A little before five in the morning I woke to the quiet whispers between the two women. One, my exhausted, weary mother who stayed by my side, the other, my dear friend, mentor, and priest. One had slept in the chair beside my hospital bed, the other arrived early, the oil of holy unction inContinue reading “Six Months Later”
Category Archives: Musings
In the Reflection of the Chalice Cup
I tend to think in metaphors; if I can get a metaphor out of my brain and have it actually make sense to others then it means that I have begun to grasp whatever important concept I am trying to more fully understand. Early on in my discernment to the priesthood, a metaphor stuck, andContinue reading “In the Reflection of the Chalice Cup”
Swim Diagonally
The refrain of “name and date of birth” requests were constant while I was in the hospital; during my 11 day stay, I probably recounted the story of how I got sick and the progression of my hospital hopping 30 times. In the hospital, everything is about you when you are the patient. Doctors, nurses,Continue reading “Swim Diagonally”
The Mess of the Middle
It was a warm New Year’s Day at a monastery in Cullman, Alabama years ago that I first accepted that I am a mess. I distinctly remember writing in my journal, a new practice at the time, “What if I will always be a mess?”. I was young and hopeful, but also naive about myselfContinue reading “The Mess of the Middle”
Not Cancer
Less than three weeks ago, everything was fine; everything was normal. My recently adopted dog, Coakley, and I had developed a rhythm that kept both of us happy and always included hiking multiple miles a day and dedicated time with a special rope toy. I had just bought the perfect fall sweater and a foundContinue reading “Not Cancer”
Presence and Absence
Early on, as I was becoming aware to a sense of call among the halls of a hospital, it became quite clear to me that much of my ministry would be that of presence. I’m unusually comfortable with awkward silence; generally, I don’t feel the need or desire to fill a room with talking unlessContinue reading “Presence and Absence”
Anticipation
My first time serving as a lay Eucharistic minister, one of the things that most caught me by surprise was how people of all different sorts approached the altar rail with a sense of Eucharistic anticipation. Little kids giggled with it, worried adults hung their fear on it, nervous newcomers were alert with it, andContinue reading “Anticipation”
Calling and Clarity
Calling and Clarity is how I named my blog when I was actively discerning a calling to the priesthood and to ministry; once I was ordained, I realized that it still fit because we are always discerning God’s call and always seeking just a bit more clarity than we had the day before about whoContinue reading “Calling and Clarity”
The (Overwhelmingly) Great Cloud of Witnesses
In a tunnel, in what seems somehow both like a thousand years ago and yesterday, I began to voice my call. It was a dark, isolating place in which I quietly and timidly voiced the first stirrings of my calling to ministry. Most of the people in my life weren’t comfortable with it, and, toContinue reading “The (Overwhelmingly) Great Cloud of Witnesses”
On Being Quiet
Words are powerful. Beautiful, moving, and inspiring words motivate us to seek change, to become better versions of ourselves. Harsh, damaging, and derogatory words have the power to stop us in our tracks, giving us pause as to how we can continue on this path. We roll those positive and negative words we receive aroundContinue reading “On Being Quiet”
Becca Kello 