Tuesday - June 11, 2024
Kris Baker
SCRIPTURE
Ecclesiastes 3:18-21
“Surely the fate of human beings is like that of the animals; the same fate awaits them both: As one dies, so dies the other. All have the same breath; humans have no advantage over animals. Everything is meaningless. All go to the same place; all come from dust, and to dust all return. Who knows if the human spirit rises upward and if the spirit of the animal goes down into the earth?”
WORDS OF HOPE
Those of us who share our lives with pets know that doing so brings the deepest kind of love and also the deepest kind of loss. I know many people, myself included, that do not cry at the loss of human life in a movie, but when an animal dies, the box of tissue better be full. How many tears have been shed for Bambi’s mother, Old Yeller, Charlotte the spider, and Marley? And, why does the loss of animal life have such a profound effect on us?
For many of us, pets show us a kind of love that we often do not find in human love. My dogs want to be with me, whatever that me looks like, at the moment. Their love is non-judgmental and unconditional. Humans have so much to learn from our furry friends about life and love.
This poem by Taylor Mali, “Falling in love is like owning a dog” is a powerful testament to that kind of love.
"Falling in love is like owning a dog," by Taylor Mali
First of all, it's a big responsibility,
especially in a city like New York.
So think long and hard before deciding on love.
On the other hand, love gives you a sense of security:
when you're walking down the street late at night
and you have a leash on love
ain't no one going to mess with you.
Because crooks and muggers think love is unpredictable.
Who knows what love could do in its own defense?
On cold winter nights, love is warm.
It lies between you and lives and breathes
and makes funny noises.
Love wakes you up all hours of the night with its needs.
It needs to be fed so it will grow and stay healthy.
Love doesn't like being left alone for long.
But come home and love is always happy to see you.
It may break a few things accidentally in its passion for life,
but you can never be mad at love for long.
Is love good all the time? No! No!
Love can be bad. Bad, love, bad! Very bad love.
Love makes messes.
Love leaves you little surprises here and there.
Love needs lots of cleaning up after.
Sometimes you just want to get love fixed.
Sometimes you want to roll up a piece of newspaper
and swat love on the nose,
not so much to cause pain,
just to let love know Don't you ever do that again!
Sometimes love just wants to go for a nice long walk.
Because love loves exercise.
It runs you around the block and leaves you panting.
It pulls you in several different directions at once,
or winds around and around you
until you're all wound up and can't move.
But love makes you meet people wherever you go.
People who have nothing in common but love
stop and talk to each other on the street.
Throw things away and love will bring them back,
again, and again, and again.
But most of all, love needs love, lots of it.
And in return, love loves you and never stops.
Dogs are indeed like love. Read the poem again and replace “love” with God.
If dogs equal love and love equals God, then perhaps our deep relationship with dogs is because in them we find a tangible way to feel and experience God. And this is why we feel such an emptiness when we lose a pet.
Today is World Pet Memorial Day. Think about the pets with whom you have been blessed to share your life. Remember them. Honor the smiles and tears that those memories bring. Know that with them, you walked hand in paw with God.
PRAYER
Loving God, who creates all living things, I give you thanks for the animals I have known and loved. Help me to honor them by sharing the kind of love, joy, and friendship that they showed to me with the animals and humans that I encounter today. Amen.
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Kris Baker
Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
Need Some Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Luke 10:29 And who is my neighbor? WORDS OF HOPE It’s Sunday morning, so Sage and I are taking an early, early walk. Though it’s no longer dark, the clouds are just barely tinged with rose blush. As we turn east and pass one house after another, those who live there come to mind—the young woman in dental school and her house mate, the couple with a 3-year-old autistic son, a retired veteran with mobility challenges who grieves the death of his beloved German shepherd. Though Sage is a curious dog and friendly with most everyone, she has her favorite neighbors, so she tugs me toward the house across the street where a family--husband, wife, and adult son—abide. Last year they started a lawn and clean up service and are some of the hardest working people I know. Sage is hoping for a belly rub or scruff of her fur before they go off to work, but they are not out yet, hopefully still enjoying a well-deserved rest. As we come to the end of the block, an ache fills my chest. Though the light is on, no Sarah sits on the front porch enjoying the morning and no Keith engages us with his stories. Nor does Osso, their deaf yellow lab, voice his defense of the house as we come by. When Keith told me they were moving about month ago, it was like a kick in the gut. I really miss them. Keith’s warmth and willingness to chat draws people out. Over time we talked of his prize- winning barbeque sauce recipe, his former job filming Dallas Cowboy games for a local TV station, being at the lake, families, and much more. We’ve exchanged fresh tomatoes from his garden and peaches from my favorite orchard in East Texas, and recently he shared a delicious Mexican casserole he made. Once, when Sage’s legs hurt too much to walk any more, he stayed with her while I got the car and took her home. No politics, though, except for one day we slid that way unknowingly when he named the downtown church they attend—one which preaches hatred for gay people. I winced inside, but with this gracious, caring couple---well, that hatred just didn’t stick. Every morning and evening I still sense the emptiness of where they would have been. Grief over neighbors who have moved away is one of the many types of unattended sorrow we carry. I am so grateful for my good neighbors and this morning I hear the ancient question: Who is my neighbor? The answer expands in concentric circles wider and wider. My neighbor is the unhoused woman in a black hijab who takes shelter near the QT, the chatty clerk at Tom Thumb, the irritating solicitors who ignore “no solicitation” signs, the crews tearing up our streets for a city project, but who at the end of a hard day pause to play with Sage. My neighbor is a sister grieving her brother Lindsey Graham and the advocates working passionately to secure safe medical care for women in anti-abortion states. Neighbors are Israelis and Palestinians both carrying ancient wounds, the starving people in the Sudan and the ebola nurses seeking to save lives in Eastern Congo. My neighbor is the great Pacific octopus and the grizzly bear feasting on salmon. Starburst and black holes, neighbors of the universe, all God’s creation. PRAYER God of all creation, expand our hearts and minds to embrace the universe of our neighbors until we can say, with John Donne: No one is alien to me. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ Psalm 139:7-10 Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there. If I take the wings of the dawn, If I dwell in the remotest part of the sea WORDS OF HOPE In our search to truly get to know who God is, have you ever thought of God as the provider for our spirit? Most of us are familiar with Matthew 6.31 which gives us assurance that God is the sustainer of our lives: “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?” It emphasizes material provision, but we need much more than food to live a vibrant and spiritually productive life. What about all those intangible needs which we experience every day? How often do you stop your running around and thank God for divine nourishment given to your spirit and your emotional well-being? When things go wrong and the future looks bleak, God's loving presence is a certain source of comfort, guidance, and soul peace. I am reminded of the old story in which a follower of Jesus went for a walk along the seashore. He envisioned walking with God and looking back on the two sets of footprints in the wet sand, symbolic of his prayer life. But this day, his prayer life seemed to have dried up, events in his life were going from bad to worse, and in his deep despair, he wondered if he could go any farther in life. In his prayer, he started to complain to God: "Where are you when I need you? It seems that you have let me down when I really need a lift from you to carry me through these troubles." Looking behind him at the footprint trail in the wet sand, he noticed only one set of prints. He assumed that it was evidence that they belonged to him, and that God had deserted him. He complained more until the ever-present divine voice interrupted and spoke to him. "The single set of footprints which you see trailing in the sand, they are my footprints which were made as I carried you in my arms through your troubles and pain." PRAYER So often we fail to recognize your constant care for our lives, especially our spiritual life. Rather than complaining when things are difficult, may we focus our eyes on you, the One who promises to pick up our spirit and carry us into more peaceful times. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE ļ»æ 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 ļ»æ 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 ļ»æ 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