What we call the beginning is often the end
T. S. Eliot,
And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from.
Endings and Beginnings
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Why Do We Give?
Generosity is a discipline that is of interest to Christians, not just because the church relies chiefly on the generosity of members for its financial resources, but because wealth and the ways we relate to it are such a central part of the Gospel. Jesus talks more about money than he does about any other human institution, so there must be something there that he wants us to hear and understand.
Our spiritual relationship with money and giving is complex, and includes challenging ideas about philanthropy, charity, security, poverty, pride and greed. Today, though, I
And God Laughs
An old adage says that if you want to hear God laugh, tell him your plans.
At one time or another most of us fall into the trap of believing that we have control over our lives and our futures, and that a well-laid plan is the first step toward the outcome we want. We make to-do lists, strategic plans and contingency plans. We tell each other that failing to plan is planning to fail. When reality doesn
We believe
Ceci tuera cela*
Thousands around the world grieved as they watched flames consume the roof and the spire of the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.
A Holy Lent
Every spring, our church invites us
Do you hear the bells?
Vivos voco,
For the time being.
Darkness and snow descend;
The clock on the mantelpiece
Has nothing to recommend,
Nor does the face in the glass
Appear nobler than our own
As darkness and snow descend
On all personality.
W.H. Auden,
Magic
Twenty years ago when the first Harry Potter books were published, they re-ignited a controversy about the proper attitude of Christians toward magic, or more accurately, stories about magic.
Politics as Usual
As political ads begin to shout at us, as we draw closer to the midterm elections in November, there seems to be a new round of questioning about how Christians should vote, or how they should think about political issues, or even whether Christians should take part in the political process at all.