The Porch - October 3, 2025
Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 102; PM Psalm 107:1-32; 2 Kings 19:1-20; 1 Cor. 9:16-27; Matt. 8:1-17
Sitting on the porch is one of my favorite pastimes. I remember spending time on the screened porch at my childhood home in Montgomery, perched on the wicker furniture. I could hear birds flitting about, smell the fresh rain, and take in the array of green hues – from azaleas to St. Augustine grass to the ferns in the shade garden. This morning, my son moved into that familiar rhythm as he sat on the back porch of his childhood home in Bluff Park, enjoying the cool, fall air and listening to birds. Sam joined him and activated the Merlin app to help them identify the chirping conversations going on among the feathered neighbors. Their shared time – boy, man, and birds – on the porch was a way to prepare for this day’s challenges and invitations.
We humans need to rest and take a breath. And pay attention. There is a line in the 1986 film “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off” in which the title character Ferris says, “Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
Jesus often models the importance of balancing the exhaustion of ministry with the spiritual nurture that comes from rest and prayer. In today’s gospel (Matthew 8:1-17), he moves pretty fast. Jesus concludes the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7), and upon coming down from the mountain, great crowds surround him, seeking healing and hope. Responding to the immense need, he heals a man with a skin disease, saying “I do choose. Be made clean!” Jesus heals the servant of a Roman centurion, even at a distance, for the centurion’s faith and humility are great. Then, Jesus enters Peter’s house, finding his mother-in-law afflicted with a fever. He touches her hand and the fever departs her body. She is restored to health and resumes daily tasks immediately! That evening, people bring many others weighed down by evil spirits, and Jesus cures all who are sick.
As I take a day of rest to catch my breath, I am humbled by Jesus’ stamina. I am inspired by his unwavering heart for bringing reconciliation and peace to a hurting world. The apostle Paul writes to the church in Corinth, advising them about Christian living. He reminds them that proclamation of the Good News is a responsibility and an exercise in humility each day. It is not a message to serve self, but to empty oneself for God’s glory. This discipline requires us to be ready. We need rest. We need encouragement. We need the reconnection that comes through being with our loved ones and in nature. We need to receive the reassurance of God who created us and loves us, so that we can face all that is ahead for us today. We do not do this hard and holy work alone. We engage with the courage of the Holy Spirit, the grace of our Lord, and the compassion of Jesus. Join me in this endeavor…I’ll be on the porch.
With God’s help,
Katherine+
Reflection and Challenge
How are you tending spaces of spiritual rest for yourself? If you have patterns and places already, fantastic! If not, no worries! I invite you to listen for where you are nourished, and talk to others who experience good "spiritual hygiene".