Devotion

Scripture

Romans 12:9 – 16

Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good;
Love one another with mutual affection;
outdo one another in showing honor.
Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.
Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.
Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse them.
Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.
Live in harmony with one another;
do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly;

A Word of Hope

If I had to sum up what I believe it means to be Christian and a follower of Jesus, the 12th verse of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans is an excellent summary. It lays out the bedrock principles of Jesus’ teaching and does so with elegant simplicity.

I find that these words hold special meaning in these days. “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.” All great advice for these uncertain times when I wonder if life will ever return to what it was before the epidemic. The idea of persevering in prayer holds me in that place where I can rejoice in hope.

That rejoicing can happen when we are together or when we are apart. There is no limit to where God’s people can practice these principals. I can rejoice with my friends online and I can extend my hospitality toward others virtually through social media and by giving to my church and other charities that reach out to the hungry and less fortunate.

I know a lot of people including myself have been abused by the words of Paul in the first part of this Epistle, but I have decided not to discard the heart of the letter over a few words in the first verse. I will leave that discussion to another time, but for today I will “hold fast to what is good”.

Prayer

God of many names, may I always remember to persevere in prayer in trying times that I might continue to rejoice in the hope with which you fill my heart.

Amen

Devotion Author

Hardy Haberman
Cathedral of Hope

Scripture

Nehemiah 1:2-4

And I asked about the Jews who survived, those who had escaped captivity, and about Jerusalem. They replied, “The survivors there are in great trouble and shame; the wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been destroyed by fire.

When I heard these words, I sat down and wept, and mourned for days, fasting and praying before the God of heaven.

Words of Hope

In a message about reopening in the Fall, the president of a small Christian liberal arts college refers to Nehemiah: I happened to be reading …Nehemiah this past weekend. The book is the story of the exiles returning from Babylon to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem—only to encounter great resistance and unexpected sabotage. Their secret to success was sharing the work, and remembering God’s faithfulness in their story up to that point. It is in the context of this struggle that we encounter the well known verse that “the joy of the Lord is our strength.”

As we begin to consider returning to our communities and cities after home-bound exile, I wonder: what can Nehemiah teach us?

First, we can learn from the writer’s compassionate response for the pain of the remnant, the survivors of captivity, an empathy that leads to mourning. In our own time, we have had our hearts broken open for all who are severely impacted by the pandemic. May we too mourn the losses in our society: students missing their graduation ceremonies, job loss, hunger, the death of loved ones, the absence of touch, and so much more.

Nehemiah turns next to heartfelt prayer—acknowledging the covenantal relationship between God and the people and confessing the sins of the Israel and his own family. What are the sins of our society in this time? A narrow nationalism? Price gouging? Competition between states for protective gear and ventilators? Elevating political party above the greater good? Other things? Lord have mercy upon us. And the sins of our family/ourselves? Hoarding? Circling the wagon to protect me and mine? Ignoring medical protocols and endangering others? Christ have mercy upon us.

Nehemiah is spurred to action, spurred to carry out a sacred mission that God has put on his heart. He returns to Jerusalem and witnesses firsthand the devastation. Closely, he examines the conditions, at first in secret—perhaps to avoid stirring up opposition, perhaps because he wants to make his own assessment.

Having determined what is needed to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem, he calls the people to play their part. Different groups and families repair and rebuild together “for the common good.”

In our time, building walls has negative associations, so perhaps we might think more broadly about the foundations that need fortifying and what is in need of repair. Can we imagine the “new Jerusalem” of our own time? How can we keep from repeating the patterns that led us to exhaustion, rabid hurry, minimal time with our children, walking in nature, spiritual practice? May we not repeat the old normal.

Prayer

Master builder, like Nehemiah we too may meet resistance in the healthy recovery, but while we still have time, lead us to holy imagining for the greater good. Amen.

Devotion Author

Dr. Pat Saxon

Scripture

Matthew 7.12

Whatever you desire for others to do to you, you
shall also do to them; for this is the law and the prophets.

A Word of Hope

It’s no secret I’m a fan of retro pop culture and sci-fi. It interweaves throughout my life. Most often my days do not pass by without at least one or two references, even if I’m just entertaining myself in my head. It’s the kind of creative thinking that helps me survive these quarantined times.

At the very beginning of our shelter in place, I was reminded of one of my favorite 1950’s movies, The Day the Earth Stood Still with Patricia Neal and starring Michael Rennie as the benevolent but intense alien with a message on how we could save the planet from ourselves. His sole mission was to warn us of our imminent doom through nuclear weapons and war which sentient beings outside our galaxy would not tolerate. He was urged to create some sort of demonstration of his ultimate power to show he means business. The stage is set and without harming any people, he brings everything to a screeching halt. No electricity, no power worldwide except for hospitals, planes in flight, and so on. Remember, I said he was benevolent.

I’m not suggesting an alien has perpetrated a plot with an insidious new virus nor has a vengeful God decided to test or curse us. No matter. We have been forced to sit still and reevaluate our earthly circumstances and rethink how we have the ability to change our future history for the better, while the Earth stands still; at least for those who follow instructions well.

As in the movie, when we saw scientists and politicians evaluating situations in different ways, we too have people among us living in the extremes, some thinking they can keep the all-powerful new force at bay by ignoring the danger to themselves and others and go about their lives normally. Others live in panic while desperately waiting to return to the status quo.

What has this contemplative time made you aware of in your life? How has it changed you for the better and what are the things you will never go back to again? What are we learning about safe practices in regard not only to our own wellness, but also the wellness of others? When he delivered his final warning, Klaatu, the enlightened alien, gave us pause to reflect:

“There must be security for all, or no one is secure. Now, this does not mean giving up any freedom, except the freedom to act irresponsibly. The choice is yours.”

What are our new choices?

Prayer

Our Earth stands still. The times are uncertain. Through your inspiration, may our thoughts, dreams, and determination become more active and creative than ever.

Devotion Author

Charlie Rose
Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Scripture

I Thessalonians 5:13b-18 (New Revised Standard Version)

Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, beloved, to admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with all of them. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to all. Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

A Word of Hope

“Last Rites for Teenagers”

There are some images from life’s journey that you don’t forget.

For me, the memories overwhelmed me as I sobbed beside my husband, Tom, while watching a Netflix episode of Nurse Jackie. Nurse Jackie was administering Last Rites to a dying gay Catholic patient whom the church had left behind. He preferred Jackie offer him this last rite of the church rather than the hospital chaplain.

Tom asked me why I was crying, and I simply said, “I just realized that everyone I’ve ever performed that ritual for was a teenager.”

I’ve volunteered as a police chaplain in four different cities where I lived, and in circumstances where priests were unavailable, I’ve carried out the priestly role as a chaplain. I don’t like to share this part of the work because it reinforces the myth that chaplains mostly deal with death when in reality they deal with life and the living.

Lying on his bedroom floor where his parents found him, was the lifeless 13-year-old body waisted to suicide. Their grief enveloped everyone from the responding police officers to the neighbors who came out in their night clothes when they saw the emergency vehicles in their affluent neighborhood. They wanted their son’s body blessed before it was moved, and a priest was not available.

Last rites, or the Roman Catholic sacrament of “extreme unction,” is not typically given to the deceased but, in some cases, the blessing is still administered—primarily to comfort the loved ones left behind. The officer who stood behind me, as I knelt to anoint the boy’s body, was weeping. This was not my first experience with teenage death.

There was the visit to the morgue at the insistence of the parents to anoint their 17-year-old son who had been killed in a head-on collision. Their priest was not allowed into the morgue alone but a police chaplain could go, so I escorted him in and learned the proper way to perform the sacrament. This prepared me for the young teenage girl who took her life and the sudden death of a high school senior from his undiagnosed heart defect.

Lest you think of this as merely morose reflections, consider this. Life is a precious gift. We have this one, wonderful journey where we can bless and be blessed by giving, forgiving, and loving ourselves and others. We have this Divine gift that is within us and around us and it

makes the shelter-in-place time tolerable. Celebrate life and the holy. Uplift what is precious. Make a gratitude list each day of at least 3 things/people/experiences for which you can give thanks. Breathe. You are enough.

Prayer

Thank you, Divine Presence, for the gift of life and the opportunity to bless and be blessed, even when the tears may come and we must refrain from hugs for now. May we breathe and be blessed with gratitude. Amen.

Devotion Author

Rev. Dr. Gary Kindley
Pastoral Psychotherapist
CCIADallas.org

Scripture

Job 12.7-10

But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In God’s hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all humankind.

A Word of Hope

I’ve been sticking close to home a lot lately. How about you? During this indefinite pause in the ongoing history of our lives, I’m confident that most of us will concur with that statement. All of us know that, regardless of the declaration or lifting of quarantines by human authorities, no one is in charge. None of this will end until a vaccine removes our reasons to avoid social gatherings. Until then, what can we possibly do around the house to relieve the monotony?

My involvement with the church as Minister for Children and Families is much busier than usual even though I work entirely at home by remote connection and Zoom meetings while producing weekly 12-minute iPhone distant learning videos for the children. I am blessed with a job that allows me to do that, but what about after hours? I’m still at home. Now what? Luckily, all of us are blessed with the modern miracle of affordable apps that can entertain and teach us virtually anything we can imagine. I decided that I had done just about everything I could manage to repair or reorganize inside the house and now was the perfect time to get better acquainted with the Creation on the outside.

My house is surrounded with hundreds of varieties of flora, many planted years ago by my parents, a few planted by me, and the vast majority planted by God through birds or the wind. With few exceptions, I am on a first-name basis with none of them, so I installed a super-app called Picture Perfect on the phone that allows me to identify all of them complete with their biographies that make Wikipedia jealous.

Now I know that my Ivy is not wilting; my Golden Pothos is a bit parched. That’s not a weed in my Iris bed. It’s a Spreading Hedgeparsley with lance-shaped leaflets. Beside it is not an innocuous shade tree, but a Chinese tallow that is not only hearty, but invasive. The humble bushes of the earth are there to teach us. And now, we have the gift of time to listen to their lesson and appreciate their role in the health of our planet. Knowing them personally helps us to appreciate them even more. After all, what they breathe out, we breathe in.

Now, I must cut this writing a bit short since my Carolina Coralbead is outside my window, choking my Formosan Juniper.

Prayer

Thank you for the Creation around us that declares to us your glory. May this extra time we spend getting to know your plants guide toward a better understanding of their Creator.

Devotion Author

Dan Peeler
Minister for Children and Families
Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Scripture

Psalm 25:1-4

To you, O God, I lift up my soul, in you I put my trust! I know you will not let me be humiliated or triumphed over by these adversities and fears.” Even in these uncertain times, “teach me your way and show me your path” to follow… “For you are the God of my salvation and in you I have placed my trust all the day long.”

A Word of Hope

Johnny 2-String…A True Story

Sunday morning in San Francisco: while walking to Grace Cathedral and exiting the subway at Powell and Market Streets, in my path I noticed a small group of men standing on the sidewalk. Five or six of them were singing and huddled around a seated fellow playing a guitar. His shabby and mismatched clothes gave the impression of a man down on his luck or homeless.

As I walked closer, I noticed that he as plucking away on 2 strings of the guitar, while 2 other broken strings swirled wildly without any function. He finished the little ditty that he had just sung which, gave me a chance to ask: “That was nice, but don’t you find it difficult to play with just 2 strings?” Pointing his index finger overhead and straight up into the sky, he smiled and replied, ” No, I still got my golden string connected to God!” Then he went back to singing.

I was left almost speechless by his response. It was obvious that he was content just as he was, and he was certain that a loving God would provide. I just about tripped on my shoelaces as I continued on my journey to church. Already that day, I had received a most profound sermon about God’s constant love.

The 20th century Jesuit priest and scientist, Theilhard de Chardin, once wrote this prayer: “O God, I pray that at all times you may find me as you desire me to be; that you may lay hold on me fully and grant that I may never break your golden thread of love that connects my life to you.”

Prayer

“Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take him at his word, just to rest upon his promise, just to know, “thus saith the Lord.” I’m so glad I learned to trust you, precious Jesus, Savior, friend, and I know that you are with me, will be with me to the end.” (Louisa Stead 1850-1917)

Devotion Author

Donald (Luke) Day
Order of St Francis and St. Clare

Scripture

1 Corinthians 15: 51

But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed!

A Word of Hope

My calendar looks different today than it did a few weeks ago, as stay-at-home orders were instituted. I resolved to clean closets and get a lot of things done, however, that was short lived! I was left to wonder what would happen next, could my friends, family and even myself safely isolate from this virus running amuck?

Many times, when going through trials, the loss becomes the focus and the purpose behind what is being experienced gets buried in concern, loss of control, or panic. Significant death tolls, conspiracy theories and economic insecurity coupled with the unknown left us all contemplating our future.

In the middle of chaos, while human beings were in an uproar, nature returned to a bit more normalcy. Birds were easier to hear with less noise pollution; the air quality was measurably better and animals who were once forced from beaches began to nest safely again. I have had online chats with folks I only knew in passing, that I now call my family.

When it appears to be the hardest, when our hearts are beating loud and anxiety mounts faster than we can breathe, is the exact moment to remember the promise of Gods mercy. Difficult and painful days may be lurking, AND God is still in control. God is ever present and will guide us through issues to experience triumph amid transition. God is always present, only our fearful perspective of the experience changes.

While some folks were running away, others were gathering strength and running towards countless ways of giving. Every walk of humankind reached out to supersede negativity with loving acts of kindness that changed lives forever.

After this “dark” time, our calendars will probably fill up again with lots of appointments and ironically, our online face times may go “dark” because we’re to “busy” to connect.

Prayer

Creator God though I know change is inevitable, let me remember the greatest change of all will be in me. Give me a clean heart and continue to renew the right spirit within me. Amen

Devotion Author

Donna Jackson

Scripture

Proverbs 5-8

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
and do not rely on your own insight.
In all your ways acknowledge God,
who will make straight your paths.
Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord, and turn away from evil.
It will be a healing for your flesh
and a refreshment for your body.

Word of Hope

I admit to liking Proverbs better than the Psalms. They speak to me personally in a much clearer manner. As we continue on through the days of Covid-19, I find this section of this Proverb most applicable. As I write this Texas is preparing for phase 1 of its economic plan and the day on which Dallas area faith leaders, including our own Rev. Dr. Neil Thomas, issued a letter to the governor about opening churches.

Some might see the passage above as an indicator that only relying on God is the way past the pandemic. It says not to rely on your own insight and do not be wise in your own eyes.

But that is not I think the key message here, The key line is in the middle: “In all your ways acknowledge God, who will make straight your paths”.

In their letter to the governor, our faith leaders of many faiths state clearly that faith and science are partners not competitors for the common good. Our ability to understand God’s creation through science is one of the gifts we have been given from God. How we use that knowledge and understanding is, I feel, what is being talked about in this Proverb.

When we fail to trust in that of God in each of us, we fail to take care of the planet, we fail to care for animals, and most importantly we fail to care for each other. We worry about our own selves without thought of others. We do not social distance because we feel lonely or trapped. We too quickly worry about our economy without concern for the needs of others. We twist or ignore facts and knowledge to rush headlong into fixing today’s woes without thought to the long term effects to ourselves and others.

As I write this it is April 28th, as you are reading it is May 12th. I pray that in the two week gap God has brought wisdom and healing and comfort to the world; and that rash or foolish decisions have not created greater harm.

Prayerful Words

God of proverbial wisdom, God of healing, God of comfort awaken in us a deep care for all your creation; our siblings, our own selves. Give us wisdom to see, strength to act in good and righteous ways. Protect all people from illness, harm, and fear. Amen

Devotion Author

Weber Baker
Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

Scripture

Acts 7:20-34

At that time Moses was born, and he was no ordinary child. For three months he was cared for in his father’s house. When he was placed outside, Pharaoh’s daughter took him and brought him up as her own son. Moses was educated in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in speech and action. “When Moses was forty years old, he decided to visit his fellow Israelites
Moses . . . fled to Midian, where he settled as a foreigner and had two sons. “After forty years had passed, an angel appeared to Moses in the flames of a burning bush in the desert near Mount Sinai. When he saw this, he was amazed at the sight. As he went over to look more closely, he heard the Lord’s voice: ‘I am the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.’ Moses trembled with fear and did not dare to look. “Then the Lord said to him, ‘Take off your sandals; the place where you are standing is holy ground. I have indeed seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their groaning and have come down to set them free. Now come, I will send you back to Egypt.”

A Word of Hope

We are in the midst of a Pandemic as I write this. We have had all but “essential” businesses closed. Many of the essential businesses have laid off or furloughed employees. Many people are struggling to pay their bills and survive. Parents are challenged to be their children’s teachers. Teachers have had to learn technology in order to teach their students in their homes.

We have shelter-in-place orders. Many people are frustrated with staying home. Mostly because they are being ordered to do it! Many of us used to say “I wish I had time to . . . ” It seems like FOREVER since we have been able to attend church or have our hair cut or gather with friends for a social time. We miss being able to go out to a restaurant and sit down for a nice meal served by pleasant wait staff! We are a very impatient people!

Reading Bible stories, we often skip over the long periods of time the characters in our stories waited before God called them into action! Moses in our scripture above was 40 years old before he decided to visit his fellow Israelites and see their distress in slavery. They rejected his efforts to help them, so he ran off to Midian and started a new life. And it was another 40 years before God called to him in the burning bush! Yet we only remember the first and last part of Moses’ life, not the long years of waiting for God to call him into action.

And here we are complaining that God hasn’t heard our prayers and cured the Covid 19 virus so we could go enjoy the pleasures of our life! We are not in captivity and slavery for over 80 years like the Israelites were. We have had a couple of months being asked to stay in our homes, with our modern conveniences. We have learned how to have church and communion together, yet each in our homes.

We have learned to reach out and check on one another during this time. We have learned to “visit” with each other virtually. We have learned the value of people we once took for granted. We have gained a new appreciation for our church community and our church building! We have learned lessons that hopefully will continue once this period in our life is over. I hope we remember it wasn’t the rich and famous who saved us! It was the truck drivers, nurses, janitors, food workers, grocery workers and the people who kept our internet going and saved our lives and our sanity.

Prayer

God of love and lessons, help us remember the lessons we are learning in the Pandemic. May we not take for granted the workers who make our lives enjoyable. May we not take our health for granted. May we not take healthcare workers for granted! May we not take your grace and love for granted.

Devotion Author

Jan Nunn
Volunteer CoH