When I am Among Trees

When I am Among Trees

When I am among the trees, especially the willows and the honey locust, equally the beech, the oaks and the pines, they give off such hints of gladness. I would almost say that they save me, and daily. I am so distant from the hope of myself, in which I have goodness, and discernment, and…

Upstream

Upstream

I walked, all one spring day, upstream, sometime in the midst of ripples, sometimes along the shore.  My company were violets, Dutchman’s-breeches, spring beauties, trilliums, bloodroot, ferns rising so curled one could feel the upward push of the delicate hairs upon their bodies.  My companions were downstream, not far away, then father away because I…

How the Light Comes

How the Light Comes

I cannot tell you how the light comes. What I know is that it is more ancient than imagining. That it travels across an astounding expanse to reach us. That it loves searching out what is hidden what is lost what is forgotten or in peril or in pain. That it has a fondness for…

The Wisdom of the Mystics

The Wisdom of the Mystics

We live in a time of both crisis and opportunity. While there are many reasons to be anxious, I still have hope. Westerners, including Christians, are rediscovering the value of nonduality: a way of thinking, acting, reconciling, boundary-crossing, and bridge-building based on inner experience of God and God’s Spirit moving in the world. We’re not…

How Can I Pray?

How Can I Pray?

Do you want to Fast This Lent?  Perhaps Praying is the best way to start. A great way to pray is to look for God’s presence in your life. More than 400 years ago St. Ignatius Loyola encouraged prayer-filled mindfulness by proposing what has been called the Daily Examen. The Examen is a technique of…

A New Beginning

A New Beginning

We must learn to live each day, each hour, and each minute as a new beginning, as a unique opportunity to make everything new, finding “God in all Things” and “Living a Life with Purpose.”  Imagine that we could live each moment as a moment full of possibilities with new life.  Imagine we could live…

Praying

Praying

It doesn’t have to be the be the blue iris, it could be weeds in a vacant lot, or a few small stones; just pay attention, then patch a few words together and don’t try to make them elaborate, it isn’t a contest but the doorway into thanks, and silence in which another may speak….

Embracing Our Doubts

Embracing Our Doubts

As appealing as it is, finding God in all things is not always easy to do.  Living with depth is hard sometimes.  As in any walk of life we can get frustrated or discouraged on our spiritual journey.  When disoriented, we live with purpose, refocusing on our end and ultimate mission.  When distracted, we try…

Be Yourself

Be Yourself

Amidst the noise of the world, always remember to be yourself. Your uniqueness is your power. Embrace who you are and never forget your inherent worth. In the grand tapestry of life, you are an irreplaceable thread. St. Matthew’s Episcopal Church, a place where you can be yourself, where all are welcome.