I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to the observance of a holy Lent, by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God’s holy Word. And, to make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now kneel before the Lord, our maker and redeemer. (BCP p. 265 from The Ash Wednesday Liturgy)
For me and for a long time I’ve had some very particular ideas about what Lent was all about. I always seemed to wind up in a conversaton that talked about what we were going to ‘give up’ for Lent. I still think in terms of what sacrifice I’ll make for Lent but the fruits of that sacrifice have changed significantly for me over time.
This is no more true than maybe it is this year. Recovering from physical ailments has afforded me what I seldom take enough of and that is time to reflect and limit my commitments.
In November I attended a seminar on David Allen’s Getting Things Done methodology of getting to be more organized and productive. I had no idea what sort of impact those two days would have on my spiritual life. I went to the seminar just two weeks after going away to the Society of St. John the Evangelist (SSJE) in Boston for an extended silent retreat that was long overdue. I came back from retreat feeling like I was sufficiently calm and centered to make better choices about the balance between ‘being’ and ‘doing’ as a part of living my vocation as priest, father, husband and friend.
Two weeks later, I found myself sitting with a bunch of other clergy and their administrators and admitting that I was as overwhelmed as when I’d left. Read the rest of this entry »
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Last Sunday after Epiphany |
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Year C
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Sermon Audio-February 14, 2010; The Rev’d Warren Hicks
Exodus 34:29-35
Psalm 99
2 Corinthians 3:12-4:2
Luke 9:28-36, [37-43a]
My goodness, it’s been a long time since my last post. I’ve been under the weather and under the scope over the course of the past couple of weeks.
On January 25th I had my right knee scoped and all went well, then I came down with a bit of a gastric problem. For those of who have kept checking in since the 17th, thank you. I’ve got several updates to post in the next few days.
I’ll simply close today by saying WHO DAT?!?!?!?!?!?
Congratulations to the Saints and the people of New Orleans.
Second Sunday after the Epiphany
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Year C
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Sermon Audio-January 17, 2010 by the Rev’d Warren Hicks
Isaiah 62:1-5
Psalm 36:5-10
1 Corinthians 12:1-11
John 2:1-11
I hesitate to even post on this because it’s so NOT worth drawing attention to, however……
In a ‘news’ broadcast on his cable channel yesterday Pat Robertson made the claim that the earthquake in Haiti was just the latest in a series of tragic events to befall the country and that all of those events are the result of a ‘pact made with the devil.’
I simply want to say brother Robertson, you neither speak for God, or the tradition of Jesus handed down over twenty centuries. And in fact your assertion is in direct opposition to the Bible that you so assiduously cling to as the support for your ‘ministry’.
I simply point out that in Genesis after the flood (Genesis 9:1-13) God declares that he will never again destroy humanity because of the people’s infidelity.
Make no mistake, Haiti is not the whole world, but it seems to me, in my limited understanding and experience, that God’s word is to be taken seriously. Namely, that Covenant is always kept by God. By human beings, not so much.
I cannot find a way to make the promise of God not to wantonly destroy people conditional upon any ‘pact’ made with an already defeated foe. Make no mistake, I do believe that evil is real and that suffering is a part of life, but I also believe the Bible when it says that God, “does not willingly afflict or grieve anyone.” (Lamentations 3:31-33)
We who take Jesus, God and the Bible seriously need to claim the true nature of God in the face of the spiteful proclamations, faulty theology and scapegoating mentality that seems to be the cornerstone of what passes for ‘Christianity’ in Pat Robertson’s worldview.
What I saw and heard in the aftermath of the disaster on Tuesday night, was a nation that, in the midst of their shock, grief despair and suffering; took to the streets in some numbers and sang hymns to God. I have also seen Churches and faith communities across the continuum in our country and around the world rise to the occasion and be the presence of Christ to a suffering people.
With all due respect Mr. Robertson, perhaps you could stand with a bit of a ‘great returning to God’ as you called the nation of Haiti to yesterday. Have you no human decency, sir? Have you no shame?
May God continue to bear up the broken hearted in Haiti and throughout this broken world and may we who bear the mark and seal of Christ continue to serve them in His Name and proclaim the Gospel, the Good News, of peace, love and redemption that was the essence of Jesus’ earthly ministry and is an unwavering and unchangeable characteristic of our God and the Father of all of humanity.
–The Rev’d Warren Earl Hicks
Tags: Haiti, Pat Robertson, Shame
