Proper 16 (Year B, 2021): Litany for Home

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In the First Testament reading from 1 Kings, Solomon oversees a particularly sacred and solemn moment: bringing the ark of the covenant, Israel’s sacred symbol of the presence of God, into the newly built temple in Jerusalem. A cloud fills the temple when the ark is set in its place in the “Holy of Holies,” adding to the effect. And Solomon prays a heartfelt prayer for the presence and blessing of God to be with Israel. It is Israel’s effort to bring God home.

In the midst of this, Solomon generously prays that non-Israelite “foreigners” might know the blessing of God when they “pray toward this house.”

Of course, we know that God cannot be housed in one place. It’s only a symbol, a grand gesture, as is any sacred site or holy place. In his speech Solomon himself even admits this: “Even heavens and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built!” And the rest of the texts support this theme: “Even the sparrow finds a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, at your altars, O LORD of hosts, my King and my God.” Psalm 84.

This summer has been chaotic and multi-transitional for my family; we have spent these last months housed, but not at Home. And I’ve had to learn and re-learn a classic spiritual lesson: home is within.

The Divine is not housed in sticks and bricks. The Ground of Being does not rest on any earthly foundation. Like the Ark of the Covenant carried with poles, like a snail with a shell on its back, I carry Home within myself. To “abide in Christ” (John 6:56) is to abide everywhere, and nowhere, and in the secret place of soul.


God, we lift to you all of us who are, or who feel, homeless:
Spiritually homeless,
Politically homeless,
Cast out from families or communities,
Refugees forced from homes,
And those who are in need of physical housing.*….

Proper 23 (Year C): Litany for Gratitude 3


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I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again. Gratitude is Spirituality 101. You want to grow spiritually, to expand your capacity for love and compassion, start paying attention to things you can appreciate. Attention -> appreciation -> gratitude -> love.

And I love it when the Lectionary backs up my pre-conceived notions ;) I mean just check out Luke 17.

See, you can’t be grateful unless you’re paying attention. And you can’t love something without first appreciating it. And you can’t love the world without first paying attention to it. And you can’t stay hopeful or optimistic while you’re paying attention to reality (‘cause I mean look at the chaos and systemic injustice we’re dealing with) without also looking for good things to practice gratitude for.

Gratitude is our best hope for not succumbing to cynicism and melancholy. It doesn’t always come naturally. This is why we call it a PRACTICE. We practice it so our synaptic pathways can remember it when we need it most. And when we practice gratitude, we lay the groundwork for love.



Oh God, you have kept us among the living,
Though we’ve lost many;
Though we’ve gone through fire and water,
You’ve brought us to a spacious place -