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Whenever it has been a while since I’ve written, I have a hard time starting up again. In good part it’s because so much keeps happening, it is hard to know where to pick up the conversation. I’ve been a bit harried of late. I’ve had two trips to Texas in the past two weeks. I like Texas because of the good people I know and love there, who are growing in number all of the time, but it is a bit of an undertaking to go back and forth twice during what we can just call "Sauna Season."
The third week of August, I visited the pyramids of Galveston. Not quite the same thing as the pyramids of Egypt which I still dream of seeing someday, but a decently close second. I was there to speak for the annual priests’ convocation for the Diocese of Beaumont, TX on Redeeming Power. Bishop David Toups was one of the very gracious bishops I interviewed when writing the book and it was great to see him and get to share the fruits of the research with his priests. (You can listen to highlights from his interview here.) As a group, we had some excellent conversations that were challenging to me personally as I realized I’d not been living up to some of the behaviors I talk about in the book, especially about honoring the need for Sabbath. So on the one afternoon off during the convocation, I shut down my computer and traversed the 112 degree parking lot to visit the pyramid that housed an aquarium. Bet you can’t find that in Egypt! I spent a whole hour staring at jellyfish pulsating and returned feeling much renewed. Sometimes all it takes is an hour.
The fourth week of August, I made my way over to Austin to talk about Redeeming Conflict with the students and faculty of the Episcopal Seminary of the Southwest—one of the most hospitable and welcoming seminary communities I have ever had the privilege of staying with. I know that there are also very cool things to see in Austin and the next time I go, I plan to stay longer to see them. This visit was so quick, all I got to experience was the 112 degree parking lot. Next time, I tell myself. Next time. It was definitely a community I'd enjoy spending more time with and a city I'd like to explore.
But now this week, I am taking a step back to remember why I keep putting myself at the mercy of Delta and flinging my body back and forth across the South in a hot, aluminum tube.
My inspiration at present is coming from St. Phoebe whose feast day we celebrate this Wednesday, September 3. I've written a bit about Phoebe before. Phoebe was the leader of the Christian community in Cenchreae (in present-day Greece) who flung herself over to Italy to deliver and help make sense of a letter from the apostle Paul for the Christian community in Rome. She was described by Paul as a deacon, but was only one of many women in the New Testament described as ministering / serving / “deacon-ing” (diakonei) out of their own joy and gratitude for what Jesus had first done for them. These include Martha and Mary, Joanna, and Simon Peter’s mother-in-law who appears in the Gospel reading for September 3. I speak more about what it means to minister out of one’s joy and gratitude here in my newest preaching for the feast of St. Phoebe. When we start to get worn down, it’s good to remember where the impulse to be of service came from in the first place and tap into the joy and gratitude that gave it birth.
Next week, believe it or not, I am headed back to Texas—this time to partner with the Mexican American Catholic College in San Antonio on events for the ministers of the Word in the diocese related to Preaching with Children. It will probably still be 112 degrees, but there are going to be even more very good people there, including my friend Autumn who always helps me tap into my joy and gratitude when I get hot and frazzled. Plus, from there I head to Sweden, where I am promised it will not top 62 degrees.
In Sweden, I'll be giving a couple of talks in the Catholic community about recovering truth as a core value in our faith lives. Europeans are highly perplexed and alarmed by what is going on in the U.S. right now. Every time I talk with someone from outside the country, I try to convey that many of us inside the country are perplexed and alarmed, too. But I am looking forward to seeing and hearing more from an outside perspective right now. It is clear to me that at the root of soooo many of our problems as a country is a de-centering of truth itself. We keep framing it as synonymous with power - i.e. whoever has the most power gets to decide what truth is. For better or worse, it doesn't work that way. We are in for a terrible crash if we think reality is something we create or imagine rather than something that in so many ways simply IS that we must try to wrap our brains around. I will be very curious to see what the view of the U.S. is from the Swedish vantage point. If per chance you are near Sweden, here is an invitation to join the conversation.
Later this month, a group of us preachers committed to preaching about the importance of truth will be launching a new website at ReclaimingTruth.org. Feel free to take a sneak peak. Right now I am reaching out to a variety of preachers from different religious traditions inviting them to write a sermon for October, which we are calling Preach for Truth month. If you are a preacher yourself or know a preacher who would be willing submit something about why it matters that we get our brains aligned with reality (vs. thinking it works the other way around), please send it to me!
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A special shout out this week to Aquinas Institute of Theology--my alma mater and where I am still on faculty! Aquinas Institute celebrates 100 years this week and they are having a wonderful party this weekend to celebrate. I very much wish that I could be there because this school is so near and dear to my heart. I think of it as the place that nurtured and developed my curiosity about truth and commitment to it. Indeed, it continues to do so. Unfortunately because of the passing of another dear member of the Garrido clan, we won't be able to join the celebration in person, but certainly join in lifting a toast to the next 100 years! If you are one who also cares about education centered around Veritas--the Dominican motto--this is a wonderful place to donate to!