I have never owned a gun. I last fired one when I was about twelve years old, at a rifle range while at summer camp. I am not part of the gun culture, and know very little about it - except for the flood of resistance released by a portion of that culture toward any legislation that intends to reduce gun violence.
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Blog Archive
Posts from retired blogs, including Bishop Mark Beckwith's blog "Signs of God's Grace," Canon Greg Jacobs' blog "Out of the Ordinary," and blogs by General Convention deputies in 2012 and 2015.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on April 16, 2013
The violence continues.
On Monday afternoon, three people were killed and scores were injured in Boston. Details are still emerging, but it has unleashed a level of fear – and brought our psyches immediately back to the tragedy of 9/11. We talked with our children last night; and they said that all their friends who had run on Monday reported that they were all right. A priest friend of mine from Massachusetts told me this morning that both of his sons had been at the finish line cheering on friends, but they left before the explosions.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on April 10, 2013
I prefer to put an H at the front of the word “Alleluia,” because then it requires more energy to say it – or shout it or sing it. Hallelujah. Halleluia, Hamdalilah (the Arabic translation which Muslims use), Alleluia – however you say it or spell it; it is an expression of deep joy. We Christians reintroduce Hallelujah at Easter, because of the joy that is released in the Resurrection – “Alleluia: Christ is Risen!” Because Jesus rose from the tomb, Hallelujah erupts from the depth of the soul.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on March 26, 2013
I believe that we Episcopalians tell our story through our liturgy – and that's what we did yesterday in our nation's capital.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on March 13, 2013
Much of my time at our recently concluded House of Bishops meeting was spent dealing with responding to gun violence. A group of us met by conference call before our gathering, met several times during our time together in North Carolina, and have committed to continuing to work together beyond our meeting. We organized an entire afternoon and evening on the subject.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on February 27, 2013
I watched a TV show last night in which, in the course of an hour, at least eight people were shot dead. The violence was glorified, in that the “good” guys prevailed. And the violence was trivialized, in that the” bad” guys were nameless and clearly anti-social; no blood was seen and no tears were shed. Everybody on the show, including me watching it, moved on without any reflection that lives were taken.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on February 12, 2013
It is Shrove Tuesday. Mardi Gras. The day before the beginning of the Lenten season.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on February 9, 2013
One of my first wows was being taken to my first major league ballpark – Wrigley Field in Chicago. I was six. My dad took me.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on February 5, 2013
It turns out that Epiphany is all about Wow. The wow of a star leading wise men to the wonder of the baby Jesus.
Posted by Mark Beckwith on January 31, 2013
It’s called secondary gain – getting so wrapped up in negativity that you get something positive out of it.