Prayer/Meditation

For All Saints’ Day: Our Son’s Baptism (And Yours)

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Today is All Saints’ Day–when Christians remember the saints that came before us. It’s a perfect day to celebrate our son’s entry into visible membership into God’s family through the sacrament of baptism! You can watch it in the video above.

I wasn’t raised witnessing or agreeing with infant baptism. I grew up as a Bible Belt Southern Baptist (and pretty much all my relatives continue in that tradition). As a child, infant baptism was seen as a strange Catholic thing that went against the doctrine of salvation through grace.

But over time, my perspective changed as I found myself drawn into another tradition within Christianity–one that views baptism in a different way that I’ve found incredibly meaningful and beautiful.

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In Memoriam: Austin Ricketts (1983-2024)

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You can read Austin’s obituary here, and watch his beautiful funeral service here.

Every life is holy; and every life lost is equally a wound and tragedy. And yet, each of us at times encounter a death that feels greater, weightier. A death that makes us want to run out into the unknowing world, almost offended that others do not feel their great poverty now at the loss of this great wealth and beauty taken from their midst.

A couple of weeks ago, this world experienced such a loss: Austin Ricketts–husband, father, theologian, mystic, artist, teacher, pastor, counselor, and friend–was taken from us far, far too soon after a hard fight with a mysterious and aggressive cancer.

(If you have followed this blog over the years, you may also recognize him as an occasional guest contributor here.)

I met Austin in 2008 when we both started seminary Summer Greek, and we became fast friends. I always felt a certain communion with him, even though his restless soul always seemed to be existing in another plane. His was a mind to chase and run alongside, and it was a gift when you were the recipient and object of his inquisitive faculties.

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Ash Wednesday: Death Becomes Us

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Every year seems to play out the same.

Fall begins with a new year’s fervor, and I get some semblance of rhythm and regularity to my life. And I do very well with this. My mental (and marital) health needs structure, schedule, and routine to flourish.

Then–bam–the holidays hit and all those bulwarks against insanity fall away. And I struggle. I eat too much, stay up too late, and my spiritual disciplines become ad hoc and more random. I’m irritable.

And I have this nasty tendency to emotionally hide from others and myself as I hate the chaos that churns within me. (Merry Christmas!)

I stumble from the holiday fog and drift in a malaise for a few months–struggling to find rhythm again, trying to catch up on work I got out of the habit of doing, and straining to be the kind of human I wish to be. Or maybe just feel human at all.

It’s about this time that Ash Wednesday and Lent come around. Right when I need it most.

And it usually ends up serving as the perfect balm and reset for me to get some structure, humanity, and communion into my body once more.

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“The Sacred Journey” by Charles Foster [REVIEW]

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The Sacred Journey: The Ancient Practices
by Charles Foster

When you imagine a book on Pilgrimage as a Christian practice, many of us would likely anticipate a romantic, beautiful, sweeping celebration of the pilgrimage inherent in all things–how we are all pilgrims and how we might live our lives with pilgrim eyes. The book would be sweet and inspiring, encouraging us to take the stairs, mindfully walk to the bathroom, or carpool as a sort of pilgrim troupe.

This is not that book.

The Sacred Journey by Charles Foster is, as the saying goes, not your mother’s reflection on pilgrimage. It is provocative, rowdy, and challenging; drenched with the sweat, embodiment, and surprise that accompany real, true pilgrimage. It is devoid of sentimentality and sweetness and refuses to be nice. It revels in smashing your theological assumptions and comforts.

And it is astonishingly good.

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“O Emmanuel” | Incarnation O’Fashioned

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For each of the ancient “O Antiphon” prayers in this week preceding Christmas, I will be offering prayers and a variation on an Old Fashioned.

Today’s O Antiphon: “O Emmanuel”

We arrive at our final O Antiphon. Emmanuel means “God who is with us”. It is the most stunning title of them all, and represents the biggest surprise in the history of God’s healing work in the world. God did not just save us from afar, or by declaration, or by force. Instead he he came to be with us; and not just then, but also now and for eternity. That is the essence of our salvation in Christ: union with him.

Today’s Prayer & Scripture

O Emmanuel, our King and Lawgiver, Hope of the nations, and Savior of all people: come to save us, O Lord our God.

The main text is Isaiah 7:14: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son and shall name him Immanuel.” For further reflection, read Matthew 1:18-25, when this text and title are applied to Jesus. You can also read the original, full lyrics to O Come, O Come, Emmanuel to see all of these O Antiphons put in beautiful poetic form.

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“O Desire of Nations” | Ambassador O’Fashioned

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For each of the ancient “O Antiphon” prayers in this week preceding Christmas, I will be offering prayers and a variation on an Old Fashioned.

Today’s O Antiphon: “O Desire of Nations”

This is a beautiful Messianic title. Jesus is king not simply when it comes to authority and power, but also as the object of our desire and affections. And having a common desire is meant to unify, not divide. The prayer reminds us that God formed us for himself and we are not truly ourselves until we are in him. It also emphasizes the global nature of this People he has called he has called as his own.

Today’s Prayer & Scripture

O King of the Nations and their Desired One, the Cornerstone that makes us one: Come, and deliver us, whom you formed out of the dust of the earth.

The title here comes from an older translation of Haggai 2:7: “I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory”. For further reflection, you can read Isaiah 2:1-5 for a picture of the peace that God brings to the nations. Also read Ephesians 2:11-22 to see what this looks like on an interpersonal level when Christ is the cornerstone of our life together

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“O Dayspring” | Radiance O’Fashioned

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For each of the ancient “O Antiphon” prayers in this week preceding Christmas, I will be offering prayers and a variation on an Old Fashioned.

Today’s O Antiphon: “O Dayspring” (or “Radiant Dawn” or “Dawn of the East”)

The entire premise of Advent is that we sit with the darkness of the world and our hearts, waiting with anticipation and longing for light to break through. Then, at Christmas, we joyfully celebrate that the light has come and will come again. But today, we feel the night and wait for the Radiant Dawn, tasting its light–literally. (I’m super proud of this cocktail, by the way.)

Today’s Prayer & Scripture

O Dayspring, Splendor of everlasting light and Sun of justice: come and shine on them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

Isaiah 9:2: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.” All of verses 1-7 are a classic Advent text worth your time. For further reflection, read Malachi 4, the last chapter of the Old Testament, where the prophet says that “the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings”.

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“O Key of David” | Emancipation O’Fashioned

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For each of the ancient “O Antiphon” prayers in this week preceding Christmas, I will be offering prayers and a variation on an Old Fashioned.

Today’s O Antiphon: “O Key of David”

Calling Jesus the “Key of David” means he perfectly fits the locks our fallen humanity and frees us. He breaks the shackles of sin and death, giving us a liberation that cannot be undone. To honor it, I’ve made a “narrative cocktail” that tells a story in how it’s made.

Today’s Prayer & Scripture

O Key of David, O royal Power of Israel controlling at your will the gate of Heaven: Come, break down the prison walls of death for those who dwell in darkness and the shadow of death; and lead your captive people into freedom.

Isaiah 22:22-23: “I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David; he shall open, and no one shall shut; he shall shut, and no one shall open. I will fasten him like a peg in a secure place, and he will become a throne of honor to his ancestral house.” Another text used today is Isaiah 42:1-9 which speaks of the Messiah’s divine and liberating power.

For further reflection, read Psalm 107, a song of thanksgiving for all the ways God saves and frees us from trouble and death. Additionally, you can search for and reflect on art that depicts “The Harrowing of Hell”, when Christ broke open the shackles of hell to free humanity from its grasp. Also, make the drink for today. It’s fantastic.

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“O Root of Jesse” | Family Tree O’Fashioned

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For each of the ancient “O Antiphon” prayers in this week preceding Christmas, I will be offering prayers and a variation on an Old Fashioned.

Today’s O Antiphon: “O Root of Jesse”

Today’s antiphon title can sound strange to modern ears, but the “Root of Jesse” uses the imagery of a family tree, specifically that of the kingly line of David whose father was Jesse. Isaiah says this line will continue in the Messiah even though it seemed cut down. Today’s prayer and readings emphasize that the Messiah will spring up from this family tree even though it seemed like just a stump. He will save us, draw all people to himself, and be a King for all.

Today’s Prayer & Scripture

O Root of Jesse, standing as a sign among the peoples; before you kings will shut their mouths, to you the nations will make their prayer: Come and deliver us, and delay no longer.

The text today is Isaiah 11:1 and 10: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots…On that day the root of Jesse shall stand as a signal to the peoples; the nations shall inquire of him, and his dwelling shall be glorious.”

For further reflection, read Romans 15:1-13, where the apostle Paul quotes these verses to encourage the Roman church to move past racism, live in unity and peace, and to emphasize how Jesus’ way of ruling as king is in service and invitation rather than violence and division.

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“O Adonai” | Burning Bush O’Fashioned

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For each of the ancient “O Antiphon” prayers in this week preceding Christmas, I will be offering prayers and a variation on an Old Fashioned.

Today’s O Antiphon is “O Adonai”.

This antiphon points back to God revealing his name to Moses at the burning bush.The Israelites thought that name (YHWH) was too holy to say out loud, so they would substitute the word “Adonai”, which is often translated as LORD in English Bibles. On this day, we reflect on God in Jesus as our Lord, ruler, and judge, longing for him to come and sets us free from the things that bind us.

Today’s Prayer & Scripture

O Adonai, and Ruler of the house of Israel, who appeared to Moses in the flame of the burning bush and gave him the Law on Sinai: come, stretch out your mighty hand and set us free.

The text today is Isaiah 33:22: “For the Lord is our judge; the Lord is our ruler; the Lord is our king; he will save us.” For further reflection, read Exodus 3, the story of God revealing himself to Moses in the burning bush. It is such a rich and mysterious text, ripe for meditation.

As we continue towards Christmas, remember that God has revealed both himself and what way of living leads to life. Let that remind us how we fall short of that in so many ways and how we need God to come and satisfy his own judgment lest we lose him altogether. End your day with prayer and a drink.

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“O Wisdom” | Wise Sage O’Fashioned

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For each of the ancient “O Antiphon” prayers in this week preceding Christmas, I will be offering a variation on an Old Fashioned. We begin our “O’Fashioneds” with a pretty basic recipe, but rest assured–we have some fun ones on the way.

Today’s O Antiphon is “O Wisdom”. We reflect on Jesus as our wisdom and guide towards knowledge and prudence. He shows us the way to a rightly-ordered life, even as he orders all things “mightily and sweetly”–the same way I hope this cocktail strikes your palette.

Today’s Prayer & Scripture

O Wisdom that came forth from the mouth of the Most High, reaching from one end to the other and ordering all things mightily and sweetly: come to teach us the way of prudence.

Today’s text is Isaiah 11:2-3: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.” For further reflection, I’d encourage you to read and meditate on Proverbs 8, which has long been seen as hearkening towards Jesus.

May we seek to follow our Messiah’s example and receive his wisdom, understanding, and prudence. In the spirit of Advent, may we also feel our lack of that wisdom, and our utter reliance on God for it. End your day with a nightcap and this prayer as we continue our journey toward Christmas.

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Welcome to the Advent “O Antiphons” (& My “O’Fashioned” Cocktails)

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Last year I learned about a series of prayers and reflection that the Church has historically used in the seven days leading up to Christmas. This is the first year I’m going to try and engage them, and I want to bring you all along. I also want to give you a bunch of cocktails to go along with them.

The “O Antiphons”

Let me introduce you to the O Antiphons, seven short Advent prayers that go back at least to the 6th-century.*

If you’ve been around religious settings during Christmas time, you’ve probably been exposed to the O Antiphons without even knowing it: the hymn “O Come O Come Emmanuel” incorporates all of them into its verses.

The O Antiphons come from the book of Isaiah, and are a series of seven titles attributed to the prophesied Messiah. Each day has a brief prayer focusing on one of these titles as a way focus our Advent longing on the God we need in Jesus. Here they are. As we get to each one, I’ll link to the post and cocktail for that day.

Yeah, there are some titles a lot of us are likely not very familiar with or know what they mean. The idea here is that you meditate on one each day in the week leading to Christmas and you pray the brief antiphon during evening prayers as a way to add focus.

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A Prayer for Peace in Ukraine

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O God, Creator of the universe, who extends your concern over every creature and guides the events of history toward the salvation of all, we acknowledge your strong love when you break the resistance of sinful humans and, in a world torn by strife and discord, you make us ready for reconciliation.

Renew for us the wonders of your peace; send forth your Spirit to work in the intimacy of our hearts, that we may fast and pray for nations in conflict, that enemies may begin to dialogue, that adversaries may shake hands, and peoples exist in harmony.

May all commit themselves to the sincere search for true peace which will extinguish all arguments, for charity which overcomes hatred, for pardon which disarms revenge. Shatter the proud hearts causing death and suffering in Ukraine, and bring your peace to all. We beg you, do this. Amen.

Mary: Ordained as Prophetess, Priestess, & Queen

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Tanner-the-anunciation-mary

One of the beautiful things about Catholic theology is that it sees story as one of its main interpretive filters. Protestantism, on the other hand, focuses much more on historical context and the text itself.

To modern ears, the Protestant ways sounds great, but there’s one big problem: this is not how most of the biblical writers, Jesus, the apostles, the early church, nor most of church history have ever treated the Bible. They were and have been much “freer” with the text (yes, often to a fault). Catholicism’s rootedness in ancient ways of reading invites them into new dimensions and interpretations.

Take Mary, for example. Catholics see her foretold in the Old Testament just as much as Jesus is. They see her in prophecies and allegorically represented in other women. They see parallels between her and the Ark of the Covenant, the Tabernacle, and the Temple, saying they all carried the Holy of Holies within them, and were revered for it.

There are three biblical offices of authority among God’s people: Prophet, Priest, and King. Christians see Jesus as the fulfillment and highest expression of each of these, but in the Advent event, you can see Mary serving these functions as well. So today, as a Protestant, I want to sit with this and revel in some beauty and divine mystery.

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Advent & Restlessness

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For an Advent devotional, I’ve been using God is In the Manger, excerpts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s sermons and letters. Below is a profound insight I came across. I encourage you to read this slowly and really take it in:

Not everyone can wait: neither the sated nor the satisfied nor those without respect can wait. The only ones who can wait are people who carry restlessness around with them and people who look up with reverence to the greatest in the world.

Thus Advent can be celebrated only by those whose souls give them no peace, who know that they are poor and incomplete, and who sense something of the greatness that is supposed to come, before which they can only bow in humble timidity, waiting until he inclines himself toward us—the Holy One himself, God in the child in the manger. God is coming; the Lord Jesus is coming; Christmas is coming. Rejoice, O Christendom!

Only the restless can truly celebrate Advent. For someone whose brain runs a million miles an hour, whose mental processing and angst run non-stop, who lives with much spiritual, emotional, and existential restlessness, this gives me hope, even for a moment.

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