Psalm 61, 62; Isaiah 11: 1-9; John 5: 30-47
| When I sat down to write this meditation, I began by grabbing my Daily Office books from the shelf in my library. Neither book has been opened in a few years. Upon opening I noticed crayon scribbles all over the opening pages. My first instinct was to fuss at my children who must have used those pages as a blank canvass for a little “free form art.” Of course, those children are now 12 and 14 years old so fussing at them for something done so long ago would probably be a waste of time! Upon exploring the scripture I was drawn to the prophetic voice of Isaiah, in particular verse 6b, and “a little child shall lead them.” This reading serves as a poignant reminder that God saw the world as a canvas on which to paint a new picture of creation. God’s “free form art” was realized in the lineage of Jesse and brings a new picture of paradise to the world. This new paradise is sometimes messy and sometimes more like scribbles or “free form art” as we discern how God is reaching out to creation. Life with small children is never easy and always unpredictable, yet it is a unique paradise filled with joy and wonder. Perhaps, the small children in our lives can help lead us to the blank canvases within our world. God, thank you for all that you give especially our children who lead us to see how a blank canvas can become a work of art. Amen. The Rt. Rev. Brian R. Seage, ’97 Bishop Coadjutor, Diocese of Mississippi Jac kson, Mississippi |
2014 Advent Meditations Front Page
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Brian Seage is the 10th bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Mississippi and the 1,083rd bishop in the succession of American bishops. He started his career with the church in his nativeThousand Oaks, California, where he served as a youth minister before going on to seminary where he met his future wife, Kyle. Kyle convinced Brian to come to her home – Mississippi – after they graduated, and it soon became his home as well. Brian has previously served as rector of St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Diamondhead and St. Columb’s in Ridgeland, and he’s also been a camp director at Camp Bratton-Green every summer since 2006.
When he’s not serving the people of the church in Mississippi, Brian likes to surf and take in the musical stylings of a certain California band whose name shouldn’t require mention for anyone reading his website: www.rtrevdeadhead.com/
