A Stranger, And You Welcomed Me

Hello everyone, I know I have been a bit quiet – that is an understatement! Anyway, I am popping in to say I hope to get back to more regular blogging.

In the meantime I wanted to make sure you all knew about this relatively new book, A Stranger, And You Welcomed Me, Homilies and Reflections for Cycle B, edited by Deacon Jim Knipper, from Clear Faith Publishing. Featuring the work of many renown Christians including Richard Rohr, Daniel P. Horan, James Martin SJ, Nadia Bolz-Weber, Deacon Greg Kandra, Jan Richardson, Phyllis Zagano the artwork of Br. Mickey McGrath OSFS, and many more, there is something for everyone in this book. Other contributors include Michelle Francl, Kevin Ahern, Margaret Blackie, Becky Eldridge, and Rory Cooney. And oh yeah, me also! There are so many fine contributions in this book and I hope you will consider making a purchase.

Proceeds from the book will go to several charities that welcome the stranger among us. Despite changing tides and times, we have lived through a long era of rejection of the stranger. I know that many of us believe that the rejection of the stranger is the rejection of Christ himself.

This is the first installment of a three part series that follows the great success of Clear Faith’s first homiletic series which can be found here. That one can be purchased as a box set or individually. All homiletic series are based on the Catholic liturgical year, but have always included a wide variety of Christian authors, both ordained and lay. Each volume supports different kinds of charities and well over $100,000 has been donated from the initial three books alone.

Please support the work by purchasing a hard copy or Kindle version at this link. If you are in the greater Albany area, I have a small supply of books and would be happy to get one to you if we can work it out.

Thank you and I will look forward to writing in this space again soon!

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Found on Twitter: “Crystal Jaramillo and Trey Jones of Texas City say they’ve rescued about 22 people in their kayak.”

Whatever I might have said about anything else today has been swept away by Hurricane Harvey. A lot of what happened in the aftermath of Katrina had a lot to do with infrastructure issues, like the levees giving way, which in no way lessens the horrors. Harvey was just a full on beast of a storm that would seem to resist any definition.

I keep thinking of those who fled New Orleans after Katrina; many ended up in Houston. And many of that number stayed as they could not bear to return. And now this – how they must feel!

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So today, in addition to some photos that I have found that illustrate how we help one another, I will add some places to donate. My number one choice is always Catholic Charities USA or its local affiliate; it matters not, the funnel all empties into the same place. CC helps everyone, asking no questions of faith, only assessing need. And responding. When I say they help everyone, that means everyone.

If for some reason you do not wish to donate to them, here are two other alternatives, one Lutheran and one Episcopalian.  And I will add one more – the Jewish Federation. All have the same policies – no questions asked, other than to assess needs. Another group that will need donations is Habitat for Humanity… I suspect a lot of houses will need to be built.

Catholic Charities link is here.

ECLA link is here.

Episcopal relief link is here.

Jewish Federation link is here.

Habitat for Humanity link is here.

Whatever you do – please do something. Feel like your $5, heck – your $1 is not enough? Imagine if every person in the US gave $1 or $5! The results would be startling. And if you can do more… well, then please do more.

Whatever you choose this day, please do one thing. Help. Please.

Making time for prayer #whynot

The other day I posted about New Year’s Resolutions – or lack of them. If you read the post then you know that they have never been my thing – and that I have been prompted by the Spirit to ask the question #whynot? Why not try something new or different, something that has been long desired – or recently imagined – and see what happens? Most change, as we know, comes slowly. Many times one small change can bring forth more sweeping ones over time.

One thing that seems to come up for a lot of people is the desire to pray; either to begin a regular prayer practice, or to deepen an existing one. Speaking as the world’s most undisciplined person, I can tell you that the only consistent practice in my life is