Mystical Murmurs: My Interfaith Life

This Lent, in my walk with Christ, I plan to actually walk with Christ. I've given up escalators and elevators for Lent. Ok, stop laughing! I know this sounds like a pretty feeble sacrifice, but you have no idea how lazy I really am! This is a huge thing for me. I'll keep you posted as to my progress, assuming I don't drop dead.

I am, as I mentioned to my rector today in an email, foaming at the mouth about the meeting of the Anglican Primates in Tanzania, and especially because some bishops from the Global South refused to participate in the Eucharist with our own Bishop Katharine, due to the Episcopal Church's liberal views. I don't have any real perspective on this, and I don't even pretend to be objective. I don't see how anyone, for any reason, could assume that the church has a right to reject God's call to non-celibate gays and lesbians, who have historically not been allowed to marry! It's the old "Catch-22." Get a clue, Africa! OK. Down, girl. My rector says to remain calm, and to pray hard for all involved. Bishop Katharine's reflection on the Tanzania meeting, which you can read at the Episcopal News Service site (RSS feed is below), is careful to praise the non-controversial aspects of the gathering, and humble (and loving) in relating the rest. She clearly tak

With all due respect to the hardships suffered by the folks in upstate New York ... I am hoping and waiting for a snowstorm. Not that I want 100 inches of snow! Not at all! Two feet would be plenty! My husband and I would not have to go to work, and could sit home by the fire, surrounded by dogs. This is pretty much a picture of heaven for me. We have a chance of snow tomorrow night into Wednesday -- the first real storm of this rather feeble winter. My fingers are crossed!

There's lots of excitement this week at the Church on the Pike! The J2A (Journey to Adulthood) group moved into new, larger digs, where they can have a sofa and other soft seating, plus a TV with a DVD player. This was a great move for them and me! What they left behind is a basement room which the Rector said we could refit as a meditation chapel (we have a large chapel on the main floor, but people pass through it on the way to the kitchen and the bathrooms -- not very conducive to quiet prayer). Now, this basement room in itself is nothing to write home about. It's 8.5 feet wide and 40 feet long, and is illuminated by blindingly bright fluorescent lights (we are determined to find softer lighting). The blue carpet is elderly and stained. But the kids did paint it nicely when they vacated, and at one end we have placed the altar that used to be used for Sunday School chapel services. Bingo! Instant chapel! Now we just have to work on the fine points. I have lots of wonderful

Over the weekend the cold descended with a muffled thump, and I spent a lot of time in front of the fire finishing Story of a Soul , by St. Therese of Lisieux. Now, there's something wrong with this picture: there I was, all tucked up on my cosy couch, the fire roaring in the fireplace, a cup of chamomile tea next to me, and the head of my oldest dog resting on my lap. Now, Therese suffered gladly for Jesus. Therese begged Jesus for more suffering, so that she could endure it to His glory. Therese endured a really horrific two-day death agony from tuberculosis, without complaint. So, as a corollary, Therese should perhaps be read: --in the cold garage, in the dark, by flashlight --at the bus stop, in the wind and rain --on a dark and lonely road, waiting for the tow-truck --at a campsite in the lonely woods, when your food has run out, the campfire is dying, and some undoubtedly large, hungry beast is