Monday, June 15, 2020 | Reflections
There is a lovely version of this psalm that has always stirred my heart, set to music adapted from the composer Palestrina that we sing every year to begin Lessons and Carols. The psalmist cries, “Stir up your strength and come to help us.” As soon as Christmas...
Sunday, June 14, 2020 | Reflections
In the Boy Scouts, I learned how to tie knots, sail and backpack, cook, and give first aid. But the most important thing I learned was the Boy Scout Motto: Be Prepared. In many ways, this is what Jesus is saying when he sends the disciples on their...
Saturday, June 13, 2020 | Reflections
God consecrates the tribe of Levi to serve at the tabernacle and later at the temple, set apart forever for holy service. The job of the Levites is to offer sacrifices to the Lord. And the first sacrifice they offer is themselves, their own lives, consecrated to God....
Friday, June 12, 2020 | Reflections
So often, Peter seems be bumbling around, not really understanding what Jesus is saying, sticking his foot in his mouth. Today, as Jesus tells the disciples about the suffering he is about to endure, Peter rebukes him. Jesus is not happy about this and calls Peter a...
Thursday, June 11, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: September 1, 1939Some of you who read this psalm today can echo the words from the depths of your hearts, for you too hunger and thirst for the living God. You have a spiritual kinship with the psalmist’s Godward desire ….(View this reading...
Wednesday, June 10, 2020 | Reflections
Years ago, I anxiously made my first confession. I didn’t want to—I was only doing it because it was part of a retreat I was attending. But the experience was so powerful that I have made confession a regular and important part of my spiritual discipline....
Tuesday, June 9, 2020 | Reflections
Compassion shouldn’t surprise us. It should be more of a bare minimum rather than an extraordinary act that finally brings relief to our weary hearts. And yet a simple act of feeding hungry people is exactly the sort of thing that Jesus constantly uses to bring deep...
Monday, June 8, 2020 | Reflections
Years ago, I was in Alaska during the summertime. There was about an hour or so of “mostly dark” each night, but in the peak of summer, the light shines almost twenty-four hours a day there. Blackout curtains allowed me to sleep, but on my third night there, something...
Sunday, June 7, 2020 | Reflections
One of my favorite images of the Trinity is called “The Hospitality of Abraham.” In this icon, Abraham and Sarah’s three visitors sit, reclining together around a table, with the food in a bowl in the center and eyes turned intentionally toward one another. I wish our...
Saturday, June 6, 2020 | Reflections
Cravings can be dangerous. Often, a craving isn’t simply something we want, but something we’ve convinced ourselves that we need. The problem with giving in to cravings is that we think they will make us happy. What things do we crave? Money? Having nic….(View...
Friday, June 5, 2020 | Reflections
Jesus’ miracle stories are astounding and shocking. He heals the sick, casts out demons, and walks on water. But when we skim over the beginning of each tale to get to the miracle, we miss the juice of the story. The reason Jesus walks on water to the disciples to...
Thursday, June 4, 2020 | Reflections
From the Archives: May 23, 1946Some shadows are welcome and pleasant. Other shadows are anything but. When travelers struggle through the forest jungle, they sense possible danger lurking in every d….(View this reading and more resources for prayer at Daily...
Wednesday, June 3, 2020 | Reflections
Everything about this story feels wrong. The king has no moral compass or spine. An underage girl is being manipulated by a murderous, spiteful mother. The guests hold the king to a promise that ends in the brutal murder of a prophet of God. Presenting John the...
Tuesday, June 2, 2020 | Reflections
How often do our expectations lead to our downfall? When the people of Jesus’ hometown see him, they expect the carpenter’s son. And even when confronted with the evidence of his wisdom and power, they still refuse to believe. They have already made up their minds...
Monday, June 1, 2020 | Reflections
I’ve always been amazed by Mary’s faith in saying yes to God. Though anxiety and fear and self-doubt must surely have reared their heads, she holds the greatest truth in her heart, even when others can’t see it. But this is the miracle of faith: When we hold onto the...
