Rev. Valerie's Reveille

While I highly respect Mary, the mother of Jesus, I don’t consider myself a devotee.  After thinking about this for a while, it think it has more to do with how she is promoted (especially within the Roman Catholic Church) than not acknowledging her unique and important part of our Christian story.  Indeed, without Mary’s willingness to accept the mantle of motherhood, all else would be naught. My issue with the way Mary is portrayed by the Church is that she becomes the paragon of feminine virtue being eternally a virgin (this theology is not promoted by the Episcopal Church, as we believe the Gospels refer to his biological brothers.).  The innocence and subservience of that nomenclature demands that Mary be seen as “gentle,” “meek,” and “mild.”  That is ridiculous.  And when the Church wants all women to emulate Mary in this way, it denies any vivacity or assertiveness from being positive feminine qualities. I know I stand on the shoulders of many st...

I willingly admit I am a creature of habit – partially because I am lazy and if I do things in a specific order, I don’t forget things. But also there is a certain comfort to organizing my self and my life in a predictable pattern. If, however, my routine is changed or interrupted, I am able to make accommodations and adapt to deal with the situation.  Such as been the situation for the past 10 days. It has been a real blessing to me to be able to take care of my sister during her health crisis and tend to my niece while my sister is recovering.  I’ve had a unique and strange opportunity to be a part of their daily life that I don’t experience when we visit for vacation or holidays.  It’s the mundane things like getting up for school, making sure homework is done and there is food for lunches – and all other meals! – and going to basketball games and doctors’ appointments. We even got some things done to get ready for Christmas, just so my sister doesn’t have to worr...