The Celtic Monk

Hafiz is a 14th century Persian poet.  The likes of Goethe and Ralph Waldo Emerson commented on his works. Goethe wrote that "Hafiz has no peers" which is high praise. Though I don't think any new writings of Hafiz have been discovered, his poems are often re-translated by folks with better linguistic ability or even just a better handle on  his body of work. I find in his poems an uncanny sense of the Presence of the Divine. In his poem, An Enthusiasm To Express Discovery  Hafiz wrote: "The greatest and most lasting art, the impetus of it, I feel, always comes from a wanting to help.  A wanting to free, and an enthusiasm to express discovery... the artist...becomes aware of inner spheres and minlges with them, and then puts those experiences into what they most care about for the world to touch and see if the world wants. I know all my poems come from a wanting to give something useful." It's not often I sit down to ...

For worship on Trinity Sunday, I'd asked our AV folks to project the image of Rublev's Trinity onto the two screens that are behind me as I face the congregation to preach.  For decades I've referred to it as my 'favorite' sacred image.  Having been raised Catholic, I was not as adverse to sacred images as some Protestants-who misunderstanding, thought people worshiped the icon iteself, rather than what it represented. We're often afraid of what we do not understand. Last night as we prepared to enter a weekend of silence, one of our presentations was on the history and use of icons in prayer.  Part of the library was draped in beautiful deep fabrics and five icons were placed on small tables, surrounded by candles and a few scattered chairs.  As we walked from image to image we learned its history, some scholary insights and were invited to return and pray with these images in our 48 hour silence. Not surprisingly, one of the icons was the ...

It's a mild spring day in Pikesville, Maryland just outside of Baltimore. Fluffy, crisp, white clouds make the day more shady than sunny but the chirping birds are sounding the fullness of spring. Like most days in: life according to the Celtic Monk it's a good day for reflection. Which is what's on my heart. Surely you've heard the saying "good fences make good neighbors." Having lived in a crowded city with bearly three feet between houses, I can see how that could be true. With a good fence I know what's mine and you know what's yours. With a good fence I don't have to guess if I've mowed too much or too little of the lawn. With a good fence it's clear whose insurance will have to pay if that tree falls and damages my car. A good fence delineates between what is yours and what is mine. It's the law. But what about a gate? A gate makes a way for you and I to come together. A gate provides access from me to you and fr...