Thursday – June 30, 2022

SCRIPTURE  Romans 8. 38-39 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. WORDS OF HOPE Learning How to Smile Again For each of us, there comes a day when we are called away from this life to be with our Lord in the next. Yet even though we realize this, it is still painful for the ones who feel left behind. The pain of losing a child or the pain of losing a parent has always been too much to bear. We do not want to be reminded of what we lost, but everything it seems, reminds us anyway. How can we go on when our very strength was the loved one who departed? There is no single answer, for we all grieve differently, but there is something that each of us must do: find someone who can help carry the burden. There will be times when you will need to be alone, but always remember that you are never alone, for God is everywhere and is ever near to you. Our emotions are heavy like any burden, and just as many people together can lift a heavy stone, many friends can help us carry the weight of our hearts. Do not attempt to carry your loss all by yourself. Instead, find someone that you trust who knows you and will listen. This could be a family member, old friend, or someone that you see often. It may be that someone is grieving over the same person and needs you as much as you need them. It is not weakness to need help, but to carry your burden alone will only demand more and more strength, until eventually, you are compelled to set it down. God lifts us up when we are low. One of the ways God does this is through people. In truth, our loved ones are always with us, for they live in our hearts. Our bonds with them do not break because of a distance, for we keep those precious memories and lessons they taught us always close to us. We can be comforted by the thought that one day we will be reunited with our loved ones in heaven, and our goodbyes are actually ‘see-you-soons’. PRAYER Spirit of divine love, Carry our burdens, we lay them at Your feet. Comfort our weary minds and relieve our heavy hearts. Dry our tears and teach us how to smile again. Thank You, for the gift of our loved ones. Help us to always keep them alive in our hearts, and to remember that now, they dance in fields of gold. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE  Hebrews 13:1-2 Keep on loving one another as brothers and sisters. Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it. READING Radical hospitality is not just about inviting people into our spaces; it’s about allowing ourselves to be transformed by the people we welcome – Valarie Kaur WORDS OF HOPE Even if you haven't been following the World Cup, you've probably heard stories about the extraordinary welcome North Americans have shown to visitors from around the globe. Social media has been filled with moments of unexpected joy: Kansans welcoming the Algerian team with marching bands, Scottish fans joining street performers in impromptu bagpipe concerts, supporters from South Korea and Mexico celebrating together in Mexico City, Croatian fans unfurling a giant banner through downtown Dallas, and Dutch fans—and even players—embracing cowboy hats and boots. Visitors have also shared their delight in everything from Buc-ee's and ranch dressing to small-town hospitality and wide-open landscapes. These authentic, unscripted encounters have become one of the tournament's most memorable stories. Many international visitors have said they were surprised not only by America's diversity, but by the everyday kindness of strangers who offered directions, recommendations, conversations, and genuine welcome. That kind of radical hospitality echoes the biblical call to welcome strangers, outsiders, and guests with the same generosity and dignity we would offer Christ himself. As Hebrews 13:2 reminds us, "Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers," and Jesus says in Matthew 25:35, "I was a stranger and you welcomed me." Biblical hospitality is more than friendliness. It means making room for others, sharing what we have, crossing barriers, and treating every stranger as our neighbor. It reflects God's own welcome—gracious, generous, and open-hearted. Valarie Kaur writes, "Radical hospitality is not just about inviting people into our spaces; it's about allowing ourselves to be transformed by the people we welcome." That is the heart of Christian hospitality. When we welcome others, we don't simply change their experience—we open ourselves to being changed as well. That spirit of radical hospitality is one of the things that makes Cathedral of Hope so beautiful. From our Sunday morning greeters to BACH on Saturdays and countless acts of welcome throughout the week, we continue to live out Christ's invitation by making room for everyone. As the World Cup reminds us, the simplest acts of kindness often leave the deepest impression. This week, I invite you to look for your own opportunities to practice radical hospitality. Welcome the newcomer. Strike up a conversation with someone who seems alone. Offer help before it's asked for. Extend grace, kindness, and generosity to a stranger. You never know how a small act of welcome might reflect God's love—or how it might change someone's day, including your own. PRAYER Gracious God, thank you for welcoming us with boundless love. Help us to welcome others with the same grace, kindness, and generosity. Open our hearts to be transformed as we make room for others, so that all may experience your love through us. In Christ's name, Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs

SCRIPTURE The words of Jesus as recorded in The Gospel According to Matthew 6:34 So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today. WORDS OF HOPE “Fear and Faith” If you want to find spiritual words addressing fear, the Bible is full of them. Literally hundreds of passages encouraging and even admonishing us not to fear, worry, or be anxious can be found. As I write this, I acknowledge my own fear. I am scheduled for sinus surgery the following week. It is outpatient/day surgery. There is less than 1% probability of a serious adverse outcome. And this is my third time to have endoscopic sinus surgery in my lifetime. Still, when someone is cutting, cauterizing and drilling through bone near my brain and beneath my face, I find myself less than comfortable! I am a man of faith and of science. I previously pursued a medical career before answering a call to enter seminary and work in parish ministry. I am comfortable in a hospital setting and have worked in emergency rooms both as an Emergency Medical Technician and a hospital chaplain. I trust the highly experienced medical professionals who will perform my procedure, anesthetize my body, and breathe for me while I’m sedated. Fear is simply human when we find we must surrender control of our very life to someone else so that we might gain a positive result. In Romans 8:11, the Apostle Paul wrote: “If the Spirit of God who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit that dwells in you.” Paul writes that after spending ten verses talking about us focusing too much on our bodies, urges, and our own selfish tendencies. We are to be people of the Spirit of God. Transform our self. Transform the lives of those we touch. Transform the world. By the time you read or hear this my surgery will be over and I will be healing. I’ll return to work in about a week and go back to my regular exercise routine in two weeks. Faith is not the absence of fear, it is the presence of trust and hope, love and surrender. Whatever you may be facing now, faith allows us to move forward. Life is not perfect, but then life need not be perfect to still be wonderful. May it be so for you today. PRAYER Holy One, may I surrender to the faith shown by Jesus who offered us The Way that leads to life both here and hereafter. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary Kindley, LPC Pastoral Psychotherapist DrGK.org

SCRIPTURE  Genesis 3:1 Now the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, 'Did God really say, “You must not eat from any tree in the garden”? WORDS OF HOPE If you have ever had any question in your studies of the Bible about Genesis being written by more than one author, look no further than the first verse of Chapter 3 in which the serpent slithers his way into biblical immortality. The first two chapters have just wrapped up the beautiful Creation poem, concluding that all was good, very good. Then comes Chapter 3. Enter the snake. Things were not so very good anymore. The author uses the serpent to personify temptation, introducing discernment in the eternal struggle between good and evil. It reminds us of the consequences of disobedience, yet it is not pictured as the embodiment of evil itself, but rather crafty, a persuasive thinker. In the Christian Scriptures, Jesus praises the snake for its wisdom; “Be as wise as a serpent and as harmless as a dove.” (Matthew 10.16) The snake was also used as the symbol of the Tribe of Dan in the Hebrew Scriptures, the tribe of the wise and discerning Judges. Moses himself used a sculpture of a snake as a reminder of the wisest decision to follow. But human history has not treated the snake well. Most of the misconceptions began when the snake was inaccurately interpreted as the Devil in disguise. He was not. He was just an animal that later readers in the Christian era decided to retrofit with their own characterization of evil incarnate. The snake’s reputation never recovered. Even today, many readers insist that the animal was and is the devil. There are those among us, however, who honor a knowledge of science and the ecology above centuries-old superstitions. Today is World Snake Day, an international celebration dedicated to recognizing the importance all efficient predators among our neighbors in nature. Like sharks, snakes perform an essential role in the balance of wildlife, and like sharks, they should be left alone, not only because they could do us harm, but because we could do greater harm to them. They are essential in nature. We are not. They are also not pets. 75% of all snakes that are sold in the exotic pet market do not survive and many more die in poacher-for-profit hunts. And still others are killed simply because they are snakes in the assumption that all snakes are venomous. They are not. In the United States, among the thousands of species of snakes, there are 22 recognized species that are venomous. The best known are rattlesnakes, cottonmouth water moccasins, copperheads, and coral snakes. Each is easily recognized and all are important predators of rodents and other small mammals that spread deadly diseases to humans. Jesus commanded us to love our neighbors, all our neighbors, and some of our neighbors are snakes. I’m sure on that point most of us would agree. And the best way to love many of our neighbors is to leave them alone. We have invaded the snake’s world with our incessant expansion into environments where we do not belong. World Snake Day is a good day to remember we have more than enough predators in our own human community that need our full attention instead of vilifying a valuable player in God’s Creation. Let the snake have its own world while we make our best effort to patch up our own. PRAYER God of All, thank you for the vast variety of your Creation, for all the kittens and puppies, the Tasmanian Devils and the Angel fish, and we thank you on this special day for the essential work of your snakes. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE  Matthew 13:10-13 Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance, but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away. The reason I speak to them in parables is that ‘seeing they do not perceive, and hearing they do not listen, nor do they understand.’ WORDS OF HOPE In Malcolm Gladwell’s book The Tipping Point he speaks of the “stickiness” of a message. He speaks of ideas becoming sticky when they engage the audience, and stories are very effective at this. I believe Jesus understood that as well. Rather than just make pronouncements about how people should live and interact with one another, he told parables. Stories, with important messages inside them. They are “sticky”. I do a lot of speaking at various events, and I always try to use stories to illustrate the points I am trying to make. It works surprisingly well. I have to attribute some of that to Jesus’ parables in scripture. His lessons stick with me and weave their way into my mind. PRAYER May we understand that the stories we read and the ones we tell can carry valuable messages in ways that are easier to absorb than simple pronouncements. May we be grateful for the stories of our lives and use them to carry the messages we get from Jesus to others. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman