prayer
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Enjoying within thankfulness
In his book Letters to Malcom, C.S. Lewis writes about adoration. Not Eucharistic adoration practiced among some Roman Catholics, but the “experience” of “the tiny theophany” in everyday enjoyment and pleasure. The sweet air that whispers of the country from… Continue reading
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Trees, Tolkien, and prayer
This morning I spent my prayer time in the forest. The winter was long, and we got record amounts of snow, so the forest path near me (which is part of a state park) was been mostly inaccessible since early… Continue reading
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Praying with politics
As a rule, I do not talk about politics as a priest. I post my opinions and thoughts on my Facebook, which I see as private, but when I’m acting as a priest, and especially when I have my collar… Continue reading
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Can I wander without being lost?
“Prone to wander, Lord I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.” “Not all who wander are lost.” Two very different views of wandering! The first quote is from the hymn “Come thou font of every blessing.” If… Continue reading
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Talking to God when you have a cold
Over the centuries, people have found God in the most troubling of times, and stories of martyrs and saints can give us great strength to get through our own lives, but goodness gracious is it hard to pray with a… Continue reading
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Handling spiritual depression
Last night I attended an awards ceremony organized by InterFaith Works. InterFaith is a great group that serves a lot of needy populations around Syracuse, from the poor and hungry to recent immigrants. They help organize food pantries, run classes… Continue reading
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Sometimes I wish Lent were in the fall
There are some books that are just perfect for the fall. I think The Hobbit is one of them, but I think that any new book or old favorite is just begging to be read during the fall. There’s something… Continue reading
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The personal ministry of waiting in line
Waiting in line can be good for your soul. Right off the bat, I’ve got to say: stay with me. Reading the above sentence, you may either think that I’m bonkers or that I’m going to write about how we… Continue reading
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What silent prayer feels like
I’ve been practicing silent prayer for a number of years now, and I’ve learned that there is a difference between prayer, focus, and calming down. In other words, being quiet doesn’t automatically mean that we’re praying. Sometimes it means that… Continue reading
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Do nothing for a while
Today I met with another priest in my diocese to discuss our literary journal. This will be third issue of Wonder in All, which you can find by clicking here (our summer 2025 issue is forthcoming, but you can find… Continue reading
Incense and Crayons 