Snow? What snow?

The snowpocalypse that enveloped a sizeable chunk of the United States yesterday and last night has apparently missed New York.

Almost a bit of a letdown after all the hype.

Man, though, am I tired of being cold!  9 days to Key West …

Quote of the Day

“You know, the Church is pretty good about pulling drowning people out of the river … we’re good at the charity thing, but what we need to do is to walk back upstream and figure out who his throwing them in the river in the first place … “

–The Right Reverend V. Gene Robinson, Bishop of New Hampshire

Bishop Robinson was on the Rachel Maddow show last night to discuss the national prayer breakfast and President Obama and Secretary Clinton’s remarks on the “Kill-the-Gays” bill in Uganda.  You can view the clip here

Oy! Where does the time go?

So, I’ve been gainfully unemployed for almost a month now … A MONTH!

I mean, really, where does the time go!

Very soon, I’m off to Key West for two weeks …

(My friends say to me “only YOU would would find a way to spend the first few days of Lent by the pool in Key West.”)

At some point over the weekend or maybe early next week my Personal Atheist and I are going to peruse laptops so I can post on occasion while I’m there and maybe work on a project my parish has asked me to get involved.

So what have I done with myself since being out of work?

Morning Prayer at “Smokey Mary’s?”  Check

Breakfast, lunch, dinner?  Check

Gym?  Check

Catching up with friends?  Check

Early Spring Cleaning?  Sort of…..it’s been slow going….

Bunny Slippers and Cheetos?  Check. Uh, Nevermind.

However, all is not entirely rosy in the Reverend boy household as my roommate informed me last Friday that he was sacked.  So, now we’re both not working.

Meanwhile, my roommate’s cat, Dexter, has decided that it really enjoys the fact that both me and my roommate are both home, and it’s really happy about that.

Hope into Reality

Text:  Luke 4:14-21;

Many organizations, profit or not-for-profit, have a Mission Statement.  In 50 words or less, they seek to sum up exactly their reason for existence and what they hope to accomplish while they’re around.  It may take several meetings for some consensus to come about and lots of wordsmithing usually ensues.

I’ve always loved this passage from the Gospel of Luke in part because when I saw the TV miniseries from what seems like forever ago, “Jesus of Nazareth,” the powerful image of Jesus reading from this scroll from the book of Isaiah and what appears to be all the people of Nazareth are gathered around.  They listen intently to the words Jesus reads from centuries ago …

The Spirit of the Lord is upon me for he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor

He has sent me to proclaim release to the capitves and recovery of sight to the blind

To let the oppressed go free, and to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord’s favour.

The men and women wait expectantly to hear the comment that Jesus will make on this Scripture that is meant to inspire and fill us with hope, and after he kisses the scroll, he says

Today, in your hearing, the Scripture has been fulfilled.

With this short passage and short phrase, Jesus reveals his Mission Statement, and that statement is not just a hope for what he wishes to accomplish, but that hope of all the People of God, in him and through him, has become a reality.

In other news….

My roommate’s cat has decided it is quite happy that it has now has company during the day.  Dexter invariably climbs into my lap when i sit at the computer, alternates between purring, nibbling on my hands, and tries to sit on the keyboard when he feels i don’t pay enough attention to him.

I am soooo not a cat person, but this feline is determined to win me over.  I should get a pup.

And it doesn’t help that when I come home my roommate tells the cat “oh look, Dex, Daddy’s home!”