Sealing all the entries

From +++JN1034 (in a comment thread):

As I've told my students for decades (most forget, many choose not to remember):

To deny our common heritage and witness as Christians is to refuse attempts at visible unity, thereby propagating the great heresy that the Holy Eucharist - that is God's own being - is an exclusive privilege of a few, and that the Holy Spirit is limited to even less. What value has Baptism and Chrismation to the ones claiming Paradise while sealing all entries?

Господу помориця:

Most Holy and Lifegiving Trinity, in whom we live and move and have our being, in your infinite compassion look upon your warring children and touch our hearts that the doors thereof may open and that we may behold one another through your merciful eyes. Suffer us not to turn from one another but grant that turning our faces toward each other we may turn them unto you, whose Light illumines all who come into this world. To you be glory now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.

--the BB

Mad dogs, Englishmen, and crazed bears

When I got home from church I headed out into the yard under the midday sun. This may be doubly foolish since I got a haircut yesterday and what is not already bald is now buzzed down to #1.

I planted the last remaining penstemon, did a bit more well repair and mulching, and watered the newly planted items again. I hope to have photos later today or tomorrow but some more of my bare root roses have had their first bloom, one more has shoots, and one from last year has new shoots too. I am still waiting for some sign of life an about five others. Nonetheless, the yard is a great joy to my heart.

Oh, and I stretched out more string along the wall for vines to grow on, pruned a bit, and put up poles for the beans.

We had a lovely time at church, as usual. Afterward I met a visitor who knew some of our members. As we were chatting it finally dawned on me: he is the son of a colleague with whom I had been in a support group in California! The world is small. The world of Episcopalians is really, really small.

--the BB