[Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007]
March 23, 2007
[Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007 ]
Last year, more than 50 bloggers around the globe came together to share their reflections in a grid blog called Via Crucis during the week often called HOLY WEEK and in the week after EASTER. The name for this rag-tag effort comes from the Latin words for the Way of the Cross - Via Crucis. The response was astounding to this experiment in distributed global media, which was designed to draw on the creativity, diversity, and theological understanding of the blogging community to a moment in the story of folks practicing faith.
With the beginning of Holy Week (Palm Sunday – April 1) right around the corner, I am hoping you might join the [Grid::Blog::Via Crucis 2007] - if you are interested please go to http://thecorner.typepad.com/via_crucis_2007/ for a calendar of this year’s grid blog and sign up!
Sabbath Poem (H.D. on Mary Magdalene)
March 23, 2007
The Flowering of the Rod
[21]
Anyhow, it is exactly written,
the house was filled with the odour of the ointment;
that was a little later and this was not such a small house
and was maybe already fragrant with boughs and wreaths,
for this was a banquet, a festival;
it was all very gay and there was laughter,
but Judas Iscariot turned down his mouth,
he muttered Extravagant under his breath,
for the nard though not potent,
had that subtle, indefinable essence
that lasts longer and costs more;
Judas whispered to his neighbour
and then they all began talking about the poor;
but Mary, seated on the floor,
like a child at a party, paid no attention;
she was busy; she was deftly un-weaving
the long, carefully-braided tresses
of her extraordinary hair.
LINKS
* The poem above is from Trilogy by H.D.
* It is based on the story of Mary (presumably, of Bethany, sister of Martha and Lazarus, rather than Mary Magdalene) anointing Jesus’ feet and wiping them with her hair from the Gospel of John 12:1
* Which is related to the story of an unnamed woman anointing Jesus’ head in the house of Simon the Leper in Mark 14:3-9 and Matthew 26:6-13
* The many artistic portrayals of Mary Magdalene holding a small jar of ointment come from the long tradition of identifying her with other Mary’s and unnamed women in the New Testament.
Fix the Lectionary!
March 16, 2007
Ok, so it’s no big secret that I’m not a huge fan of the lectionary. I mean, I do like keeping the weekly readings tied to the liturgical seasons, and I do like the way that the lectionary prevents preachers from always recycling their favorite passages. It also has some serious shortcomings, however. I don’t like the way that it makes your theological choices for you. This, for example, we learn that the Israelites leaving the wilderness and crossing into Canaan is just like the prodigal son returning home to dad, a view which I think is theologically shallow. I also don’t like the fact that the lectionary only touches on about 20% of the Bible - when was the last time you heard Joshua actually preached in church?
Apparantly, I have a kindred spirit in Frank Henderson, although he’s one-upped me by actually creating an alternative Lenten lectionary, one which he believes has more respect for women, more respect for Jewish tradition, and which better represents the tradition of Lent being a preparation for Easter. Go and read it, it’s well worth your time.
Sabbath Poem (Akhmatova)
March 16, 2007
Mary Magdalene beat her breast and sobbed,
The beloved disciple turned to stone,
But where the silent Mother stood, there
No one glanced and no one would have dared.
1943
Tashkent
From Requiem
By Anna Akhmatova
Translation by Judith Hemschemeyer
Fourth Anniversary of the start of the Iraq War
March 15, 2007
Isaiah Wall 05, originally uploaded by bowiesnodgrass. © Hal Weiner.
The Reverends Chloe Breyer and Winnie Varghese and Ms. Bowie Snodgrass at the Great Litany, March 18, 2005. Isaiah Wall opposite UN Headquarters, NYC.
Dear sisters and brothers:
Please join us as we mourn at the Fourth Anniversary of the start of the Iraq War.
The Great Litany chanted in Solemn Procession
- The Fourth Friday in Lent, March 16, 2007 12 noon
- The Fifth Friday in Lent, March 23, 2007 12 noon
Ralph Bunche Park (The Isaiah Wall) NW corner of 42nd Street and First Avenue (across from the United Nations)
Vestments: Cassock, surplice, tippet and hood (clergy are asked to vest, and if lay members of Altar parties in parishes care to vest, please come in cassock and surplice)
Sponsored by: St. Mary’s Episcopal Church - Episcopal Peace Fellowship chapter
For more information, please contact Earl Kooperkamp, (212) 864-4013 or revkoooperkamp@aol.com. Please pass this information on to others who may be interested.
Thank you for your kind attention and may you observe a blessed Lent.
Peace, Earl Kooperkamp
The Rev. Earl Kooperkamp serves at St. Mary’s in Manhattanville, blocks from the apartment where we’ve been holding Transmission house church.
Sabbath Poem (Carey Wallace)
March 9, 2007
Canyon Clouds, originally uploaded by bowiesnodgrass.
The Sweet Desert
And sometimes, Lord
it must have been
good to go without
to leave the friends
and streets you knew
to lay your burdens down
and wander in the sweet desert
where nothing makes a sound
by Carey Wallace, 2.28.07 on Lenten Poems
* A friend sent me a link to this blog, whose author is posting a poem a day (minus Sundays) as her Lenten discipline.
* Do you know anyone else doing Lenten posts online? Please add their website below.
* Also check out, An Old Hasidic Poem this week at Faith House
Ok God, I’m listening…
March 2, 2007
Today has been a day of reflection. Looking back and exploring my life and God’s role in it, I have started to realise that all along through paths unbeknownst to me God’s been there. Not like I didn’t know that on some level within my spirit, but ultimately I can see how God called out to me. I can see how even a childhood song like “Father Abraham” has entered my head in God’s more desperate moments of calling out to me, when I have been sitting on the edge, attempting to touch the flame, and then hearing God, and turning back and finding my way back.
I have been through both good and bad times and even in all those moments when I have questioned God’s role in my life, I can see God standing there, holding my hand, carrying me, guiding me slowly… step by step back.
I was discussing my experiences abroad and experiences of pure terror with a roommate tonight. Like my experience in Montreal, when I ended up homeless from poor planning on my part and ended up having my stuff thrown out (put in the basement) and a landlord after me for money I never owed (don’t know where he got the idea I owed him anything). The police ended up on the scene (I can’t remember how) and escorted me from the place to a “safe house” (read Salvation Army). I remember feeling so devastated from that experience. I remember crying for 2 hours straight because I was scared and alone. I had no one to run to, no one to trust, no where to go, but there…
Read the rest of this entry »
Sabbath Poem (H.D.)
March 2, 2007
[20]
Now it appears very clear
that the Holy Ghost,
childhood’s mysterious enigma,
is the Dream;
that way of inspiration
is always open,
and open to everyone;
it acts as go-between, interpreter,
it explains symbols of the past
in to-day’s imagery,
it merges the distant future
with most distant antiquity,
states economically
in a simple dream-equation
the most profound philosophy,
discloses the alchemist’s secret
and follows the Mage
in the desert.
LINKS
Poem above from Trilogy by H.D.
Hilda Doolittle on wikipedia
“Don’t Surrender Your Loneliness So Quickly” by Hafiz (Faith House Sabbath Poem of the Week)
upcoming
February 27, 2007
WEDNESDAY : : Feb 28
apt.church. This week we’re celebrating the arrival of Lent with a homecooked meal from Bowie and a ritual led by Paul, who spent most of January in Turkey. He’ll be guiding us through themes of pilgrimage and more (ask him about getting thrown into Turkish prison). Should be a great time. Please contact us for directions.
SUNDAY : : March 4
baby.naming. For those of you who are interested, John and Elizabeth will be having a formal baby naming for Thomas Jackson at the Church of the Epiphany next Sunday, at 6 p.m. There will be food there, too, as well as a bunch of songs written by John and Isaac.
WEDNESDAY : : March 7
easter.prep. All are invited to our next planning session for Easter @ Avalon (service April 8 @ 6 p.m. - see blog posts from 2/6 and 2/18 for more info). We’ll be meeting at Holy Apostles in Chelsea (296 Ninth Avenue @ 28th Street), 2nd floor of the Mission House, 7-9 p.m. We’ll have food, will workshop a part of the service, and continue discussions about the ritual components, advertising, etc.
quitting smoking for lent
February 24, 2007
By Bowie Snodgrass
Dear God,
I’m gonna miss smoking
So much. Reaching in
The box. Pulling in air.
A last cigarette before bed
To gather my thoughts,
A break between rounds
Of work or play,
Often accompanied by company…
We smokers find each other.
And stick together,
Till someone quits.
I’m going to miss the little high
The little calm, the little heat,
The breaths of fresh air, stepping out,
To fill up my lungs with smoke.
It might sound quite gross,
And we all know it’s bad.
It stinks, it kills, it annoys,
And, by golly, shouldn’t we all
Want to live forever, if we can?
OK. I’m getting carried away.
It’s bad, I know, I know.
But, God,
I’m going to miss smoking.
So please send some other
Daily little pleasures my way.
* I wrote this in August 2005, the last time I quit smoking. Well, I’m quitting again. I started on Ash Wednesday. Now gotta get through Lent… and then the rest of my life. Pray for me.
* Many blessings for all of you and what ever you are giving up - or taking on - in your lenten journey. Please share what you are doing for Lent below…
* Also, check out the newest sabbath poem at FaithHouse, “I just laugh” by Kabir