Are you familiar with the Eliot poem The Journey of the Magi? Here is a YouTube video. Eliot with an old recording of Eliot himself reading the poem. Bob Toomey has illustrated the poem as it is being read. Take time to listen and ponder Image via Bing Read more

When I lived in England I had a very illuminating conversation with one of the high ups in my diocese. It happened to be vocations Sunday and I commented on the dearth of vocations to the priesthood. He smiled and said in that smooth way the English have, “Well that depends how you look at it. Many of  don’t believe we have a vocations crisis at all. If anything we have too many priests.” I was shocked because my experience... Read more

The relics of the Magi–Balthasar, Melchior and Caspar are said to reside in this reliquary at Cologne Cathedral in Germany. How did they get there? The relics were first kept at Constantinople and translated to Milan in the mid fourth century. The Holy Roman Emperor Frederick Barbarossa moved them to Cologne in 1164. They’ve been there ever since.  The reliquary was opened in 1864. Here’s what was inside: “In a special compartment of the shrine now there showed – along with... Read more

Dear brothers and sisters, the glory of the Lord has shone upon us, and shall ever be manifest among us, until the day of his return. Through the rhythms of times and seasons let us celebrate the mysteries of salvation. Let us recall the year’s culmination, the Easter Triduum of the Lord: his last supper, his crucifixion, his burial, and his rising celebrated between the evening of the Second day of April and the evening of the Fourth day of... Read more

So Who were the magi and where did they come from? We’re not exactly sure. All we can glean from Matthew’s gospel is that they are called magi or “magicians”, that they came from the East to Jerusalem, and that they had seen a star announcing the birth of the King of the Jews. The gospel doesn’t say there were three wise men. That idea comes from the three gifts they brought. Scholars and pundits have theorized about their identity and... Read more

My first confession was when I was in my late twenties. I was a member of the Church of England and was taking a year between seminary and ordination. I’d done something of which I was deeply ashamed and knew that I wanted to go to confession. As an Evangelical Christian I had been taught that I could just say “Sorry!” to God and that was enough. After all, I was saved and going to heaven so my sins didn’t... Read more

So it is January second. You’re feeling fat and ugly after all the feasting and partying and lazing about. Now the gym owners rub their hands with glee at all the new memberships that will flood in. They’ll sell the bright eyed enthusiasts a years’ membership and know most of them will pack it in after three weeks. Will your resolutions go the same way? I’m going to lose weight. I’m going to drink less. I’m going to stop smoking.... Read more