Blog Archives

Greed and the kingdom of God

3/31/2023

Ricard J. Foster, in Celebration of Discipline, write, "He {Paul} lists greed alongside adultery and thievery and declares that those who live in such things will not inherit the kingdom of God."
      Most of us privileged people don't commit adultery or steal, but we probably could confess that more often than not, we are greedy. Not in obvious ways; we know how to be subtle, to the point that we aren't even aware of our greed, nor know what our kind of greed looks like. For example, to at the grocery store today I filled my cart with whatever suited my fancy. In shopping for clothes, I admit that I love a sale-- but, I'll buy full price to get what I really want.
      As I write, it comes to me that my greed comes with such ease that it doesn't look like greed to me, or to others. I can afford to be greedy; I've had lots of practice; I do it with enough ease that no one recognizes it as greed. And to complicate what I'm trying to say here, I can be both greedy and generous at the same time.
      So, how do I inherit the kingdom of heaven, if has Paul stays, greed will keep me away? Maybe the greed I have to give up is not money. Maybe it is time. Maybe it is intimacy. Maybe it is …., or…..

Finding hope in Jesus' life and death

3/29/2023

I visited the Uffizi yesterday afternoon with a rather heavy heart . The news has me down---the killing of children and adults in a Nashville school, and the lies and lawlessness of Trump and elected Republicans. And so, to help me gain a more hopeful perspective, I decided to see what the 14 and 15 century paintings might tell me from a Christian perspective. Three particularly caught my attention.
      1. The Annunciation, by Botticelli. Angel Gabriel is pleading with Mary to saying yes to being the mother of God, while Mary is resisting: No way! I don't want to go through all the pain that my son will experience.
      2. The Nativity, by Hugo Ver der Goes. The scene is filled with foreboding; no  joy present.
      3. The Pieta of San Romigio, by Giottino. Agony, deep grief, no hope.

These paintings depict three of the unique events in Jesus' life described in scripture: his conception, birth, and death. And yet, much of his human life was no different from ours. However, it is his divine life that gives me hope because his death was not the end, nor is it for me. In churches and museums all over Florence (including the Uffizi) we see the mystery of life after death, for Jesus and through him, faith for us.

Fra Angelico and the Covent of San Marco

3/28/2023

If I had only one morning in this city, I would chose to visit the monk's cells with frescoes by Fra Angelico (and the room with his magnificent alters he painted) at the Convent of San Marco. Without a doubt this continues to be my favorite place to visit in Florence.. Here are the photos I took this time. I couldn't resist. snapping away even though I have an archive full of pictures from past visits.
This time, however, I didn't snap even one of the many crucifixes that adorn many of the cells. It is Lent, and the crucifixion will be coming; but it hasn't happened yet. For now I am focused on the human Jesus, the Jesus who lived among the people, who taught by words and examples.

The Feast of the Annunciation

3/25/2023

Today is the Feast of the Annunciation, the beginning of the church year. There is a big celebration here in Florence. For now, I share some of the Annunciation paintings I've taken over the years in this city.

Morning prayer at the Duomo

3/22/2023

I'm here in Florence. This is my second full day. I am grateful, once again, for an easy flight and now my cozy apartment and sunny skies. From the bottom of my heart I know this is God grace. I do my part, planning and staying attentive, but I know that I am in God's hands, and for that I am very grateful.
This morning, as I often do, I went to the side entrance of the Duomo, which is open for private prayer or for those attending Mass. Today, however, a large crowd of camera people and security guards surrounded the entrance. And there in their midst was a young man, sporting a very chic coat and holding a Gucci briefcase, solemnly walking a short distance among pigeons. Every so often someone would rush up to him to fix his hair or whatever, and then the man would go back to the start and make walk again.
I slipped into church and when I came out they were still at it.

Florence--amazing Grace

3/18/2023

I’m flying to Florence tomorrow, returning the 30th. Same wonderful plan: walking around with God, sitting with God in churches, drinking cappuccino, writing, visiting museums, eating the best food ever. It all fills me with delightful anticipation, appreciation of the moment, and deep gratitude. The rhythm of the early morning-- a walk before dawn, a pause for that first savory cappuccino, more walking as the light hits the Arno, a stop in a favorite church, time at a café where I will enjoy another coffee and a brioche as I write. All of that brings me to 9AM; the day has just begun.
I have no rational understanding of why this beautiful routine has been offered to me. But I do know that the offering is not of my own doing. It is God's grace and I do my best to use it well and to offer it back to the world.

Ten years and more of blogging

3/15/2023

I first started blogging in 2009 during the winter weeks when I rented a cottage by the sea in Maine, an hour and a half from my home. Thus was born <acottagebythesea.net> for those looking for silence, solitude, and simplicity, and who sometimes want to be alone. In early 2011 I started this blog, A Prayer Diary. I wanted to write about prayer, but I wanted to foist my faith life on my blog audience. I was aware that many who might long for the 'the cottage life', might not resonate with my Christian faith and my call to prayer. That decision is still feels like a good one. Each blog has led a separate life, and that will continue.
I've told very few people about A prayer diary. I put it out there on the internet as a free gift offering. In fact, for the most part, that has been true for A Cottage by the Sea. The one difference is they are now noted in the signature at the end of my email. I feel a renewed, or perhaps I should say a new energy to keep blogging, which I can do from my chair in my Angel Room or from Florence, where I'll be next week, praying in churches, visiting museums, enjoying a cappuccino and proving what my mother what's claimed: You can't get a poor meal in Italy.

Praying for physical and emotional healing

3/14/2023

Thank you for your prayers for my friend. All went well, although there is pain, and a long road to independence ahead for her. It was easy to pray for her healing and for the things to go well with surgeon and nursing staff. Praying for physical healing is just that. Of course, a prayer for things notto go well would be no prayer at all!
So what about prayers for mental healing? Like me, I'm sure you have people on your prayer list who are lost and suffering emotionally. Other than wanting them to be released from that pain, what do we pray for? How specific might we be? My prayer for them is less about specifics, and more about lifting them to the light and 'letting go and letting God." In the weeks and months to come, I will be including that kind of prayer for my friend.

Accept the mystery

3/10/2023

My best friend is having a shoulder replacement today. It may be happening right now. I have asked friends to pray for her . I know they are and I know their prayers will make a positive difference. The mystery of faith, however, is that I don't know what that positive difference will be. It may be just what I want--ease, no pain, a quick recovery. But it may mean something else. The mystery is that we don't know, the faith is that we believe it will be for the good. Even when things happen which are obviously not good in any of my usual ways, I try to turn to God and see, hear, touch, taste, and smell what God is offering me, which I believe is of the good.
Today I pray for my friend, accepting that so much is a mystery, believing that God is with her and with me, and knowing that is it of the good.

Dostoyevsky

3/9/2023

Hans Memling

At some ideas you stand perplexed,
especially at the sight of human sins,
uncertain whether to combat it by force
or by humble love.
Always decide,
"I will combat it with humble love."
If you make up your mind about that
once and for all, you can conquer the
whole world.
Loving humility is a terrible force;
it is the strongest of all things
and there is nothing like it.
Dostoyevsky