asked why this happens, but I love it. I also love that when Latino/a folks are together, we clap along to songs. We will clap even when we don’t...
Monday, October 28, 2019 | Reflections
The world hates many of us, labeling us as “other” to exclude and erase us. If we don’t have a house in a certain neighborhood, shop at the right mall, or buy those fancy shoes—we are nothing. One year, when I was still teaching fifth grade in Housto….(View this...
Sunday, October 27, 2019 | Reflections
I do a lot of talking and teaching about stewardship, which I learned through my parents’ examples and teachings. I remember a priest who told me he was ashamed because he could not tithe. He had struggled his whole life to financially support his two...
Saturday, October 26, 2019 | Reflections
Jesus’ challenge in this verse from Matthew is a pretty big one for me. His question echoes in my head and heart when I consider my own bad words—the judgy words I use when describing those I don’t understand. Why is he so mean to LGBTQI+ people? Why is she so...
Friday, October 25, 2019 | Reflections
For my whole life, people have told me that I have been given a variety of challenges because I am strong. People have said or done ridiculous things to me because I am strong, and they know I can handle it. This is exhausting. Just like anyone else, I want to curl up...
Thursday, October 24, 2019 | Reflections
We tell each other the lies that we are not enough, that we are not loved by God because of who we love or because we are different. But what would you do if you knew God chose you? What would you say if you knew you were God’s beloved? How would you act if you knew...
Wednesday, October 23, 2019 | Reflections
I occasionally struggle with feeling inferior—like I do not belong in certain places because I do not have the right credentials or the right last name. When I first started leading music and singing around the Episcopal Church, I felt intimidated because I am not...
Tuesday, October 22, 2019 | Reflections
I pride myself on being able to pack for a ten-day trip abroad in one carry-on. However, this kind of packing magic makes my carry-on and backpack very heavy. I thank God for people who help me put my carry-on in the overhead bin. I’m not sure if they do ….(View...
Monday, October 21, 2019 | Reflections
I always wonder about the adages that say the company you keep reflects who you are. A saying in Spanish cautions, “Tell me who you hang out with, and I will tell you who you are.” I wonder why the sayings don’t suggest that those of us who consider ourselves to be...
Sunday, October 20, 2019 | Reflections
Ah, the persistent widow…the king was annoyed by her and decided to grant her justice because she was exhausting him. I wonder if God ever feels this way about me. It is comforting that Jesus uses this parable to teach us that we need to pray always and...
Saturday, October 19, 2019 | Reflections
I am always wondering about and questioning the Bible, my faith traditions, and my own beliefs. Many years ago, some priests were talking about a movie in which the filmmakers wondered about the parts of Jesus’ life we don’t have records of. Some of the ideas in the...
Friday, October 18, 2019 | Reflections
I have been known to post provocative items on social media. I try to fight for justice. I speak up when many stay silent. I have been asked to stop, to be quiet, and to delete posts. What people do not see is that before I post on social media, I always try to...
