The Journey of the Maji T. S. Eliot ‘A cold coming we had of it, Just the worst time of the year For a journey, and such a long journey: The ways deep and the weather sharp, The very dead of winter.’ And the camels galled, sorefooted, refractory, Lying down in the melting snow. There were times we regretted The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces, And the silken girls bringing sherbet. Then the camel men cursing and grumbling and... Read more
A CONVERSION OF THE HEART Charles Dickens’ Christmas Carol & the Spirit of Liberal Religion A Christmas Eve Meditation 24 December 2013 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island The other day my favorite pagan blogger Jason Pitzl-Waters observed on his Facebook page, “All I’m saying is that a lot of folks gonna get visited by three ghosts next week.” Three ghosts, four, you get the idea. But, I do think the one Jason didn’t count, or, the... Read more
Today is Christmas Eve. This evening I gird my loins and together with colleagues and friends go to lead two Christmas evening worship services. At five a roiling lovely thing with our children. At nine it gets serious, and hauntingly powerful. And as a Unitarian Universalist minister who when trying to express my stance in life usually reaches for words like nontheist (think atheist without the angst), humanist (think whatever else might be true, our attention needs always to return... Read more
A SOLSTICE SONG The Briefest of Christmas Meditations 22 December 2013 James Ishmael Ford First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Immediately before coming here to Providence not quite six years ago, I served for a number of years at our Unitarian Universalist congregation in Newton, Massachusetts. The church building in Newton is a masterpiece designed by the renowned Gothic revival architect Ralph Adams Cram. In fact I thought I’d never serve in a building quite so magnificent again. As you... Read more
For simple things that are not simple at all For miracles of the common way… Sunrise…Sunset Seedtime…Harvest Hope…Joy…Ecstasy For Grace that turns our intentions into deeds our compassion into helpfulness our pain into mercy For Providence that sustains and supports our needs We lift our hearts in thankfulness and pray only to be more aware and thus more alive. Gordon B. McKeeman I’ve just learned that Gordon McKeeman has died. He was ninety-three. I heard of his death and I... Read more
Gone sitting A few words on going to a Zen retreat. By James Ishmael Ford I don’t usually broadcast that I’m going to a Zen retreat. As an old Zen hand I’m reluctant to tell non-Zen friends, because when I do, too often the response is something along the line of, “Boy, I could use some downtime myself.” Me, too. But that is far from a description of a Zen retreat. My spouse Jan begins preparing a couple of days... Read more
MADIBA: THE SEVERAL FACES OF NELSON MANDELA A Sermon by James Ishmael Ford 12 December 2013 First Unitarian Church Providence, Rhode Island Text I have fought against white domination, and I have fought against black domination. I have cherished the ideal of a democratic and free society in which all persons live together in harmony and with equal opportunities. It is an ideal, which I hope to live for and to achieve. But if needs be, it is an ideal... Read more
There’s a Facebook meme going around inviting people to list their favorite ten books – or, rather ten books that feel significant in one’s life without deeply thinking about it. I’ve noticed among my friends the larger majority list as one of those most important the Tao Te Ching, that lovely little book of aphorisms from the mists of Chinese antiquity. Attributed to Laozi (or, from my generation Lao Tzu), putatively a librarian in the royal court. The biggest problem... Read more
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