Wednesday, July 15, 2020 | Reflections
If I say I love and follow Jesus, that love will be expressed in my actions and attitudes toward others, in relationship with others. With heart and mind and body, Jesus comes to us. He prays, worships, notices, cares, touches, cries, eats, drinks, and laughs up close...
Tuesday, July 14, 2020 | Reflections
Born in the late 1490’s, the little girl Argula von Grumbach wasn’t supposed to read the Bible or be educated in any real sense. Her father disagreed with this societal norm, making sure she voraciously read and memorized the Bible. I imagine she read about Rahab...
Monday, July 13, 2020 | Reflections
The women of the Bible are commendable examples of faith and courage, and none of them present simple stories. Their stories, Rahab’s among them, are testaments to what we can be when we are at our best—merciful, compassionate, and graceful under pressure....
Sunday, July 12, 2020 | Reflections
Discernment—holy listening—is a faithful practice that requires vulnerability, reliance on others, and the Holy Spirit. I have found that immersing myself in creative activities quiets the anxiety of waiting and opens my ears to hear. Singing, cooking, ….(View...
Saturday, July 11, 2020 | Reflections
Benedict’s response to a world out of order was to develop a rule of life—or pattern for living—that called for refuge in scripture, prayer, work, and rest. I have never quite understood monastic life that requires one to retreat from the world, but I ….(View...
Friday, July 10, 2020 | Reflections
Every day requires a bit of sabbath. How often do we stop and marvel at the wonder of sleep, a true gift from God? Without sleep, we don't function as we were designed. We lose the ability to make sound decisions, which also means we lose the ability to hear...
Thursday, July 9, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: January 27, 1945Stephen Decatur said, “My country! In her relations with foreign powers may she always be right! But right or wrong, my country!” This is our country, right or ….(View this reading and more resources for prayer at Daily Prayer:...
Wednesday, July 8, 2020 | Reflections
Today we celebrate Priscilla and Aquila, a woman and man sharing the good news of God in Christ. These faithful saints were partners in ministry at a time when women did not have equal status in society. But we remember them as a pair—peers and partners. They risked...
Tuesday, July 7, 2020 | Reflections
This passage and the ones surrounding it are some of my favorite Bible verses. I'm inclined to say, “I love this passage!” But using that word seems inappropriate when I think about the depth and power of God's love for us. I don't think...
Monday, July 6, 2020 | Reflections
Eva Lee Matthews founded a distinctly (US) American religious order, the Community of the Transfiguration, established in 1898, dedicated to contemplation and service to the poor, particularly children. Sister Eva Mary was inspired by Jesus'...
Sunday, July 5, 2020 | Reflections
Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon...
Saturday, July 4, 2020 | Reflections
As children, we would climb the roof of our church or walk to the island park a few blocks from home for a great view of the fireworks display shared on the river between Detroit, Michigan, and Windsor, Ontario. We stopped going when fights escalated between people...
Friday, July 3, 2020 | Reflections
I am committed to an incarnational faith: that is, a faith that is not simply intellectual and spiritual but one that requires physical presence. Whatever body I have must be part of how I love God. Caring for our bodies is stewardship of God’s creation a….(View...
Thursday, July 2, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: July 25, 1946 From the human viewpoint, the training given to James was wasted: all that time of discipleship with Jesus, all the teaching and example, all the understanding of the inner circle—and then to be killed when….(View this reading...
Wednesday, July 1, 2020 | Reflections
I learned about Pauli Murray, the first African American woman priest in the Episcopal church (1977) from my education professor, a Quaker woman. This civil rights lawyer turned priest broke glass and stained-glass ceilings. In 1941, Pauli Murray began...
