Journal

Resources for Ash Wednesday and Lent

Every year I look forward to the liturgical season of Lent for the sober opportunity it provides to take stock of my relationship with God, and take on or put off a few things that are hindering my intimate with God.   It feels for the soul like the season it falls...

Communion of the Body of Christ

This last weekend, Corhaven hosted a delightful retreat with The Washington Institute about “Rhythms and Vocation: An Experiential Introduction to the Rule of St. Benedict.”  At the end of the day, the group shared in Eucharist with this simple recipe. Laura Fabrycky,...

Coracle in China!

Friends, I’ll be in Shanghai March 6-16 to preach at a couple of churches and to lead a couple of retreats, and looking forward to being hosted by and seeing some old friends from St. Brendan’s in the City.   The major themes of the retreats and speaking are spiritual...

Perspective of God’s Works of Wonder

With the hustle and bustle of work, school, and church, I find it hard sometimes to take a deep breath.  Sometimes we carve room for that special time of rest, and other times, it falls upon us like Gods saving mercy.  The image of our planet from Mars struck Bill and...

The Benedictine Way Today

This weekend, we’ve got a full house as so many people have signed up for the retreat exploring and experiencing the Benedictine tradition and it’s relevance for today.  Even if we won’t see you this weekend, this article is inspiring, insightful,...

The Lord Does Not Waste A Background

“God doesn’t waste a background.” This thought, planted by the Rev. Sam Ferguson during a study of the life of St. Paul began coming to fruition for me during my preparations for giving the general Father’s Blessing at the January 2014 Mother/Father’s Blessing held by...
God, Isaiah and Oswald Chambers

God, Isaiah and Oswald Chambers

Like many parents, I am fretting over the summer calendar already.  (Maybe these extra snow days after an already-long weekend  are wearing me out!)  The awesome church camp schedule is posted, but I’m still waiting on the county’s schedule.  Further, we have several...

Something Tangible for the New Year

A book review of Tangible: Making God Known Through Deeds of Mercy and Words of Truth by Chris Sicks (Colorado Springs, CO; NavPress, 2013) by Mary C. Amendolia How did an atheist turn into a man of mercy? Tangible: Making God Known Through Deeds of Mercy and Words of...
A Good Man, a Good Life, a Good Death

A Good Man, a Good Life, a Good Death

On December 31, 2013, Bill Scherer, father to Tara and father-in-law to me, entered the larger Life.  He was a founding board member of Coracle, and instrumental in enabling Corhaven to come into reality, among so many other things.  Below is the homily that I...
Christmas Mystery of Marriage

Christmas Mystery of Marriage

In the Joseph portion of the Christmas story (Matthew 1: 18-24), Joseph reverses his decision to put Mary away due to his encounter with an angel of the Lord who comes in a dream. In the Mary portion of the Christmas story (Luke 1: 26-56), Mary accepts the word of the...

A Christmas Story

It was a chilly evening in Bethlehem. No snow, but definitely a bitter wind that made you want to seek cover. Not long after graduating from college, I was there.  Privileged to attend a Christmas Eve Mass at the 4th century Church of the Nativity, I prayed just a few...

Living in the Present Moment

by Kit Elmer A wise friend once told me “God is alive in the present moment and in eternity. Satan’s territories are the past and the future.” Those words impacted me greatly and I realized that is why these two questions, “What if?” and “If only?” can be and have...

Blossomed and Fed

A Homily in Memoriam for Peggy Buresh, December 15, 2013 My enduring memories of Peggy Buresh will not be her body in the last year of her life on this earth the way that this earth is now.  They will be of all her years of life leading into this past year, and there...

What’s More Important?

Who has achieved more for global peace, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon or…Fozzy Bear? The gospel of Jesus is radiated long before it is communicated.  What is radiated is what is communicated.  “For we are the aroma of Christ” (2 Cor. 2:15); the truth of our...

Making Next Year Happen This Year

Dear friends and fellow-pilgrims, I’m genuinely excited to ask for your help to enable Coracle to grow in the coming year, but you’ll have to wait til the bottom of this letter for the details about that. There is just so much really good stuff to share first! After...
God Loves You… No, Really!

God Loves You… No, Really!

Recently, I had another all too familiar conversation with a man preparing for a retreat at Corhaven. He said, “Even though I’ve been a Christian for many years and heard a hundred sermons on this, I have a hard time accepting God’s love for me. If I had to climb 10...

Thankful For Soggy Messes

A Japanese red maple graces the front of our home. We planted it about 20 years ago. It provides wonderful shade while in leaf and lately has been home to a family of doves. It does however have the bad habit of dripping a sticky resin onto our cars. In the Fall its...
Praying With Icons

Praying With Icons

I have been trying to write about icons since attending Betsey Malloy’s retreat at Corhaven on Praying With Icons (June 2, 2013).  I own a handful of icons.  They look nice.  But, pray with them?  Afterward, I agreed to write a reflection and it would “not...