The Road Ahead

Dear Good People of Trinity,  

As we stand on the threshold of a new year, we will most assuredly reflect upon all that was and all that was not in this past year. Each year changes us, shapes us, and forms us. Sometimes, in dramatic and visible ways, and other times, the changes are quite subtle and go seemingly unnoticed. As time passes, we are becoming a new creation. The realities of life wash over us like the flowing of a river cutting its way through the land and, over time, shaping and changing the contours of the terrain as it finds its way to its destination.  

As we ready ourselves to begin this new year, I share with you one of my favorite prayers from Thomas Merton. This prayer brings me great comfort as we live with the uncertainties of life. For as much as we may like to think we have some kind of control, the truth is we have very little. How we live amid all that life brings to us defines who we are, and knowing that God is with us every step of the way changes everything.

“My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think that I am following your will does not mean that I am actually doing so. But I believe that the desire to please you does in fact please you. And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing. I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire. And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road, though I may know nothing about it. Therefore will I trust you always, though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death. I will not fear, for you are ever with me, and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.” -Thomas Merton, Thoughts in Solitude  

For all that was, for all that is, and for all that is yet to be – Thanks be to God!   Peace and Blessings,

Are We Ready?

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,  

Tomorrow, our Advent journey comes to a close, and we transition swiftly and seamlessly into the celebration of the Nativity of our Lord. In our case at Trinity Church, this will happen between the 8 AM Advent IV service and the first service of Christmas Eve at noon. The hangings will change. The vestments will change. The readings, hymns, and prayers will change. The Baby Jesus will find his way to the creche. We will transition from expectation and preparation to a celebration of the truth of the Incarnation of God’s word made flesh in Jesus.  

However, the transition is so much more than changing hangings, colors, readings, and hymns. This transition is about changing our hearts, souls, minds, and lives. For Christ has been born, and that truth changes everything about who we are, who we can be, what the world is, and what the world can be and indeed will be in and through the redemptive love of Jesus.  

And we must remember that Christ came not to celebrate the perfection of the world but to redeem its brokenness. Christ came not because of our successes and achievements but rather quite the contrary because of the truth of our tears, fears, longings, and loneliness. So, I ask you and me and all of us - Are we ready? Are we ready to allow Christ into those places of our lives where light so desperately needs to shine? Are we ready to let Christ’s loving hand touch the places where pain and resentment reside? Are we ready to allow Christ into our hearts so we might not only believe in Christ but trust in Christ? Are we ready to go to the manger and see in the innocence of an infant the power to change the world, the source of life that animates all of creation, the one in whom and through whom we are saved? Are we ready?      

Christmas blessings to all,

Christmas Pageant

Dear Good People of Trinity,  

This Sunday is the joyous celebration of our annual Christmas Pageant, a time when the youngest members of our church family not only narrate the story of our Savior's birth but also breathe life into its very essence. They don't just tell the tale; they embody it, infusing it with vibrancy and life. Their portrayal of gentle lambs, angels, shepherds, and figures like Gabriel, Mary, Joseph, brings the story alive for us in new and wonderful ways.  

In their roles, the children extend an invitation for us not merely to witness but to actively discover our own roles within the beauty and power of the Christmas story. Moreover, they invite us to discern our place in the ongoing narrative of God and God’s people. As the children transition through the roles of the pageant, so do we, as we mature and evolve in our faith. This becomes a living testament to the dynamic nature of our spiritual journey, as God continually works within us in unexpected and transformative ways.   I invite you to join us this Sunday, not just to hear the familiar recounting of our Savior's birth but to fully immerse yourself in the profound experience. Come, discover your role in the ongoing narrative of healing in our world. Your presence is not merely that of an audience; you are the living words of the ever-unfolding story.  

Advent Blessings to all,

Advent Credo

I love this poem by Allan Boesak.  It speaks to the mystery of Advent, and particularly to the reality of the in-breaking of Christ into our lives in a profound way. Allan Boesak  is a South African pastor and theologian in the Dutch Reformed Church, politician, anti-apartheid activist, and author. This poem is taken from his book Walking on Thorns. As you read these words, I invite you to reflect on how Advent challenges us to hope; yes even hope against hope.

Advent Credo

It is not true that creation and the human family are doomed to destruction and loss—
This is true: For God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life;

It is not true that we must accept inhumanity and discrimination, hunger and poverty, death and destruction—
This is true: I have come that they may have life, and that abundantly.

It is not true that violence and hatred should have the last word, and that war and destruction rule forever—
This is true: Unto us a child is born, unto us a Son is given, and the government shall be upon his shoulder, his name shall be called wonderful councilor, mighty God, the Everlasting, the Prince of peace.

It is not true that we are simply victims of the powers of evil who seek to rule the world—
This is true: To me is given authority in heaven and on earth, and lo I am with you, even until the end of the world.

It is not true that we have to wait for those who are specially gifted, who are the prophets of the Church before we can be peacemakers—
This is true: I will pour out my spirit on all flesh and your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions and your old men shall have dreams.

It is not true that our hopes for liberation of humankind, of justice, of human dignity of peace are not meant for this earth and for this history—
This is true: The hour comes, and it is now, that the true worshipers shall worship God in spirit and in truth.

So let us enter Advent in hope, even hope against hope. Let us see visions of love and peace and justice. Let us affirm with humility, with joy, with faith, with courage: Jesus Christ—the life of the world.

The Way Things Should Be

“O that you would tear open the heavens and come down, so that the mountains would quake at your presence--

as when fire kindles brushwood and the fire causes water to boil--

to make your name known to your adversaries, so that the nations might tremble at your presence!”

These verses from Isaiah 64 will be the first words of Scripture that we hear on Sunday, at the beginning of a new liturgical year. They are words that not only announce God’s coming as a righteous judge, but that long for it and even plead for it. Advent, as the season that simultaneously looks towards the Incarnation (Jesus’ first coming) and the second coming at the end of all things, is a time when these notes of God’s judgment are inescapable. It can be uncomfortable to contemplate, especially when we think of God’s judgment as the same kind of judgment that we experience now from other humans. 

But what if we take God’s difference from us seriously? What if we started thinking of God’s judgment – that wrath to come, as John the Baptist says – not as an act of God’s violence against us, but as the act of a holy God that puts an end to violence once and for all? Isaiah’s vision of God’s kingdom certainly leads us to that conclusion: “The wolf shall live with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the kid, the calf and the lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze, their young shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. The nursing child shall play over the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put its hand on the adder's den. They will not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain; for the earth will be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.”

In these days of Advent we see the love of God for this world. This is a love so complete that in God’s good time “the way things are” will be transformed into “the way things should be.”  It is a love so complete that we will know conclusively that the only possible logic of the world is one of peace, of harmony, of new life, of love and redemption. We will know this because the knowledge of God’s truth will fill the world. No longer will we see dimly or guess at God’s designs. We will know at long last what Julian of Norwich saw in her vision: “Would you know your Lord's meaning? Know it well, love was his meaning. Who showed it to you? Love. What did he show you? Love.” This indeed is something to prepare for – not just by decorating our homes and getting all the festive foods ready, but by making a path in our hearts. 

Yours faithfully in Christ,

The Rev. Cn. Dr. Kara Slade

The power to bless!

Dear Good People of Trinity Church,

In his book, To Bless the Space Between Us, John O’Donohue writes:

“In the parched deserts of postmodernity a blessing can be like the discovery of a fresh well. It would be lovely if we could rediscover our power to bless one another. I believe each of us can bless. When a blessing is invoked, it changes the atmosphere. Some of the plenitude flows into our hearts from the invisible neighborhood of loving kindness. In the light and reverence of blessing, a person or situation becomes illuminated in a completely new way. In a dead wall a new window opens, in dense darkness a path starts to glimmer, and into a broken heart healing falls like morning dew. It is ironic that so often we continue to live like paupers though our inheritance of spirit is so vast. The quiet eternal that dwells in our souls is silent and subtle; in the activity of blessing it emerges to embrace and nurture us. Let us begin to learn how to bless one another. Whenever you give a blessing, a blessing returns to enfold you.”

May we, on this Thanksgiving Day, find ourselves filled with gratitude for the many gifts that God has given us, and in doing so rediscover our power to bless one another. Undoubtedly changed, may God’s loving kindness and blessing flow abundantly from our hearts in all that we do and say so that the parched deserts of this world will overflow with the wellspring of God’s love.

Happy Thanksgiving,

Paul

A Litany of Thanksgiving

Let us give thanks to God for all the gifts so freely bestowed upon us.
For the beauty and wonder of your creation, in earth and sky and sea.
We thank you, Lord.
For all that is gracious in our lives, revealing the image of Christ,
We thank you, Lord.
For our daily food and drink, our homes and families, and our friends,
We thank you, Lord.
For minds to think, and hearts to love, and hands to serve,
We thank you, Lord.
For health and strength to work, and leisure to rest and play,
We thank you, Lord.
For the brave and courageous, who are patient in suffering and faithful in adversity,
We thank you, Lord.
For all valiant seekers after truth, liberty, and justice,
We thank you, Lord.
For the communion of saints, in all times and places,
We thank you, Lord.
Above all, we give you thanks for the great mercies and promises given to us in Christ Jesus our Lord;
To God be praise and glory, with you, O Father, and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen.

Collect for Thanksgiving Day

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Call to Prayer

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

This past Sunday, we had an inspiring Adult Forum where we engaged openly and honestly in conversation about the current complexities of the world in which we live. This dialogue was prompted by the recent violence in Gaza, serving as another painful reminder that war and violence have sadly been recurring themes in our shared human history - the ongoing Ukraine and Russia crisis is yet another graphic example of our inability to coexist peacefully. And still, many other regions around the globe have violence and atrocities just as painful and horrific but often do not make international headlines. So, where do we go from here? What do we do? What does it do to our souls? 

It's entirely understandable that people grow tired of hearing well-intentioned promises of prayer. As Christians, however, prayer is a cornerstone of our faith. Prayer informs us, shapes us, and sustains us as we strive to embody the enduring hope of Christ that is in us. 

Therefore, prayer is exactly what I'm asking all of us to do. I'm asking everyone in the parish to intentionally offer the Prayer for the Human Family each day for the foreseeable future. May its words shape, inform, and challenge us as we find our way forward with the fervent hope that one glorious day, its words and intention will be realized. 

Prayer for the Human Family

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us; unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in your good time, all nations and peoples may serve you in harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Forward in Faith!

Peace and blessings to all,

For more information about the Episcopal Church and the conflict in Gaza, visit:

https://www.episcopalnewsservice.org/2023/10/24/anglican-leaders-call-for-global-support-of-diocese-of-jerusalems-ministries-as-war-intensifies/

The Right and The Good

When I am feeling particularly self-righteous, my friend Dave asks me:

“Wesley, would you rather be right or would you rather be happy,” and I’m embarrassed to say that my initial response is usually “Yes.”

This past week, I posted something on social media that I was convinced was “right” (I am sure I am not alone in this).  An acquaintance commented very strongly that they thought my post was inappropriate and offensive. And my first thought was “But I’m right.” People in 12 step recovery often talk about “restraint of pen and tongue,” and I might add, thumbs. Does it need to be said? Does it need to be said right now? Does it need to be said by me?

The gift of social media, especially platforms like FaceBook and X, is that we have immediate and instant access to content and news that even 25 years could have taken weeks to trickle down to us. Actress Carrie Fisher once quipped, “The problem with instant gratification is that it takes too long.” We live in a world where everything can be at our fingertips at Amazon Prime speed. But what do we lose?

I am currently in discernment for priesthood in the Episcopal Church. It’s not a quick fix , fast-track, done deal. It’s a process. In fact, our recently consecrated Bishop ofNew Jersey, Bishop Sally French, has put the entire process on hold while she prayerfully and carefully reviews and considers the steps and procedures that lead to ordination. Now, as a newly minted seminary graduate and your newly employed Lay Pastoral Associate; and as someone who is closer to Baby Boomer than Millennial, I could be anxious and nervous about who what when where and how “my” time will come. Or, I could be appreciative of the opportunity God has given me to more deeply ponder and consider the vocation I truly believe I am called to.  The choice is mine. Which choice will bring me more peace? And more importantly, which choice will make me a better priest?

Every day, we are given the choice between right and happy. And often we don’t even take a breath before we plunge into opinions and arguments that are out of our depth, or nastily debate issues that require far more context and nuance than can be reduced to a 280 character tweet. And I want to be clear that I am not at all saying that we don’t have the right to our beliefs and convictions. Many times we need to forcefully passionately take sides. But when we take the dive into the abyss of our surety, our chances of meaningful conversation and dialogue vanish. Alone in our “rightness.”

Proverbs 17:19 says, “Whoever loves a quarrel loves sin.” And Jesus said, “No one is good—except God alone.” (Luke 18:19).

Oh, and I deleted the post. And apologized. To God be the Glory.