For over thirty years Alan Neale has spoken with passion, relevance, authenticity and humor of themes that are profound and pressing; the profound he makes simple and accessible, the pressing he makes immediate and welcoming. All these years past have provided little time for Alan to write extensively and so now he begins a long-postponed desire and there are many themes waiting to be translated into books; the task is daunting and enthralling and he longs to begin in 2015
Jesus as the ever-present and attentive Shepherd; the Church as the ever-present and attentive Shepherd Community and me/you as “mini-shepherds” to those we meet – all this carries the most precious of gifts. The sermon text is below the sermon audio – they are not quite the same. Sermon preached at Trinity Church, Newport Sunday… Continue reading
““A key to a healthy relationship is being present,” said James Roberts, author of “Too Much of a Good Thing: Are You Addicted to Your Smartphone?” The key, THE KEY, to a healthy and growing relationship is being present, paying attention. This is not easy, we fail but it is crucial – “big league.” And… Continue reading
A great NYT article on “Regrets” – their gift, their problem. How do people live without grace? In all relationships “regrets” enable us to be honest, proactive and move forward… with grace. Regrets! How to Turn Your Wishes Into Reality Instead of Regrets Sketch Guy By CARL RICHARDS MARCH 21, 2017 Last week,… Continue reading
My experience as a parish priest suggests a gradual disengagement from just being “present” where aching and unanswerable suffering occurs. This is both sad and worrisome. A Meditation for Good Friday. Amy Butler April 17, 2014 by Faith and Leadership On the darkest of days, we hold close this miracle of God with us. As… Continue reading
So, at last… A Museum of Failures. When we obsess about our failures we become captured by them but when we acknowledge, consider and accept our failures they can become springboards for new and functional growth and success. This applies to our lives and to all our relationships! Ask St. Peter… Sweden’s Museum of Failures… Continue reading
Today’s sermon is about dear, dear Thomas who over the centuries has earned the sobriquet “The Doubter.” As with all the apostles, I can identify with Thomas; I share with him flashes of insight and shadows of despair (faith and doubt.) Recently I watched the harrowing, inspiring film “Silence”, during the film I heard this… Continue reading
I need not, but I will admit, that an Easter Vigil service rates not highly on my list of liturgical “must-do’s.” Maybe this reluctant acceptance is due to personal history, theological concerns, a pedantic search for consistency, pastoral matters and… laziness. Nevertheless, my good friend and Rector Anne Marie Richards (armed with this knowledge) invited… Continue reading
This morning (at 9am) the teaching series on “Hospitality” continues, today “Hospitality of the Mind.” Closed hearts tend to be inhospitable and so do closed minds. The spiritual vocation to renewal is a vocation to consider, even consider again, new ideas and new perspectives. Again it is important to consider what it is that makes… Continue reading
Another good class yesterday, engaging and enlightening. Here are the notes that were the basis for our conversation; we thought again a little about what it is that makes it difficult for us to be hospitable. I am grateful to a close friend for reminding me of the central theme of Hospitality on Homer’s… Continue reading
About a week ago, I received a note from someone that I knew in Philadelphia. Towards the end of an essay he included the words below; they will be always very special because they speak to me of an openness to God that I hope I will never, never lose both in personal and professional… Continue reading