Daily Devotions and Podcasts
Prayer: Lord, help me to see You in every part of my day, even in the places I least expect. Open my eyes to Your presence in the ordinary and the extraordinary moments of life. Amen.
The Cathedral of Hope Devotion Ministry began as an answer to Progressive Christians who wanted to start their days with a little insight, observation, or wisdom about the Christian faith from their own point of view. Conservative internet devotions were abundant, but there was not much out there for liberal thinkers. The need was clear.
Being a large church, we had a generous amount of writing talent available and also a large number of congregants with theological training who were not on the pulpit. In the early days of the ministry, most of the writing was done by the clergy, but gradually the majority of the writers emerged from those lay volunteers.
That dynamic is still in place as new authors are always joining in to keep the ideas fresh. It’s a fitting structure for any center of progressive thought. This particular Body of Christ has many voices and each one has a unique and important story to tell.
SCRIPTURE 1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. For: “Those who desire to love life and to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and God’s ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” WORDS OF HOPE The words of Peter in the above passage are particularly poignant today. Today is often referred to as Native American Rights Day. On this day in history, May 12, 1879, the landmark case Standing Bear v. Crook granted Native Americans civil rights under U.S. law. This particular case involved the movement of Native Americans by the federal government. Essentially it had been ruled that Standing Bear did not enjoy the rights of American citizens. He had applied for writ of habeas corpus and had been denied based on his lack of rights. The court ruled in his favor, and he was granted the writ of habeas corpus. So, while we celebrate Native Americans generally in September and October, this date is particularly significant. It is a simple truth that the Native American peoples have always been treated as savages, and totally unworthy of being considered equal, since the arrival of Europeans. Indeed, for a long part of American history, what was done to Native Americans by Europeans has no name other than genocide. The idea of Manifest Destiny, that Europeans were intended by God to spread across the North American continent is still around as part of the outlook of Christian Nationalists. That somehow Europeans have been granted by God, special privileges is a part of both of those philosophies. Those who hold those beliefs would do well to reread Peter’s words. It is a simple fact that the colonizers of the Americas did not show love, did not keep their tongues from evil, did not seek peace and pursue peace. And we still don’t. PRAYER God of all people, help us to live into the words of Peter sent through him by Jesus. Help us to see that all people are entitled to the love, respect, and peace that you wish all your Creation to enjoy. Help us to be instruments of your love and peace. Bring your blessings upon all. DEVOTION AUTHOR ļ»æ Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
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Words of Hope Podcast
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SCRIPTURE 1 Peter 3:8-12 Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse, but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. For: “Those who desire to love life and to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, and God’s ears are open to their prayer. But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.” WORDS OF HOPE The words of Peter in the above passage are particularly poignant today. Today is often referred to as Native American Rights Day. On this day in history, May 12, 1879, the landmark case Standing Bear v. Crook granted Native Americans civil rights under U.S. law. This particular case involved the movement of Native Americans by the federal government. Essentially it had been ruled that Standing Bear did not enjoy the rights of American citizens. He had applied for writ of habeas corpus and had been denied based on his lack of rights. The court ruled in his favor, and he was granted the writ of habeas corpus. So, while we celebrate Native Americans generally in September and October, this date is particularly significant. It is a simple truth that the Native American peoples have always been treated as savages, and totally unworthy of being considered equal, since the arrival of Europeans. Indeed, for a long part of American history, what was done to Native Americans by Europeans has no name other than genocide. The idea of Manifest Destiny, that Europeans were intended by God to spread across the North American continent is still around as part of the outlook of Christian Nationalists. That somehow Europeans have been granted by God, special privileges is a part of both of those philosophies. Those who hold those beliefs would do well to reread Peter’s words. It is a simple fact that the colonizers of the Americas did not show love, did not keep their tongues from evil, did not seek peace and pursue peace. And we still don’t. PRAYER God of all people, help us to live into the words of Peter sent through him by Jesus. Help us to see that all people are entitled to the love, respect, and peace that you wish all your Creation to enjoy. Help us to be instruments of your love and peace. Bring your blessings upon all. DEVOTION AUTHOR ļ»æ Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
SCRIPTURE Isaiah 41:10 Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. WORDS OF HOPE It’s now been years since the lockdown days of the pandemic when the calendar on my bedroom wall seemed to have "uncertain" written for every day's activities. Even though those lockdown days are behind us, so much uncertainty remains. In such times, life can get really weird with everything turned upside down. The threats of a war-torn world and economic storm clouds still look menacing. Through the years, I have learned, that in such times of uncertainty, to look out for God's unexpected "drop-in" opportunities. When we focus on God’s presence in our lives, our usual routine is less congested and there is more time for new experiences with the Divine One. We are veterans of living in troubled times and always should be prepared to take shelter from more of life’s storms that are coming our way. If the pandemic taught us anything it’s that there are many degrees of uncertainty that we can endure. When I lived in San Francisco, I had a friend, Giancarlo, who told me: "Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass; it's about learning how to dance in the rain". The presence of God's Spirit in your life makes a wonderful dance partner! Venture forth into this life even with its uncertainties. The old hymn, How Firm a Foundation, based on the words of Matthew 11.28-30 comes to mind: "The soul that on Jesus still leans for repose, though all hell should endeavor to shake, I'll never, no never, no never forsake. In the days ahead, may our confidence in the trustworthiness of God's care be expressed in all our daily activities. PRAYER "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 times of uncertainty, "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." Amen. (Psalm 25:1-4) DEVOTION AUTHOR ļ»æ Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Psalm 66:8-9 Praise our God, all peoples, let the sound of his praise be heard; he has preserved our lives and kept our feet from slipping. WORDS OF HOPE There is an ongoing debate among sociologists and psychologists about generational trauma—as if it were a contest over whether the Silent Generation endured more than Gen Z, or Baby Boomers more than Millennials. The Silent Generation experienced the Cold War and geopolitical anxiety. Boomers faced Vietnam, assassinations, and deep internal conflict. Millennials encountered repeated systemic shocks after September 11 and the Great Recession. Gen Z’s story is still unfolding, marked by COVID-19, climate anxiety, and the advent of AI. Last Sunday night, my spouse and I went to the Bruno Mars concert, and the evening opened with pure joy. DJ Pee Wee—actually Anderson Paak—took the stage, spinning funk, soul, and hip-hop while dancing with infectious energy and pulling the entire stadium into the moment. He called out “Where are my ’70s babies?” and dropped a Whitney Houston track, then shouted, “How about my 80s babies?” and then moved through the decades, each one met with louder singing and laughter. From 60-year-olds like us to teenagers, everyone knew the songs. It was shared, unfiltered happiness. The Psalmist writes in Psalm 66 a communal and personal song of thanksgiving, praising God for delivering His people through intense trials into a place of abundance. The passage highlights God's protection of life and a call to share how God hears prayers and remains steadfast. Each generation has had their trials in their formative years. Be it during under the desk in Cold War drills or school shooting drills. We’ve been locked up during COVID when we were supposed to be in classrooms, and we’ve had our number selected at the end of high school to go to fight a war in Southeast Asia. We saw the planes fly into buildings and Gaza practically bombed out of existence. Yet every generation has found a way to sing, to dance, to laugh—despite all we’ve carried and endured. The Psalmist reminds us that God has delivered us and continues to rescue us still. The life and teachings of Jesus inspire and guide us forward, and the Holy Spirit moves among us, leading us through and bringing us out into hope. PRAYER Gracious God, You have carried every generation through trial and joy. When burdens feel heavy, remind us that you are still delivering and restoring. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may live with hope, unity, and joy. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs
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