Monday - January 8, 2024

READING  “Dogs remind us that joy is found in small, repeated rituals like walks and shared naps.” – Evan Hart WORDS OF HOPE If I have a bone to pick with Jesus, it’s that he didn’t have a dog. I know he was on the move a lot, and a dog wouldn’t be allowed in the synagogues, but I can just see a rangy brown mixed breed dog loping along in the midst of Jesus’ pack of disciples, eating the scraps from under the tables or some canine loving guests at Cana sneaking him tidbits at the wedding feast. And on those long days of feeding the multitudes and healing people, the weight of exhaustion and responsibility could have been lightened by a good dog lying by Jesus’ side. * Today celebrates Give Every Dog his Day, a time you are invited to reverse that Biblical trend and provide the best possible experiences for your precious companion. Acknowledging the great diversity in dogs, given breed, age, physical health, and temperament, generalizations can be tricky. For example, every dog I have ever had were treat motivated, for which I am eternally grateful when needing an extra boost in training. So, Sage’s favorite freeze-dried liver treats would be part of her day. We’ve met others, though, whose dogs could care less about treats. A walk, for sure, would be high on Sage’s list—even with her mobility challenges. Let there be plenty of time for sniffing clumps of grass saturated with other doggie smells (and catty, and squirrelly, and coyoteey and humany). That’s heaven! (It is distressing to see the rare neighbor looking at her cell phone and dragging her beautiful golden retriever to move faster and faster on her morning “walk.” That’s deserving of a level in Dante’s dog hell.) My last dog, Charlie, a 75 lb mixed breed, was a snuggler, and all manner of world pains could be eased by the way he dug in next to your side and rested with you. Sage, not so much, but she loves the luxury of being able to lie in the sun in the back yard and pick which bed she wants to rest or sleep in, having been caged in a shelter crate for over a year. And kisses, kisses would be a must. Charlie and Coco, his “sister,” would have to have a trip to the lake for their Day, where they could run the edges of the water bumping each other like young colts until they were exhausted. I could go on having fun with this piece, but you know your own dearest companion’s best days, so I invite you to enjoy together those special treats, rituals, close times, and love language. And for all the dogs still in shelters, please hear the cries: “See me. See me for who I am and all the love I have to give you. Open your home and heart to me.” Please foster and adopt. God of all creatures great and small, I give you thanks for the love and loyalty and joy and pure silliness of dogs, for all they bring to our lives, and for all they teach us about life. May we pour out our love and care without measure-- not just today but for a lifetime. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon *The word dog had a negative connotation in Jesus’ day and I have read that they were considered unclean.

SCRIPTURE  Matthew 17:24-27 When they reached Capernaum, the collectors of the temple tax came to Peter and said, “Does your teacher not pay the temple tax?” He said, “Yes, he does.” And when he came home, Jesus spoke of it first, asking, “What do you think, Simon? From whom do kings of the earth take toll or tribute? From their children or from others?” When Peter said, “From others,” Jesus said to him, “Then the children are free. However, so that we do not give offense to them, go to the sea and cast a hook; take the first fish that comes up, and when you open its mouth, you will find a coin; take that and give it to them for you and me.” WORDS OF HOPE This story always sounds like Peter is looking for a loophole. That’s something I suspect everyone does occasionally, especially when it comes to money. There are whole professions who do little but look for loopholes to save money, and though Jesus agrees with Peter that there is indeed a loophole, he declines to use it. Sometimes I think when the offering plate is passed at the church, we often just pass it on. Conveniently taking the speed which with it is passed as a loophole to giving, after all we don’t want to hold up the process while we dig for our wallets. Perhaps we should remember that Jesus urged Peter to take time to go catch a fish in order to pay the temple tax. Fishing for our wallets seems a whole lot easier! PRAYER May we remember to be generous with our time and treasure to help the miracle that is our church continue to spread the message of hope, love and inclusion to all peoples. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman

READING  There are times when beauty is shy and hesitant until it can trust the worthiness of the beholder…Beauty tends to avoid the siren call of the obvious…it prefers the neglected margins…beauty waits until the patience and depth of gaze are refined enough to engage and discover it…beauty is not a quality externally present in something. It emerges at the threshold where reverence of mind engages the subtle presence of the other person, place, or object. The hidden heart of beauty offers itself only when it is approached in a rhythm worthy of its trust and showing. -from Beauty: The Invisible Embrace by John O’Donohue WORDS OF HOPE I walked into class the other day and was greeted by a student who was excited to share that she was finally able to save money and purchase an e-reader. The initial enthusiasm quickly diminished when the conversation turned to the cost of books, both print and digital, and the fact that her city’s library does not have access to the e-book service she was hoping to use. I was able to brighten her day by telling her that she was entitled to use the public library, and all of its services, close to our campus by simply showing her school ID. That little piece of information made her day. Is it going to change THE world? No. Will it change HER world in a positive way? Yes. And, in my book, her smile made for a beautiful moment. We live in a world with big issues and those issues often cause big feelings, which lately seem to be more negative than positive. Some days the only way to navigate the incessant stress and ugliness of modern life is to remind ourselves to look for glimpses of beauty lurking around us in unexpected places. These moments may seem small at the time , but little by little they add up to become a life filled with immense beauty. O’Donohue says, “Only if there is beauty in us can we recognize beauty elsewhere: beauty knows beauty.” The apostle Peter talks of this kind of beauty in Peter 3:3-4; “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as elaborate hairstyles and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Rather, it should be that of your inner, self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.” The beauty that resides in our hearts is what prepares us to give and to receive the beauty around us. Our job is to fill our hearts with beautiful things—with hope, compassion, empathy, and love; love of self, love of our neighbors, and love of our God. A heart full of these things knows beauty…and is able to be beauty in our chaotic world. This kind of beauty often comes in a simple gesture like a smile, a thank-you, or a shared prayer. My prayer is, that with God’s help, beauty will surround each of us inside and out. PRAYER God of all goodness, help me to look beyond the harshness of the world that stares me in the face and to find the beauty that hides in the often “neglected margins.” Remind me that these glimpses of beauty are sacred moments offered to me by you. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURES Psalm 63.1 Oh God, you are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water. Romans 1.11-12 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong- That is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. WORDS OF HOPE As I Am -A Poem I've been watching you. Waiting for you. Searching for you. Hoping, almost believing– If only for a moment That maybe I can really do this. Oh, my dreams keep me up at night. All I see is the same thing over and over Again. Should I put it into words? I don't think I could carry them all if I tried. But my heart is breaking every time I open my eyes. Yes, we are losing everything. And I would love to just walk away. Just walk away... Here I am Lord. Here I am. Fighting for the arms that hold me at night. Striving for the sister who still dares to dream. Struggling for the friend who still needs me in all my weirdness. Rising for the community without which I'd be lost. Breathing for the Father who just needs to hear I'm ok. Holding on to the Mother who waits for me each day. And with a love I can't put into words, Greatly and longingly creating perhaps– I will not leave this world as it is. For I will never give up on her. She and all her children are my kin. I would love to walk away, to quit– Without ever having tried. But I, but We... Having something worth fighting for. And this, This broken heart– Will have to do. PRAYER God of all, Thank you for never leaving us in times of joy, confusion, discouragement, or uncertainty. Thank you for the comfort of being part of a community, loving one another, understanding one another, praying for one another, knowing that when we sometimes feel overwhelmed as individuals, together we are strong. In any aspect of our lives, may Jesus always be our example and our guide. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE John 15:15 I have called you my friends, because I've made known to you everything that I've heard from my Abba God. WORDS OF HOPE What does knowing Jesus mean to you? A major question for early Christian leaders revolved around the influence that the circumstances surrounding Jesus had on their belief in one God. Thinking about this matter, they concentrated their understanding of what his life and ministry meant to their spiritual lives. From the beginning of Jesus' ministry, he became famous among his followers for his wise and holy words which told of God's love, forgiveness, and divine welcome. He also spoke words of correction and encouragement for their lives. Throughout, Jesus revealed much about his Abba God. Jesus revealed God's loving nature as he encountered everyone - rich or poor, powerful or outcast. He revealed God's patience and understanding of human frailty as he gently led his disciples into greater appreciation of his divine ministry. Jesus revealed God's offer that believers could enter the Kingdom of God on earth and live under divine sovereignty which would be reflected in their lives. Jesus revealed the tender, healing care of God as he reached out to heal all manner of illness. He revealed the Almighty power of God when he raised Lazarus from the dead. Before the life of Jesus, it seemed that God was very distant from the common person, but now the Divine's presence seemed to walk with them, talk to them, and eat meals with them. Jesus' life revealed the opportunity to have an intimate relationship with God.  Before Jesus, the Temple curtain had separated the Holy God from all worshipers but the High Priest. Now with the revelation of Jesus, all those who sought a true relationship with God could find divine presence without a middle man. These are several aspects of the Holy One which Jesus revealed to his followers. What aspects of God do you feel within yourself? What other characteristics of God are better revealed to you because of the life and ministry of Jesus? PRAYER Creator, Counselor, and Guide, thank you for the aspects of you that the life of Jesus has revealed to us, that these attributes may live within us and we can share your love with others. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare