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Celebrating Samhain! Mass For The Shut-Out October 31, 2011
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| Sat, 29 Oct 11 |
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A Mabon Celebration! Mass For The Shut-Out September 24, 2011
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| Sat, 24 Sep 11 |
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It's Mabon, and here we are in Mabontide ready for a celebration! Some call this the last harvest, Lammas being the first. Some call it the second of three with the final being Samhain. Either way, this is Mabon and we do celebrate the harvest at this time.
Not only do we celebrate the harvest, we give thanks. In fact, it can be said that Thanksgiving as people in the USA celebrate it is Mabon transplanted to later in the calendar. And yes, we give thanks. Not just for the good things that are apparent, but also for those that might not be apparent. There are those things we've been too busy to notice. There are some things which we might have come to take for granted. And yes, there probably are some blessings which we simply haven't realized. And this is the time for that.
This is another one of those Sabbats where the emphasis is on fulfillment. Those who feel as if they are in exile from other paths can take comfort in that. The Wheel Of The Year is about a promise and its fulfillment. There's no talk of "God's will" here because the will of The Divine is our fulfillment, happiness and well-being. There is no talk of "God's time" because each and every Sabbat can be marked on the calendar. As for "God's higher plan," this is indeed that "higher plan", and woe be those who stand in the way!
And so come, join in this celebration!
Blessed Be!
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An Answer For So Many Issues - In A (very different) Pastor's Study, September 19, 2011
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| Mon, 19 Sep 11 |
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"Non nobis Domine, non nobis sed nomine toa da Gloriam." And before anyone uses their pre-conceived notions to dismiss this, let it be known that virtually every spiritual path has someone (or a few someones) who might be addressed as "Lord" or "Lady" and unto whom people ascribe all honor, including the ones referred to as simply "The Lord And Lady."
"Not us Lord, not us but to your name give glory". And that is a pretty good solution to just about anything which I have to criticize about religion, organized or otherwise. It's basically a call to humility, and for some humility seems to be actually the subject of bragging rights. As in: "There isn't anyone more humble than me, and I date you to disagree with that." And that problem is not limited to the clergy.
And the problem is not limited to the level of the individual follower. How many people and movements are there where someone believes that they are of "The One And Only True Way (R)".
And so, let's look at this and see what we can do for ourselves with this!
Blessed Be!
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The People I worry About The Most - In A (very different) Pastor's Study, September 12, 2011
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| Mon, 12 Sep 11 |
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Last time, I spoke about what I was going to do to accept my own challenge. And, it made sense to do so. I had offered a challenge to others, so am I going to also accept the challenge? Of course! Not only should I, but I want to!
And, I spoke about some people I want to reach out to. This time, I want to expand that and point out three kinds of people that I am concerned about the most. They present us with a challenge and an opportunity. On the positive side, meeting their needs means that we will grow in numbers and strength.
Yes, I see them as having the most need. But I also see that once those needs are met, they will have the most to give others. In The Havamal, Allfather Odin says that a gift deserves a gift, and this is a situation in which those who are given gifts pass on gifts, with the result being the enrichment of us all!
You see, those who have been successfully ministered to often become the most successful ministers. And the healed become healers.
Blessed Be!
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Picking Up My Own Gauntlet - In A (very different) Pastor's Study, September 6, 2011
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| Tue, 06 Sep 11 |
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Time before last, I offered a challenge. In essence, the challenge was to figure out what we can do for ourselves and for the betterment of our spiritual paths and the people who pursue those paths.
That's not all I talk about this time, but it's the main thing. I'm answering my own challenge by investigating what I might be able to do, and coming up with something resembling a plan.
We have a lot of people, both regular and reserve, on active duty right now, and a number of them are deployed without their families into some areas which are less than hospitable. Add to that the number of tours over there that some have served, and you have a situation which can breed a lot of stress. In my day (the VietNam era), someone would probably have to serve one tour and a few people in critical specialties might have to serve a second tour. And, we knew when we left when we were coming home. A fifth tour for us would be unthinkable, yet now fifth tours are not unusual. Add to that for one of us the likelihood of spiritual isolation. Even some Christians face that, but as a Pagan, Wiccan or Druid it can be all the more.
So, what to do? I remember some of the ways I found comfort, such as listening to the BBC. And so, I'm looking at something that I might be able to offer that's part of what I'm offering now. What do I mean? Tune in and see!
Blessed Be!
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Celebration So We Can Celebrate! Mass For The Shut-Out August 27, 2011
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| Sat, 27 Aug 11 |
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It occurred to me that this would be a good time to have a celebration just for the sake of having a celebration. Just for the sake of seeing all that The Divine has done for us and giving some thanks, even if it isn't one of those marked-on-the-calendar appointed times for such a celebration.
Many years ago, someone who I have come to venerate had some advice for people who were going to The Divine with prayers because of specific needs: "Give thanks in advance", he was known to say. And in at least one place, someone quoted him as saying "When you do that, you have them over the barrel and they have to do something for you, because you're thanking them!" Some would question such a statement, but it works. And, he was able to pull off some amazing stuff in his lifetime.
And, come to think of it, why not! And why not from time to time take a step back and look at the blessings you and I have and give some thanks. And who knows? Like in a retail business where it seems that the happy customer seems to get better service, in life it seems that people who give thanks wind up having more to give thanks about!
And in this, I'll reveal something to you which some of you might find to be the clue to inspire a quest. But, that is for you to see. Just as you'll see here that this ritual and celebration was spontaneous and unrehearsed (as mine normally are). But then again, I'm not the Pope at St Peter's Square at Christmas or Easter. I'm just a priest (and a mortal) who wants to spend some time giving thanks to The Divine for some wonderful things.
Blessed Be!
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A Modest Proposal And A Challenge - In A (very different) Pastor's Study, August 23, 2011
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| Tue, 23 Aug 11 |
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A famous (or infamous) English author once wrote an essay with a title which began "A modest proposal...." which raised a stir in its day and still does. And here, I wish to offer a proposal about some of the things we can do. In fact, some of the things we once did to survive might be the way for us to be able to thrive. What is it? Doing for others in ways which they cannot do for themselves, or helping in ways which those who are supposed to help them just don't seem to be able to. Our herbs and other natural remedies offer comfort and healing where sometimes doctors just can't. Divination offers answers to questions which people might not even know how to ask. And so much, much more. Isn't there!
And so, we have an opportunity. And I'm going to tell you about the idea that is coming together in my mind's eye about what I would like to do along those lines. I'm not an herbalist, I don't know enough about divination to offer my services beyond a small circle of friends, but I am a priest and I can do something there.
And that's the challenge! Do what you can do best, and in the best way. And see what might come of it!
Blessed Be!
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Offending vs Enlightening - In A (very different) Pastor's Study, August 15, 2011
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| Mon, 15 Aug 11 |
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Sometimes, to get a point across you might have to say something that won't be liked by everyone. Yet, there are some people who seem to put such a high priority on not offending anyone that they also avoid accomplishing very much.
My favorite example is what I so often experienced in the Air Force. There were even some denominations who made such an effort at "inclusiveness" that they would overstep boundaries of their own denomination. And then there was the denomination which worried that the traditional reading for Easter might offend another group, as if that other group were going to attend! And, for that matter, the particular reading had been scripture for longer than that denomination had existed, so what's the deal?
Somehow, it has to be possible to reconcile enlightening and the possibility of offending.
Blessed Be!
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Three Tactics To Grow! - In A (very different) Pastor's Study, August 8, 2011
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| Mon, 08 Aug 11 |
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Lammas! Mass For The Shut-Out July 30, 2011
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| Sat, 30 Jul 11 |
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