My Blog

Category: Current Affairs

  • Confirm Thy Soul in Self Control

    As we approach this Independence Day, my thoughts are on the internal threats to our nation and the need to restore unity.  Whatever problems we face, "we the people" are much stronger than a mob of individuals pointing fingers, insisting on our own way, and fighting over ideologies.  We also know better than that and we've always been more effective in solving our problems by pulling together than by pulling apart!

    So, for those of us who believe we are called to pray for our nation – for one another – now would be a very good time!  There are many fine prayers for such an occasion, but the one that has been on my mind this week is best known as the hymn, America the Beautiful.  Every word is packed with the kind of spirit we need to restore our unity of purpose.  But the words that are ringing in my ears are these:

    America!  America! God mend thine every flaw,
    Confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty in law.

    In order to face one another and to work effectively with those with whom we differ, we need the humility to admit that none of us has yet achieved the perfection we seek.  Whether or not we ever actually achieve it, we'll come closer if we pursue it in the company of our fellow Americans.  Let us humbly ask God to mend our flaws.

    We also need divine help in gaining self-control so that our impulses and anxieties will not drive us apart.  Many of our problems are truly frightening.  No wonder we are so anxious and so prone to knee jerk reactions.  We can't listen to one another or really seek understanding in that condition.  Let us ask God to calm us down.

    And, we need to respect the boundaries that make it possible to live and work together.  Some of those boundaries must be imposed from without, but the most important ones must be established within us. Jesus taught us that all the Law is summed up in one commandment, "love your neighbor as yourself."  When that law is at work, we are most inclined to do the right thing in relation to our brothers and sisters at home and abroad.  So, let us ask God to write that law in our hearts so that we all might be truly free.

    It will come as no surprise to some of you that I am a longtime Judy Collins fan.  In 1993, she and the Harlem Boys Choir led a host of people on the National Mall in singing America the Beautiful.  It is one of the most moving performances of this prayer/hymn I know.  Maybe you'll enjoy watching the video and singing along.

    Have a safe and happy Fourth of July!

    RDP Short Sig

  • For the sake of creation, as we pray, let us so live.

    The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico threatens life, property, commerce, and occupations along the Gulf Coast.  It is a tragedy of phenomenal proportions and it will be years or perhaps even lifetimes before the damage is behind us. 

    There is plenty of blame to go around and there are plenty of people to do the blaming.  Many of us, our families and friends, are directly affected by the spill.  My own wife teaches the children of people who are employed by BP.  Some of us are in strategic positions of leadership to influence decisions about the cleanup of this spill and the future of offshore drilling.

    Whatever our opportunity to make a difference may be, Christians everywhere are concerned for the protection of living creatures and ecosystems that are affected by this disaster.  As stewards of creation, all of us are called to pray about this situation.  We are in need of divine guidance so that our actions will match our prayers.  During the last couple of weeks, I have been led to several prayers in the Book of Common Prayer.  I share them with you in hopes they will help you as they have helped me.

    For fruitful seasons

    Almighty God, Lord of heaven and earth: We humbly pray
    that your gracious providence may give and preserve to our
    use the harvests of the land and of the seas, and may prosper
    all who labor to gather them, that we, who are constantly
    receiving good things from your hand, may always give you
    thanks; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
    with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

    For stewardship of creation

    O merciful Creator, your hand is open wide to satisfy the
    needs of every living creature: Make us always thankful for
    your loving providence; and grant that we, remembering the
    account that we must one day give, may be faithful stewards
    of your good gifts; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who with
    you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, for ever
    and ever.  Amen.

    For Knowledge of God’s Creation

    Almighty and everlasting God, you made the universe with
    all its marvelous order, its atoms, worlds, and galaxies, and
    the infinite complexity of living creatures: Grant that, as we
    probe the mysteries of your creation, we may come to know
    you more truly, and more surely fulfill our role in your
    eternal purpose; in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    For the Conservation of Natural Resources

    Almighty God, in giving us dominion over things on earth,
    you made us fellow workers in your creation: Give us wisdom
    and reverence so to use the resources of nature, that no one
    may suffer from our abuse of them, and that generations yet
    to come may continue to praise you for your bounty; through
    Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.
     
    For the Harvest of Lands and Waters

    O gracious Father, who openest thine hand and fillest all
    things living with plenteousness:  Bless the lands and waters,
    and multiply the harvests of the world; let thy Spirit go
    forth, that it may renew the face of the earth; show thy
    loving kindness, that our land may give her increase; and
    save us from selfish use of what thou givest, that men and
    women everywhere may give thee thanks; through Christ
    our Lord.  Amen.

    For the Future of the Human Race

    O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us
    dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before
    the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes
    for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in
    making provision for its future in accordance with your will;
    through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

    And, finally, there is a very special prayer composed by my colleague and dear friend, The Rev. Lillian W. Hyde, Rector of St. George's Episcopal Church in Texas City, Texas. Several of her parishioners and many of their neighbors work at the nearby BP Refinery.

    Eternal God, we pray for the protection and preservation
    of the Gulf of Mexico and the lands and waters it touches.
    Guide those who labor to contain the oil; strengthen those
    who work to protect land and creatures; have mercy on those
    whose livelihoods will suffer; forgive us for our carelessness,
    and give us wisdom to be good stewards of creation, so that
    generations yet to come may praise you for your bounty. Amen

    For the sake of creation, as we pray, let us so live!

    RDP Short Sig

     

    P.S.  The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church was an oceanographer before she was ordained.  Here is an important message from her regarding the oil spill and our connectedness.


  • In this day and age, is gluttony still a sin?

    Sarah Henning, the Features Editor for the Lawrence Journal-World, asked me to respond to a question for "Faith Forum," which is a weekly Saturday column in which two local religious figures share their views on a topic.  The topic for this week is "In this day and age, is gluttony still a sin?"  I suppose the question is related to the season of Lent.  Here is my response:


    If sin is seeking our own will instead of God’s will, thereby distorting our relationship with God, others, and creation itself, and gluttony is overconsumption of the gifts God provides, then in light of what we now know about the impacts of overconsumption, there is more reason than ever to consider gluttony a sin.

    The biblical revelation makes us conscious that we were intended to have a dynamic relationship with our Creator.  The privilege of stewardship is a vocation given to no other creature.  Caring for creation involves consideration for the needs of others.  When my overconsumption (gluttony) results in a shortage of the necessities of life for others whom God also created and loves, my relationship with God, other people, and creation is distorted.

    As much as 64% of the adult U.S. population is overweight.  One-third are obese. The chief causes are simple: eating more food than the body needs, drinking too much alcohol, and getting too little exercise.  The impact on healthcare alone is startling. Studies indicate that increases in the prevalence of obesity in the U.S. accounts for 12% of the growth in health spending.

    Our appetites are enormous in a world where people are starving. The World Health Organization estimates that one-third of the world is well-fed, one-third is under-fed, and one-third is starving.  During the time you’ve been reading this, at least 200 people have died of starvation. Over 4 million will die this year.

    This condition is a distortion of God’s vision. To live my life in a gluttonous way contributes to the perpetuation of the distortion.  So, yes, gluttony is still a sin.  Since I’m 20 lb. overweight, I’m among the sinners and need to repent. Better stewardship of the body God has given me expresses love for God and for my neighbor.

    Ron


    P.S. The following sources were helpful to me in preparing my response and I commend them to others who are exploring the relationship between gluttony, obesity, and world hunger.

    Obesity in America

    Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    An End to World Hunger: Hope for the Future

    World Health Organization: Millennium Development Goals

  • Do prayers really help?

    We've been asked to pray for those who are suffering in Haiti and those who have gone to their aid.  People have been praying for a member of our parish who is a Haitian student living in Lawrence.  A mother came by the office yesterday to place her daughter's name on the prayer list because she has gone to Haiti to help out in the relief effort.

    Do our prayers really help?

    The following message from former Presiding Bishop Ed Browning speaks to this question.

    "Almighty God, you have promised to hear the petitions of those who ask in your Son's Name…"     (For the answering of prayer, BCP p. 834)

    Some researcher somewhere has determined that people who pray, or who have people praying for them, have such-and-such better chance of recovery from gallstones than people who don't. Good. I often pray that sick people will get well.

    But I also pray for many people who don't get better. If my prayers do not turn these things into the releases and healings for which I long, does that mean they've failed? Does it mean I didn't pray right? Didn't pray hard enough? Only if the narrow test of immediate historical change is the only test of prayer's efficacy. If the only useful prayer is a prayer that works right here and right now, in just the way I want it to work, we're in trouble.

    Prayer is not a way to get around human sorrow, a special incantation that produces a desired result God would otherwise withhold from us. It is a thread of holy energy that binds us together. It enables the communion of my soul with the souls of others, whether I know them or not. "I could feel myself lifted by all the prayers," someone will often tell me after a serious illness. Get enough of these holy threads wrapped around a person, and she will feel them, quite apart from the issue of whether or not she gets what she wants.
     
    – From A Year of Days with the Book of Common Prayer by Bishop Edmond Lee Browning.

    May God use our prayers as a "thread of holy energy that binds us together" with one another and all those for whom we offer prayers!

    Ron

  • Sermon for January 17, 2010

    Here is my sermon for January 17, 2010.

    Ron

  • Where is God in the Haitian Earthquake?

    Evangelist Pat Robertson said earlier this week that he believes the earthquake in Haiti is the result of a pact with the devil made by Haitians long ago.  Here is a thoughtful response to Mr. Robertson's viewpoint.  I hope it lifts your heart and strengthens your confidence in our compassionate God.

  • Prayers for Haiti

    Tuesday's devastating earthquake in Haiti has sent shock waves around the world.  We've asked our people to pray and we are asking for contributions for Episcopal Relief and Development to sustain their efforts on behalf of the people of Haiti.  Other people in other churches and in other countries, heads of state and legislative bodies, rescue and military personnel, health professionals and engineers – all sorts and conditions of people -  are responding in ways that show us the spirit of compassion knows no boundaries.

    Haiti Cathedral Wedding at Cana The Episcopal Diocese of Haiti is the largest diocese in the Episcopal Church with somewhere between  100,000 and 150,000 members in 168 congregations.  Yet they have only 40 Priests and one Bishop.  Many of our churches, including Holy Trinity Cathedral and School have been destroyed.  I have posted the photo of a mural in Holy Trinity Cathedral, Port au Prince, painted by a Haitian artist.  I was inspired by this mural when I visited Haiti in 1972 and lived for a week in St. Peter's Episcopal School.  The mural depicts Jesus' first miracle at Cana, this Sunday's gospel.

    Even in the best of times, the people of Haiti struggle, living in the poorest country in the hemisphere.  Now this.

    We will pray for the people of Haiti and those who are helping them.  Our prayers are powerful because the One to whom we pray is powerful. "Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested" (Hebrews 2:18).  The words of William Bright's hymn sum it up,

    At your feet, O Christ, we lay / your own gift of this new day; / Doubt of what it holds in store / Makes us crave your aid the more; / Even in a time of loss, /Mark, it Savior, with your Cross.

    And, among our prayers will be the appeal that the Savior of us all will show us how to become a part of the answer to our prayers for those who are hurting.

    Ron

  • January 1, 2010

    Hour Glass

    The top of the hour glass is full again.

    Maybe today really is different in certain ways.

    I'll look more closely today and tomorrow.

    Maybe there will be some e-piphanies.

    Ron

  • Will the “New Year” really be “New?”

    As I sit here on New Year's Eve, reflecting on 2009 and the past decade, with enormous help from the media, I'm faced with this question:  Will the new year really be new?

    What's the difference between December 31 and January 1?  Really?  Will January 1 be any different from December 30 or June 30 or last January 1?  Why is it we make such a fuss over the changing of the year or the decade, for that matter?

    The fact of the matter is that even those among us who are most committed to maintaining the status quo will be engaged in some degree of revelry tonight.  I suspect even many of the "stay the course" brigade will have a list of resolutions.  Our lists might include things like losing weight, getting more exercise, having a healthier diet, doing a better job of recycling, gaining discipline in attending worship and saying our prayers, spending more time with the family, reading more books, joining Facebook, and being a generally all around nicer person.

    I have friends who are dead set against new year's resolutions.  They believe having them only sets one up for failure.  That may be so, but then any resolutions, goals, or objectives do the same thing, don't they?  Any attempt at change, growth, or progress involves some risk of failure.  I happen to like resolutions because I believe it is better to fail trying to do something worthy than to succeed trying to do nothing.

    So, with or without resolutions, I ask again, how will January 1 be any different than December 31 or any other day?

    If there is a difference, maybe it is one of perception.  The slate is not really going to be wiped clean, but we like to try to see it that way. And, in so doing, perhaps there is at least some extra room for something new to emerge in our consciousness, in our pattern of behavior, or in our way of life.  Maybe, just maybe, looking at this particular tomorrow opens up room for something new and different. If that happens, we may understand God's words to the Prophet Isaiah, "I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? (Isa. 43:19)"

    So, I'm going make some resolutions.  And, I'm going to look at January 1 as a different kind of day and as the start of something new – something new in my life and in the lives of those around me – and pray with all my might that God will have something to do with it so that it will not just be up to me and you.  Maybe my first step, or yours, will create space for grace to see things through.

    Ron

  • The Episcopal Church: Here to Help

    091108 001
    Members of Episcopal congregations on Galveston Island are returning to their homes, helping their neighbors, gathering for fellowship, and worshiping together. Teams of Episcopalians from the Diocese of Texas and across the nation are heading here to help us resurrect our lives.

    Grace Church and St. Augustine of Hippo Church are worshiping at their facilities, although there is damage to be addressed.  St. Vincent's Episcopal House is providing assistance and has opened its medical clinic.  The preschool area was inundated and cannot open until remediation and repairs are completed.

    Trinity Church is worshiping at St. George's Church in Texas City this Sunday and will move to the William Temple Episcopal Center next Sunday.  Trinity's parish office is temporarily located in the rector's home, 3017 Avenue O.  Phone and mail is being forwarded to that location.  

    091108 009 Wireless internet access and telephone service are available on the verandah at the rector's house.  There are coolers full of beverages and friendly faces.  It's a respite for those who are attempting to find their way through the complicated process of filing claims and filing with FEMA, interviewing contractors and waiting on permits.

    The presence of our Episcopal community is a reminder of the presence and compassion of God Incarnate in the midst of our loss, our hurt, and our sorrow.  As we say in the ancient prayer, Ubi Caritas, "Where true charity and love dwell, God himself is there."

    The Episcopal Community on Galveston Island is resiliant.  We are watching over one another in love and welcoming those God is sending to us.  Among our people we are witnessing countless acts of 
    mutual self-giving that make our hearts glad.

    Our message is one of hope – The Episcopal Church: Here to Help.