Before we accomplish anything for God, we are claimed by God. At the baptismal font, identity comes before achievement, and belonging before expectation. This reflection explores how baptism reshapes the way we understand ourselves, reminding us that every act of Christian discipleship begins with the life-giving assurance that we are God’s beloved.
Tag Archives: Spiritual Reflection
What I’ve Learned About God from Hospital Elevators: Short journeys, deep prayers.
Hospital elevators carry people through some of life’s most hopeful and most heartbreaking moments. In those brief, quiet journeys, prayers are whispered, burdens are shared, and strangers often become companions. This reflection explores the sacred lessons learned in these ordinary spaces, discovering how God’s presence meets us in moments of uncertainty, compassion, and quiet courage.
Confessions of a Priest Waiting for the Kettle to Boil: Holy impatience, sacred tea, and the virtue of waiting
Waiting for the kettle to boil is hardly the sort of moment we expect to become spiritually significant. Yet even these small pauses reveal something about our hearts. This reflection explores the gentle humour and quiet wisdom found in ordinary waiting, discovering that God often uses the simplest moments to teach us patience, presence, and the grace of slowing down.
The Spiritual Gift of Not Fixing Everything: Letting God be God
Not every problem is ours to solve, and not every burden is ours to carry. One of the quietest acts of faith is learning when to stop striving and entrust what we cannot fix into God’s hands. This reflection explores the freedom of letting God be God, discovering that grace often begins where our need to control finally comes to rest.
What Walking Slowly Has Taught Me About Faith: Humber River wisdom for everyday pilgrims
The world encourages us to move faster, accomplish more, and hurry toward the next destination. Yet the path of faith is often discovered at a slower pace. Drawing on walks along the Humber River, this reflection explores the wisdom of unhurried discipleship, reminding us that God is often easier to notice when we stop trying to outrun grace.
Why the Church Keys Never Fit the Lock on the First Try: A meditation on perseverance and mysterious spiritual resistance
Anyone who has spent time around an old church knows that the right key does not always cooperate on the first attempt. Surprisingly, the same is often true of faith. This reflection explores the quiet lessons hidden in stubborn locks and persistent effort, reminding us that perseverance, patience, and a little good humour are often essential companions on the spiritual journey.
The Parish Office Chair: A Study in Sacrificial Seating: On creaks, squeaks, and long meetings endured for the Gospel
Every parish seems to possess at least one office chair that has faithfully survived far beyond its expected lifespan. It creaks, squeaks, and occasionally protests every movement, yet it continues to serve. With gentle humour, this reflection discovers unexpected spiritual wisdom in a well-worn chair, reminding us that faithfulness is often found not in perfection, but in quietly showing up and serving day after day.
Epiphany Is Over… Now What? Finding light when the decorations are gone
The Christmas decorations have been packed away, the celebrations have ended, and Epiphany has come and gone. Yet the light of Christ was never meant to remain confined to a season. This reflection explores what it means to carry that light into ordinary days, discovering that the true work of Epiphany begins after the stars fade and everyday life resumes.
The Ministry of Making Room at the Table Folding chairs, potluck theology, and the Kingdom
The Kingdom of God often begins with a simple invitation: “There’s room for one more.” Whether unfolding an extra chair or sharing another helping at a potluck, ordinary acts of hospitality reveal something extraordinary about God’s welcome. This reflection explores the ministry of making room at the table, discovering how generosity, belonging, and grace are woven together in the life of the Church.
Why God Seems Particularly Fond of Side Doors Unexpected entrances into grace
We often expect God to arrive through the grand front entrance. More often, grace slips quietly into our lives through unexpected conversations, unplanned detours, and doors we hardly noticed. This reflection explores the surprising ways God meets us when we least expect it, reminding us that some of the most life-changing encounters begin with what first appeared to be a side door.