Scripture: Luke 8:22-24 One day Jesus got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to them, “Let us go across to the other side of the lake.” So they put out, and while they were sailing he fell asleep. A windstorm swept down on the lake, and the boat was filling with water, and they were in danger. They went to him and woke him up,
Scripture: Exodus 2:24-25 God heard their groaning, and God remembered his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God looked upon the Israelites, and God took notice of them. Thought for the Day: I like how God is affected by the groans of the people. God does not act in a mechanistic way, but is compassionately responsive to the injustice and suffering of the Israelites. Too often, the church
Scripture: Acts 23:11 That night the Lord stood near him and said, “Keep up your courage! For just as you have testified for me in Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also in Rome.” Thought for the Day: As many of you know, I have been out of town this week. Part of it was spent on retreat in the North Carolina mountains, but the second half was
Scripture: 3 John 1:11 Beloved, do not imitate what is evil but imitate what is good. Whoever does good is from God; whoever does evil has not seen God. Thought for the Day: I’ve been reading and rereading this passage ever since the bombings in Boston. Please understand that I’m not taking a dig at Islam, as most Muslims are peace-loving as the prophet Mohammed taught them to
Scripture: Ephesians 3:14-17 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth takes its name. I pray that, according to the riches of his glory, he may grant that you may be strengthened in your inner being with power through his Spirit, and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, as you are being rooted and
Scripture: Acts 26:20 (the Message) I started preaching this life-change – this radical turn to God and everything it meant in everyday life – right there in Damascus, went on to Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside, and from there to the whole world. Thought for the Day: My friend, Rev. Michael Junkroski, wrote the following prayer that caught my attention, and like any good prayer, it provided a
Scripture: Matthew 15:29 After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and we went up the mountain, where he sat down. Thought for the Day: I am currently following in the footsteps of Jesus…well actually, I’m sitting like Jesus. The mountains on the edge of Asheville, North Carolina, are beautiful and they invite a person to pause, and if possible, to sit. Not
Scripture: 1st John 3:16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one another. Thought for the Day: I’m currently on retreat with a group of clergy, and it is the same group that went to Italy four years ago. I’m reminded of our exploration of some of the catacombs around Rome, including Pricilla’s catacombs.
Scripture: Psalm 4:8 I will both lie down and sleep in peace; for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety. Thought for the Day: These are beautiful and comforting words, but they do not make a lot of sense for the family whose home was destroyed by a bomb in Afghanistan while they slept or the earthquake that wiped out villages in China yesterday. We
Scripture: Colossians 3:12 As God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience. Thought for the Day: I was rereading a cute book entitled, How to be a Monastic and Not Leave Your Day Job. There is something very intriguing to me about the monastic movement, especially the work of the Benedictine brothers. Their works of hospitality and compassion are wonderful, but