Tuesday - November 26, 2024

Weber Baker

SCRIPTURE

Luke 21:37-38:

Every day he was teaching in the temple, and at night he would go out and spend the night on the Mount of Olives, as it was called. And all the people would get up early in the morning to listen to him in the temple.

Genesis 8:11:

and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth.

WORDS OF HOPE

I often find it fascinating how things of great importance in the past often become taken for granted as time goes by, even though those things still carry importance. One such thing is the topic of the scripture passages above. While most of us do not live in a place where olive trees grow; we nonetheless owe a great deal to this ancient tree. And we take for granted the places where they grow, and the people who grow them, and the fruits they produce

Today is International Olive tree Day. Unesco has set this aside to recognize this most important piece of flora. Audrey Azoulay, Director General of Unesco says: "The olive tree is a universal tree, which has accompanied humanity for thousands of years, embodying its aspirations; because with its legendary longevity and ability to rise from its ashes, it reaches beyond the short-sightedness of the moment: planting an olive tree and eating its fruit is to join the chain of humanity"

The olive tree plays a significant role in various places in the Bible. The first mention is in Genesis where the dove set loose by Noah returns with an olive branch thereby letting Noah know that the waters have receded. In Exodus there is a command to allow every field, vineyard, and olive orchard to lay fallow once every seven years. And during that year the poor and the wild animals must be allowed to freely feed themselves on those lands. The oil for the light in the temple is to be of the pure olive oil according to Deuteronomy. And the olive and the olive tree are mentioned throughout the rest of the Jewish Scriptures.

The Olive tree also shows up in the Gospels and the epistles. The Mount of Olives, an important place in Jerusalem, was a place of refuge for Jesus on several occasions. And it is often a place where Jesus speaks to the twelve when teaching. Jesus spent so much time there that on one occasion, Luke says that it was his custom to spend time there. In the book of Romans, Paul uses grafting wild olive branches onto cultivated olive trees, as a metaphor for gentiles being grafted into the teachings of Jesus.

The olive tree is mentioned in the Quran as being blessed. The ancient Greeks believed that the olive tree was created by the goddess Athena in a contest with Poseidon. Her olive tree won the contest because Poseidon’s ocean was too salty to drink. But the olive tree provided food and oil and wood for the fire. The olive tree has been a symbol of Iran from the time of the Zoroastrians.

The olive tree is of great importance throughout the Mediterranean region not just in the places we often call the Holy Lands. Several years ago, Kris and I got to see an olive orchard in Assisi where Saint Francis lived. Olive trees can live to be 1000 years old. One tree in Crete is thought to be 3000 years old. Fossil evidence indicates that they may have been around 20-40 million years ago.

Growing olives, preparing olives, pressing olive oil, are a source of livelihood for many people. Indeed, with its Mediterranean climate olives are grown in California. The fruit of the olive tree, the olive itself, is interesting. In its natural state, it is virtually inedible. They are bitter. And although the oil is taken when they are still fresh off the tree, in order for the olive itself to be eaten, it must be brined.

We often fail to consider this ancient food source which can be bought in jars and cans, and even in some markets from barrels where they have been brined. We can get various grades of olive oil. We toss olives on pizza, sandwiches; and mound them up on our hors d’oeuvre tray. But being far removed from the places where olives grow and are processed, we don’t stop to think about how important this small fruit is to so many people and has been to so many cultures throughout the world.

How many things, how many gifts does this world present us with that we do not stop to appreciate? How many times do we fail appreciate those who make these gifts available to us, from the farmers, to the processors, to those who deliver them, and those who make them available to us in stores?

So, take time today to appreciate those things which you might normally overlook or take for granted. Think about all the hands that have touched them. Think about the good Earth that produced them. Think about the creation in which they thrive. Think about the Creator who brought it all into being.

PRAYER

Loving Creator, we thank you today for your creation of which we are part. We thank you for the gifts, great and small, which allow us to live and thrive. Make us mindful to be great stewards of those gifts.

DEVOTION AUTHOR

Weber Baker

Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

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Need Some Inspiration? Read our Daily Devotions

Wednesday - July 1, 2026

By Hardy Haberman • July 1, 2026

READING Isaiah 51:1-3 Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness, you who seek the Lord. Look to the rock from which you were hewn and to the quarry from which you were dug. Look to Abraham your father and to Sarah, who bore you, for he was but one when I called him, but I blessed him and made him many. For the Lord will comfort Zion; he will comfort all her waste places and will make her wilderness like Eden, her desert like the garden of the Lord; joy and gladness will be found in her, thanksgiving and the voice of song. WORDS OF HOPE I was born to a scientist and his wife. Their families were vastly different in that my father’s family came from Eastern Europe and my mother’s family came from the hills of Tennessee. My mother was Christian and my father was Jewish obviously from different quarries, yet they gave me a sturdy foundation as a child. They nourished my curiosity, grounded me in the Jewish faith, and instilled in me a good sense of my heritage and an appreciation for all people. I consider myself very lucky to have been raised by such loving parents and am reminded of their strength and patience with me almost daily as I stumbled my way through childhood. I also know not everyone is so lucky, but if we look back far enough we all can find that quarry of which Isaiah speaks. More importantly, we are not destined to become our parents. God gives us the grace and room for us all to grow and develop into our best selves, if we are patient and follow the spiritual guidance we receive. It’s not a recipe for success, but rather a puzzle which we are given that hints at the direction we should travel. Those clues are disclosed not only through scripture, but through our interaction with others on the same journey. We are all seeking the Lord in our own way. We are all hewn from the same rock. PRAYER May we all find comfort and guidance in our journey, and may we work together to create a new Eden in the deserts of our lives. DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman

Tuesday - June 30, 2026

By David Sims • June 30, 2026

SCRIPTURE 1 Samuel 16:7 The Lord does not see as mortals see; they look on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart. WORDS OF HOPE This scripture from Samuel reminds me of a story: A priest at a church elementary school was speaking to a group of third- & fourth-graders when a young girl approached him to strike up a conversation. A few minutes into their discussion, a look of astonishment crossed her face. "You are blind!" Which was true. "That's not news to me," the priest replied. But before he could say anything more, she blurted out, "You don't know what you look like!" The remark caught him off guard. Then, after a brief pause, she softly added, "You are beautiful!" Her words have stayed with me because, in a symbolic sense, most of us experience a kind of blindness that keeps us from seeing ourselves as we truly are. For the past twelve years, I have been studying the Enneagram. More than anything else I have encountered, it has helped me see myself more clearly. It exposes the stories and assumptions I tell myself about who I am. It challenges me to recognize how much there is still to learn about myself and who I might become. I attend the Cathedral of Hope because I believe its ministers, sermons, music, ministries, and congregation best helps reveal the goodness, truth, and beauty that God has placed within each of us. Yet many of us struggle to see ourselves as God sees us. What are the false stories that cloud our vision? Henri Nouwen identified three powerful lies about identity: I am what I have. I am what I do. I am what other people say or think about me. Whenever I feel unsettled, anxious, or disconnected from myself and from God, I often discover that I have begun to believe one—or sometimes all three—of these lies. They quietly pull me away from the deeper truth of who I am. We have just celebrated Pride Month together. It offered a meaningful opportunity to reflect on our identity and worth. It invited us to look beyond the labels, expectations, and judgments of the world and to consider what God sees when God looks into our hearts. There, we may rediscover the truth that our value is not earned, achieved, or granted by others, but rooted in being beloved children of God. RECEIVE THIS BLESSING Loving God, throughout Pride Month, you helped me look beyond the labels, expectations, and judgments of the world and to see myself as you see me. When I feel disconnected from myself and from you, help me recognize the lies that pull me away from the truth. When I measure my worth, remind me that my true identity is not something I earn or achieve. Call me back to the deeper truth that I am your beloved child, created in your image and held securely in your grace. AMEN DEVOTION AUTHOR David Sims, Deacon

Monday - June 29, 2026

By Kris Baker • June 29, 2026

READING 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. WORDS OF HOPE I remember a time when much of life was spent working with one’s hands. My mom sewed many of my clothes when I was little; she knit for charity; and, she made nearly all our meals from scratch…except for bread. My dad made the bread. He also tended a large vegetable garden that yielded most of the fresh produce that my family consumed. My recollection, nearly sixty years later, is that those were much simpler times. But how can that be with all those daily “chores?’” Many people today will tell you that they don’t have time to cook a basic meal, let alone cook every day and make homemade bread. Knitting and sewing have become hobbies, primarily for those with disposable income, rather than skills for everyday life. And growing our own food is out of the question for many due to space and cost. The example that my parents gave to me as a child has stuck with me. Today, the majority of my family’s meals are homemade. We make fresh bread and yogurt each week. Like my mom did, I knit. (Sadly, I do not sew my own clothes, but I do occasionally make quilts.). And gardening at our house is a family affair. Admittedly, I enjoy these things, both the process and the final products, but the benefits are far more than a final product. In the above letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says, “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life.” He follows this with, “you should mind your own business and work with your hands.” What I realized as an adult is that spending time working with my hands provides me with a great deal of quiet time, time that I can be in prayer and in communion with God. Minutes spent kneading bread, sewing a button on a shirt, even washing dishes by hand, provide moments that don’t require critical thinking skills but rather just being present to the task at hand. These are moments that occur multiple time each day, moments that we are invited to slow down and be quiet. What a gift, should we choose to accept it. This daily gift of quiet made possible through working with our hands does make a simpler life, and a life where we have more time and space for God. PRAYER Loving God, bless my hands. Help me to feel your presence in all that they touch and all that they do. I pray that the work of my hands leads me to that place of quiet where I can hear your voice and feel your touch. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Monday - June 30, 2026

By Kris Baker • June 26, 2026

SCRIPTURE 1 Thessalonians 4:10-12 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. WORDS OF HOPE I remember a time when much of life was spent working with one’s hands. My mom sewed many of my clothes when I was little; she knit for charity; and, she made nearly all our meals from scratch…except for bread. My dad made the bread. He also tended a large vegetable garden that yielded most of the fresh produce that my family consumed. My recollection, nearly sixty years later, is that those were much simpler times. But how can that be with all those daily “chores?’” Many people today will tell you that they don’t have time to cook a basic meal, let alone cook every day and make homemade bread. Knitting and sewing have become hobbies, primarily for those with disposable income, rather than skills for everyday life. And growing our own food is out of the question for many due to space and cost. The example that my parents gave to me as a child has stuck with me. Today, the majority of my family’s meals are homemade. We make fresh bread and yogurt each week. Like my mom did, I knit. (Sadly, I do not sew my own clothes, but I do occasionally make quilts.) And gardening at our house is a family affair. Admittedly, I enjoy these things, both the process and the final products, but the benefits are far more than a final product. In the above letter to the Thessalonians, Paul says, “make it your ambition to lead a quiet life.” He follows this with, “you should mind your own business and work with your hands.” What I realized as an adult is that spending time working with my hands provides me with a great deal of quiet time, time that I can be in prayer and in communion with God. Minutes spent kneading bread, sewing a button on a shirt, even washing dishes by hand, provide moments that don’t require critical thinking skills but rather just being present to the task at hand. These are moments that occur multiple times each day, moments that we are invited to slow down and be quiet. What a gift, should we choose to accept it. This daily gift of quiet made possible through working with our hands does make a simpler life, and a life where we have more time and space for God. PRAYER Loving God, bless my hands. Help me to feel your presence in all that they touch and all that they do. I pray that the work of my hands leads me to that place of quiet where I can hear your voice and feel your touch. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

Friday - June 26, 2026

By Donna Jackson • June 26, 2026

SCRIPTURE 2 Corinthians 4:8,9 We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted but not abandoned; struck down but not destroyed. WORDS OF HOPE In this scripture, Paul, having experienced disappointment, prison, hunger, being forced out of town, and mocked for his beliefs, outlines four powerful contrasts that apply to struggles of everyday life. I recently spoke with someone who declared they were exhausted from fighting things alone, felt like the walls were closing in fast and was “throwing in the towel” with nowhere left to turn. When someone is really down hope seems so far away! Yet when we tire in our personal struggles it’s the perfect time to grip onto our relationship with God. There is a difference between giving up and surrendering. In boxing matches when the fight gets out of hand and the struggle to stand up becomes more difficult, the trainer steps forward, “throws in the towel”, as a symbol of surrender to save the fighter’s life. In Christian life when we “throw in the towel” it becomes a surrender where we are flooded with Gods amazing power. God doesn’t wait for us to be perfect before we are lifted and carried with grace through the word of faith. Instead, God meets us in our messy, scared places where we feel vulnerable and unworthy of love. When faced with great obstacles is the perfect moment to let Jesus Christ, our personal trainer “throw in the towel” and carry us back to safety. What may have felt like being shattered was actually training for transformation. So next time we say or hear the phrase we might consider it the action of being rescued instead of giving up. PRAYER Thank you Jesus my protector, trainer and guide for taking control when I fall the furthest and remind me peace is just a breath away when I surrender, let go and let God take control. Creator God, as we forget to surrender and stumble back into the ring, give us the wisdom to “throw in the towel” so Jesus can remind us of your unconditional, everlasting love!! In Jesus name, Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donna jackson

Thursday - June 25, 2026

By Dr. Pat Saxon • June 25, 2026

READING “To everything (Turn, turn, turn) There is a season (Turn, turn, turn) And a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born, a time to die, A time to plant, a time to reap, A time to kill, a time to heal, A time to laugh, a time to weep…” “Turn, Turn, Turn” by the Byrds, a song based on Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 WORDS OF HOPE At the Cathedral of Hope we are fortunate to be supported by the scaffolding of the liturgical seasons. Sr. Joan Chittister says of their function: “By taking us into the depth of what it means to be a human on the way to God—to suffer, to wonder, to know abandonment and false support, to believe and to doubt—the liturgical year breaks us open to the divine.” We begin by entering into Advent’s yearning and waiting in eager anticipation of the coming of Emmanuel, experience the birth of our light and Savior at Christmas and come to understand that we too are Christ-bearers in the world. In the Epiphany stories, we witness the manifestation of Jesus’ identity as the son of God. Lent brings us to a time of deep self-reflection, seeking to “return to God with all our hearts”, and we accompany Jesus in his betrayal, suffering and crucifixion. Easter breaks through in the glorious miracle of resurrection and the appearances of the risen Christ breathing peace into the frightened disciples. At Pentecost the power of the Holy Spirit descends in rushing wind and tongues of fire, transforming hearts and birthing the church. Finally, Ordinary time immerses us in the fullness of Jesus’ teachings and his works among the people. Using the 4 seasons of the year is another common way to describe the spiritual seasons of our lives. We live through seasons of interiority and quiet, seasons of letting go, seasons of planting, new life, seasons of gathering the harvest and going out into the world. Truly, when we look at our lives thoughtfully, prayerfully, we can discern “a time to every purpose under heaven.” We discover what Love can do, what Love is doing in our lives. Sometimes a spiritual season names itself more personally. The year before last the “season of the open heart” began to move in me during the first week of Lent and was intensely lived out for over a year. It did not “disappear” but some difficult and sudden life challenges have set up camp and claimed the center. Even this time, though, is not without its blessings and teachings. Perhaps you know a dry season, or a time of healing, a period of burgeoning creativity, or a time of letting go. Listening to the voice of the Spirit can identify the essence of the time. A blog by Hannah Brencher speaks of what the writer calls “manna seasons.” And I wonder if some of us don’t live in that place right now. Her understanding is based on the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert and grumbling that they will starve, saying that at least in Egypt they were fed. God meets them in their need and provides bread from heaven. Not the miracle of the loaves and fishes—but enough for their needs. The author asserts, “It’s proof to me that our seasons can swing wildly. One moment, we’re standing in abundance. The more-than-enough. The mountaintop. In another swoop, we’re swinging low. We’re bending to the ground to gather the manna. Just enough. Never more than the portion for that day…. I’m beginning to call them “manna seasons.” Seasons of just enough. Seasons of one day at a time. Seasons where you want the full ladder but you’re only getting the next rung.” What season are you in right now…What is God’s purpose unfolding in you? PRAYER Teach us, O God, to abide in you no matter the season of our lives, for in you is the life more abundant. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon