Posts by Ralph Patrick
Folie a Duex
“Love is . . . “ 1 Cor. 13 “The madness of two”. That’s what the title means. I saw it Sunday night on a bottle of Chardonnay that I bought to share with friends over dinner. I thought at first it meant “The Folly of God.” Goes to show how much French I know.…
Read MoreA “New” Prayer Practice
“If you’re not careful, prayer can become another kind of activity. The whole business about prayer comes from that one great text of the Eastern Orthodox icon, as Christ presents the book to the people with blessing and command: ‘Come to me all who travail and are heavy laden and I will give your rest.’…
Read MoreLeaning on the breast of Jesus
“The one who leans on the breast of Jesus will hear the heartbeat of God.” Those words were spoken by a monk to Roland Walls, founder of the religious order called the “Community of the Transfiguration” in Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland. This simple message was seminal in providing not only the motivation but also the faith…
Read MoreThe Gospel…practially
“All these things Jesus spoke to the crowds in parables, and He did not speak to them without a parable.” Matthew 13 So I was driving home from work on Thursday. I left early, around noon, cuz I’d had the flu and was still in recovery mode. I knew that based on the craziness of…
Read MoreOne of THOSE Weeks
Sometimes on a Saturday morning, which is when I usually write my blog, I have a difficult time coming up with a topic. Today is not one of those days. The exact opposite is true: I have too many possible ideas to choose from. So this blog is going to sound rather disjointed and scattered…
Read MoreReligious Shipwreck
The flotsam and jetsam of people wrecked by religion is floating everywhere. It’s not hard to find. One doesn’t even have to look for it, or better said “Them”. We find them as we walk along this sandy beach of faith. They’re not hard to spot if we are open and aware. Often times they…
Read MoreChristmas…Literally
“Out of Egypt I’ve called my son.” Hosea 11:1 “When Herod was dead an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream saying ‘Take the Child and go to Israel.” Matthew 2:19-21 Some people don’t like Christmas. Can you believe it? I’m not talking about the curmudgeonly Ebenezeer Scrooge types. I’m referring to…
Read MoreA Naked Christmas
“When did we see you naked?” Matt. 25:35-36 I love the manger scene for it’s sweet sentimentality, but not for it’s reality. It simply wasn’t like that! At least not initially. For as hard as Christians try to “dress up” Christmas—and dress up for it—the truth is that God comes to us naked! The baby…
Read MoreChristmas Love
“This is love . . . God loved us and sent His Son” 1 John “God’s Perfect Love Does Away with Fear” Tuesday was one of “those days”. The kind of day, and we’ve all had them, that from the time my feet hit the floor in the morning until I wearily hauled them back…
Read MoreChristmas Fear
“Fear not, for behold I bring you Good News of Great Joy . . . ““Perfect Love casts out all fear.” I’ve met a lot of fearful people this week. Some of them are afraid of getting dementia, or already have it and are afraid of what’s going to happen to them. Some are alone…
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