Posts by Ralph Patrick

“Behold an Angel of the Lord came to him and a light shined in the prison.” Acts “There was no such thing as a prison in the Celtic mind.” John O’Donahue Recently I was sitting in a garage visiting with my good friend Greg.  Due to a very rare illness Greg is limited in his…

“My God, Why Have You Forsaken Me?”  Mark 15:34 “Love Winter, when the Plant says Nothing.”  Thomas Merton “I Am With You Always” Matthew 28:20 When in your life were you closest to God?  When in your life was God closest to you? The answers to those two questions may very well be the same. …

“The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me; The Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor, to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; To proclaim the Year of the Lord’s favor, the day of vengeance…

“Love is . . .”  St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 13 “Love is Love is Love is Love is Love is Love is Love is Love.”  Lin-Manuel Miranda, The Tony Awards What are you doing for St. Valentines Day?  To whom are you sending a card, giving flowers or chocolate, or doing something nice?  And what…

“Where shall I go from Thy Spirit, or where can I flee from Thy Presence?” Ps. 139 “The indwelling presence of Christ, the fragrant grains of wounded incense, make our poverty rich and our brokenness whole.”  Martin Laird “Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.” The Gospels Perhaps one of the most pernicious…

“As for me I will behold Thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake with Thy likeness.”  Psalm 17:15 “When you come home you walk into a vibrant web of Presence” To be a good listener requires presence.  Being present with the other and with God. Often-times there is no difference.  How…

“Be More, Do Less” “Be Still and know that I am God Be Still and know that I Am Be Still and Know Be Still Be”  The above, a variation of Psalm 46 by Richard Rohr, is a reminder of perhaps the most essential element that comprises listening, namely stillness.  It is hard, in fact…

“Speak, O Lord, Your servant listens.”  1 Samuel 3:9 “In the beginning was the Word.”  1 John 1:1 “God gave us two ears and one mouth for a reason; so that we could listen twice as much as we speak.” Jean Patrick “Pastor, what should I say?”  I wish I had a nickel for every…

“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this:  everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” James 1:19 “When people talk listen completely.  Most people never listen.” E. Hemingway Everywhere we look we’re inundated with news and information about how terrible everything is.  We’re divided and segregated by…

“I told myself a joke” My Dad, Ralph L. Patrick “Sarah said, ‘God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me’”. Genesis 18 Christmas is over.  Not officially, cuz it doesn’t end until Epiphany in three days.  But for all intents in purposes with the turning of the calendar,…