New Homily and More: Into the Wardrobe

Find the full text of the homily here.

Resources for Further Reflection

Book: The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis (1950)
This delightful story by C.S. Lewis is the opening to the Narnia series. My son and I love to read these stories. They are quite accessible for kids starting around age 7, but I think its important for adults to read literature meant for children. I tend to prefer Tolkien over Lewis, though I love Lewis too. The Narnia stories are full of Christian allegory that opens the gospel in wonderful ways.

Song: Bind Us Together by the Porter’s Gate

The Porter’s Gate is a sacred ecumenical collective arts group that produces a couple albums of music a year around various themes relevant to the world and the Church. Their most recent project (currently underway) is called The After Party, which is a collection of songs addressing the political polarization we are experiencing in the United States from a Christian perspective. This song, “Bind Us Together” is a beautiful prayer for Christian unity, and speaks to the theme St. Paul wrote about in his letter to the Ephesians. I didn’t speak about the end of our lectionary passage from Ephesians in my homily this week, but Paul emphasizes the role of prayer in wearing the armor of God, and in particular, prayer for one another. As you reflect on the battles you are fighting, whether they be battles against people or the cosmic battle against evil and division, let this song be a prayer for the victory of God in the cosmic quest for reconciliation.

Book: The After Party: Toward Better Christian Politics by Curtis Chang and Nancy French
I have not yet read this book, so I recommend it with that caveat, but it is the book (and curriculum series) the Porter’s Gate are teaming up with to address the political polarization we are currently experiencing in the United States. I look forward to diving into this book.