Set Your Sails — Be Ready

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

I write to you from Harbor Springs, Michigan, a beautiful town along the shores of Lake Michigan, just south of the Upper Peninsula and not far from Mackinac Island. For over twenty years, my family and I have been blessed to spend part of our summers here. If our timing is right, we get to witness the annual sailing regatta—an event that draws boats and sailors from across the Great Lakes.

These boats are not only beautiful but often extremely sophisticated. Their crews are seasoned and skilled. And yet, despite all their training and technology, they remain utterly dependent on one thing: the wind. Without it, they sit motionless. And when the wind comes, they must set their sails carefully and wisely to capture its power. No amount of skill or equipment can compensate for its absence.

This, dear friends, is a powerful—if imperfect—metaphor for our spiritual lives. Whether we are navigating life with seasoned faith or just beginning to explore the waters of belief, we all need the wind of the Spirit to move us. We may prepare our vessels, hoist our sails, and chart our course, but without the breath of God—without the Spirit—we go nowhere.

The Spirit of God is the wind that fills our sails, the unseen force that moves us forward with purpose, power, and direction. It is only in relationship to that divine movement that we find our true course. It is the tension between our sails and that sacred wind that carries us across the waters of life—sometimes calm, often choppy—toward a destination that is holy and meaningful.

So, I invite you in the week ahead: in your heart, in your soul, in your imagination—set your sails. Be ready. Wait and watch for the Spirit’s stirring. It may come as a gentle breeze or a sudden gust, but it will come. And when it does, may it move you in ways that are wondrous and unexpected, sometimes challenging, yet always sacred.

Forward in faith!

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

Forward in Faith!

Dear Friends,

By the time you read this, I will have arrived in Michigan, where I will be serving the people of St. John’s Church in Harbor Springs for the next four weeks. During this time apart, please know that I will hold you close in heart and prayer—and I ask that you do the same for me and my family.

During this time, I invite you to reflect upon who we are as the people of Trinity Church, and how God is working in and through us in unique and beautiful ways. There is only one Trinity Church in Princeton—only one in the entire world. And we have our own distinct way of embodying and proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I believe God is calling us to something meaningful in the year ahead—something that will bring life and light to the world.

In the weeks to come, I encourage you to reflect on the following quote from John O’Donohue’s book Eternal Echoes. Let it speak to your own journey, and also to our shared calling as the people of Trinity Church:

“There are no manuals for the construction of the individual you would like to become. You are the only one who can decide this and take up the lifetime of work that it demands. This is a wonderful privilege and such an exciting adventure. To grow into the person that your deepest longing desires is a great blessing. If you can find a creative harmony between your soul and your life, you will have found something infinitely precious. You may not be able to do much about the great problems of the world or to change the situation you are in, but if you can awaken the eternal beauty and light of your soul, you will bring light wherever you go. The gift of life is given to us for ourselves and also to bring peace, courage, and compassion to others.”

• Who is God calling us to become?

• How do we find creative harmony with one another—and with God?

• How do we meet the challenges of this moment in history with courage and hope?

• How can we awaken in ourselves a beauty and light that brings peace, compassion, and justice to others?

There is important and holy work before us. May we trust in the goodness, grace, and love of God to lead us into the fullness of life—for God’s glory and for the care of all God’s children.

Forward in faith!

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

Groaning Old

Dear Beloved of Trinity,

Earlier this week, I had a wonderful visit with residents at one of our nearby assisted living communities. Twice each month, we gather for conversation and share in the celebration of Holy Communion.

These visits are always a source of deep joy and meaning. I hear stories of childhood and marriage, of children and grandchildren, of politics and religion, of struggles and celebrations—nothing is off the table. We talk about it all.

During one visit, a resident shared that she is writing a collection of essays titled Groaning Old, not Growing Old. She spoke of her desire to be fully alive in the days ahead—not simply to sit and wait for death, but to draw on the wide expanse of her life experience to keep learning, living, and sharing with others. As she spoke, heads nodded around the circle. The others echoed her yearning: to be fully alive, fully engaged, still useful, still needed.

I pray for the privilege of growing old—something not everyone receives. And whether we admit it or not, each day we are growing older. May we walk this journey with grace, courage, wisdom, and love.

Not groaning, but growing.

Not complaining, but creating.

Not passively waiting, but actively embracing each day, each moment, each breath. 

Blessings,
Paul+

For Old Age 

May the light of your soul mind you.

 May all your worry and anxiousness about your age

be transfigured. 

May you be given wisdom for the eyes of your soul

To see this as a time of gracious harvesting.

May you have the passion to heal what has hurt you,

and allow it to come closer and become one with you.

May you have great dignity,

And a sense of how free you are,

Above all, may you be given the wonderful gift

Of meeting the eternal light that is within you.

May you be blessed;

And may you find a wonderful love

In yourself for yourself.

 ― John O'Donohue

 From Walking in Wonder: Eternal Wisdom 

for A Modern World

Prayers for Our Nation

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

This week, we joined in celebrating the independence of our country—a time to give thanks for the gifts, possibilities, and opportunities this land offers. We honored those who have given their lives in service to our nation and those whose vision, wisdom, and courage shaped its founding ideals. We celebrated the best of who we are, and we acknowledged the ongoing work of becoming who we are meant to be.

At the same time, we recognized the imperfections and injustices that continue to mark our national story. We are still, in many ways, a young nation—growing, learning, and seeking greater wisdom. There is still much to heal, much to learn, and much to do as we strive toward deeper maturity: in leadership, in service, and in responsibility - both at home and abroad.

We have much to be grateful for. We also have much to reckon with—and to renew. May we live more fully into the dream God holds for this country, and for all who call it home.

I offer the following prayers for your reflection and hope they will guide our hearts in this season. 

Happy 4th of July!

Peace and Blessings to all,

Paul

[…]

For the Human Family

O God, you made us in your own image and redeemed us
through Jesus your Son: Look with compassion on the whole
human family; take away the arrogance and hatred which
infect our hearts; break down the walls that separate us;
unite us in bonds of love; and work through our struggle and
confusion to accomplish your purposes on earth; that, in
your good time, all nations and peoples may serve you in
harmony around your heavenly throne; through Jesus Christ
our Lord. Amen.

For our Country

Almighty God, who hast given us this good land for our
heritage: We humbly beseech thee that we may always prove
ourselves a people mindful of thy favor and glad to do thy will.
Bless our land with honorable industry, sound learning, and
pure manners. Save us from violence, discord, and confusion;
from pride and arrogance, and from every evil way. Defend
our liberties, and fashion into one united people the multitudes
brought hither out of many kindreds and tongues. Endue
with the spirit of wisdom those to whom in thy Name we entrust
the authority of government, that there may be justice and
peace at home, and that, through obedience to thy law, we
may show forth thy praise among the nations of the earth.
In the time of prosperity, fill our hearts with thankfulness,
and in the day of trouble, suffer not our trust in thee to fail;
all which we ask through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.  

For Peace

Eternal God, in whose perfect kingdom no sword is drawn
but the sword of righteousness, no strength known but the
strength of love: So mightily spread abroad your Spirit, that
all peoples may be gathered under the banner of the Prince of
Peace, as children of one Father; to whom be dominion and
glory, now and for ever. Amen

For our Enemies

O God, the Father of all, whose Son commanded us to love
our enemies: Lead them and us from prejudice to truth:
deliver them and us from hatred, cruelty, and revenge; and in
your good time enable us all to stand reconciled before you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

For the Mission of the Church

Everliving God, whose will it is that all should come to you
through your Son Jesus Christ: Inspire our witness to him,
that all may know the power of his forgiveness and the hope

of his resurrection; who lives and reigns with you and the
Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

One Heartbeat at a Time

Dear Beloved of Trinity,

This week, I had the sacred honor of officiating the funeral of a dear friend’s father, who lived to the remarkable age of 102. In the United States, only about 0.03% of people reach the century mark. His life was a full and generous one—rich with love, family, a successful medical career, community service, and global travels.

In stark contrast, a colleague presided over the funeral of a 19-year-old young man who tragically fell asleep at the wheel while driving home. He was at the top of his class, a varsity athlete, beloved by his classmates—an exemplary young man with a bright future.

Both lives, though vastly different in length, speak to the fragile and mysterious nature of our existence. There is often no clear rhyme or reason to how or why things happen. We like to believe we have control—and perhaps in some ways we do—but ultimately, life unfolds on its own terms, shaped by countless unseen variables.

At the end of the day, every life is lived in the same way: one heartbeat, one breath at a time. Whether we are granted 19 years or 102, each of us moves through life moment by moment. A heartbeat is a heartbeat. A breath is a breath. These are the sacred rhythms that unite us all—regardless of status, age, or circumstance.

So I invite you: pause for a moment. Become aware of your own heartbeat. Feel the breath moving in and out of your lungs. And give thanks to God for the simple, extraordinary gift of being alive.

“With each beat of the heart, God whispers: You are still here. You are still loved. Make this moment count.” — Unknown

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

It’s the Real Thing!

Dear Beloved of Trinity,

Recently, I was invited to speak at a conference. My presentation was titled In Search of Me: The Quest for an Authentic Life.  As I neared the end of my talk, I referenced an old Coca-Cola jingle from the 1970s. It’s the real thing. The way it should be. What the world wants to see. It’s the real thing.  That slogan still lingers—because it speaks to a deep human longing. We long for something real.

In our time, with the rise of artificial intelligence and its seemingly limitless ability to generate nearly anything—images, voices, even entire realities—the line between what is real and what is manufactured is getting harder and harder to see.

We live in a world of curated lives, projected images, and polished personas. Promises are made, truths are proclaimed, and yet so often, we’re left disillusioned, discovering that what we thought was real was just an illusion. A bait-and-switch. Smoke and mirrors.

Even in our own lives, we often fall into the same trap—constructing versions of ourselves that are more successful, more secure, more admired than who we really are. We chase dreams, accumulate things, wear labels… and yet deep down, so much of it feels hollow.

John Mabry, in his book Growing into God: A Beginner’s Guide to Christian Mysticism, writes:

“When the seed of God is planted in you, when you are given a glimpse of the Real, when you have seen what is essential and what is dross, how will your life change?”

That’s the question: What happens when we encounter something real?

We need truth, not spin.

We need beauty, not glamour.

We need hope, not empty promises.

We need love, not fleeting infatuation.

And we are offered all of that—not in a product, not in a program, but in the Gospel of Jesus Christ - The Real One.

When you’ve encountered Him—when you’ve truly experienced what is real—everything else begins to pale in comparison. You start to see the emptiness of the imposters.

Because … the real thing,

Is … the way it should be.

Is … what the world wants to see.

Christ is the real thing!

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+

The Triune God

Dear Good People of Trinity Church,

This Sunday is uniquely ours—Trinity Sunday. It is the day we celebrate the magnificent mystery and the sacred simplicity of one of the greatest truths of our Faith: God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.

Since the fourth century, the Church has wrestled with the doctrine of the Trinity. It has been explored and examined, discussed and debated through the centuries. Theologians have written volumes, councils have convened, and believers have pondered. And yet, despite all our efforts to explain it, I wonder if we sometimes try too hard to understand something that is not meant to be fully understood but rather experienced.

We can dissect the Trinity with words and doctrines, but true understanding dawns only when we encounter the living God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—in the depth of our lives. Once we experience the triune God, no theological argument can make that experience more real, and no debate can take it away.

The Trinity, I believe, is not merely something to be believed about—it is a divine reality we know, deep in our hearts, when we have encountered Love itself.

Fr. Richard Rohr once wrote:

“Many of us say we believe in the Trinity—but we really don’t, because we don’t know what to do with it. We can’t even imagine it; all of our metaphors are simply words trying to grab at the reality, at the experience of God that ultimately can’t be verbalized. It can only be experienced.”

Julian of Norwich, the 14th-century mystic, knew this well. In a time of illness and deep contemplation, she received a series of divine visions—what she called “showings.” In one of these, she encountered the Trinity so fully that her heart overflowed with joy. In the words of translator Mirabai Starr, Julian writes:

“In the midst of this showing the blessed Trinity also revealed itself to me and filled my heart to overflowing with joy. I realized that this is what it will be like in the world to come, for all beings, and for all time. For the Trinity is God, and God is the Trinity. The Trinity is our creator and our sustainer, our Beloved forever and ever, our endless joy and bliss.”

This Sunday, may we move beyond analysis and into awe. May we allow ourselves not just to contemplate the Trinity, but to encounter the Trinity—and in doing so, be transformed.

In the name of the Triune God,

Paul+

I Can See Clearly Now

Dear Beloved of Trinity Church,

In 1972 Johnny Nash recorded the hit song “I can see clearly now, the rain is gone.” It’s light and joyful melody, wonderfully invites your body to sway and puts a smile on your face. I was reminded of this song while reading Passions of the Soul by Rowan Williams.  He writes that “our habitual mental and spiritual condition is one in which we quite simply don’t see clearly.” He continues on to say, “We don’t know things as we ought to know them; we don’t see them as we ought to see them.” Our brokenness - our sin - distorts our vision and understanding.  We struggle to see the truth of things as they really are, whether good or bad, beautiful or painful.

To help us see more clearly, Williams draws on the wisdom of Evagrius of Pontus, a 4th-century monastic theologian. Evagrius described three ways of seeing: the angelic way, the human way, and the diabolic way.

·       The angelic way is to see reality as it truly is “as things emerge from the hand of God.”

·       The diabolic way sees the world through the lens of self-interest and consumerism, where everything is reduced to its usefulness to us: “What can you do for me?”

·       The human way wavers between the two, struggling to see clearly but often sliding back into ego-driven perception, “stuffing the world into the bag of the self.”

Knowing this, we strive to see the world the angelic way. This does not mean wearing rose-colored glasses or pretending things are better than they are. Rather, it means seeing the world truthfully—through the redemptive lens of God’s love and grace. It means recognizing both the pain and brokenness of life and the beauty and possibility that can and will be in and through the love of God.

And one day, one glorious day, it really will be a bright, bright, bright, bright sunshiny day—for all of creation.

Peace and Blessings,

Paul+