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 Some Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions
SCRIPTURE John 13:21-26 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.” The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he was speaking. One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart; Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom he was speaking. So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when he had dipped the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. WORDS OF HOPE Though this passage clearly foretells of the betrayal by Judas, I find the scene itself has a lot to say. The mention of “ One of his disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining close to his heart;” is what stands out to me here. This disciple, who is never named directly, essentially is laying with his head against Jesus’ chest, in his lap most likely as means were taken while reclining. It is an intimate and very touching image. It is a pesky reference that biblical scholars often debate and try to identify the individual. Some say it is John, the Evangelist, while others argue that is is a metaphorical reference meant to symbolizes the "abiding" relationship Jesus invites all believers into. There are even those who believe it was Mary Magdline, but there are other references to her and the unnamed disciple at Jesus’ tomb. I prefer to think of this as a hint to a same-sex relationship, though there is not any definitive scholarship on this interpretation. I suppose it will always remain a mystery, but it is one that speaks of a deep love and intimacy that resonates with me. Perhaps, at this pivotal moment in Jesus story we can take comfort knowing that Jesus was unafraid to show a physical closeness to his disciples. It reflects the very character of Jesus as being both fearless in his exposing of the one who would betray him and his love and closeness to a person who will most likely remain a mystery. PRAYER May we embrace the love exhibited by Jesus and hold those dear to us even closer, even when we may have fears about what is to come. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman
SCRIPTURE Romans 8:31-37 If God is for us, who is against us? Who can separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship or distress... No, for in all such things, we are more than conquerors through Christ who loves us. WORDS OF HOPE On this Tuesday of Holy Week, sometimes called Jesus’ busiest of days, we observe Jesus in various interactions with every variety of religious leader, disciple, townspeople, and distractors. Everywhere he goes in Jerusalem, he seems to be followed by accusations, questions, and conflicts. Have you ever felt backed into a corner by life’s seemingly overwhelming challenges? Today’s Scripture contains some of the Bible’s most hopeful words and ones most of us need to hear every day. As Paul wrote these words to the young church at Rome, he was offering encouragement and instruction to them. Much like our own world, in the period of 50-60 CE, the Christian church in that city was in constant change. It had gone through an earlier purge of its Jewish citizens under the Emperor Claudius. Many of those Jews, who had been exiled at that time, now had returned to Rome and found that the young church which they previously knew had changed. With the earlier expulsion of its Jewish Christians, the church had become a predominantly Gentile congregation. Many of those returning Jews had probably lost their Roman homes, businesses, and social status. They returned like immigrants to the church they had helped to create, and their welcome back was probably less than enthusiastic. For those faithful Jews, it must have been heartbreaking to sense a separation from all that they had loved in their church group. In our present time, many people are suffering loss. Sometimes, it is manifested in the death of a loved one, loss of a job, or even faith in our own government. Paul encouraged those Jews and Gentiles in the Roman church when he reminded them that hardships happen to all, but hope must not be lost. Paul knew that our greatest treasure, which is our loving relationship with Christ Jesus, cannot be taken away from us. His encouragement continues: "For nothing can separate us from Christ, for I am convinced that neither death nor life, nor rulers, nor things present or in the future, nor anything else in creation will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus, our Lord." (Romans 8:38-39) PRAYER Grant us Lord God, not to be overly anxious about the physical things of this earthly life, but to hold dear and love those spiritual gifts which are part of your loving providence for us. Even while we are placed here among those earthly things which are passing away, help us to hold fast to your loving spiritual gifts which shall endure. We pray through Jesus's name. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Isaiah 48.18 Oh, that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea… WORDS OF HOPE Right or Righteous? On this Monday of Holy Week, is it more important to be righteous than it is to be right? If you do not have love, then you have gained nothing by being right. Words with malice, judgment, and manipulation in them defeat the purpose of being right. Some people look at the surface and judge incorrectly, so isn’t it great that God never asked us to judge? You can be right, but that doesn’t always mean it is time to be right. Sometimes being righteous means being patient, kind with your words, and sincere. If I’m right, what does it gain me if my sister is harmed? Today, people have a hard time coming together if they don’t always agree. Isn’t it more righteous to agree to disagree in spirit, not just in word, by coming together to the same table? I’d rather not know anything. Consider me a fool. They call me an idealist, but I ask, “Do I have to be of a certain religion to feed the hungry?” No one I ever helped ever refused me because of my sexual orientation, the color of my skin, or any of my personal beliefs. A man dying of hunger will rarely refuse a meal. Should we make requirements of those who want to give? There is something truly beautiful in coming together. I want to forget about who is right and who is wrong and laugh over the silliness of it all. How did things get so far away from us? We are so divided now. Being righteous is forgiving when it is hard, when you know you are right, and when he or she is your enemy. Invite your enemy to your table. You are the gift the world needs. The love has to start somewhere, and it is with you. PRAYER Lord, show me a table where a Christian and a Muslim sit together. On another end, let there be an atheist next to a Rabbi, a prostitute next to a saint, a monk next to an assassin, and an Israeli next to a Palestinian. Let there be peace in our homes, so that when we leave, we can go in that peace with the hopes that it will spread to others. There is so little love for the stranger all because we don’t know who she is. Let the walls to our hearts come down and the doors swing open. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Isaiah 48.18 Oh, that you had paid attention to my commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea… WORDS OF HOPE Right or Righteous? On this Monday of Holy Week, is it more important to be righteous than it is to be right? If you do not have love, then you have gained nothing by being right. Words with malice, judgment, and manipulation in them defeat the purpose of being right. Some people look at the surface and judge incorrectly, so isn’t it great that God never asked us to judge? You can be right, but that doesn’t always mean it is time to be right. Sometimes being righteous means being patient, kind with your words, and sincere. If I’m right, what does it gain me if my sister is harmed? Today, people have a hard time coming together if they don’t always agree. Isn’t it more righteous to agree to disagree in spirit, not just in word, by coming together to the same table? I’d rather not know anything. Consider me a fool. They call me an idealist, but I ask, “Do I have to be of a certain religion to feed the hungry?” No one I ever helped ever refused me because of my sexual orientation, the color of my skin, or any of my personal beliefs. A man dying of hunger will rarely refuse a meal. Should we make requirements of those who want to give? There is something truly beautiful in coming together. I want to forget about who is right and who is wrong and laugh over the silliness of it all. How did things get so far away from us? We are so divided now. Being righteous is forgiving when it is hard, when you know you are right, and when he or she is your enemy. Invite your enemy to your table. You are the gift the world needs. The love has to start somewhere, and it is with you. PRAYER Lord, show me a table where a Christian and a Muslim sit together. On another end, let there be an atheist next to a Rabbi, a prostitute next to a saint, a monk next to an assassin, and an Israeli next to a Palestinian. Let there be peace in our homes, so that when we leave, we can go in that peace with the hopes that it will spread to others. There is so little love for the stranger all because we don’t know who she is. Let the walls to our hearts come down and the doors swing open. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Nehemiah 9.14-15 You made known to them your holy Sabbath and gave them commands, decrees, and laws through your servant Moses. In their hunger you gave them bread from heaven and in their thirst you brought them water from the rock; you told them to go in and take possession of the land you had sworn with uplifted hand to give them. WORDS OF HOPE As Lent nears its end, today’s reading is from a Hebrew Scripture prayer of praise to God from the Prophet Nehemiah. The wise leader of his people is reminding them of God’s past mercies and acts of grace in the most effective technique a public speaker can use to inspire and captivate his audience: Storytelling. -And the more familiar the story, the better the audience remembers the lesson connected to it. Nehemiah is telling the Hebrew people a tale of Moses they have heard since birth and could usually repeat orally, since theirs was a society of very few readers. They knew of the heroic and miraculous events of their history through repetitions around the glow of campfires, not eBooks. They looked forward to reliving past triumphs through the best storytellers among them and Nehemiah was among the most popular. His job was to inspire a discouraged and exhausted people to restore their former glories through the almost impossible task of rebuilding the walls of their fallen city. He inspired them well because in a near-miraculous amount of time, they actually did it! In all my years of teaching the very young as a minister to children, age never separated us in doing together what we loved best: sharing the greatest stories ever told, and each time gaining a little more insight into our own lives through their timeless adventures. Even now, when I talk to friends about the trials of Jonathan and David or the courage and selfless sacrifices of Joseph or Abigail, I feel their joys and sorrows as if they had been members of my own family. And spiritually, they were. We also learn some of our best lessons through those ancient family members’ mistakes, and their mistakes were generous in number. The Bible writers never failed to report the frailties in the humanity of its superheroes. But, as in today’s text, the grace and empowerment of God in them never faltered. Do we still have any walls to rebuild as we reflect on our Lenten journey today? There is always time and near-miraculous events can still happen. And yes, there are still prophets around to inspire us if we are alert and open to their wisdom. PRAYER God of unforgettable stories, may the Prophets of Old teach us to be the Prophets of Today. Help us to learn from those great family legends that we may create even greater ones for our future generations to tell. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Psalm 63: 1 “O God, you are my God. Earnestly I seek you;/ my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you/ as in a parched and weary land where there is no water. WORDS OF HOPE It’s the hottest, driest place in North America, with average summer daytime temperatures as high as 116 degrees and a record-breaking peak of 134. Death Valley, as described by Laura Cox, is as “hauntingly stark as its name suggests. With landmarks like the Devil's Golf Course, Badwater Basin, and Furnace Creek, its windswept plains, scoured hillsides, and craggy peaks evoke a sense of hardship and an otherworldly moonscape.” With an average annual rainfall of only 2.2 inches, any animal or plant life is a test of adaptability. In the scripture above from Psalm 63, David is in his own geographic and spiritual death valley— in the wilderness of Judah, parched in body and soul, exhausted, crying out to God for water, living water, to sustain him. Perhaps, like Jesus in the wilderness, he was beset by the temptation to give up, give in to lies. I know people who have endured such long dry spells in their lives—devoid of good health with recurring surgeries, hospital or rehab facility stays or confronting late-stage cancer with extensive debilitating chemo regimens. And like these and their caregivers, living with chronic pain day in and day out can dishearten even the most faithful. Incapacitating mental health issues depress the spirits as well and “dehydration” of body and soul can lead to distorted thoughts, delusions which old wounds or past family, societal, or theological abuse replay over and over, tearing away at the will to live. How awesome then to behold desert blooms—whether in vegetation or the revitalized and resurrected life. Currently Death Valley is awash in vibrant wildflowers—in a profusion not seen since 2016, as just the right amount of rain, in the right intervals, has coaxed the seeds from their protective coatings to burst forth in glory: a carpet of desert gold, resembling golden daisies, spottings of gravel ghost with such a pale stem that it seems the white flower is suspended in air, the purple phacelia plant, and desert five spot with pink petals forming a cup, with splashes of red inside, to name a few species. (https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/12/us/death-valley-superbloom.html ) So too a complex set of factors—medical, relational, communal, miracle-- shaped by a Grace far greater than we can understand returns the daily beauty, vitality, and promise of our lives after such a wilderness. David experiences that renewal in Psalm 63 prompting him to give thanks: “So I will bless you as long as I live./ I will lift up my hands and call on your name.” (v.4) Astounding relief, gratitude, and joy are characteristic of our own desert blooming and often the desire to share our story and the Love-borne miracle. PRAYER God of All Creation, be for us like desert rain, restoring life, where there seemed to be only dry bones. We give you thanks for all the desert blooms in our world, renewing beauty and creating yet another generation of seeds for the next flourishing. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon