The unseen presence at the British Royal Wedding this past week was the mother whose untimely death and whose colorful persona shaped the choices and character of her son, William, second in line to the throne. As if there were not merely a  physical resemblance in her son, Diana was represented there, tacitly, by selections of jewelry, designers, location and even the  hymn sung. Her mothering left an indelible imprint on her son and on those around him . Next... Read more

It is Holy Saturday and I am quietly resting in the turn of the season, finished with the tensions of Lent and Holy Week, awaiting the dawn of Eastertide in the morning. Something shifted in me yesterday when I heard the words of Jesus: “Into your hands, I commit my spirit…it is finished.” I realized how much anxiety I had been holding these past 40 days and more. This year the pain and sin of the world has seems all... Read more

I feel very resistant to the drama at the start of this Holy Week! There is too much drama all around: last minute budget compromises; last-minute plans for coups and/or saving face by political leaders; people crying “wolf, wolf” when there is no wolf. So Palm Sunday doesn’t feel very auspicious for me as it approaches with its planned acts of theater, the madding crown mentality, the reactive keepers of the way-things-are. Too much of life seems to dramatic already!... Read more

Lent 5:                                                                                                                                        Mark 10: 32-45 Christ our Lord, you refused the way of... Read more

Lent 4:   Mothering Sunday                                                                        Isaiah 66: 10, 11, 13 Janet Morley in her All Desire’s Known takes me is a different direction this week. In the United Kingdom in some church traditions, Lent 4 is known as Mothering Sunday or Laetare Sunday. It originated... Read more

Lent 3                                                                                                                      Matthew 16: 21-26 Jesus, our brother, you followed the necessary path and are broken on our behalf. May we neither... Read more

Lent 2: Luke 19: 41-48 Spirit of truth and judgement, who alone can exorcise the powers that grip our world, at the point of crisis give us your discernment, that we may accurately name what is evil, and know the ways that lead to peace. Evil shows up is two of the most well-known prayers of Christian people: from the 23rd Psalm, I will fear no evil; and from the Lord’s prayer, deliver us from evil. But Janet Morley’s prayer for... Read more

I entered this Lenten season feeling in need of a teacher. In this culture of multiple blogs and connections, (to which I am contributing), it was hard to sort through all the offerings in front of me to light on ONE where I might focus for this journey. I pulled a book written in 1988 by Janet Morley, from the United Kingdom, that I bought in England in the ’90s, off my shelf.  Morley worked professionally for Christian Aid and then... Read more

In a few days the season of Lent will begin, a process of preparing for the holy week leading to Easter. It is a process of reflecting on one’s own life, particularly looking at the things that one needs to let go of or get rid of or unload, to clear the way for the new resurrection life that the the Risen Christ brings. However, before I begin that journey, in light of the losses I have encountered in this... Read more

Retreating to a spiritual center is a life-giving enterprise for anyone who needs to take a deep breath, to be still or to “come apart and rest for awhile,” as Jesus was wont to do. I traveled with a group that meets monthly to the Immaculate Heart Center in Santa Barbara for three days this past week, and was given fresh breath, still waters and deep rest. Beyond those treasures, however, was another lesson in the beauty of holiness and... Read more