Tuesday - June 25, 2024
Webber Baker
SCRIPTURE
Book of Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) from the Prologue
Many great teachings have been given to us through the Law and the Prophets and the others that followed them, and for these we should praise Israel for instruction and wisdom. Now, those who read the scriptures must not only themselves understand them, but must also as lovers of learning be able through the spoken and written word to help the outsiders.
WORDS OF HOPE
Today is National Columnists Day. Columnist is one of those words that I, and I think, many people toss around without thinking about it’s true meaning. So, I went and looked it up. In general, a columnist is someone who writes features for publication in a periodical which often include comment and opinion. Of course, the term comes from the days of newspaper printing; because newspapers are always printed in columns. But the term is now expanded to people who write for blogs.
But I couldn’t help but think how appropriate that definition would be in many ways for the writers of the Bible, especially for the authors of the epistles. While often recording the events of the life of Jesus, while at the same time using those as a base for commentary on the actions of the people to whom they are writing. The apostle Paul is probably the best known for doing this, and I know that not everyone agrees that he should have the high standing within the church that he does. I agree.
But we find this throughout the Bible. I once heard a very fundamentalist preacher make the comment that one of the outstanding features of what we call the Old Testament, or the Jewish Testament is how self-deprecating it is. It is a series of stories about how the Israelites often fail to follow God and how God would step in, often with a prophet or other leader, and set them back on the proper path. And then they would again fail and the cycle would repeat. I never really thought about it that way, but in some ways it is true. And it’s also true that the Scriptures of other major religions do not seem to record so many failures and redemptions. And I don’t think it’s because those other groups didn’t have failures and redemptions, they just did not remind themselves of those things all the time.
But if you look at Christian scriptures, old and new, you begin to realize that telling a story with some opinion and commentary is the essence of the Christian scriptures. Granted these were not written with the idea of publication outside of perhaps the immediate audience to which they were intended, at least in terms of the epistles. The gospels were only written down at a time when it was becoming obvious that the end times were not quite as imminent as was originally thought by the followers of Jesus; and in most cases written down after the letters of Paul and the other apostles.
But otherwise, they do follow the concept of a columnist quite well.
So, I think it’s important to remember that these works were not intended as historical records, but are opinion and commentary wrapped in historical events that themselves had not ever been recorded except through oral tradition. Often, they were meant for a specific time or a specific people and can be viewed as guidance, but not necessarily as commandments.
PRAYER
Loving Creator, thank You for giving us the wisdom of others, and the ability to understand what it is You have in mind for us. We thank you for your Holy Spirit, the spirit of truth, and the spirit of love which comfort and guide us in all our days.
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Weber Baker
Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare
Need More Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions
SCRIPTURE Joel 2. 28 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. WORDS OF HOPE We sleep at night not knowing the journey our soul is making. Usually, we do not remember our dreams. Sometimes, however, we remember in the morning what was happening underneath the cover of darkness we call the night. We plant seeds deep into the dirt not knowing which direction the roots grow. When we dig, we discover the countless roots that lie hidden underground spanning all directions. If there is anything the darkness of the night or the depth of the Earth has taught me, it is that sleeping things move and buried things grow. To put it another way: progress is not limited by what we can see. Sometimes, the world seems to be in an endless night of sorrow buried in its own despair. Nevertheless, as each day passes, the next generation is coming closer and closer to inheriting this Earth. Everything that we have planted, the good and the bad, is going to bear fruit to the future. Bitter and sweet fruits are sure to grow according to what has been planted, but I trust that the sweet fruit will always be preferred over the bitter. We always desire for our children to have better, to live better. In this way, each generation that comes into its own leaves behind the promise for a better future. It was not even a hundred years ago that a gay, black man who struggles with mental illness would not have had the simple opportunity of writing these words, but here I am, the fruit of my foremothers and forefathers. I am proof of their progress despite centuries of injustice, cruelty, and evil. Our children are the evidence that what prevails in this world are our collective hopes and dreams. Like those who came before us, we must give our children everything, all of our love, and anything worth passing onto the future. We must demonstrate our love by believing in our children, for they are the greatest part of us. PRAYER Spirit of hope, It is often that we are so limited by what we can see. Despite that, allow our hopes and dreams to go beyond every barrier and obstacle set before us. Grant us the simple joy of leaving behind what we ourselves have inherited, this thing called love. We trust You, although we do not see You and we love You even when we are buried in the night. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
READING “I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ” . . . “If it weren’t for Christians, I’d be a Christian.” Quote attributed to Gandhi. WORDS OF HOPE Long before I converted to Christianity, I read a lot of Eastern philosophy. Among the books I read was “Gandhi on Christianity” a collection of essays and writings from him about the Christians he came to know. I also read a good deal of work by Thomas Merton, an American Trappist monk, writer, theologian, mystic, and scholar of comparative religion. He was a monk in the Trappist Abbey of Our Lady of Gethsemani, near Bardstown, Kentucky. His books gave me insight into the Eastern religions and how they all seemed to have similarities. Having come from a Jewish upbringing, a lot of what religions like Taoism, Buddhism and others taught felt surprisingly familiar in their views of the Divine and more specifically how to achieve enlightenment and live a good life. When I examined the teachings of Jesus, I found much the same thing. It seems that great thinkers, prophets and teachers all grasped that bringing heaven to earth was not a magical thing, rather the product of contemplation followed by doing the actual work. Jesus tells us this over and over and His message resonated with me enough that I decided to follow His way. Perhaps, if more people who professed to be Christians actually followed Jesus we would have a better world. The divisions we perceive between various religions are minor when we look at their essence. PRAYER Great Divine Power, help us to find a way to your love and strength to do the work to bring heaven on earth. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE Mark 6.47-51 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately, he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. WORDS OF HOPE Following the life of Jesus, Mark continually reports the most remarkable of events in the most casual of ways. He writes in succinct news reporter terms, sharing only the facts without commentary. He would never be able to find a job on the legacy networks today. His favorite word is “immediately”, never troubling us with superfluous details. Mark just reports the news. In today’s Gospel reading, Jesus notices the disciples’ difficulty with the oars. Later, he casually walks on the water to check out the situation and is about to stroll on by when he hears cries of fear from the boat. We are informed that the men are believers in ghosts, which heightens their fear, so “immediately” Jesus calms the situation down, first his friends and then the storm. Mark concludes that the astounded boat crew does not have any spiritual understanding of who Jesus was or what had happened. Earlier that day, they had witnessed Jesus feeding thousands of hungry people from a basket of bread and fish. They readily believed that the apparition on the lake was a ghost but, were unable to accept the conspicuous fact that they were in the presence of God. Their hearts were hardened. Are our hearts hardened these days? Are we so numbed by sensationalized news or political partisan rhetoric that it will take a storm to wake us up to the presence of God in our lives? If this story teaches us anything, it is that God is ever present, always aware, hears our cries, and then moves as God moves. Mark, in his succinct accounts, never gives us a formula for gaining immediate access to God. He simply states that in any situation, God is always there beside us. The rest of the story is up to us. And that’s the way it is. Mark’s news reporting at its best. PRAYER Ever present God, you have stilled countless storms in our lives. Please help us to remember that you will always be there beside us for the next one. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Matthew 19.14 But Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.'" WORDS OF HOPE Do you have any favorite Halloween memories? Growing up, I knew from shopping with Mom, when Halloween was approaching. We’d see all the latest costumes fresh on the racks. The big names were Batman and Superman for the boys, then Batgirl and Supergirl for the girls, if you wanted to be a superhero. The littler kids could be Casper the ghost, or maybe a Smurf. Then there were the usual suspects of a witch, gypsy, hobo, or vampire. I remember one year I got the mask for Frankenstein’s monster; no pullover costume that would have been labeled “Universal’s Frankenstein’s Monster” just the mask so we could make the costume at home. A few of my friends grew up in super conservative Christian homes. Their churches had Halloween parties labeled Fall Festivals and they had to dress as their favorite Bible character. No ghosts or witches allowed! They might be sent out as Jesus or maybe Samson. God knows they could have raked in the candy if they thought about calling the mummy costume Lazarus. Then they could also have trick-or-treated in the real world, too. How sad for those kids whose parents weren’t well-versed enough in their Bible knowledge to know the Good Book talks about the Witch of Endor and the Ghost of Samuel. Even Jesus’ disciples believed in ghosts, since they first thought Jesus was one when they saw him walking on water. Then real horror began to strike door to door trick or treaters as sick adults began to put pepper or drugs in candy, and many of the more caring churches, like Cathedral of Hope, began to sponsor Trunk or Treat and supervise the source of the candy. (And no restrictions allowing Bible character costumes only.) Halloween parking lot events are often scheduled in full daylight. Sort of takes a lot of the spooky magic away, but safety is the prime directive. But modern kids will never know what we had back then. Halloween was cool. And most of the neighbors knew each other. There were incentives to creatively dressing up if you wanted to get the best candy! Halloween was earned and every Bit-O-Honey and Tootsie Roll you got were the fair wages of participating in ghoulish delight. Halloween adventures and costumes are still some of my best childhood memories. I hope children now will have wonderful Trunk or Treat memories as well. Anway, Happy Halloween! PRAYER Creator God, thank you for giving us imaginations and the incentive to use them. Thank you for opportunities to enrich the lives of children and be part in creating a few positive childhood memories. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
READING An ancient Church Doxology Glory to God our Creator, Glory to Jesus, Revealer of the Divine, Redeemer and Lord, and Glory to God's Spirit, indwelling, enabling and sustaining. WORDS OF HOPE Today’s meditative reading emphasizes some of the characteristics of the three Divine manifestations of the Trinity (Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit). It makes us more conscious of their significance whenever we say this or a similar doxology with prayers or hymns. In fact, if we add it at the beginnings and at the ends of our prayers each day. It represents a wonderful way to clear our minds before we proceed with whatever is on our minds to speak to God about in our meditative times. It’s a way to sustain our consciousness of the Divine One at the conclusion of prayer. Our God is indwelling, enabling and sustaining. "Amen", which means "be it so" to affirm your prayer statements, does not carry the same lasting impact of the holy which this doxology might. If we memorize these words of worship and use the doxology often, reviewing them aloud or silently, as we go through routine moments of life, it is a great way to "stay connected" to God even in busy times. As we say this doxology of divine praise, we should be conscious of what it really is - a hymn of praise! We should hang on to the thought of each word... savor each word like a good piece of Godiva chocolate, and get all of the sweetness out of it! Our God is indwelling, enabling and sustaining. PRAYER Thank you, God, for loving and giving us your help to be examples of your love to others. We acknowledge that you are our Maker, in whose Hand we are held, and in whose Presence we live. O God, may I obediently listen to your guiding voice. Glory to God, our Creator; Glory to Christ Jesus, Revealer of the Divine, Redeemer and Lord; Glory to the Holy Spirit, indwelling, enabling and sustaining. As it was in the beginning, is now and will be into eternity. Glory be to God! Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Exodus 2:1-10 Now a man from the house of Levi went and married a Levite woman. The woman conceived and bore a son; and when she saw that he was a fine baby, she hid him for three months. When she could hide him no longer, she got a papyrus basket for him, and plastered it with bitumen and pitch; she put the child in it and placed it among the reeds on the bank of the river. His sister stood at a distance, to see what would happen to him. The daughter of Pharaoh came down to bathe at the river, while her attendants walked beside the river. She saw the basket among the reeds and sent her maid to bring it. When she opened it, she saw the child. He was crying, and she took pity on him. ‘This must be one of the Hebrews ’children, ’she said. Then his sister said to Pharaoh’s daughter, ‘Shall I go and get you a nurse from the Hebrew women to nurse the child for you?’ Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Yes’. So, the girl went and called the child’s mother. Pharaoh’s daughter said to her, ‘Take this child and nurse it for me, and I will give you your wages. ’So, the woman took the child and nursed it. When the child grew up, she brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter and she took him as her son. She named him Moses,‘ because’, she said, ‘I drew him out of the water.’ WORDS OF HOPE While I am normally a great lover of irony, today’s passage from Exodus and the current state of the world, have an irony that I wish I did not have to see. Many things about the passage stand out in comparison with the world today. A family seeks refuge for their young son who has been born into a situation where the authorities (Pharaoh) are trying to destroy the firstborn sons of the Hebrews, because they have become so numerous. The irony comes in that refuge was found in the very household of the Pharaoh. As no doubt, we all know, this son of the Hebrews becomes like a son to the Pharaoh. He bears no outer characteristics that make it impossible for him to advance in the Egyptian hierarchy. Pharaoh's sister has no problem seeking out and finding the Hebrew mother of this child in order that she can suckle him. And so today, in the Middle East for example, we find that still in that part of the world (and too many others) conflict is still happening often for much the same reason; there are too many of them there. And no doubt if we were able to look deeply into the events of those places, we would find people who, like the Pharaoh's daughter ,are taking in anyone from either side who needs help. And if by some chance, you know someone in one of those places or anywhere in this troubled world, use the miracle of technology to greet them, to let them know you care. Perhaps that will encourage them to do the same. Perhaps that will spill over to people in places where personal communication can preserve peace. PRAYER Hello God. I greet You today and ask that You bring a heart for peace to everyone everywhere. May they learn that the simplest acts such as a simple greeting, can make the world You have given us a better place. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare