Tuesday - April 25, 2023
Kris Baker
SCRIPTURE
1 Peter 2:1-3
Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind. 2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good. 1 Peter 2:1-3
WORDS OF HOPE
In his epistle, Peter has quite a bit to say to the church…the church then and the church now…about behavior. He is clear about what he expects, mincing no words and offering no compromises. He tells the people to “rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander of every kind.” I wonder if he thought the people would, or could, thoroughly rid themselves of these things. It is a lofty admonition. We have to start somewhere, so let’s start with hypocrisy.
Hypocrisy of any type pushes my buttons. It is also the reason that many of today’s young people cite for distancing themselves from the church. Hypocrisy is the proclamation of having moral standards and beliefs to which one’s behaviors do not adhere. I suspect that we have all encountered a hypocrite or two at one time or another. It is sad that there are those who see the church, which is those of us who proclaim to be believers and followers of Jesus, as hypocrites.
Encountering those who greet us with pretense and slander regarding our faith and how we practice it, that is those who feel justified in calling us and the church hypocritical, can result in us finding ourselves in difficult situations, having hard conversations. In such times, we are being called to show the unwavering standards and beliefs of our faith, not through our words, but through our actions. In such situations, our faith challenges us to respond rather than react to our “accuser.” This response must come from a place of authenticity, a place that truly reflects what is in our heart, the unconditional love offered to all through Christ.
A single encounter with one who maintains that we are a hypocrite may not change their opinion of us or the larger church. That’s OK. By the same token, we also must not be changed. We need not become defensive or angry, or hateful. Doing so only validates the accusations made against us. The last thing we want to do is behave in a way that does not adhere to our moral standards and beliefs, a way that is antithetical to what Jesus and our church expect of us.
Ponder these words by William Hazlitt (1878-1830), English philosopher and essayist, “The only vice that cannot be forgiven is hypocrisy. The repentance of a hypocrite is itself hypocrisy.”
PRAYER
Gentle God, in a world that often seems driven by malice, deceit, hatred, and sadness, help me to be a vessel of your hope and of your love. When I encounter these painful forces in the world, guide my words and actions so that I respond as a true believer, as one who is willing and able to spread your light across the darkness. Amen
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Kris Baker
Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
Need Some Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions
SCRIPTURE John 11:45-52 Many of the Jews, therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what Jesus did believed in him. But some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. So, the chief priests and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council and said, “What are we to do? This man is performing many signs. If we let him go on like this, everyone will believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our nation.” But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.” He did not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to gather into one the dispersed children of God. WORDS OF HOPE This passage has always bothered me. Mainly because it is used to stoke anti-semitic sentiment and is used to justify the Jews killed Jesus. I heard it a lot growing up Jewish in a predominately gentile neighborhood. When I went to college, this passage was hurled at me by Theology students at Baylor in their quest to “convert the Jew”. Today, I read scripture much as I was taught growing up in a Reform Jewish household. The Bible, both Old and New Testament are theological works, not historical accounts. Yes, there is a good deal of history in them, but their purpose was not to be light reading, Scripture should be studied and examined in the context it was written and through modern eyes. This is why thousands of rabbis debated and dissected the Torah in the many books of the Talmud. So back to this passage. What I take away from it is the words of the high priest who essentially prophesies that Jesus will be sacrificed for the good of the nation and all those “dispersed children of God”. It is a foreshadowing of the narrative that follows which leads to the crucifixion and more importantly the resurrection. If we take it theologically, it shows that Jesus sacrifice will lead to the salvation of the entire nation. In short, redemption takes sacrifice. PRAYER May we look at the Scripture not just as a story but as deep works that hold relevant messages for our lives. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE -2 Corinthians 15:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, that person is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. WORDS OF HOPE I am writing this from somewhere off the coast of the Pacific Northwest. Cruising is my favorite way to travel; I wake up each day in a new location, with new possibilities, yet in the same bed, no packing and unpacking required in getting from one place to another. It is simply a matter of boarding the ship and then enjoying the journey ahead. As I sit on the balcony gazing at the sunrise over the early morning horizon, I am struck by the similarity between my experiences on the water and the message that Paul is sharing with the Corinthians in the above passage. With each day’s sunset, the old passes away and in each sunrise is born a new creation, both for the dawning day and for each of us. Leaving the past behind and beginning anew is the gift that the reconciling Christ freely gives to each of us every day. The seemingly infinite horizon line is both emptiness and possibility. Mistakes, wounds, failures from the past are not visible. The possibilities, the great potential of beginning anew in Christ is there, waiting on the horizon, for any and all who choose to lay down the old ways and take up the cross of Christ. We don’t have to wait for a new year, a birthday, or even Easter to start fresh. Jesus is waiting with open arms at any time we invite him to be our companion on the journey. The sunrises and sunsets take on a new kind of beauty and peace when we travel through life with Christ. PRAYER Creator of all things, I give you thanks for the old ways that have passed away and for each new beginning that is offered through Christ. Remind me that through your grace with each new day I, too, am a new creation. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Matthew 25:35 – 46 …for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You as a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ WORDS OF HOPE Monday, October 5 is World Habitat Day. This year's theme is "Adequate Housing for All." United Nations Human Settlements Programme is the agency leading this focus. They are addressing the global housing crisis, where billions face inadequate living conditions or reside in informal settlements, and reinforcing adequate shelter as a basic human right. I think it is a sad situation for housing in a country whose wealth is enormous! The top 1% in America owns nearly 50% of the stock market and a third of total wealth. The top 10% in America controls roughly 87.2% of corporate equities. The bottom 50% possesses roughly 1% to 2.5% of total household wealth. These are sad facts about America! It is heartbreaking to see the large number of unhoused people just in our city. I see 25 to 50 people just on my Tuesday drive to my volunteer job at the Arboretum every Tuesday morning in one spot. And our church feeds housing-insecure people every week! Hundreds of them. I don’t know about other cities, but Dallas has very little affordable housing. It is nearly impossible for a single parent working one job in Dallas to afford housing for their family unless they have a fantastic job. Average low rent for houses is $1,939 and apartments is $1,406. On top of that, childcare averages $2,711 for 130 hours of care a month for one child. These are averages and it is hard to find suitable housing at the average price! Let us be aware today of those who struggle to find housing! Let those of us blessed with adequate shelter be grateful for our homes! Let us continue to help at least feed those who have struggles in their life through the programs at Cathedral of Hope to at least help in one way! PRAYER God who loves us all and wishes abundant life, we pray that all our neighbors across the whole world can live in suitable housing. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jan Nunn CoH Volunteer
Today, October 03, is the 800 th Anniversary of the Transitus of St. Francis In his remembrance: The Canticle of the Creatures by St. Francis of Assisi Most High, all-powerful, good Lord, Yours are the praises, the glory, and the honor, and all blessing, To You alone, Most High, do they belong, and no human is worthy to mention Your name. Praised be You, my Lord, with all Your creatures, especially Sir Brother Sun, Who is the day and through whom You give us light. And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor; and bears a likeness of You, Most High One. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars, in heaven You formed them clear and precious and beautiful. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Wind, and through the air, cloudy and serene, and every kind of weather, through whom You give sustenance to Your creatures. Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Water, who is very useful and humble and precious and chaste. Praised be You, my Lord, through Brother Fire, through whom You light the night, and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong. Praised be You, my Lord, through our Sister Mother Earth, who sustains and governs us, and who produces various fruit with colored flowers and herbs. … Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks and serve Him with great humility.
SCRIPTURE Romans 10:15b How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. WORDS OF HOPE The spouse who sits bed side in the emergency room, staring into the eyes of their beloved, holding them in love to ease their discomfort and uncertainty. The cafeteria worker who puts a little extra pudding on the tray of a child whose school lunch debt was paid off and the anonymous donor who gave up his prison earnings so that a kid could eat. The older sibling picking up their younger sister from the couch, half asleep and droopy, and putting them in their own bed and then returning to the couch to sleep a few hours before their mother comes home from her third shift. The aid worker who holds the frightened, screaming mother in their arms as the first responders dig through the rubble looking for survivors in the bombed-out house in Ukraine, or Gaza, or Iran. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. The night shift worker who tells a joke about a priest, a rabbi, and a bartender in the break room to lift the spirits of their weary co-workers, providing a moment of levity and laughter before returning to sweep and mop. The Meals on Wheels volunteer who brings not only a warm tray of chicken and rice, but also a button-up sweater they spotted at a thrift store for the elderly shut-in living alone in a little house off the main road, mostly unseen by the world passing by. The kind stranger who pulls off the road to help a single mother change a flat tire, using his own jack and tire iron. He offers to take the damaged tire to be repaired and promises to bring it back. Before leaving, he slips a $50 bill onto the front seat and gives a wink to the two kids watching from the back. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. The highly paid first-world surgeon who spends a month every year in the rural areas of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, dispensing HIV-medicine, delivering babies, and teaching hygiene to the poorest of the poor on the outskirts of the city. The classroom of Texas third graders and their amazing teacher, who hold a walk-a-thon and a bake sale and a book reading contest to raise money for another classroom of third graders and their amazing teacher in Honduras. The young man who, on his daily jog through the park, finds a shivering, whimpering dog abandoned in the bushes. He takes her home, feeds her, and holds her until she finally relaxes and falls asleep among blankets and pillows. Best of all, he gives her a name—and a home to call her own. How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news. Behind the scenes, without social media hype, and with insufficient funds, beautiful feet are bringing good news. Jesus bids us to walk with our feet to places where light, life, love, hope and peace are needed. PRAYER From the Service of Compline in the Episcopal Book of Common Prayer: Keep watch, dear Lord, with those who work, or watch, or weep this night, and give your angels charge over those who sleep. Tend the sick, Lord Christ; give rest to the weary, bless the dying, soothe the suffering, pity the afflicted, shield the joyous; and all for your love's sake. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Thomas Riggs
SCRIPTURE Colossians 2.16-17 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or regarding a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. WORDS OF HOPE I’ve heard it said (by an irreverent friend) that the first thing Jesus would do on his return would be to eliminate religion, especially regarding all the random rituals, rules of do’s and don’t’s, and especially lists of people to hate or fear in what some denominations define as today’s Christianity. The Bible reading of the day indicates that the Apostle Paul would not endorse their judgments. Paul wrote his letters to the Colossians while imprisoned in Rome, a political prisoner of people who considered his teachings both blasphemous to their religion and a threat to the oppressive State. While following his calling to spread the substance of the Love message taught by Jesus, the Apostle spent most of his time contending with the corruption of the Temple authorities at home coupled with the authoritarianism of the Roman religion which declared Caesar was God. Religion condemned Paul to a lot of jail time. The Letters to new converts like the Colossians make it obvious to us that Paul was often engaged in damage control as he answered questions that we will never read, clarifying false notions about religious practices that pre-dated the love-centered teachings of the Christ. His readers just couldn’t comprehend that Jesus’ love had no conditions. He was offering them freedom from old rules, not presenting them with a collection of new ones. Freedom from religion was a concept people of the first century had great difficulty grasping. Some were gentiles who lived under the rule of Rome’s State Religion based on the statutes of multiple deities who required countless religious rituals and duties. Others were Paul’s Jewish brethren who still lived under the Hebrew Scripture’s list of not just 10, but 613 Commandments. Then along came Jesus who simply stated: “Love one another,” saying, “I have not come to abolish the [Commandments] but to fulfill them.” (Matthew 5:17). -In other words, Freedom from Religion. It’s not difficult to understand why the corrupt leaders of both church and state hated Jesus. He made their oppressive control systems obsolete and awarded the people they ruled with the gift of individual freedom. That doesn’t mean that people like Paul would be exempt from persecution, but that he would be assured wherever he was in the physical world, his spirit would be forever free. He knew that it was the power brokers and false prophets who would never know freedom, imprisoning themselves in a narrow belief system that promoted what they wanted to be true for their own benefit. They would spend their lives passing judgment, demanding rituals, forcing their exclusive beliefs on others, promoting hatred for anyone outside their own closed system. And, sad to say, their descendants are still among us. They were truly shadows of the things to come, never knowing the substance belongs to Christ. PRAYER Thank you for the plain teachings of Jesus, whose message of universal love needs no clarifications or amendments, only practice and the privilege to serve others as he would serve them. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare