Where are you taking me?

Recently, in the Yahoo’s “Shine” section, I came across an article entitled, “Facebook Billionaire’s Girlfriend Priscilla Chan Has Big Week Too (and Not Because of Mark’s Money.) The story goes on to congratulate Zuckerberg’s  long time girlfriend, Priscilla Chan, upon her graduation with a medical degree (with honors) from the University of California, San Francisco’s School of Medicine. The feature also shows how she is responsible for the new Organ Donation program included in Facebook profiles. As expected, the story reference recent news of Facebook’s entry into the stock market with her boyfriend garnishing a 21 billion dollar profit.

Mention is made that two years ago there was rumor of the couple’s engagement, but this had not turned into a reality, suggesting that with the couple living together they have ” a new improved model for the so-called billionaire’s wife…make that partner. ” Read More �

 Delivered at St. George’s Episcopal Church, La Canada, CA

4 Easter:  April 29, 2012

John 14:1-9  
1 Corinthians 15:35-38, 42-44, 50-55 

St. Peter is showing a newcomer around heaven, and as they walk down a large hallway there doors on both sides of the great hall. St. Peter opens one door where they hear “B-Nine…..G-Fifty-eight……I-Twenty-Four.” “That’s the Roman Catholics,” St. Peter says.

Down the hallway he opens another door which reveals a beautifully decorated banquet hall with a matched table setting; even the color of the napkins denotes a hint of the bouquet of flowers adorning each table. People are tastefully dressed, mingling to the strains of Mozart’s Eine kleine Nachtmusik. “Who are they?” asks the newcomer. “Oh, says St. Peter, “those are Episcopalians.”

As the tour continues, they come across another door which is locked, with do not disturb and do not enter signs plastered all across the front. “Shhhhh,” says St. Peter….those are the Mormons…they think they’re the only ones up here.” Read More �

March 6, 2002 I almost died from self induced alcohol poisoning. Though this was a major event, it is not the story, the story is what happened after. If I had not recovered, my life would have become a statistic, and to those who might have been hurt because of my disease, I would have become a painful sigh.

Anyone reading this has known at least one or more people of painful sighs. They are persons who, for any various set of reasons, are unable to reach some measure of their fuller potential. I am not speaking of the potential we or society may place on someone; that’s something entirely different. I am speaking of the person who has such high expectations set up for themselves with visions so high and exalted that when the specter of inadequacy meets reality, the pain becomes so intolerable the only way to repulse it is to seek perpetual numbness. At least that’s the truth from this alcoholic. Read More �

Felix, my partner, had never experienced the flavors, and the brilliance of Julia Child’s famous recipe for Coq au vin. So, as a New Year’s Eve treat, I decided to make this dish from her world renown book, “Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Vol. I.” Though Coq au vin has become associated with gourmet cooking, it is basically a chicken stew cooked in wine, and comes from a humble origin. My person take on the recipe is to add an extra two cloves of garlic, and to prepare the dish a day in advance, allowing it to sit in the refrigerator over night, allowing the ingredients to merge, and reach a peak of flavor. At first taste, Felix’s eyes lit up, and he gasped as though he were given the gift of newly minted taste buds.

As we ate our New Year’s Eve dinner, we began to talk about Julia, and how she was one of the first to systematically prepare recipes so that if directions were followed, they would taste the same each time. Each measurement had been tested, and researched so that anyone who prepared food from her cookbook would achieve the desired taste. Julia also wished to create dishes with ingredients anyone could find in a supermarket without having to shop at specialty stores. Outside the fact that she created a fantastic cookbook, she brought French Cuisine to the masses.

After  our meal was consumed, and after dishes were washed, and put away, I came to realize that through our conversation, we were actually giving thanks, and blessing the gift of a human life, acknowledging a personal gift for a life’s work. When we offer thanks to Julia Child, we are at the same time thanking God for the brilliance of creation, and the glorious gift of an other human being’s time and talent and impact on our lives.

With the new year upon us, let us remember in our own way, each time we think of a good, each time we speak well of someone, whether it be their work, or just being a friend, and neighbor, we are offering a secret blessing.

Let us hope, that this year, we are more aware of how much thanks we truly have, and how important gratitude is in the wake of every day life. We may find the lives of many filled with a bounty of blessings.

Latin American theologian Leonardo Boff once said that the Holy Spirit always works in groups. His statement, I believe, is true, and is evident within the Occupy Movements springing up in cities across the  United States and the world.

If there is a mantra to the movement, it seems to be centered around the concept that 1 percent of people have the money to buy power and retain control over the remaining 99 percent of humanity.  As far as I can tell, no solutions have been expressed, and no demands have been made. It’s a movement without centralized leadership, but the message expressed is strong:  those who have, have too much and the powers that be are complacent, allowing one small fraction of humanity to flourish while the remaining 99 percent struggles.  If the reader thinks slavery is no longer viable, think again.  Slavery is flourishing under the name of consumerism entirely backed by corporations, and the banking industry.

The Occupy Movement is, on the whole, secular. I would venture to say that few involved could, if pressed, place a theological name on anything taking place.  The movement, however, has strong theological implications. One connection to be made can be found in The Lord’s Prayer:

“Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your Name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. “

Aside from the patriarchal nature of the word “Father”, which was natural in the century in which the prayer was written, the sub-text of the word “Father” denotes a leader, the head of a household. Since God is holy, we are then reminded that we are not given the name for God as this Father is beyond our capacity to know in the fullness of being. It was believed knowing a person’s name gives up some of their power. God is hallowed (holy, set apart) so we are not given a chance to take from God any power. As the one who is hallowed, and head of the cosmic household we pray God’s will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. What then is God’s will? What is God’s kingdom?

A theme which permeates Biblical Literature is what John Dominic Crossan calls “distributive justice.” This is not justice as we know from judicial courts, but justice in the form of all people free of want, all given according to their need — not out of personal emotive gluttony, but enough to flourish. This is very much in tune with what the Occupy Movement. If this movement is truly an act of the Holy Spirit, then it must not ask for justice in the name of retribution, but a paradigm alteration exploring what it means to have “enough.” It is asking us to define, within God’s kingdom, the meaning of having enough. What is enough, and can we live within these boundaries. It is asking us to consider, or reconsider the meaning of success.

The Lord’s Prayer bids, “give us today our daily bread.” I highlight the word “today”, as it appears that some people, or corporate entities feel as though having daily bread means that it should be enough to last three life times, and should also include the bread of their neighbors, or for that matter, the bread of other countries as well. The famous prayer merely asks for enough bread for today building upon the trust that there will be enough daily bread for the next day as well.

At the present time it is not known if the wellspring Occupy Movement will last. I highly doubt it will become a political movement  and I don’t think it was intended to become an organized political entity. But, as a theological expression, the cries of the people are viable enough to push against the rampart of the one percent, displaying cracks in this fortress of gluttony.

Your Kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread.

I am amazed as to how our special service, Celebrating National Coming Out Day, has grown. In 2004 we began holding the service in the chapel at St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church, Huntington Beach, CA with about 25 people attending. This year we held the service at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Long Beach, CA with almost 200 people in attendance.  2011 marked the second time a Bishop of the church officiated with the Rt. Rev. Mary Glasspool leading the service, and offering a homily.

Our service revolves around four people sharing their coming out experience as it pertains to their faith journey. All four of the people speaking this year touched each and every person in attendance with their honesty, and their struggle, but each story ended on a positive note which in some ways included their hope to be honest with themselves, and people they come into contact, and at the same time sharing their life within a community of faith.

Music is a key element to the service as after each person speaks, and as the people in attendance ask for God’s blessing on their journey of faith, an anthem is sung allowing people a chance to reflect on what they heard. Christopher Gravis, an extremely talented choral conductor put together a stellar group of singers from all over the southland. The anthems selected were fresh, and unique. Two of the musical pieces are a gift from God.  Frank Tichelli’s opus, “There Will Be Rest” is the kind of music which draws you inward, offering an opportunity to rest with the holy. As people make their way to the high altar, to offer prayers written on slips of paper, the choir sang this remarkable work by Johnathan Dove “Seek Him that Maketh the Seven Stars.” As people made their way to the holy space, the choir intoned the text “Seek him….seek him…seek him.”

This service always includes a dramatic story, and this year was no different. I was told, after the service, that a mother and a daughter were in the congregation, but seated on opposite isles of the church. After the sharing of four stories, a few hymns, and Bishop Glasspool’s homily, the mother and daughter reunited, reconciling their differences, sitting together arm in arm.

Each year I am told of these touching stories, stories of reconciliation, of transformation, and of hope. This year people were told they were to Shine…and shine they did. All throughout the service people, maybe some for the first time, were introduced to God’s “YES!”

Delivered at St. Wilfrid of York Episcopal Church, Huntington Beach, CA on July 3, 2011

Zechariah 9:9-12
Song of Solomon 2:8-13
Romans 7:15-25a
Matthew 11:16-19, 25-30

I have to admit; I really, really miss the beach.  Since I was ten years old, I’ve enjoyed looking out at the ocean at sunrise, when the morning breaks through last strains of the night. And as I thought about this experience, and our readings for today, I realized that the writings found in the bible are enormous and deep like the ocean, filled with the wealth of thought, ideas, stories, lessons, and deep ambiguities.

If we take into account the matrix surrounding today’s gospel reading, we become aware that Matthew is talking about something more than a comparison of John the Baptist and Jesus. There is more going over and above John’s message saying that the Kingdom is coming, and Jesus claiming that the Kingdom has come. In fact, we really have four kingdoms in tension with one another! Read More �

Los Angeles Times Headline, June 13, 2011

Growing up, I remember when newspapers routinely included a person’s race as part of a news story. For example, an article might begin this way:

“Ronald Jones, black male age 23, was arrested today out side Johnny’s Liquor Store along the 2300 block of 6th and Temple in Los Angeles.”

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Delivered at St. George’s Episcopal Church on June 5, 2011

- Honoring Grads -

Psalm 68:4-5, 33-36, Luke 24:44-53, Ephesians 1:15-23

And so it had come to pass….the events predicted over these past 3 to 4 years had come true….it is finished, and it was time to rejoice. The anxieties were greatly diminished, and the future was bright, and clear…the sky was blue……yes, I had just graduated from High School!

The next morning I had lucked out; I had the house to myself. I was all alone, and to this day remember waking up late, confidently walking into the day feeling new, and transformed.

I remember playing the original Broadway cast album from the hit show 1776. Basking in the march-like overture, I could inwardly sense a kindred parallel between the birth of a new nation, and my own private declaration of independence; a break from the past, and looking with confidence toward the future.

I walked out the front door into what seemed like the first warm strains of a glorious summer, and looking out at the patchy white clouds of the late morning sky, reality took hold, and slapped me square on the face…….oh no….yes, community college starts in the fall, but…….what am I going to do next?
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Boy, it’s been a while! I didn’t conceive of this blog to be a personal diary, but I thought I would share an aspect of my life which has turned out to be quite interesting. In March of 2010 I was told by my landlord that he was planning on selling his home, and that he no longer wished to rent his back house; a place where I had lived for three years.  This gave me a month to find a new place to live. Needless to say, I was in a panic to find something I could afford, but was also clean, and somewhat safe. I was then surprised to find an offer from two wonderful snowbird parishioners who invited me to look after their house during the summer. So, from March through December, I was happily ensconced at their small and cozy home in Montrose. Read More �