It is never easy to preach and share at the funeral of a good friend and former parishioner. At the same time, it is in some ways a gift from the heart to honor someone whose life was so radiant with God’s grace and love. I had many requests for my homily and so I share it in thanksgiving to God for the joy and love, and radiant life she shared with all of us. Special thanks to Fr. Stu Shelby who graciously honored Ucola’s request for me to serve at her funeral.

We live in the shelter of each other, 

Rob+

One of my hobbies is creating, producing, arranging music on my digital audio workstation. Here is a short little offering I made for fun. I selected musical loops to add a rocking bluegrass feel. The lyrics are self explanatory! Sounds better with headphones!

Hope it brings a smile to your day!

Rob

One of my hobbies is creating, producing, arranging music on my digital audio workstation. Here is a short little offering I made for fun. I selected musical loops to add a rocking bluegrass feel. The lyrics are self explanatory! Sounds better with headphones!

Hope it brings a smile to your day!

Rob

Stepping aside to move forward has given me time to return to reading and study of essential books and spiritual guides that have shaped my lifetime and vocation. In this podcast I reflect on the work of Fr. Henri Nouwen and his central theme of “Being The Beloved.” `

Raymond Carver, just before he died, as one of the finest writers of our time, wrote a fragment of a poem titled Last Fragment .

I have shared this in several sermons and retreats across the years, including as part of my teaching the 2017 Clergy Conference of the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe, Northern Ireland, for Bishop Ken Good.

I want to share with you, as part of this podcast, an audio excerpt from a previous sermon I preached.

And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so? I did. And what did you want? To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.”

The spiritual journey is at its core the discovery of our belovedness as the essence of who we truly are.

We are not what we do. We are not what we have. We are not what others say about us. We do not need to hurry or hustle. We do not need to worry. We can trust Jesus our friend and the voice that tells us who we are: Beloved of God.

Faith is the courage to accept your acceptance and your prior belovedness, to be the beloved of God.

With you on the Journey,

Rob+

Stepping aside to move forward has given me time to return to reading and study of essential books and spiritual guides that have shaped my lifetime and vocation. In this podcast I reflect on the work of Fr. Henri Nouwen and his central theme of “Being The Beloved.” `

Raymond Carver, just before he died, as one of the finest writers of our time, wrote a fragment of a poem titled Last Fragment .

I have shared this in several sermons and retreats across the years, including as part of my teaching the 2017 Clergy Conference of the Diocese of Derry and Raphoe, Northern Ireland, for Bishop Ken Good.

I want to share with you, as part of this podcast, an audio excerpt from a previous sermon I preached.

And did you get what you wanted from this life, even so? I did. And what did you want? To call myself beloved, to feel myself beloved on the earth.”

The spiritual journey is at its core the discovery of our belovedness as the essence of who we truly are.

We are not what we do. We are not what we have. We are not what others say about us. We do not need to hurry or hustle. We do not need to worry. We can trust Jesus our friend and the voice that tells us who we are: Beloved of God.

Faith is the courage to accept your acceptance and your prior belovedness, to be the beloved of God.

With you on the Journey,

Rob+

It was a great joy to preach this sermon at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Orlando today. I am deeply grateful to Fr. David Bumstead, Rector, for his kind invitation.  May this “Joy Sunday” message bring you flourishing hope and encouragement.

With you on the Journey,

Rob+

It was a great joy to preach this sermon at Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Orlando today. I am deeply grateful to Fr. David Bumstead, Rector, for his kind invitation.  May this “Joy Sunday” message bring you flourishing hope and encouragement.

With you on the Journey,

Rob+

Dear Friends, I have added a “Sermon Page” to my blog. I will be posting previous sermons and those I preach in the future from time to time. I hope they might be helpful for your journey and flourishing. 

First Sunday of Advent 2016  Fr. Rob Lord+

On The First Sunday of Advent, I sought to remind us that in the midst of this busy season, God gives us an invitation to wake up to the reality of our lives, the reality of His daily coming to us, and waiting for the appearance of Christ now and at His final coming.

During Advent we learn:

1. To stay awake to our hearts.

2. To stay awake and present to those we love.

3. To stay awake to the coming of Christ every day and at his final Advent when he comes again.

As St. Augustine said: “You are closer to me than I am to myself.” This is why Advent is a contemplative season that calls us to wait in silence on God’s loving embrace in Jesus Christ. May you have a meaningful and wonderful Advent.

With you on The Journey,

Rob+

Dear Friends, I have added a “Sermon Page” to my blog. I will be posting previous sermons and those I preach in the future from time to time. I hope they might be helpful for your journey and flourishing. 

First Sunday of Advent 2016  Fr. Rob Lord+

On The First Sunday of Advent, I sought to remind us that in the midst of this busy season, God gives us an invitation to wake up to the reality of our lives, the reality of His daily coming to us, and waiting for the appearance of Christ now and at His final coming.

During Advent we learn:

1. To stay awake to our hearts.

2. To stay awake and present to those we love.

3. To stay awake to the coming of Christ every day and at his final Advent when he comes again.

As St. Augustine said: “You are closer to me than I am to myself.” This is why Advent is a contemplative season that calls us to wait in silence on God’s loving embrace in Jesus Christ. May you have a meaningful and wonderful Advent.

With you on The Journey,

Rob+

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus gives his manifesto about the art of human flourishing. He joins the other rabbis and sages throughout history and answers life’s ultimate question, “how does a person live the good life?” Jesus’ answer to that question is so compelling that people have been writing, discussing, and wrestling over his words for over 2,000 years.

The “blessings” of the Beatitudes—the macarisms, as he calls them, based on the Greek word makarios that Jesus uses—are descriptions of what it looks like to be living well in the present. They are grace-based, wisdom invitations to human flourishing in God’s coming kingdom. Embrace suffering and flourishing will follow. This is the true paradox of the Way of Christ.

JESUS’ NARRATIVE: THE BEATITUDES ARE INVITATIONS OF INCLUSION INTO A WAY OF FLOURISHING AVAILABLE IN THE REALM OF GOD.

The Beatitudes are not instructions to do anything. They do not indicate conditions that are especially pleasing to God or good for human beings. The Beatitudes are better heard as Jesus’ announcements of the dawning of the Kingdom

Only if one believes Jesus’s claim that he is the bearer of an in-breaking divine, benevolent reign can one see those who are poor, tearful, hungry, and persecuted as flourishing.

Flourishing are you!

Rob+

P.S. Opening and Interlude music I created just for this podcast!