sacramental effort

Bless the saints. Bless the saints of the past whose actions echo into the present now. We  remember and celebrate the richness we inherit from them. Bless the saints. [toll a bell here] -observe silence now to remember the saints whose richness you have inherited- Bless the saints. Bless the saints who surround us now. We celebrate the connectedness of our communities that bear us up in times of trial, and whose actions both seen and unseen play a part in forming us as children of God. Bless the saints. [toll a bell here] -observe silence now to reflect on the saints who bless your life now- Bless the saints. Bless the saints who will inherit their present from the future we co-create with God. We live with bold hope for the future and commit to preparing a place for future saints through our love and stewardship. Bless the saints. [toll a bell here] -observe silence now to consider the life you live today and what future you are helping create-  Bless the saints. Ble

Keep loving each other like family. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers for by doing that, we might have entertained angels without knowing it.  If we speak in tongues of human beings and of divine angels but we don’t have love, we’re clanging gongs and clashing cymbals.  Let love continue. If we give away everything that we have and hand over ourselves to feel good about what we’ve done but don’t have love, we receive no benefit whatsoever.  Let love continue. If we sing to God and speak for justice, but don’t seek mercy or have love, our words are vain—our mouths useless. Let love continue. If we open our doors to bring people in, but don’t seek to reach out to a hurting world in love, our hospitality is empty. Let love continue. Glory to God, who is present in every stranger among us, and who works in our lives every day.  Glory to the one who is love, and whose love is in us .  Let love continue.

This video is illustrating to me an interesting point that I find my self sitting with today when I think about the many folks frustrated with Pope Francis' visit with Kentucky Clerk, Kim Davis. People, when we actually pay attention and see them, don't fit neatly into any of the boxes that we so easily find ourselves creating for them. Miley Cyrus, who self-admittedly does not care what people really think about her, will at any one point sing music people find repulsive, causing many folks to dismiss her talent. This video shows some texture to her singing ability that one cannot avoid: the kid has talent whether or not she can be offensive or vulgar. Pope Francis lives a life of the gospel in embodied ways alongside what he says and preaches, and this makes him irresistible as a religious leader. But, Pope Francis clearly has his own convictions that a lot of people who adore him (including me, I admit) have a hard time accepting about him. I have read articles al