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This week, I would like to share this poem by Lo Alaman with you.
Fr. Bill+ A Prayer for Pentecost He said be And everything became so And in the amount of time it took for breath to pass through lips A universe boomed, and stars sparked, and worlds began to exist And all became His He said breathe And we became lungs And we became bodies filled to life Animated by spirit and instruction And suddenly this dust had a Father So we became daughters and sons And love became both our names and our heritage He said taste and see He said faith and believe He said inhale love’s promises And exhale whatever lies lead our hearts to lonely We went astray Smoke filled our lungs Sin cut off our airways Like a knee to the neck We cried, I can’t breathe There was no justice, there was no peace Could He speak again? Could His Spirit whistle through the caverns of our chests? Could He send a savior to resuscitate? They whip His skin He gasps in pain He breathes His last He lay in grave The Spirit comes He rises to reign! He breathes on the church We rise the same He says breathe And we come alive He says receive And let Spirit guide The world needs life The breath of Christ Is in our lungs Say Spirit come! Say Spirit come! Spirit come! We pray . . . Holy Spirit come!
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Spiritual Strength
It’s 1904, and a 10-year-old Italian boy named Angelo Siciliano arrives in Brooklyn, New York, with his family. He’s a skinny child, and as he adjusts to life in this new city, he’s often picked on by the bigger kids. Fast-forward to 1922, and this same guy is on the podium at Madison Square Garden, having been named “America’s Most Perfectly Developed Man.” By then, this 97-pound weakling had not only grown a stronger body, he’d also changed his name to Charles Atlas. We see or hear about stories like this all the time. We are living in an era that focuses on bodily health and strength, but how do you do that spiritually? What’s the formula for gaining spiritual muscle? Actually, it’s no secret. In fact, God’s Word makes it plain: Putting aside all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander, like newborn babies, long for the pure milk of the word, so that by it you may grow. (1 Peter 2:1–2) When babies come into this world, there’s only one thing they really want to do—and that’s eat. They do so about every four hours. And if their desire for milk is not met at the exact time they need it, then they will scream! Without question, if a baby doesn’t have a desire to eat, it’s a sign that there’s something wrong. As Christians, it is the same for you and me. If we don’t have a desire for the pure milk of God’s Word, then it’s a sign we’re spiritually sick and are going to get sicker. The Word feeds and strengthens us, but our daily living can also expose us to spiritual illness. St. Peter proclaimed that growing spiritually is not solely about feeding on the Word; it’s also about steering clear of appetite killers! We must put aside “all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander” (1 Peter 2:1). This is the simple formula of spiritual health that can sustain us day in and day out, come what may. Be completely honest before God, read and pray, and stay away from those who drag you down and infect your soul. David prayed, “Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way” (Psalm 139:23-24). Easy said, easy done. Fr. Bill+ Where are you going?
There is a lot of traveling going on. To Pennsylvania, Baltimore, shipboard, Boston, San Francisco, Grants Pass, Winston-Salem, and to places unknown. Family vacations, events of many kinds, new home hunting, pure recreation, and the call of the wild facilitate such movement, but they do not define it. No matter the reason for going, it is the way we encounter the “when we get there” and the “how we got there” that makes the difference. In the Gospel of Luke (24:13-35), we hear about two disciples traveling the Road to Emmaus. There were very specific reasons why they were on that road and why they wanted to be in Emmaus. There is no doubt that their discussion along the way would have been a learning process and an opportunity for personal reflection. Considering the time needed to travel to Emmaus, they would have had a reasonable expectation of some sort of resolution, but they could not have foreseen the transformative, life-changing encounter that would take place on the Way. We have long heard it said that it is not the destination but the journey that sets the stage for what is to come, and for Christians this couldn’t be more true. Travel is a way to meet Christ on the road and to feel the reality of his redeeming work in the world — not just by reading about it in a book, but by experiencing it in the flesh. Traveling is about more than just knowing God’s goodness in our minds. It’s about seeing and tasting and feeling it in his created world, and in those we meet along the way. And though strangers we may be in this world, the reality is that God is here, working in remarkable ways. To travel is to meditate on God's blessings and his rich creation; it is to experience his faithfulness and trust him in ways you just can't do in the comforts of your own home, culture and comfort zone. At times it can even be an act of worship. Most often, we and the world see travel as it benefits us only. It is our experience, our desire, our money, and we will receive something for our effort. Realizing and acknowledging God’s hand at work in fashioning the trip we are taking will radically alter that way of thinking. All those “our” statements may be true, but what we receive can be so much more than the satisfaction upon completing the trip and the photo memories of the adventure. Starting our voyage with God and inviting God into all aspects of the trip will change everything. There are many reasons we set out on journeys and many modes by which we get to where we are going, but there is one Christ who accompanies us along the Way and encounters us when we least expect. Each trip can be our Emmaus walk. Pray in thanksgiving for the opportunities you have had, pray for those in our Parish Family who have also traveled lately and for those who are about to. You have no way of knowing the transformative, life-changing encounter awaiting you. On the Way, Fr. Bill+ "Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD And whose trust is the LORD.
For he will be like a tree planted by the water, That extends its roots by a stream And will not fear when the heat comes; But its leaves will be green, And it will not be anxious in a year of drought Nor cease to yield fruit." Jeremiah 17:7-8 Knowledge is a good thing. There’s nothing wrong with studying doctrine, theology, or church history. But knowledge and belief aren’t the same. And neither one on its own is anything without trust. Think of it this way: If God’s love is like the air in our lungs, then our trust in Him is like the connective tissue in our body, holding everything together. A lot of people consider trust an abstract concept. But in reality, it results in observable change in action or attitude. And that’s what we see in the Bible—references to trust, faith, or belief are usually associated with noticeable transformation. Similarly, when we wholeheartedly trust God, there’s often a noticeable change that occurs. It may be something that happens within us rather than to our circumstances. But when God’s love causes such a shift, our perspective is likely to change and impact our daily life as well. For instance, it’s possible people around us will feel encouraged by our presence, we’ll treat the environment with more care, and our reactions will open the door to peace instead of conflict. Trusting God frequently begins in commonplace moments. Sometimes the greatest change is triggered by an action as simple as humbly asking the Lord for help. Take even one small step toward Him today. Let Him show you how trustworthy He is. Trusting, Fr. Bill+ Creator and the Journey
Each Sunday we pray for “those members of our Parish Family who are away or may be traveling,” and we pray for consolation and safety as we worship as a family in spirit if not in body. This is our Parish, and we are a Parish Family. We are all part of one another on the journey of life, which God has called us to. Sometimes we think we are alone in this, but we are not—how could we be? There is a truth about the reason we have each found our way to Creator. Yes, the building is unique and beautiful; it may be convenient and easy to get to; we may be fed by the worship and liturgy; but there is another reason we must consider—God wants us here. God has called each of us into this family for a reason, and we are called to grow as a family to discern God’s purpose. Oh, we will have our moments, even disagreements—what families don’t?—but these must be held up against the question, “What does God want me to learn from this here?” For here is where we are. The answer to this question will build us up and send us out in the name of Christ, because the answer will be from God and in accordance with God’s plan. As a member of this Parish Family and a Child of Christ worshipping here at Creator, you are held in the hearts and minds of your Brothers and Sisters and prayed for with fond regard. God has given us to each other and to this place in accordance with His plan and our cooperation with it. As a person of faith, you are here—for Christ first and for the discovery of God’s blessing second. Our time here is of great importance. Your community participation and support are your active parts in God’s plan. The work and witness of our Parish continues 365 days a year in good times and bad, laughing and crying, boldly standing and in fearfulness, and in all of that, we are all part of one another on the journey of life that God has called us to. Peace to all my Parish Family, Fr. Bill+ |
AuthorFather Bill Burk† Archives
September 2026
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