Patient understanding and persevering love
This week I met a man who asked for a blessing on his first day of sobriety. He was an alcoholic and clearly hungover. Bloodshot eyes,...
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ASK ME FOR A BLESSING
God's grace is meant to be shared
- Oct 8, 2022
- 2 min
When the demons come out
A clergy colleague once told me, "The demons come out before Christmas and Easter.” His point was that spiritual darkness in the world...
- Aug 23, 2022
- 3 min
Let the BS recede
Last week I had two prayer requests related to marriage. The first was from a middle-aged couple who said they wanted their marriage “to...
- Jul 29, 2022
- 1 min
Ready to launch
It’s been a minute. And by “a minute,” I mean well over a year. It’s hard to believe I haven’t posted to this blog since January of 2021....
- Jan 13, 2021
- 1 min
"Ask me for a blessing" on TV!
New York's WABC-TV covered this ministry on the 5:00 news. Click here for the story!
- Jul 17, 2020
- 3 min
Back in the saddle
This week I resumed my ministry of offering blessings outside. Only now I have a special mask to match my stole (green for the season of...
- Feb 25, 2020
- 3 min
Blessed are the psychotic
As a minister in an urban setting, I come into contact with my fair share of people with signs of severe mental illness. “Saucy J” told...
- Nov 12, 2019
- 2 min
Eat Kneel Bless
Last week I got my first kneeler. Someone kneeled down on the sidewalk in front of me and asked for a blessing. Even more surprising than...
- Oct 25, 2019
- 3 min
What wondrous love is this
Three weeks ago today was the Feast of St. Francis, the patron saint of animals, which always falls on October 4. It feels like forever...
- Sep 25, 2019
- 2 min
Church meets world
As I stood in front of my church to offer blessings this week, I kept fixating on its shadow. Our church building casts a large shadow on...
- Aug 23, 2019
- 3 min
A fact of love
"My wife's father was murdered a year ago and her emotions still erupt like a volcano." I've heard a lot of surprising things in this...
- Jul 19, 2019
- 2 min
Peace be with you.
One of the most common prayer requests I get is for peace. Sometimes this request is tied to a specific situation, such as divisiveness...
- Jun 28, 2019
- 1 min
Another take
A reporter for Religion News Service gives her perspective on “Ask Me for a Blessing.” Check it out! https://religionnews.com/2019/06/27/...
- Jun 12, 2019
- 3 min
Pray for me, a sinner
Every once in a while, I get someone who wants to pray for me rather than the other way around. They usually approach me with great...
- May 24, 2019
- 2 min
Preach!
This week I heard three sermons from three different people who stopped for a blessing. I don’t think any of them knew they were...
- May 3, 2019
- 2 min
God's seal of approval
I do a lot of nodding and listening in my line of work. For the most part, this is confined to my office, but every once in a while, I...
- Apr 13, 2019
- 2 min
No takers AND a dog peed on my sign
It’s rare that I get fewer than five people who ask for a blessing during my stint on the sidewalk. I’ve been doing this roughly once a...
- Mar 26, 2019
- 2 min
Don't forget Margaret!
Last year a woman walking her dog stopped to tell me there’s a ghost in my church named Margaret. She couldn’t give me any details except...
- Mar 9, 2019
- 2 min
Ashes for the grumpy
I got the idea for this ministry from Ashes to Go, when clergy and laypeople alike offer ashes outdoors, rather than inside the church,...
- Feb 21, 2019
- 3 min
Scarf? Stole? Same difference.
“I like your scarf!” She was referring to my stole. It’s the long piece of fabric that priests where around their necks and that hangs...
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