Last night I drove my kids to San Jose to see my hometown Philadelphia Flyers play against the Sharks. I was raised as a big ice hockey fan, and I am proud to pass along that enthusiasm to my children. Although the Flyers lost, we enjoyed this annual ritual yet again. Simply sitting still together for several hours felt relaxing!

Many of this week’s Gospel readings focus on the invitational aspect of Jesus’ ministry. Some refer to these stories as Jesus’ table fellowship. Often Jesus explicitly invites the outcast, the downtrodden, and the marginalized to join him for a meal. This public invitation was counter-cultural, and likely contributed to Jesus’ execution. Jesus’ example informs my own vision of heaven, where each and every person is welcome and treated as an honored guest. This inclusive feast will one day be realized in the Kingdom of God.

“The danger of privilege is that we can tell ourselves we’ve opened our tables when we really haven’t. We’ve changed some rules; we’ve donated to some charities; we’ve stoped telling some jokes. But these things are not nearly enough. The challenge and opportunity for those of us with privilege is to realize that no matter how much we work to invite others to the table, ‘there is still room’ for more.” – Nick Wagner

Together let us be grateful for the privilege of life. Enjoy the quote below and a Tiny Desk concert from one of my favorite blues artists. Blessings on your week ahead!

“Gratitude is more than a reflex ‘thank you’ when someone holds a door for you. Gratitude is a spiritual practice that embraces life’s tension-flexing web of relationships and actions, like those that occur every day, all through the day.” -Tim Joy, Lasallian Colleague

This past weekend our family attended the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival in Golden Gate Park. This free annual event is a San Francisco treasure. I am pleased to share a performance by artist Leyla McCalla, who we were introduced to on Saturday. I also share some prayer resources that have come my way recently.

Blessings on your week ahead!

Excerpt from “House of Hospitality” and “From Union Square to Rome”

– Dorothy Day

People say, “What good can one person do? What is the sense of our small effort?” They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time. We can be responsible only for the one action of the present moment. But we can beg for an increase of love in our hearts that will vitalize and transform all our individual actions and know that God will take them and multiply them, as Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fishes. Do what comes to hand. Whatsoever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might. After all, God is with us. It shows too much conceit to trust to ourselves, to be discouraged at what we ourselves can accomplish. It is lacking in faith in God to be discouraged. After all, we are going to proceed with His help. We offer Him what we are going to do. If He wishes it to prosper, it will. We must depend solely on Him. Work as though everything depended on ourselves, and pray as though everything depended on God, as St. Ignatius says.

I recently started reading Braving the Wilderness: The Quest for True Belonging and the Courage to Stand Alone, by one of my favorite authors/speakers/thinkers, Brené Brown. I have been leading workshops on “Belonging” in our schools of late, and this resource is a great add to my toolkit. Dr. Brown’s Ted Talk on “The Power of Vulnerability” transformed my leadership style over a decade ago. I highly recommend you view it here if you’re not familiar with this insightful, entertaining and thoughtful presentation.

Dr. Brown’s book introduced me to a style of bluegrass music that I was previously unfamiliar with- High Lonesome Bluegrass. Below is a link to a song called “Gloryland,” which aligns with my vision of the Kingdom of God. This vision involves a sacred place where all are welcome…are happy..and belong.

I am pleased to share the below prayer for your reflection. I hope we can all carve out the space and time to listen, unclutter, and recognize God’s beauty…I was able to do so this past weekend, with a visit to the Dahlia Garden at Golden Gate Park with my family (depicted above). Blessings on your week ahead!

A Prayer for Discernment
Lord, help me now to unclutter my life,
to organize myself in the direction of simplicity.
Lord teach me to listen to my heart;
teach me to welcome change, instead of fearing it.
Lord, i give you these stirrings inside me,
I give You my discontent,
I give You my restlessness,
I give You my doubt,
I give You my despair,
I give You all the longings I hold inside.
Help me to listen to these signs of change, of growth;
to listen seriously and follow where they lead
through the breathtaking empty space of an open door.

Common Prayer Pocket Edition: A Liturgy for Ordinary Radicals
Paperback – February 11, 2012
by Shane Claiborne (Author) and Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove (Author)