Truly blessed and duly grateful

The Doberman is pregnant. The fireman had just saved her from a fire in her house, rescuing her by carrying her out of the house into her front yard, then he continued to fight the fire.

When he finally got finished putting the fire out, he sat down to catch his breath and rest. A photographer from the Charlotte, North Carolina newspaper noticed her in the distance looking at the fireman. He saw the Doberman walking straight toward the firefighter and wondered what she was going to do.

As he raised his camera, she came up to the tired man who had just saved her life and the lives of her babies and kissed him just as the photographer snapped this photograph.

How to Live a Life of Faith

Some people think faith means a skill of belief you must acquire before you can start calling upon God. That is not what faith means. Faith is simply the decision, each day, to act as if God’s promises are true and present in your life.

It is important to understand this quality of faith because faith is not a state of mind. It is a practice, a daily practice of calling upon God and trusting that he will respond—even when, sometimes, it seems he is far away.

How do you acquire this practice? By doing it. An easy way to start is simply to affirm your faith verbally. Say, “I believe. God is with me right now.” Even if you haven’t completely taken the words to heart, saying them will cause your mind gradually to follow along.

Then pray this prayer: “Dear Jesus, I place my life and the lives of my loved ones in the shelter of your loving arms. I’m going to trust you to care for us in every way today. You only want good for your children, so whatever happens, you’ll work today for our benefit.”

Once you have done this, approach each of the day’s tasks with the assumption that God is working beside you. The key is to hold on to this conviction even when events seem to be going against you. Remember St. Paul’s great promise: “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

And don’t be surprised if living by faith brings you victory more quickly than you had expected. When you arm yourself with faith, you tap a wellspring of intellectual and emotional strength. Before you know it, you’ll be overcoming any calamities you face.

This essay appeared in Guideposts magazine.

In support of the Islamic community center and mosque

August 24, 2010

Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Diocese of New York

I am writing to tell you that I wholeheartedly join other religious and civic leaders in calling on all parties involved in the dispute over the planned lower Manhattan Islamic community center and mosque to convert a situation that has sadly become ever more divisive into, as Archbishop Timothy Dolan recently stated, "an opportunity for a civil, rational, loving, respectful discussion."

The plan to build this center is, without doubt, an emotionally highly-charged issue. But as a nation with tolerance and religious freedom at its very foundation, we must not let our emotions lead us into the error of persecuting or condemning an entire religion for the sins of its most misguided adherents.

The worldwide Islamic community is no more inclined to violence that any other. Within it, however, a struggle is going on - between the majority who seek to follow a moderate, loving religion and the few who would transform it into an intolerant theocracy intent on persecuting anyone, Muslim or otherwise, with whom they disagree. We should all, as Christians, reach out in friendship and love to the peaceful Islamic majority and do all in our power to build and strengthen bridges between our faiths. We should also all remember that the violence and hateful behavior of the extremist are not confined to any one religion. Over the centuries we Christians have numbered more than a few among us who have perpetrated unspeakable atrocities in Christ's name.

I must admit that I also have a more personal connection with this issue. At the Episcopal Diocese of New York we know the leaders of this project, Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf and his wife Daisy Khan. We know that they are loving, gentle people, who epitomize Islamic moderation. We know that as Sufis, they are members of an Islamic sect that teaches a universal belief in man's relationship to God that is not dissimilar from mystic elements in certain strains of Judaism and Christianity. Feisal Abdul Rauf and Daisy Khan are, without question, people to whom Christians of good will should reach out with the hand of hospitality and friendship, as they reach out to us. I understand and support their desire to build an Islamic center, intended in part to promote understanding and tolerance among different religions.

For these reasons I applaud the positions taken by Governor Patterson, Mayor Bloomberg and others and look forward to furthering the efforts to resolve this issue. I am convinced, aided and guided by the One God who is creator of all, that people of goodwill can find a solution that will strengthen, rather than divide, the human condition,


The Right Reverend Mark S. Sisk
Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York

"Let everyone sweep in front of his own front door, and the whole world will be clean."
-- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Wife To James Whelan

I was so glad to see that Teresa Deevy’s Wife To James Whelan, which opened last night at the Mint Theater, got such a great review in today’s New York Times. It would have received a rave from me if had been wearing my critic’s hat these days instead of my producer’s. I will be posting my interview with the Mint’s artistic director, Jonathan Bank, as soon as it appears in NCR.

I have never seen show at the Mint that wasn’t excellent, but this one is especially powerful. As the Times says, this production “is never less than compelling.” Hooray for the Mint for finding this forgotten play and bringing it to life. I haven’t been able to get it out of my mind since I saw it last Wednesday. Stay tuned for my interview with Jonathan that will tell you more about this play and the two-year project dedicated to Deevy, who had had much success at the Abbey in the 1930s and who is largely unknown now. That was a huge loss for generations of theatergoers. Let’s hope that thanks to the Mint’s efforts she will never be forgotten again.

(In photo, by Carol Rosegg, are Janie Brookshire and Shawn Fagan.)

Broadway Blessing 2010

James Barbour (in photo), Carol Hall, Anthony Newfield, Catherine Russell, Charles West, The Broadway Blessing Choir, Project Dance and other distinguished guests will be among the performing artists taking part in the 14th annual Broadway Blessing, 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13 at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine. The interfaith service of song, dance and story has been bringing the theatre community together every September since 1997 to ask God’s blessing on the new season.

This year’s event is dedicated to Lynn Redgrave (1943 – 2010), whose presence at a number of events in the Cathedral was always an inspiration and whose dedication to theater and the performing arts will offer inspiration for generations to come. She delivered a moving theatre reflection at last year’s Blessing, talking about her faith, her career and her battle with breast cancer, and offering a joyous recitation of Psalm 23. This year, the audience will sing that Psalm in her honor.

The evening will celebrate the 50th anniversary of two American classics: The Fantasticks and To Kill A Mockingbird.

The Fantasticks, which opened Off Broadway in 1960, has become the longest-running production in the history of the American stage and one of the most frequently produced musicals in the world. Charles West, a member of the cast, will join us to sing “Try To Remember.” West has appeared on Broadway in The Scarlet Pimpernel, Show Boat and Cyrano The Musical.

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, published in 1960, remains as relevant today as it did a half century ago. Broadway Blessing welcomes actor Anthony Newfield, who recently played the role of Atticus Finch at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts in California. Newfield’s recent Broadway credits include The Royal Family and Waiting for Godot.

The Broadway Blessing Choir under the direction of Bruce Neswick, Director, Cathedral Music, will perform a number of hits from Broadway musicals from 1960, in keeping with the 50th anniversary theme, followed by an audience “sing-a-long”. The Very Rev. Dr. James A. Kowalski, Dean and The Rev. Thomas Miller, Canon for Liturgy & Art from the Cathedral will be joined by Rabbi Jill Hausman of The Actors' Temple and The Right Rev'd Andrew St. John, rector of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration (The Little Church Around the Corner), as officiants in the 75-minute program.

Founded and produced by yours truly, Broadway Blessing was conceived as a service of song, dance and story designed to seek God's grace on the new theatre season. Past participants have included Marian Seldes, Frances Sternhagen, Boyd Gaines, Edward Herrmann, Anna Manahan, KT Sullivan, Mary-Mitchell Campbell, J. Mark McVey, Tituss Burgess, Kathleen Chalfant, Billy Porter, Elizabeth Swados, Ken Prymus, Three Mo’ Tenors and Broadway Inspirational Voices.

Broadway Blessing is free; reservations are not needed. For more information please visit www.stjohndivine.org.

Broadway Blessing is made possible by the generous support of the Church of the Transfiguration (Little Church Around the Corner) and many wonderful friends.

“The opposite of faith is not doubt, it is certainty.”
-- Anne Lamont