6 Lent B—3/18/18 Psalm 119:9-16; John 12:20-33 Pr. Scott Kramer Two weeks ago I was introduced for the first time to one of my relatives. Emma is the six year-old daughter of one of my cousins whom I rarely see, but this cousin was also at my uncle’s funeral and so I got to meet her family. Emma is a delightful child and within a couple minutes of meeting her you might become her latest best friend. One morning several of us were taking a walk when Emma announced that when she grows up she … [Read more...]
Reflections from a Monastery
How long can you live with silence? During the last full week of February my wife and I traveled to Arizona for a few days of sun—and rain!—hikes in the mountains, and a family visit. The week was capped by two days in a remote monastery in southeastern Arizona, surrounded by sweeping desert and mountain views. Santa Rita Abbey is home to a community of Cistercian Catholic Sisters. (Learn more at http://www.santaritaabbey.org/our-community/ .) The only public sound in their life together … [Read more...]
Everyday Salvation
During the forty days of Lent we ponder in a more intentional way our stories of salvation. "Being saved," we remember, is not merely some religious or other-worldly drama. Following Jesus means celebrating God's power where it shows up unexpectedly in the ordinary and everyday. Here's a sweet story of salvation from today's paper. … [Read more...]
“Down Under” Reflections for Lent: Alpha Centauri
"Down Under" Reflections for Lent: Alpha Centauri Having returned from a recent trip to visit family in Australia, Pr. Scott offers reflections on highlights of the experience in light of the season of Lent. In my last post I reflected on my experience of seeing the Southern Cross, a famous feature of night skies in the Southern Hemisphere. Shining brightly nearby are two “pointer” stars, one of which is Alpha Centauri, our sun’s nearest neighbor. “Near” and “neighbor” are relative terms. … [Read more...]