Thursday - January 11, 2024

SCRIPTURE  Philippians 1:3–14 I thank my God every time I remember you.” WORDS OF HOPE Family Day According to Lilo & Stitch, “ohana means family.” Nobody gets left behind or forgotten. It is a simple idea, perhaps almost too simple for adults who have spent centuries finding ways to make family complicated. But children sometimes understand what grown-ups forget: family is about belonging. It is where we learn our names, our stories, our jokes, our traditions, and those wonderfully strange rituals that make a household uniquely itself. It is also where somebody remembers the embarrassing story you were absolutely certain had been permanently deleted from history. On Family Day, then, I find myself wondering: What if family was never meant to fit inside one picture? What if the mystery of family is that it keeps becoming larger than the definitions we give it? We tend to carry around an image of what a family is supposed to look like: a mother, a father, 2.3 children, a pet, a minivan, a mortgage, and perhaps a white picket fence for good measure. Somewhere along the way, we took one particular arrangement and promoted it from one way of being a family to the definition of family, as though God had handed us a blueprint from heaven and said, “Congratulations. This is the only acceptable floor plan.” But real families have never been that tidy, and neither has Scripture. The Bible is filled with widows and orphans, unmarried people, blended and extended households, friends who become family, and communities that gather around people when traditional structures fail. Scripture gives us families who are complicated, grieving, surprising, imperfect, and occasionally downright chaotic. Maybe the Bible's refusal to give us one perfect family portrait is not a problem to solve. Maybe it is an invitation to wonder at all the ways love creates belonging. I grew up in what many people would describe as a traditional nuclear family. I was raised by a mom and dad, and I have a younger sister who is about three and a half years younger than me. Today, another branch has been added to our family tree through my nephew, Maverick. And I get to be the best uncle ever. I am grateful for the family I was given—the people who remember my childhood, my awkward phases, my victories, my failures, and the stories I would prefer never to be repeated at Thanksgiving. Families have a remarkable memory, after all. It remembers the adorable things we did, the ridiculous things we did, and, inconveniently, the things we were really hoping everyone else had forgotten. But being grateful for my own family does not mean believing everyone else's family must look like mine. The older I get, the more I wonder whether the beauty of family is found not in uniformity but in its astonishing variety. Spend some time at Cathedral of Hope, and that variety becomes visible almost immediately. I see two men raising children. I see two women raising children. I see LGBTQIA+ families, grandparents raising grandchildren, blended families, adoptive families, single-parent families, multigenerational families, and families whose stories refuse to fit neatly inside a census form. And beneath all those different arrangements is something wonderfully ordinary: people loving one another, laughing together, crying together, caring for one another, showing up when somebody needs help, and occasionally wondering who ate the last cookie. Two dads raising a child is not a sin. Two moms raising a child is not a sin. An LGBTQIA+ family is not a defective version of a “real” family. Families that take other forms deserve the same dignity and care. Even polyamorous families, remind us that human love has never been quite as tidy as the boxes we try to build around it. Perhaps the better question is not whether a family looks familiar to us, but whether love is flourishing there—whether people care for one another, protect one another, take responsibility for one another, and show up when it matters. For some families, that sense of connection reaches backward across generations. Family can be carried through names, stories, traditions, and memories that existed long before we were born. Scottish clans offer one striking example. I have a connection to Clan Stewart, and that connection reminds me that family can sometimes reach farther into the past than our own memories can. The Stewarts were not simply a Scottish clan; the Stewart dynasty eventually became one of the great royal dynasties of the British Isles. That history eventually leads us to the modern British royal family and to King Charles III, who inherited the Crown after the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. Whatever we may think about monarchy, there is something fascinating about the way family can carry history forward—through names, traditions, responsibilities, stories, and sometimes even titles. And then there are chosen families—the people who may not share our DNA or our last name but somehow become part of the story of who we are. As an LGBTQIA+ ally, I have a chosen family at Cathedral of Hope. At the 10 a.m. service, I sit in the front row behind the acolytes and lay ministers of worship, among what I sometimes affectionately call the Holy Troublemakers. We ask questions. We challenge assumptions. We believe LGBTQIA+ people belong fully in the church. Not halfway. Not with an asterisk. Not after passing some theological entrance exam. Fully. We believe faith should lead us toward compassion, welcome, justice, and love rather than fear and exclusion. But these are not simply theological convictions for me. These are my friends. We do things together. We laugh together. We cry together. We celebrate together. We sit with one another when life gets difficult. We show up. We make memories. We probably occasionally drive one another a little crazy, because apparently that is also one of the privileges of family. The household of God is larger than our family trees. The table of God is wider than our dining rooms. God's love keeps surprising us with people we did not expect to call family. So, celebrate the family you were born into. Give thanks for the family you have chosen. Remember the people who have laughed with you, cried with you, prayed with you, celebrated with you, and loved you into becoming who you are. Then look around. Who is standing at the edge of the room, wondering whether there is a place for them? There is. Pull up a chair. Because ohana means family. And perhaps the deepest miracle of all is that God's family keeps reminding us that nobody is meant to be left behind or forgotten. PRAYER Loving God, thank you for the many forms family can take—for the families we are born into, the families we create, and the chosen families who walk beside us. Thank you for every parent, child, sibling, grandparent, friend, and community that reminds us we belong. Help us to make room at our tables and in our hearts for all people. May no one be forgotten, rejected, or left behind. Teach us to love as you love: generously, compassionately, and without conditions. May we always remember that your family is bigger than our definitions and your table has room for everyone. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Reed Kirkman

SCRIPTURE Mark 5:36 But ignoring what they said, Jesus said to the ruler of the synagogue, “Do not fear, only believe.” WORDS OF HOPE Fear, Discomfort, and a Christ-Like Faith We live in turbulent times—but not in circumstances unknown to history. Historically, names, terminology, and context may change, but dynamics repeat themselves. Power, fame, fortune, justice, and human rights are often the underlying themes of issues we face. Fear of change, abuse of power, religious or moral beliefs, and loss of freedoms or fortune shape the dynamics or become the drivers of unrest, social change and paradigm shifts. People have feared or raised issues with the horse as well as the automobile, the train and the turbojet. Religion has clashed with education and science since before the time of Christ. More recently, the use of vaccines, the development of robotics, and the rise of Artificial Intelligence have been the target of both praise and skepticism. Tyranny and genocide, racism and ethnic prejudice, civil liberties and social justice have all given rise to anxious times, political turmoil, human migration, international conflict and savage wars. It’s important to be clear that fear, discomfort, and reality are separate issues. · We may fear that which is different: this includes new ideas or perspectives; or people of a different race, color, creed, culture or orientation. · We may fear what we do not understand due to lack of experience; adverse experiences such as violence or war; or accepting falsehoods or prejudice that others try to promote. · We may find change of any kind both uncomfortable and distressing. But we choose to live in the reality of love, grounded by the life and faith of Jesus. We look beyond fear and distress to determine what is TRUE and what ULTIMATELY MATTERS. From the Christian perspective, love overcomes fear. Worry is diminished by faith, trust and hope. Anxiety is the “check-engine” light that tells us to stop, breathe, and look inside to clarify our feelings, thoughts, and beliefs. We anchor ourselves in the love of the Christ. Serenity is choosing to live by faith, creating the love, hope and promise the world needs to see. This is the Truth and reality for People of the Way of Jesus. PRAYER Holy One, calm my anxious mind and heart that I may more perfectly love. Today, I choose to live by faith, creating the love, hope and promise the world needs to see. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary G. Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist DrGK.org

SCRIPTURE “Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all God’s benefits.” Psalm 103: 2 “I remember the days of long ago; I meditate on all your works and consider what your hands have done.” Psalm 143:5 WORDS OF HOPE  We hear so much today about the importance of staying in the moment, about mindfulness, focus, attention, and the physical, psychological and spiritual benefits of these practices—especially in the distracted, divisive, and distraught world we live in. I certainly honor these. And yet I wonder if, in centering these, we have undervalued an important spiritual practice: remembering. Consider, if you will, the value of some ways of sacred recollection. Remembering Scripture: The two verses above from Psalms stress these practices. In the first, not forgetting God’s gifts to us and saving deeds provides a wellspring of praise. Psalms 143 states it directly—to remember the days of old, the wondrous works of God’s hands-- and goes even further, to encourage us to ponder and meditate upon the impact and significance of these. One of the most powerful promises is offered in Isaiah 43: 1-3. Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you, and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God…. For generations people have been delivered from anxiety and the threat of harm by remembering and trusting in these words of God’s presence and protection. Particularly, when you are feeling beset by the pain and hardship of life, lifting to consciousness scriptures which have anchored you, guided you, and comforted you in past times can lighten the load again. Remembering with Ritual: The recent grief, love and remembrance rituals of the 25 th anniversary of the 9/11 tragedy have helped restore the power of these deeply moving modes of solemn witness and honoring for individual, communities, and the nation. Personal grief rituals are meaningful as well. Visiting a grave and leaving flowers, making a loved one’s favorite meal, sharing stories with family or friends, revisiting a special place and scattering ashes, playing a special song, writing a letter which speaks of ongoing love or expresses to the spirit of the beloved how you are doing are a few rituals, often offered on the anniversary of a loved one’s death. Remembering our own Grace experiences: Because I carry so vividly and gratefully the visitations of Grace in my life, I return again and again to the line: “Oh, to grace how great a debtor daily I’m constrained to be…”*These experiences may be subtle touches or dramatic resurrecting events. No matter what, returning to them in memory can help keep us afloat in the times our hope is nowhere to be found. Each Sunday we re-enact our central ritual of Grace when we share communion with lines that echo through the centuries: “Do this in remembrance of me.” We remember the night Jesus was betrayed that the bread and the cup were offered to all --in their wholeness—goodness and flaws together. We remember the sacrifice of love. PRAYER Holy God, you call us to remember how prone to wander we are and about how your Grace has healed us, saved us, and given us a vision of hope and new possibilities when we could not see. There is no way we can thank you enough except by living our lives in service. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon *From “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”

SCRIPTURE  Matthew 18: 1-5 At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.” WORDS OF HOPE I find that life is a continuous process of remembering who we really are and letting go of all the things society says we “should be.” This Scripture offers such a powerful shift in how to live. It resonates with me because I believe we’re at our most whole when we bring forth the curiosity and compassion we all experienced as children. I’ve been working through the Internal Family Systems (IFS) method with my therapist. In Self-Therapy Workbook, Bonnie J. Weiss describes IFS as recognizing “our psyche is made up of different parts” and “understanding and working with these parts to release the burdens they carry from the past and heal the system so you can function in healthy ways.” In doing this work, I identified each of my parts and their core belief and wrote them on Post-it notes. One of my parts is my Big-Hearted, Creative Child. He believes that “the nostalgia of childhood is anchoring, energizing, and makes me feel safe. I can see things with childlike wonder and excitement. Every day can be an adventure. Ordinary things can be extraordinary.” When I feel frustrated with work or scared about the state of the world, I pray to God for wisdom. Then I ask Big-Hearted, Creative Child what he needs. Sometimes it’s to let go of my ego, laugh, and not take everything so seriously. Other times it’s to have hope and believe that challenges happen for my growth and can become my greatest treasures. No matter what he tells me, I’m certain that when I listen, I become more aligned and feel a greater sense of peace. I encourage you to take this Scripture to heart and “become like little children” in whatever way feels authentic to you. It could end up being one of the greatest gifts you give yourself. PRAYER The divine power of God lives within me and nurtures and protects my inner child. DEVOTION AUTHOR Logan Alexander Johnson

SCRIPTURE Romans 16:17-20 from The Message One final word of counsel, friends. Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble. Give these people a wide berth. They have no intention of living for our Master Christ. They’re only in this for what they can get out of it, and aren’t above using pious sweet talk to dupe unsuspecting innocents. And so while there has never been any question about your honesty in these matters—I couldn’t be more proud of you!—I want you also to be smart, making sure every “good” thing is the real thing. Don’t be gullible in regard to smooth-talking evil. Stay alert like this, and before you know it the God of peace will come down on Satan with both feet, stomping him into the dirt. Enjoy the best of Jesus!  WORDS OF HOPE These words from Paul to the Romans, likely written around 57 A.D., feel like they were written for us today. Particularly as the political season is ramping up, we are being bombarded with statistics, stories, and promises, many of which are deceitful…and many of which are not. As with most things in life, it is up to us to study and be true to what fills our heart and mind and to what our faith teaches us, when we make decisions, decisions of any kind. We don’t want to fall victim to “smooth-talking evil.” The biggest warning in Paul’s message is, “Keep a sharp eye out for those who take bits and pieces of the teaching that you learned and then use them to make trouble.” There are those who will quote bits and pieces of Scripture, usually taken out of context, as if the Bible is a buffet line from which we can pick and choose to consume only what we like whether it tells a well-balanced story or not. Those who do this hope that they can lure us in with a few familiar words but hoping we aren’t listening carefully enough to realize that they are actually working for the good of themselves and not for the God of All. There is no question that words are powerful. We do need to listen carefully; but Jesus tells us that we also need to keep our eyes open and watch what is going on around us. In Matthew 7:15-21, Jesus says, “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” The short summary of both the words of Jesus and those of Paul to the Romans…actions speak louder than words. For us that means listen carefully, but watch more closely those around us. The right choices, the right path are there in front of us, but often it is the narrow one, the dimly lit one, the most challenging one. If, however, we choose this one, in the end we will “enjoy the best of Jesus.” PRAYER Dear God, open my ears and my eyes to what is true, and right, and good in your sight. Sharpen my senses such that, with your help, I can discern the true path to You. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare