“The glory of God is a person fully alive.”
-Irenaeus
Wednesday March 5th
Ash Wednesday Jimmy Moore
During this Lenten season, we will consider the statement by the early church theologian, Irenaeus, who once said, “The glory of God is a person fully alive.” When I first read that, it brought to mind the quote of the American theologian and civil rights leader, Howard Thurman, who said, “Do not ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” For Thurman, coming alive meant recalling his grandmother telling of her life as an enslaved person hearing the preacher say, “You are not slaves. You are children of God!” Coming alive meant developing the commitment to justice he described in his book, Jesus and the Disinherited, a writing which Dr. Martin Luther King kept by his side. Coming alive for Thurman meant “centering down”, allowing a place under a familiar oak tree to become a sacred spot where he could connect with the Divine.
So what helps you come alive? What helps you feel more centered? What helps you feel more connected to our natural world? What helps you be more generous, courageous, at peace? It might be it is listening to or performing music? Perhaps it is connecting with poetry or other arts? Connecting with causes of justice and mercy? Maybe deep prayer helps you come alive.
Whatever it is, go do that. Today. Amen.
Thursday March 6th
“Woodpecker”
- Kathryn Holden
During our big January snow I looked out my window to see a large woodpecker pecking away systematically while the snow heavily fell.
I watched him for a while, feeling a sense of wonder and peacefulness at this beautiful slice of nature.
Friday March 7th
“Passing the Peace” - Bob Ivie
The forty days of Lent invite us to reflect humbly on our shortcomings as people of God and to rededicate ourselves to the values that shape Christian life, including the pursuit of peace. Each Sunday, we begin our worship service by passing the peace of Christ to greet and affirm one another. The significance of this weekly rite of passage increases the more we ponder its implications for the journey ahead.
The peace of Christ is an experience of inner calm and spiritual tranquility, but it is also a call to reach outward to others. That often means living in harmony with other Christians and is often contrasted with worldly peace when worldly peace is deemed circumstantial rather than rooted in salvation and trust in the grace of God. But does trust in the spirit of God govern our outward behavior toward only likeminded believers? Shalom conveys a sense of wholeness and harmony that applies to relationships between individuals and communities as well as with God. Can the inner assurance of Christ’s peace provide strength for reconciling differences with nonChristian nations—for working to decrease the alienation of distance and the dehumanization of aliens, to enhance the wellbeing and wholeness of humanity, to transcend incompatibilities in the ongoing pursuit of a just and inclusive world?
Fixing a broken world means more than simply the absence of war. Perhaps the broader meaning of repentance and forgiveness—the spirit of those terms and the actions they signify—transcends religious boundaries and extends to the way secular violence is transformed and to how cultures of positive peace are developed from the ground up by individuals working together in civil society. Might the gospel of peace provide a springboard for peace work with other faith traditions as well as nonbelievers?
Friday March 7th
“Passing the Peace” - Bob Ivie
We might say “yes” to the question of the gospel serving as a resource for peace work by drawing inspiration, for example, from the Christian movement of liberation theology, defined broadly as “a spiritual and social movement that has empowered countless individuals to find inner peace while advocating for social justice and equality” (https://mooreliberationtheology.com/). We might take heart from Juli Whaley’s expression of this movement’s commitment to transforming conflict and building a matrix of peace culture:
In a world marked by diverse ideologies and competing interests, the quest for peace stands as a universal aspiration. Within the rich tapestry of religious traditions, Christianity offers a unique framework for conflict transformation, rooted in the teachings of Jesus Christ. This holistic approach encompasses love, forgiveness, reconciliation, nonviolent resistance, and prayer, guiding individuals and communities towards the creation of a culture of peace. . . . From the foundational concepts of love and compassion to the transformative power of forgiveness, reconciliation, and nonviolent resistance, each [Christian] principle contributes to a comprehensive strategy for navigating conflicts and fostering harmonious relationships. These Christian principles serve not only as guides for personal conduct but also as catalysts for societal change, promoting justice, community involvement, dialogue, education, and environmental stewardship. Together, these elements form a cohesive vision for building a culture of peace within the Christian tradition (https://mooreliberationtheology.com/peacechristian-approaches-conflict-transformation/).
The tradition of passing the peace of Christ is a rich gesture, a meaningful practice grounded in scripture, one “that embodies our identity as peacemakers . . . and trains our hearts, hands, and tongues in the ways of peace,” observes Reverend Paul Ryan (https://www.reformedworship.org/article/march-2011/passing-peace)
Peace be with you.
Saturday March 8th
“Verdi Came Back Alive” - Charlie Matson
Listening to great music often helps many of us in Bloomington and at St. Mark’s to feel more spiritually alive. Some of the most inspiring music of the Western World was composed by Giuseppe Verdi who had a very long and successful career. But it was almost cut very short. While still in his twenties, Verdi was emotionally crushed by the unexpected deaths of his two little children and the young wife he adored. And the opera he had created during those two terrible years was a complete flop.
Verdi sank into a deep depression, and he vowed to never compose another piece of music. When a lyricist ignored Verdi’s vow and asked him to consider a draft of an opera script, Giuseppe tossed it in anger onto his table. But later he glanced at the one sheet which lay open. There he read the first lines of a poetic prayer which stirred his heart and brought him back alive. It was the prayer of a group of distraught Hebrews in Jerusalem while their city was under siege by the powerful king of Babylon in 587 BC:
Go, thoughts, on golden wings; Go, settle upon the slopes and hills, where warm and soft and fragrant are the breezes of our sweet native land!
Greet the banks of the Jordan, the towers of Zion ...
Oh my country so beautiful and lost!
Verdi’s resulting chorus“Va, pensiero” drew from Verdi’s concerns about the separate flawed dukedoms which he hoped would combine to become the nation of Italy. Va pensiero” is a melody everybody in Italy now knows by heart. The words also draw up my concern about how the America I hope for is now under an internal siege.
Saturday March 8th
“Verdi Came Back Alive” - Charlie Matson
Verdi’s reason for living was reignited by the story of Nabucco and he added his wonderful music to make it one of the greatest patriotic operas. Its success established him as one of Italy’s premier composers. For the next 60 years he created numerous masterpieces including Aida, Rigoletto and his Requiem. And with his fame and financial gains he did several generous things, including funding the construction of a large retirement home for destitute musicians.
Verdi life is a striking example of a human coming alive which is the hope for us, our loved ones and our country that should be in our prayers during Lent as we prepare for the coming of Easter morning.
Sunday March 9th
From Sweet Dreams, Story Catcher: A Commemorative Collection of Portland Magazine Essays
by Brian Doyle
The phone rings, it's an old friend, he tells me of another old friend who is dying. He's in his forties, just married, little boy, no hope, he'll be dead within a couple of years, and dying too in a most cruel fashion, piece by piece, as his body slowly fails around the bright light of his mind, leaving him trapped in the husk of what had been a wonderfully lithe body. I try to imagine my friend inside himself, immobile in a dark crumbled castle, his mind racing — and I have to get up and get outside and go for a walk.
So what prayer do I make for Pete? What do I say for his little boy, who will lose his father before he knew him well? What do I say for his wife, who will watch her new husband die a little every day and then be left alone with their son with the same thick red hair as his father?
I don't know. And to whom do I address these prayers? And what do I expect to happen by those prayers? I don't know. Do I really think that my prayers will save Pete, or cut his pain, or dilute his fear as he sees the darkness descending? Do I really think my prayers will make his wife's agony any less, or reduce the confused sadness of his little boy? No.
Sunday March 9th
From Sweet Dreams, Story Catcher: A Commemorative Collection of Portland Magazine Essays
by Brian Doyle
But I mutter prayers anyway, form them in the cave of my mouth and speak them awkwardly into the gray wind, and watch as they are instantly shattered and splintered and whipped through the old oak trees and sent headlong into the dark river below, where they seem lost and vanished, empty gestures in a cold land.
Did they have any weight as they flew? I don't know.
But I believe with all my heart that they mattered because I was moved to make them. I believe that the mysterious sudden impulse to pray is the prayer, and that the words we use for prayer are only envelopes in which to mail pain and joy, and that arguing about where prayers go, and who sorts the mail, and what unimaginable senses hear us, is foolish.
It's the urge that matters - the sudden save us that rises against horror, the silent thank you for joy. The children are safe and we sit stunned and grateful by the side of the road; the children are murdered, every boy and girl in the whole village, and we sit stunned and desperate, and bow our heads, and whisper for their souls and our sins.
So a prayer for my friend Pete, in gathering darkness; and a prayer for us all, that we are brave enough to pray, for it is an act of love, and love is why we are here.
Monday March 10th
“Beach Art” - Jeremiah Young
Tuesday March 11th
“Spring
Renewal” - Holly Nedelkov
Titus 3:5-7 and Job 14:14
Spring is always a special time for me personally and spiritually. In February many years ago I lost my mother and the following year I lost my youngest brother (17 years old). I used to cry often during these months, but now I can rejoice.
Spring is God’s way of renewing the Earth. Refreshing it with thawing streams, bright sunshine and pleasant breezes. In Job 14:14 the question asked is “If someone dies will they live again? All the days of my hard service I will wait for my renewal to come.”
Renewal here means release. Isn’t that what Spring is? A release from the cold, dark days. In Spring we also mourn the death of our Lord Jesus and rejoice in His renewal to eternal life. We share in this hope. Christ’s death refreshes our worn out spirits and raises us to glory, just as Spring does to the Earth.
Titus 3:5-7 tells us that Christ saved us by the washing of rebirth and renewal of the Holy Spirit. May the Holy Spirit refresh and renew you this and every new Spring
Wednesday March 12th
Lisa Miller Maidi
I am not going to be a gardener. I might’ve decided that my unused backyard could be restored native habitat, and researched native pollinators, consulted with two nurseries and a natural landscaper, but I refuse to fret about the deer eating my flowers. So I sowed native weeds, after getting poison ivy clearing vines, enlisting family to spread five yards of wood chips into artistically swooping pathways through my future prairie. Goldenrod, asters, ironweed, black-eyed susans, all flowers that I might admire but not begrudge the deer. Sparrows chowed down on the lightly covered mud where the seeds will overwinter. Not to worry; there were plenty of ecologically local seeds in those packets I ordered from the specialty nursery. There’s more wild geranium and comfrey and other newly discovered natives to transplant in the spring anyway.
When Indiana’s First False Spring came in early February, I who am steadfastly not a gardener, growled, Stay Dormant! Don’t start sprouting and wasting your stored energy (simplified version of what the county extension officer explained), just to be frozen again.
Isn’t Lent a bit like tamping down life and growth for a whole season, while we atone and anticipate Jesus’ horrible crucifixion? We live it up with pancakes on Mardi Gras, then sober up, wearing neutrals at church, practicing penitential styles of worship. It’s not hard to feel death all around; a dear friend’s husband died, my dog has kidney disease, people’s minds and muscles are steeply atrophying. My heart soared at the sight of a splendid owl, then I saw that it was on a branch overlooking a roadkilled partner owl. We ache.
Yet, my frail friend who sleeps more and more of each day answered my fifth phone call, and I was able to visit her. Sometimes my old beagle rolls merrily on her back, then zips back and forth like a gleeful puppy. Clouds retreating draw my attention from the pavement to glorious formations, to the sashaying treetops, and birds are suddenly brightly audible. Unexpectedly, joy springs back, death is dead, life is alive. The exuberance of Resurrection erupts spontaneously even while we’re designing a grand build-up to it.
Wednesday March 12th
Lisa Miller Maidi
Just as we don’t necessarily gain the ecstasy of Easter Hallelujahs through repentance, self-denial, or by professions of belief (although the more life-changing repentance the better!), even if we don’t ask for it, Life burbles up. Grace offers us the unmerited gift of Life, of now-and-forever-delight. As much as death is inevitable, God promises that Life is also undeniable.
Ideally, sooner or later my yard teeming with life will strengthen the network of Hoosier Upland forests to support native species and pollinators. No matter what goes awry because I am admittedly a novice gardener, I trust that Life will triumph.
Thursday March 13th
“The Feelings Forest”
Olive Sullivan
“Rainbow Galaxy”
Arlo Sullivan
Friday March 14th
“Cherishing” - Maria Schmidt
“Cherished people cherish.” That’s a quote from Fr. Greg Boyle’s latest book Cherished Belonging: The Healing Power of Love in Divided Times.
During this sacred season of Lent, we are invited to reflect deeply on our relationship with God and our relationship with others. In this time we remember the sense of belonging that comes from being children of God.
I first heard the phrase “children of God” at the baptism of our older daughter. At that time, I had not considered the intensity of this phrase. What does it mean to value myself and others as “children of God”?
Father Boyle is cherishing folks into belonging at Homeboy, an organization focusing on gang members in Los Angeles. He is changing the narrative from “other” into a narrative of belonging, compassion and healing. He is writing about and living out how to have room in our hearts for everyone. He is cherishing the children of God.
Greg Boyle is helping me to see the “no matter what” God who loves us – no matter what. It’s not a reward system – which is what I grew up thinking my faith was all about. Now, I’m learning that there is no math involved.
While discussing this book with others, I am reminding myself to look with eyes of love and compassion at everyone, all the time. To see and love as God sees, with tenderness.
To be sure, unsafe behavior is not tolerated at Homeboy, but a reverence for every soul who walks through the door is expected. In our divided times, we often lose the vision to cherish every child of God.
The communal aspect of our faith is vital. The early Christians exemplified a community bound by love and mutual support (Acts 2:44-47). Their shared commitment to one another serves as a model for us to foster environments where everyone feels valued and connected. "Be kind and compassionate to one another” (Ephesians 4:32). Acts of kindness, seeing with eyes of love, honoring all the children of God is the way to love ourselves into healing and wholeness. Cherishing.
The Lenten theme for St. Mark’s is based on the saying by Irenaeus, “The glory of God is a person fully alive.” What better way to be alive and whole than to be seen as a child of God – no matter what. Cherished.
Saturday March 15th
Glenn Santner
“Would you want to be doing what you’re doing when Jesus comes?”
There it was on a royal blue placard, taped above my bedroom door. The lettering was in gold glitter, making it all the more intimidating. Though my parents were not control freaks, apparently they still thought I needed a tacit overseer when I was alone in my room with my most base instincts, whatever those were.
To hedge their bets, they also posted a twin document in the same garish color combination; yep, THE TEN COMMANDMENTS. I half expected Charlton Heston to burst through the door at any minute and spite me with his staff. This was a terrible thing to do to non-troublemaking ten-year-old such as I. Don’t you think?
Our family was not known for religious zealotry. Quite the contrary, we were solid, mainstream Presbyterians who sat passively in our pew on Sundays without absorbing much in the way of biblical knowledge. I don’t recall anyone quoting, or worse, proof texting salient points from the scriptures. But that doesn’t mean my parents didn’t try.
Growing up I was showered with ‘verses’ such as, “Cleanliness is next to Godliness,” “A penny saved is a penny earned,” and “Early to bed and early to rise makes a boy healthy, wealthy and wise.” I thought to myself, “Who wrote this thing? Ben Franklin?”
Which gets us to this Lenten season and an attempt to extract something from the actual scriptural record that we can work with (i.e. What resonates the most?). With apologies to those among us who are uncomfortable with creative license when referring to the Biblical record, if I had to distill 900 pages, give or take, down to a core message, how about this plea loosely amalgamated from Micah and Matthew?
What is required of us but to act justly, love mercy and walk humbly with our God? So, treat others fairly, be compassionate and humble. Putting a finer point on it: feed the hungry and thirsty; house the homeless; welcome the stranger; clothe the naked; visit the ill and imprisoned.
Hopefully, this would show profound progress on our part from attempting to please God by simply keeping our rooms clean and going to bed early. Your thoughts?
Sunday March 16th
Blessing at the Well - Jan Richardson
(Written with the story of the Samaritan Woman by the well in mind)
If you stand at the edge of this blessing and call down into it, you will hear your words return to you.
If you lean in and listen close, you will hear this blessing give the story of your life back to you.
Quiet your voice quiet your judgment quiet the way you always tell your story to yourself.
Quiet all these and you will hear the whole of it and the hollows of it: the spaces in the telling, the gaps where you hesitate to go.
Sit at the rim of this blessing. Press your ear to its lip, its sides, its curves that were carved out long ago by those whose thirst drove them deep, those who dug into the layers with only their hands and hope.
Rest yourself beside this blessing and you will begin to hear the sound of water entering the gaps.
Still yourself and you will feel it rising up within you, filling every hollow, springing forth anew.
Monday March 17th
Glenda Murray
I have been thinking about an activity we used to do in Sunday School. “Here’s the church, here’s the steeple, open the door and see all the people.” The accompanying hand motions included interlocking fingers, steepling the two index fingers, and the flipping the hands to show all the fingers/people. These days many churches, including St. Mark’s, have the people in the building and the people online, who can watch from home or a different location. We can even watch another time by selecting from the archives. I have heard that in one senior facility in town, a group of St. Mark’s folks gather together to participate in worship on Sunday morning. They have small community connected to the larger community but without having to get out in whatever the weather is that morning. How do we help people be part of the St. Mark’s Christian community? In a world where some people continue to be marginalized because of who they are, how do we help them feel loved and cared for? I don’t have answers, but I urge us to think about the questions.
I’ve also been thinking about the changes we know are coming. I am thinking of and praying for Jimmy as he prepares to retire and create a new chapter in his life. I’m thinking of and praying for Mary Beth as she stays in her ministry at St. Mark’s. I’m thinking of and praying for John, Jen, and their three children as they say goodbye to the current congregation and move to Bloomington and St. Mark’s for a new chapter of ministry. I’m thinking of and praying for all of us as we say goodbye to Jimmy and welcome John, Jen, Arianna, Elijah, and Kenzie Huff.
As we enter Lent, may we be inspired and awakened to new and different paths of growth and caring for one another. Amen.
Tuesday March 18th
Beckie Jones
Romans 15:13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
During the Lenten Season, I always find time to reflect what it means to know that Jesus lived and died and was resurrected. It always feels like a season of unbounded hope and new beginnings for me. There is so much in our world to worry about. These are times that seem overwhelming with difficulty and uncertainty and pain. But I find that hope is like a lifeline or a beacon of life. No matter how insurmountable our problems are, I can always remind myself that God’s shows me His unwavering love and promise. God continues to nurture and sustain hope in me.
Prayer : Dear God, Continue to show me the way to sustain my hope each and every day. Fill me with peace and joy as I approach each new day. May your holy spirit empower me with an unwavering joy as I try to live my life in the path of Jesus.
Wednesday March 19th
Donna Richardson
Go to deep waters, deep waters, Where only faith will let you go. Go out to deep waters, deep waters, Harvests of faith will overflow.
-- Pepper Choplin, “Deep Waters” (ASCAP), based on Luke 5:1-11
I love the depth and beauty that ministers of music bring to services here at St Mark’s. But I didn’t join the choir or bell choir so that I could be one of those ministers. I joined for the fellowship and fun of singing and playing with other music lovers, whether during rehearsal or on Sunday morning. There is a real joy in watching a piece that was honestly pretty ‘meh’ when we on our first try develop into something ‘good choir’ beautiful by the time we share it with the congregation. But sometimes – often – the music ministers to us directly. The piece quoted above was one such case for me.
The first time I saw ‘Deep Waters’ was in our Jan 30 rehearsal. President Trump had been inaugurated on Jan 20, and immediately started signing a stream of executive orders and memoranda. In the space of 10 days, we had been told that “a person belonging, at conception, to the sex that produces the large reproductive cell” was female. (Scientific note: by this definition there are no males: the gene on the y chromosome that results in the formation of testes other ‘male’ characteristics is not expressed until the embryo is 6 or 7 weeks old. If that gene is not present, or if it is never expressed, the embryo continues to develop with female characteristics. So by Trump’s definition, everyone is female!). We had learned that women would be ‘protected’ by recognizing two genders, and prohibiting federal workers from stating their preferred pronouns. We had been told that DEI programs were radical and wasteful and must be eliminated. We had been told that entire federal agencies were slated to be eliminated, and that federal executives could no longer be provided with leadership training, lest they become entrenched in the bureaucratic mindset. We had learned that all work done from home was unproductive, and therefore federal workers must spend all their work hours in the office.
Wednesday March 19th
Donna Richardson
We had also learned that all public sector employees (including my husband and me) had ‘low productivity’ positions, and in a bid to encourage us to move to the “high productivity” private sector, we had been offered a ‘deferred resignation’ option. We had just over a week to decide, on the basis of vague and changeable information on a government FAQ page, whether to take this offer... It had only been 10 days since the inauguration, but the sense of chaos, turbulence, and uncertainty regarding pretty much everything the government touches, was palpable. I was overwhelmed with all this uncertainty – I wasn’t sure whether my emotional boat could handle another few days, much less nearly 4 more years.
Feeling all this turmoil and chaos in my soul, I really didn’t want to go to bells or choir that night – I wanted to hide away at home instead. But I in my head I knew that I would feel better after spending time with these groups, so I made myself go. Sure enough, as bell choir came to an end I was feeling a bit more relaxed, even looking forward to choir. And then we pulled out ‘Deep Waters.’ My feelings still reflected the turbulence and chaos of recent days, but the music and lyrics suggested something else: deep waters that were peaceful and nurturing, that invited me to remember how to breathe and rest in God’s love. I could almost feel the my soul being restored.
As I write this, the chaos hasn’t diminished. The ‘deferred resignation’ is no longer an option, and layoffs have begun in most federal agencies. The department of defense has been spared so far, but this morning I got a ‘reassuring’ email telling me no probational navy employees will be fired today. My ‘probation’ ended last August, and the Navy is trying to avoid any layoffs at all, but I am not at all certain my position is secure. And every news cycle seems to tell of another attack on science, facts, and common sense. The pace of presidential actions may slow down in coming months, but I am not predicting that the chaos and uncertainty will stop anytime soon. But ‘Deep Waters’ has been going through my mind again and again. Amidst amidst the chaos around us, Jesus invites us to rest in His peace, to be nurtured and sustained by His presence when it seems we’ve been cast alone roiling sea and we can feel no peace within ourselves. We cannot change the circumstances around us or the turmoil they bring, but we can join Him in the peaceful, restorative, deep waters of faith – and each time we do, as we feel our soul calmed and restored, our faith itself gets just a bit stronger (hence the overflowing harvests of faith!)
Thursday March 20th
Marlen Rust
Earth, air, fire, water.
From all these the world is formed. Humbly we rejoice.
by Thomas Tokarski
This poem is up on my wall as well as memorized. Thomas Tokarski is a local poet and his wife, Sandra, is art teacher at Bell Trace.
Friday
March 21st
“Thorncrown Chapel” - Linda Crawford
A few years ago when we visited Eureka Springs, Arkansas, we were encouraged to visit Thorncrown Chapel. The site was originally intended for a home of a retired teacher, but instead became a non-denominational chapel in the woods.
In this chapel designed for meditation, I felt such calmness and serenity, a nearness to God and His encompassing love and care as well as wonder. Psalm 46:10 comes to mind: “Be still and know that I am God.”
Saturday March 22nd
“Beach Art” - Jeremiah Young
Sunday March 23rd
From Love Poems from God, Translations by
Daniel Ladinsky St. John of the Cross
I was sad one day and went for a walk; I sat in a field.
A rabbit noticed my condition and came near.
It often does not take more than that to help at timesto just be close to creatures who are so full of knowing, so full of love that they don’t - chat, they just gaze with their marvelous understanding.
Monday March 24th
Dian Ludlow
In reflecting on the question “what makes me as a person fully alive”, I refer to one of Jesus’ teachings, specifically the Sermon on the Mount. The passages that begin with “Blessed are the…..”, otherwise known as the Beatitudes. I wonder if Jesus had specific people in mind when he said “blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted”. To make his teachings alive for me, I like to take each beatitude and assign a person I know who fits the description. Most recently after watching Jimmy Carter’s funeral, I think of Jimmy when reciting, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God”. Sometimes my list of matching people changes; however, I remain perplexed with the first beatitude, “blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven”. Not sure I fully understand this one, or who Jesus was considering when he taught this; therefore, I don’t have an example. Perhaps if you understand this one, and have someone in mind, let me know.
These beatitudes taught by Jesus, encourages me to relate to acquaintances and this process makes me feel fully alive.
Tuesday March 25th
“Futility” - Debbie Smith
When I was mopping my floors today, I was reflecting on the futility of it all - especially after ANOTHER few inches of snow just fell - and especially after thinking about my dog playing outside in the snow because he LOVES this stuff and doesn’t want to come in... (As a general rule, between the dog and my “roomate”, the floor gets tracked up before it even dries!!). Still on my knees, I remembered a poster I found many years ago. While it says “anonymous” at the bottom, it very closely resembles some very wise words of Mother Teresa. Before I retired, this framed poster hung in my work space so I could be reminded of it’s message every day. It has been widely published - I’m sure most people have seen this dozens of times - but this is how it goes:
“People are unreasonable, illogical and self-centered. Love them anyway.
If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives. Do good anyway.
If you are successful, you will win false friends and true enemies. Succeed anyway.
The kindness you show today will be forgotten tomorrow. Be kind anyway.
Honesty and frankness will make you vulnerable. Be honest and frank anyway.
The biggest person with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest person with the smallest mind.
Think big anyway. What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight. Build anyway.
People really need help, but may attack you if you help them. Help people anyway.
Give the world the best you’ve got and you might get kicked in the teeth. Give the world the best you’ve got anyway.”
I don’t know which came first - Mother Teresa’s wise words or the Nike slogan (“Just do it”). To me they pretty much say the same thing. So while I feel the effort is futile, for the moment my floor looks great!!
Wednesday March 26th
“Monkey” - Olive Sullivan
Once upon a time there was a monkey, swinging, swishing,
eating upon the breeze. How marvelous, fantastic, beautiful, full of life. As I sit by a tree stump, I hear something, see something, feel something different. What is it? The beauty,
magnificence, the feeling, it all seems so free, just like the monkey.
Thursday March 27th
excerpted from Mary Oliver
“To Begin With, the Sweetgrass”
What I loved in the beginning, I think, was mostly myself. Never mind that I had to, since somebody had to. That was many years ago. Since then I have gone out from my confinements, though with difficulty. I mean the ones that are thought to rule my heart. I cast them out; I put them on the mush pile. They will be nourishment somehow (everything is nourishment somehow or another). And I have become the child of the clouds, and of hope. I have become the friend of the enemy, whoever that is. I have become older and, cherishing what I have learned, I have become younger. And what do I risk to tell you this, which is all I know? Love yourself. Then forget it. Then, love the world.
Friday March 28th
“Coping In Troubled Times” - Holly
Nedelkov
PS 99-101, Matthew 6:33-34, Matthew 25, Luke 12:32
In our troubled times, with all our questions of the future, we lean on Psalms. They tell us that the Lord Jehovah reigns and is in charge. They tell us to worship and praise the LORD God through our troubled times.
When I am troubled, I often listen and sing Christian music. Singing praises to our Savior raises my spirits and sometimes brings me insight of my spiritual needs. Music touches my heart and sometimes breaks it open to repentance. Other times it is pure joy in Our Lord and my love for Him.
In Psalm 101 we are confronted with many of the ideas many of us share today. Faithless people, perverse hearts and slanderers are named. The Lord will take care of these sorts.
Psalm 101: 6 tells us: “My eyes will be on the faithful in the land, that they may dwell with me; The one whose walk is blameless will minister to me.” This is a great balm for our fearful hearts and minds. We will be ministered to by our Lord and Savior
Luke 12:32 tells us “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your father has been pleased to give you the Kingdom.” We are told by our Savior in Matthew 6:33-34 to seek his Kingdom and righteousness; that we should not worry about tomorrow. Matthew 25 gives us great advice: “Therefore, keep watch, because you do not know the day or hour (the master will return).”
Remember your Savior in times of trouble. Praise Him for His love and care for His people. This will soothe your heart and fill your mouth with praises.
“The
Saturday March 29th
Heart is a Sanctuary” - Mary Beth Hannah-Hansen
When it comes to approaching any kind of understanding of the divine, I think I’m a Thomas person. In the apocryphal Gospel of Thomas, Jesus says “the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you.” But what does that really mean?
In ancient times, many areas in Greece were considered sanctuaries, sacred precincts where people brought offerings to a god. Sometimes these sacred places were the sites of temples; sometimes they were simply groves, a place of quiet, undisturbed by human habitation. The Greeks, believing that the gods had their earthly home in the temples, did not worship inside them, but brought their offerings and sacrifices to altars outside
When we consider a sanctuary of a church today, we often think of a dedicated area inside the church where worship services are held: a place of encouragement, of shared thoughts, of quiet, and of song. We realize that God is present everywhere and that a sanctuary can offer us a respite from the every-day-ness of our lives. An open heart and mind can be our sanctuary, the place for the kingdom within.
Sunday March 30th
Attributed to Archbishop Desmond Tutu, adapted from Sir Francis Bacon
Disturb us, O Lord when we are too well-pleased with ourselves when our dreams have come true because we dreamed too little, because we sailed too close to the shore.
Disturb us, O Lord when with the abundance of things we possess, we have lost our thirst for the water of life when, having fallen in love with time, we have ceased to dream of eternity and in our efforts to build a new earth, we have allowed our vision of Heaven to grow dim.
Stir us, O Lord to dare more boldly, to venture into wider seas where storms show Thy mastery, where losing sight of land, we shall find the stars. In the name of Him who pushed back the horizons of our hopes and invited the brave to follow.
Amen
Monday
March 31st
Chris Haynes
The Cloud of Unknowing, an anonymous 14th century English classic of the Christian contemplative tradition, was the direct inspiration for Centering Prayer's use of a sacred word. Its opening prayer follows.
O God, unto whom all hearts lie open unto whom desire is eloquent and from whom no secret thing is hidden; purify the thoughts of my heart by the outpouring of your Spirit that I may love you with a perfect love and praise you as you deserve. Amen.
It is my personal favorite, both for its poetry and its deep inner meaning. In what follows I unpack this meaning as I understand it.
O God: This bold direct address to God is in keeping with the no-nonsense directness of the entire Cloud. How can we dare to be so bold?
unto whom all hearts lie open: Because everyone's heart is, at its core, open to communion with God; no exceptions. But why pray?
unto whom desire is eloquent: Because it is effective and proper (two older meanings of eloquent) to direct our desire to God. "desire is eloquent" is a translation of the original middle-English "all will speaketh". The heart is regarded as the seat of desire, and traditionally also will. This helps explain why Centering Prayer is sometimes called a prayer of the heart, or a prayer of intent. So what form should this desire take?
and from whom no secret thing is hidden: Our desire for intimacy with God ideally comes from complete humility, born of understanding that God has complete knowledge of our heart's secrets (far more than we can know). We may be tempted to resist some thoughts we have in prayer because they are uncomfortable, but God already knows them, and the sufferings from which they arose! That can still be challenging, so what can we hope for?
Monday March 31st
Chris Haynes
purify the thoughts of my heart: The ancients believed thoughts came from our heart. Today we know our mind and heart function as a unit, which may be purified both in ways we may be conscious of (in our mind) and their unconscious motivations, which arise from emotions felt in our heart. How is this possible?
by the outpouring of your Spirit: It is grace born of the Holy Spirit, not our effort, that is our sole benefactor in this prayer. What is the ultimate goal?
that I may love you with a perfect love: True intimacy with God is possible only through participation in His love. Is that all?
and praise you as you deserve: Our intimacy with God is incomplete unless we share the fruits with His creation.
Amen.
Andrei Rublev 1425–27
Tuesday April 1st
Charlie Nelms
Wednesday April 2nd
Mike Sonneborn
Prayer can take me to a good place. Prayer connects my heart to God. It helps to lift the burdens of this life off my shoulders. Prayer can bring me great joy.
But I must confess. I struggle with prayer, especially when alone. My mind wanders. Is my prayer style appropriate? Do my thoughts accurately convey my feelings and Love of God? Am I considering the needs of others? Am I being selfish? Why can’t I let go of the world’s distractions?
I’ve come to the conclusion that perhaps I’m simply trying too hard. I’m learning to just let my heart take over. All feelings. No words or structure. Grateful for the breath of life. Just being in the moment, feeling the abundant Love of God as it gently envelopes my soul with never ending Faith and Hope.
Thursday April 3rd
Jonathan Michaelsen
Blindness has served as an important plot element in some of the greatest works of theatre. In Oedipus, the prophet Tiresias is physically blind, but sees the truth; blindness also plays a role in Antigone and for the character of Glouster in King Lear Oedipus and Glouster have not seen the truth of the events taking place around them and then are literally cast into darkness through the loss of their sight. Blindness in the Bible also plays an important literal and metaphorical role - Jesus healed a number of people that were blind, and Saul was temporarily blinded on the road to Damascus until he accepted Jesus' calling and begins his ministry as Paul.
I live in fear of spiritual blindness. That I will not see clearly or shut myself off to the bright light and the miracle of Saul's transformation.
I pray in this time of conflict that I may keep my vision clear and not be blinded by my own bias.
Psalm 148:
7 He upholds the cause of the oppressed and gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets prisoners free,
8 the LORD gives sight to the blind, the LORD lifts up those who are bowed down, the LORD loves the righteous.
9 The LORD watches over the foreigner and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked.
10 The LORD reigns forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD.
Friday April 4th
Stephanie Conklin
I grew up on a diet of Science Fiction, Adventure and Fantasy Novels where the scrappy young hero(ine) got knocked down and stood up again over and over and over...and usually won.
I was a pigeon toed, tutu and cape clad, eye patch wearing hurricane – speaking my mind and setting courses to who knows where. I was always on a quest, climbing mountains and riding over the edge of a waterfall, dragging my little brother along through the wilds of desert islands, haunted castles and perilous woods, even the wideopen prairies of unsettled Canada. I was certain of my success, whatever the objective I was pursuing, because hope, kindness, curiosity, and determination always win. That’s how stories work; how they’re supposed to work. I learned the rules from the best –my Grandma Betsy.
Some of my earliest memories are sitting at her table holding slim volumes in my hand with titles like “Good Work, Amelia Bedelia.” With one hand I’d trace the pattern in the tablecloth and the other I’d hold the book up and work to bend the characters on the page to my will. When I did, my grandma would be so pleased. We would celebrate, laughing together at the marvels created for our enjoyment by stringing words together.
We would walk out to the bush, happy farm dogs on our heels as we left the house and barn behind and entered a magical realm of trees and sunlight. Sticks would turn to swords and gnarled wizarding staffs, clouds would run across the sky like deer, the songs of birds floating between their shifting shapes; we were on adventure. She taught me how to look at the world and see magic, possibility, and joy. She helped me tell stories about the animals I spotted or create narratives to explain interesting piles of rocks.
Friday April 4th
Stephanie Conklin
When we moved away from my hometown, ten hours and a whole new country away, Grandma didn’t let the storytelling stop. That gem of a woman got on her computer, learned how to email, and started typing out stories for my brother and me. She took his favourite topic of the time (Pokémon) and wove a story about a big spaceship built behind the long blue barn we spent so many hours walking around – in the spaceship we could visit a special Pokémon Planet and go on thrilling adventures. When we visited, we read them together, printed on paper that had dots along the sides. I’d tear the edges off while she read, and we’d tell her what we loved, what we were worried about, and where we wanted to go next.
Next time we got a chapter, she would include new plot points or details from our conversations. At the end of each story arc, after overcoming impossible odds and collecting new friends on the way, we always made it home to the spot behind the blue barn, with the dogs, to see our cousins and give Grandpa a hug.
Now that I’m (a bit) more grown, I appreciate differently the gifts my grandmother gave me. Not only did she give me the magic to imagine, she showed me how it felt to be listened to with true intention as a young person. She gave me the courage to tell my own stories with my own voice, and the surety that if I watch the world with curiosity, do what is right, and stand up when I fall, I’ll always make it home.
I can’t lie - on my journey to today I’ve seen some ugly things. I’m scared more than I ever thought I would be when I imagined what Grown-Up life would be. Some days I have to work hard to keep that small, fearless version of myself lit like a candle in my heart.
But she’s here to tell us: Friends, hope, kindness, curiosity, and determination always win. That’s how our stories work. My Grandma told me so.
Saturday April 5th
Craig Stewart
“The glory of God is a human come alive.”
We are caught in what seems like a fight for the soul of our country, and in that fight it can be difficult to remember that all of us are God’s children. Light, not darkness, drives out darkness. And when people spew hate, one of the things we need to remember is that even if these people are not acting like God’s children, they are. AND their children have a human right and God’s blessing to a loving, full, well-informed life.
So when I find myself challenged to respond to hate from adults with love, I remember that their children deserve love and a good future. Our purpose is to glorify God by being alive, present, and loving to all people – especially the children of people who seem to think they are our opponents.
“Blessing
Sunday April 6th
for the Brokenhearted” - Jan Richardson
Let us agree for now that we will not say the breaking makes us stronger or that it is better to have this pain than to have done without this love.
Let us promise we will not tell ourselves time will heal the wound, when every day our waking opens it anew.
Perhaps for now it can be enough to simply marvel at the mystery of how a heart so broken can go on beating, as if it were made for precisely this—
as if it knows the only cure for love is more of it,
as if it sees the heart’s sole remedy for breaking is to love still, as if it trusts that its own persistent pulse is the rhythm of a blessing we cannot begin to fathom but will save us nonetheless.
Monday April 7th
Trumpets: Madison Sinan and Blake White, Piano: Lois Leong, The Gift of Love arr. Lloyd Larson
In choosing The Gift of Love arranged by Lloyd Larson, we were drawn to its simple yet profound message: love, as described in 1 Corinthians 13, is the greatest gift we can offer and receive. The melody, based on the English folk tune O Waly Waly, carries a deep sense of humility and grace, mirroring the selfless, transformative nature of love itself.
This theme connects beautifully with the devotional message, “The glory of God is a human come alive.” True life—full, abundant, and radiant—is found when we embrace love as our guiding force. Just as music comes alive through the breath and collaboration of musicians, our lives reflect God’s glory when we love deeply and give of ourselves. Through this piece, we hope to express that divine love, bringing both ourselves and our listeners into a moment of beauty, gratitude, and spiritual renewal.
Tuesday April 8th
“Awake or Asleep” - Annette Lemond
So often we walk blindly through life or asleep. We don’t know which way to go, or how to make real decisions. For most people real decision making starts as early as middle school years and can go all the way up through college age. For others they believe that their eyes are wide open and that they are fully awake, but then something happens in their life to show them this is not the case.
Saul in Acts 9 was on his way to Damascus; he believed he was awake, and his eyes were wide open to God’s will. He was one of the biggest persecutors of the followers of Jesus. While on his way to Damascus there was a blinding light, and he was asked “Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He became truly blind and had to be led the rest of the way. However, once he was in Damascus, Jesus called a disciple named Ananias to go to Saul. Ananias placed his hands on Sauls eyes, and Saul saw once more. Saul was no more, now called Paul, he was fully awake to the Good News of Jesus.
Even when we are awake to the world and Jesus’ teachings things happen to put us to sleep once again. Sometimes this is for a short period and sometimes this is for a very long period. When we go through a major tragedy in our lives it can cause this to happen. With good support, “the sleep” doesn’t usually last very long. However, depending on where we are in our lives and the severity of the situation it can affect us for different durations.
To me being fully awake in our faith at all times, is an impossible task. Since we are all human, we all have doubts and questions from time to time. We are always on a journey through life. So even though we are awake and aware in one area we may be asleep or unaware in areas. Being awake in faith is a continuous journey with twists and turns and new adventures around every corner. To be awake in Christ is to be open to his love and the world around you. To be open to new paths and challenges along the way. We must do our best to be awake and sleep on the job of life.
Wednesday April 9th
“The Names and Faces of Heroes” - John McFarland
Helen and I were once part of a group of young married couples. It was a friendship group that was a semi-support group. We learned from one another how to be better spouses and parents. One night our leader passed out paper and told us to write our definitions of love. When we were finished, he asked us to read them. These were university people, and there were some beautiful and deeply philosophical definitions of love. I began to feel more and more uncomfortable as they came around the circle to Helen and me.
Finally, it was my turn. My definition of love was: Grandma Mac, Uncle Johnny, Aunt Nora, Helen, Mike Dickey… Then Helen read her definition: Daddy, Mother, Judy, Lucretia… We had just done lists of names. At least we were thinking alike, but it was embarrassing.
Then, though, a strange thing happened. All the other members of the group reached out and took new sheets of paper and began to write lists of names.
We are inspired by heroes. What makes me come alive now in my old age is the same inspiration that has always enlivened me…Uncle Johnny, Grandma Mac, Helen, Mike Dickey, Jack Newsome, Mary Louise Hopkins…
So many of those are dead now, but we know that death does not conquer love. What makes me come alive is love, and this is always the way I define love, always the way I come alive, by seeing and saying “the names and faces of heroes…”
…Dick Hamilton, Richard Raines, Lucille Raines, Leroy Hodapp, Herman B Wells, Wayne Martin, Trina Mescher…
John Robert McFarland
The Names and Faces of Heroes is the title of a book by the great southern writer and cancer hero, Reynolds Price.
Thursday April 10th
“Beach Art” - Jeremiah Young
Friday April 11th
“a blessing for friends who hold us up” - Kate Bowler from The Lives We Actually Have
God, you called me to love but people are inherently risky.
Telling my story, being known, asking for help, complaining again about the thing I worry might sound cliché by now. Shouldn’t I be over it already?
But something is happening when I am known. I am becoming stronger somehow.
I am reminded of the pillars I’ve seen holding up cathedrals.
Flying buttresses, engineered to provide support for a fragile wall, allowing them to be built taller, more stunning, more covered with ornaments or filled with stained glass, letting all the colorful light dance in.
The walls would collapse without them there, but strengthened, they create something beautiful.
God, when I am no longer quite so tall and strong, give me those who hold me up and remind me of who I am and that I’m loved.
Yes, I’ll get back up again today. Yes, I’ll get those kids cereal and help my parents with an errand. Yes, I’ll go to work or come up with something better to do with retirement hours. I will try again.
I know I will, because someone else’s absurd faith in me is fortifying
So, blessed are our flying buttresses. For they hold us up when everything seems ready to come apart, allowing us to face today— not because we’re doing it alone— but precisely because we aren’t.
Saturday April 12th
Liz McDaniel
I recently found myself thinking about a weekend workshop, “Living on Purpose,” that I attended when I was a corporate twenty-something. The workshop centered around the idea of three life energies -- Aliveness, Truth and Workability – in short, the “energy that emanates and radiates around a person … and defines ways one processes life.” Eash of the three workshop leaders had a different primary life energy. I realized that first morning that Aliveness was the least of my life energies, identifying strongly with Workability and to a lesser degree, Truth.
Reviewing the book of the same title since then, I realized that several of my friends are strongly in the Aliveness camp. What was it about their life energy that first drew me in and now keeps me in their tribe? “Aliveness energy can be recognized by its excitement and visibility.” “Identifying with Energy of Aliveness means you are fundamentally concerned with experiencing. Rarely do you back away from or say no to new experiences or new people.” “You have a positive outlook on life and people are drawn to you to lighten up.” One of the leaders revealed that those who shared her Aliveness energy take in strays of all types – animals, people, ideas. Sure enough, when one of the attendees with Aliveness energy learned that I was staying in a hotel, she exclaimed, “Don’t stay there! Come home with me! I have plenty of room.” (I stayed in the hotel). I, on the other hand, was thrilled to meet a kindred Workability type who had organized the spices in her kitchen the same way I had – in a cabinet, alphabetized, on turntables.
Saturday April 12th
Liz McDaniel
Those with the Aliveness energy relate by engaging. “You love to interact with people and you are able to engage with people everywhere – your friends, neighbors down the street and strangers in the grocery store.” Their major desire – the one thing about the world they would change if they could – is no rules. The tone of their lives is spontaneous and their manner is exciting.
This is not to imply that Aliveness is somehow better than the other life energies. Instead, it is to understand that different things enliven different people and that an appreciation, rather than judgement, of what makes each of us tick only enlarges our own experience and in turn pushes the dial toward “fully alive.” With my primary life energy of Workability, I come alive by doing, by making and implementing plans that transform dreams into reality and “troubleshooting three miles down the road” in order to avoid problems. My tone is reliability and my manner is safe. Looking back, it often seemed that my Aliveness friends were dragging me into situations which I found unappealing. With few exceptions, I am grateful for the times I said yes to their invitations. At the same time, my planning minimized problems, allowing us to safely enjoy our adventures.
What do you bring to life? How do others enliven you? What aspects of Aliveness will you say yes to?
Adapted from Paulson, P., Brown, S. and Wolf, J. Living on Purpose. Fireside, 1988.
Sunday April 13th
Palm Sunday
Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde
from How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith
“My prayer is that, by grace, we all will be emboldened to lean into the wisdom, strength, power, and grace that come to us, whenever we find ourselves at a decisive moment. May you and I dare to believe that we are where we are meant to be when that moment comes, doing the work that is ours to do, fully present to our lives. For it is in this work that we learn to be brave.”
Monday
April 14th
Molly King
“ Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12:21)
I was nine years old when an active shooter entered Mother Emanuel AME Church and claimed the lives of nine people who were studying the Bible together. I remember the nationwide grief that followed, the thoughts of an entire country directed toward Charleston. My young mind could not grapple with the horrendous irony that someone could commit an act of such incredible violence in a place that was reserved for worship and love of God and each other. Unceremoniously, the violence-riddled world in which we live moved on to the next tragedy, and I allowed myself to do the same.
Seven years later, my band director set a piece of music entitled “Of Our New Day Begun” on my stand. As he often did, he began by explaining the significance of the piece. This powerful work was written about the shooting at Mother Emanuel and is threaded with the choruses of traditional African-American spirituals, specifically “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” which was meant to bring hope to an America characterized by segregation, lynchings, and racism.
Reintroduced to the tragedy, I spent time researching, unearthing several details I had missed when I was younger. Notably, less than two days after their loved ones had been killed, the victims’ family members appeared in court. Looking into the eyes of the man who robbed them of their families, the victims offered tearful and faithful forgiveness. This act of radical compassion seared itself into my brain, impacting my life from that day forward. Nothing anyone could ever do to me would come close to hurting the way these people were hurt, and yet they forgave. Holding grudges suddenly seemed meaningless, when grace has the power to prevail over evil.
Of course, it was not as if the impact of “Of Our New Day Begun” came gently. Each time we rehearsed, I had to bolster myself for the incredible wave of grief, for my desperation for change. I felt the music in my bones and the message in my soul.
Monday April 14th
Molly King
Majestically written, the piece creates ties from the story to the musical notation. Particularly, to represent the chaos of the shooting and its aftermath, the instrumentation is disordered, creating dissonance and making the listener feel uneasy. However, the final note is a strong unison crescendo that drives home the message: this story- America’s story of violence-is not over, and we cannot stop fighting for justice until justice is achieved.
That spring, my mother and I traveled to Charleston. While we were there, we stopped by Mother Emanuel, unsure if we would be able to go in or just walk around the outside. As we marveled at the exterior, we came across the church historian, who just happened to be getting out of a meeting. This avuncular man, on encountering two strangers, was more than happy to share a full history of the church with us, explaining all of the incredible things that happened here, both before and after the shooting. My eyes were opened again as I realized the church and its members were more than their collective tragedy, and while their lives were molded by grief, pain, and violence, they chose to be represented by their grace, love, and fight for justice.
As we sat in the sanctuary, basking in its Gothic Revival style, the historian asked me if I wanted to play our recording of “Of Our New Day Begun” in the sanctuary. I was struck with nerves, wondering if our music was good enough to be played in this beautiful house of God. As the notes echoed through the sanctuary- both in dissonance and in unity- I felt myself ease into the pew, knowing that this song belonged here and that I belonged in the fight for social justice, both in my community and my world.
Tuesday April 15th
shared by Sue Shiffrin
“I bless this day in the fullness of good it already contains, in the many occasions it offers to listen deeply, to be of service to others, to express gratitude moment by moment and to keep my mind so filled with love, beauty and joy that no negativity can find even the tiniest crack in which to set foot.
I bless this day in the infinite opportunities it gives me to love: to love and bless every human I meet, every beast or bird I pass by, every plant I behold, for all are but the manifold expressions of the infinite Life that undergirds all.
Truly, I bless this day for the wonderful adventure it can become as I walk through it with the eyes of wonder rather than boredom, use every opportunity to express peace rather than irritation, and chose love over fear.
Thank you, Life, for this day.”
Pierre Pradervand
Wednesday April 16th
Chuck Foster
What is it that makes you fully alive?
One thing that makes us aware of being fully alive is the gift of silence--
• Moments of silence in which we discern at a deeper level our relationship with each other.
• Moments of silence when we become aware of being at-home in the natural world.
• Moments of silence during which we gain transforming insights into challenges or problems we are facing.
• Moments of silence when we find ourselves living into the mystery of life.
• Moments of silence when we open ourselves to the grace of God in worship and the routines of daily life.
For the gift of silence we give thanks! Amen.
The grass never sleeps. Or the roses.
Thursday April 17th
Maundy Thursday
“Gethsemane” - Mary Oliver
Nor does the lily have a secret eye that shuts until morning. Jesus said, wait with me. But the disciples slept.
The cricket has such splendid fringe on his feet, and it sings, have you noticed, with its whole body, and heaven knows if it ever sleeps.
Jesus said, wait with me. And maybe the stars did, maybe the wind wound itself into a silver tree, and didn’t move. Maybe the lake far away, where once he walked as on a blue pavement, lay still and waited, wild awake.
Oh the dear bodies, slumped and eye-shut, that could not keep that vigil, how they must have wept, so utterly human, knowing this too must be part of the story.
Friday April 18th
Good Friday
“Good Friday” - Christina Rosetti
Am I a stone, and not a sheep, That I can stand, O Christ, beneath Thy cross, To number drop by drop Thy blood’s slow loss, And yet not weep?
Not so those women loved Who with exceeding grief lamented Thee; Not so fallen Peter weeping bitterly; Not so the thief was moved;
Not so the Sun and Moon
Which hid their faces in a starless sky, A horror of great darkness at broad noon –I, only I.
Yet give not o’er, But seek Thy sheep, true Shepherd of the flock; Greater than Moses, turn and look once more And smite a rock.
Saturday April 19th
“On Baking Bread” - Lisa Kurz
I baked a loaf of bread yesterday. It wasn’t anything fancy like focaccia or sourdough. It was just the kind of crusty round loaf that some call a boule (if you’re French) or a cob (if you’re British, or a fan of Paul Hollywood). Nothing special; in fact, it was pretty humble.
But it tasted delicious.
And that surprised me. I’m definitely not an experienced bread baker; yesterday’s loaf was maybe the 10th loaf I’ve ever baked in my life. I’d never tried this particular recipe before, and I didn’t even follow the recipe instructions slavishly, as I tend to do when baking bread. So what with being a neophyte bread baker, plus trying a recipe for the first time, plus not following the recipe exactly, I half expected to end up with a hot mess.
But the bread was yummy. And not only that; it had a good crumb and a nice crusty crust. I’m not sure how it happened, but it made me feel hopeful.
Bread baking is one of the new hobbies I’ve taken up since I retired. I have to admit: I wasn’t exactly looking forward to retiring. Mostly I was apprehensive about the long, empty hours stretching out in front of me. So when friends suggested I take up bread baking, I jumped on it as a way to fill my days.
The first loaf I baked was a simple sandwich loaf, made under the watchful eye of my friend Patrick. He showed me how to knead the dough, how to tell when it’s been kneaded enough, and how to get a good crust by putting a pan of hot water in the oven while the loaf bakes. He also told me that bread recipes are just guidelines – that it’s really all about how the dough feels. That wasn’t exactly encouraging for a rulefollower like me.
But I stuck with it. After that first loaf, I was on my own, and I went through a series of terrible bakes, making a variety of mistakes: under-kneading, under-baking, over-baking, and some I still haven’t figured out. I had loaves with odd textures and weird crusts that I actually had to throw away. Eventually, I started to have some small successes and got brave enough to share my bakes with my friends and family.
Saturday April 19th
“On Baking Bread” - Lisa Kurz
Yesterday, as I ate a slice of warm crusty bread fresh out of the oven, I realized that I’ve gotten so much more out of baking bread than a few good loaves.
I’ve learned about being patient. Patience is not one of my virtues, but I’ve come to appreciate the value of not rushing, of giving the dough time to rise. I’ve also had to be patient with myself, as I learn and fail at this new task. I can’t rush through the process of improving my bread-baking skills, any more than I can rush the dough through its rise. And as I’ve learned and failed, I’ve had to show myself some grace and value the process I’m going through as well as the outcome.
Most importantly, I’ve learned that the reward of patience can be a newly rediscovered sense of wonder: the dough rose! Even when it has been in the inhospitable environment of a cold, dark refrigerator overnight, the yeast does its thing and the dough rises.
That’s truly awesome – and it gives me hope.
My Thoughts
