Thursday - June 15, 2023

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

SCRIPTURE  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

SCRIPTURE Genesis 5.20-22 Two of every kind of bird, of every kind of animal and of every kind of creature that moves along the ground will come to you to be kept alive. You are to take every kind of food that is to be eaten and store it away as food for you and for them.” WORDS OF HOPE Noah’s Flood, the all-time favorite Bible narrative of children, is today’s Hebrew Scripture lesson, told during the Eastertide Season as one of the Bible’s most dramatic tales of new beginnings. Children who hear the story readily ignore the part that tells of the wrath of an angry God destroying every living thing on the entire planet except for Noah’s family and all the fauna and edible flora of the world. They just want to see the dramatic 2 by 2 animal parade marching through the Ark’s open door. Children don’t worry themselves with the question of whether the story is about an actual event or is just a colorful animal story, and good for them. There is nothing literal about it. The classic Flood Story is a derivative tale based on Babylonian mythology. Noah is Ziusudra, a righteous man the gods have designated to save his family and various animals from a great flood that occurs in the Epic of Gilgamesh. Ziusudra, like Noah, is a righteous person and in each version, there is a divine warning, plans for a large boat, a sacrifice after the waters have receded, and a renewed relationship between the Divine and humankind. But the gods of Babylon had destroyed all of humankind not because they had broken any moral code, but because they were too noisy. I suppose part of Ziusudra’s reconciliation with the divine was to keep the volume down. That would be good advice for interpreters today who teach the story of Noah’s Ark as a literal event. So much noise about an ancient myth that is a comforting reminder in the worst of times, God can send a rainbow, that there is always a renewal and recovery on the horizon, that our precious natural recourses, our animals and our food sources, are essential, and that life is made up of a series of new beginnings if we practice God’s example of forgiveness and love. We do not compromise the integrity of the Bible in understanding it is a library of information made up of wisdom writings, songs, poetry, actual events, historical fiction, stories of faith, courage, and hope. And within that diversity, are the great myths, like Noah’s Flood which is not literal truth, but an iconic tale about the truth, the truth of humankind’s flaws and progressive relationship with the eternal God of Grace. PRAYER Thank you for new beginnings, for reminders of the true essentials of life, and for our daily opportunities to love and forgive one another, regardless of circumstances we. can’t always control. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE  John 8:31-32 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” WORDS OF HOPE Free from what? I think about this often and though Jesus was speaking to Jews who had never known captivity in their lifetimes, so what freedom was he talking about? Well, for me finding truth had always been a quest. I guess it was instilled in by my father who was a research scientist. The very foundation of research is empirical truth but guided in many cases by inferences and intuition. He taught me that black and white choices were rare occurrences in science, much as they are in life. He taught me that truth, especially philosophical truth, is something that can be found in many ways, and each of us is seeking that truth that is relevant to our lives. He instilled in me a curiosity that has followed me all my life, from my study of philosophy in college to my self-guided study of spiritual truths. So how can discovering a truth set me free? Well, one of the “truths” I have discovered is that my relationship with the Divine is important in my life. Though trying to find empirical proof of that is a fruitless pursuit, my intuition and the inferences I get lead me to believe that there is something greater than myself influencing my life. I believe that is the truth Jesus speaks of. Knowing that sets me free to experience life without too many irrational fears. PRAYER May we all find a truth that can set us free. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman