Love in Action - August 8

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 87, 90; PM Psalm 136; Judges 9:22-25,50-57; Acts 4:32-5:11; John 2:13-25

“He was speaking of the temple of his body.” — John 2:21

Since the recent death of the civil rights icon and congressman, John Lewis, I’ve been reviewing his life and career, and the thing that continues to be highlighted is the “Good Trouble” he promoted and invested himself. He was raised in a very poor family and taught as a young child in a black body to stay out of the way, to stay out of trouble. But at the age of 15 years old, Lewis heard about Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Jr., and he became inspired to do the opposite – to use his education, skills, and resources to get IN the way and to make GOOD trouble. Lewis describes “Good Trouble” as love in action. Guided by the power of love, he devoted his life to making our country a better place for all people, a place where no one will be left out or left behind. I can’t help but connect Lewis’ concept of love in action with Jesus’ life and ministry, and I wonder if this tricky passage from today’s gospel reading could have been an influence for Lewis.

The temple is the most central and sacred place where the people gather in Jerusalem, especially at the time of the annual Passover festivals, but the Roman Empire is the ruling force of the day. I often say that Jesus turns things upside down as he works in contrast to the empire, but in terms of the Kingdom of Heaven, Jesus is turning everything right side up. Jesus flips the tables because he knows what’s in their hearts and what’s happening in the marketplace at the temple is wrong. Giving them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they don’t realize what they’re doing is wrong, maybe they’re just doing the best they can, or maybe they’re afraid that by not doing it they will be making trouble. But Jesus disrupts the status quo and calls out the money changers, overturns the tables, and scatters the animals because he’s trying to lead them in the way of Love - not fear, power, or complicity, but radical love.

While everyone is focused on the physical structure in Jerusalem, Jesus speaks of his own body as the temple that will be raised again in three days after its destruction. He’s referring to his life, death, and resurrection. Having the perspective of hindsight, we can more easily understand that Jesus IS the temple in the Kingdom of God because Jesus embodies love in action to bring about the kingdom with his entire ministry. While this episode illustrates an unusual show of emotion and behavior by Jesus, it is, nonetheless, love in action. Jesus invites us to be bold and courageous about (metaphorically) turning tables – that is, by standing up and speaking out against anything that works against the Kingdom of Heaven.

May we see and hear the world through God’s eyes and ears, may our hearts and minds be opened to truth and justice that needs our attention, and may the labor of our hands and feet by guided by love in action.

— Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions for Reflection:

Is there a modern-day Christ-like example in your life who embodies love in action? How do you show love in action and make the world a better place to live for everyone, including the “other”.

Challenge:

Ponder your own life and identify the Christ-like quality that you embody (or would like to embody) and will be remembered for.

Grace upon Grace - August 7

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 88; PM Psalm 91, 92; Judges 9:1-16,19-21; Acts 4:13-31; John 2:2-12

“Jesus did this, the first of his signs, in Cana of Galilee

And revealed his glory; and his disciples believed in him.” -- John 2:11

I’ve made a new friend in San Antonio from my field education parish. This friend was the first person I spent time in deep conversation with during the small group portion of adult formation time. We make a point to say hello every week at church and we’ve even gone out for brunch a few times after church. The last time I saw him was March 8, during the “before times” when we used to go to church. He called me yesterday to share some great news that he’s getting married next month.

The most beautiful thing he said was, “neither of us ever thought we’d get married, and now we’re so happy that we’ll be able to get married in the church.” He said this because they’re gay and what they thought was impossible is now provided. They don’t care about the limited guests, physical distancing, or other restrictions caused by the pandemic because they’re focused on the joy and new life they’re receiving.

Their wedding story is quite different than the wedding scene from John’s gospel reading appointed for today. There is a huge gathering and celebration with a feast. In this context, your honor is at stake by running out of wine, and you might do just as well in the desert with no water. This is an emergency, and Jesus provides by turning the water to wine. It’s a good thing that Jesus provides wine, a physical need in the moment.

Jesus also provides a spiritual need which points to the wine as the sacrament received at Eucharist. It also has even richer depth. This is how the two wedding stories are similar. It reveals God’s glory in Christ as a gracious host, providing spiritual needs of joy, life, and abundance. Out of nothing, Jesus provides superabundantly, grace upon grace. At the Eucharist, I see a story behind every pair of hands receiving communion. Our empty hands reaching for Jesus represent the needs we have that only Christ can provide.

I have another friend who desperately wants to be a mother but has not been able to have children. Another friend who is Black has said that she’s tired of always being perceived as the one who’s underprivileged. I’ve encountered homeless people who are trying to collect money for their daily needs. During my mother’s death and dying, she said she doesn’t want to be defined by her illness or what she can’t do. We all come to communion with empty hands in need of something, and God provides.

My gay friend is getting married in the church. My childless friend is able to “mother” people in ways that give her life meaning and purpose. My Black friend is sharing her lived experience, working for justice, and loving people. One familiar homeless person from the urban area of my field ed parish shares eye contact when receiving communion and lingers at the rail for prayers. My mother learned to adapt to each loss along the way so that she could live fully during her life that remained. Out of our need, God provides superabundantly the joy, life, and grace upon grace, as a generous banquet host.

— Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions for Reflection:

What needs are you feeling lately? What needs do you perceive of those you encounter?

Challenge:

Look for grace upon grace in your own life and those around you, and try to notice God’s unconditional and superabundant love in places that seem empty.

Know Jesus, Know Peace - August 6

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 99; PM  Psalm 72; Exodus 34:29-35, 2 Peter 1:13-21, Luke 9:28-36

I can imagine myself being one of the disciples, trying to follow along and not doing a very good job of understanding all the signs and miracles and teachings he’s providing. Everything Jesus models contradicts cultural norms. He talks about the kingdom of God and says things like love your enemy and tells us to feed thousands of people with just two fish and a few loaves of bread. Eventually, I have to boldly ask: JESUS, who are you?! Just tell me, give me an obvious sign, be really clear about it, please!

And this is when Jesus takes me to the “mountain top” to pray and he tells me to pay attention, you’re about to see and hear, with great clarity, exactly what you need to know. Then, suddenly, Jesus appears in bedazzled glory, and I notice Moses and Elijah are both there with him. OK, I think I get it. We have Moses representing the law of the old covenant and Elijah representing the prophets who are combining forces with Jesus. And that’s as far as I get before I hear the voice of God (think Morgan Freeman’s voice making announcements in the airport) and he says, “This is my Son, my Chosen; listen to him!” and suddenly Jesus is standing alone again.

Dang it! I missed it…what’s the clear sign??? I get the part about Son of God, the chosen one. I get it that he’s standing alone again, representing the new covenant beginning the new relationship with God through Christ Jesus as the Messiah. But the part about listening to him…I’ve been listening and I’m just not understanding. I want to know Jesus, but lately - especially as some big decisions are consuming my thoughts - I feel as distant as ever.

But then, as we pray, I am able to connect. Jesus is God in skin, both fully human and fully divine…so Jesus knows what it’s like to be a human. Being a human is hard right now, it was hard during the time of the Roman Empire also, and Jesus was showing us the glory of Christ – that is the POWER of Christ which is LOVE. Jesus Christ makes all things new in his coming in glory…dazzling and bright, yes, but even more wonderful, the fullness of life he brings through the power of making all things new through LOVE.

Things get confusing when we get distracted by messages from social media, mainstream media, what others think and say and do, our own judgment of others, selfish desires, power that supports injustice, there are SO MANY misleading signs all around us. We can feel anxious, afraid, and even angry in reaction to things happening around us. Your feelings are valid. As Christians, our hope is in knowing the love of Christ and to live into the fullness of life in Christ.  – not all that other junk that causes distress – but to know and live into the life of Christ is the know peace. Know Jesus, listen to him, follow him, believe that God is with you in Christ, and you will know peace.

And this pivotal mountaintop moment becomes the commemorated holy day of The Transfiguration of Our Lord that is remembered throughout history.

— Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions:

If you witnessed this vision, as the disciples did, how would you interpret the experience?

Challenge:

A friend acknowledges how peaceful you are amidst the chaos of our times. You attribute your peacefulness to knowing Jesus. Describe Jesus to your friend.

Blessed - August 5

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 119:97-120; PM Psalm 81, 82; Judges 7:19-8:12;  Acts 3:12-26;  John 1:29-42

“When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3:26

For a long time, I’ve understood “home” to mean the place where I feel the most alive, the most safe, the most authentic, the most acceptance, and the most love and mercy. This place has been the house I’ve lived in here in Birmingham with my husband and family for almost 20 years now, it’s the 400-square-foot apartment where I live by myself in Austin, Texas for residential seminary, and most  importantly, home dwells within me at the heart and soul of who I am as a way of being. For me, Home is not just a location, it’s a way of life, and it’s the place where I experience the strongest, truest, richest relationships and feel closest to God. Home is my sanctuary, regardless of where I am physically.

There was a period in my life when I didn’t have this feeling of Home. I was lost and lonely. I was not happy, and I knew something was missing from my life, but I couldn’t seem to find the thing that would bring me comfort and belonging. I was not connected to people or God in a way that was lifegiving or true. You might say I was lame, as a slur, but that’s accurate. I needed healing, most of all my heart needed healing.

As I found my way to St. Stephen’s, this part of my faith journey initiated that sense of God’s presence that I once had and I began to discover that God was with me the whole time; yet I had turned away from God and was feeling lonely and afraid as a result. I had been rejecting the life source of Christ because I felt like I had my life all under control on my own. In finding my way Home to God, one of the biggest steps has been self-examination and repentance. This is something we do together within Christian community whenever we pray the Confession of Sin. We’ve been praying this daily during “Coronatide” as we’ve gathered virtually for Morning Prayer.

Friends, prayer is the key to the house that brings us to our true Home with God and our neighbor. Peter healed the lame man outside the Temple by faith in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth and taught the Israelites to have faith in Jesus and to repent from human ways of wickedness to the way of Love that Jesus came to show us. This teaches us that we are dependent on GOD because our ways do not work. Repentance is one of the most important paths to God. Whenever I pray the confession, there’s a deep sense of knowing within my heart that I am loved beyond measure through God’s grace and mercy. Day by day, this prayer reconciles me and strengthens the Holy Abiding Connection with God and each other. Through returning to God, I am blessed. And so are you!

— Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions:

What metaphor describes the presence of God in your life?

Have you thought about how you turn away from God?

Challenge:

Pray the Confession of Sin with intention by taking a few moments beforehand to examine the thoughts, words, and actions you’ve engaged during the past day or week. Identify what bubbles up and give that some focus. It’s difficult work, but there’s great joy and blessing on the other side of the effort!

Learning the Hard Way - August 4

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 78:1-39; PM Psalm 78:40-72; Judges 7:1-18; Acts 3:1-11; John 1:19-28

Raising teenagers ain’t for wimps. Especially during the age of freedom once they get their driver’s license. In many ways, this new freedom they achieve is a huge benefit. I can remember being thankful for the time I got back from all the trips back and forth between school, activities, friends’ houses, and so on. Plus, it gives them experience living into their expanded freedom and navigating the world on their own. But it can be a huge source of fear and anxiety precisely because of the tremendous amount of freedom that comes with that driver’s license. Truth be told, I think my fear for what my kids might do out there on their own probably stemmed a great deal from what I know they can get into, based on my own experience of being a teenager. I remember Steve and myself cautioning our teenagers to be careful and smart, outlining all the things they can and cannot do, the protocol for problematic situations, and consequences for certain things that are off-limits to do.

Then, as each one went off to college, they received even more instructions and cautions. I didn’t over share with my kids, but I told them enough about my experiences with the intention of teaching them and hoping they would not make the same mistakes that I made. They listened and mostly learned what to do and not do.

Most of the time, they’re going to be just fine, but sometimes they’re going to abuse their freedom and make the wrong choices. This is almost a necessary part of the deal, that they have to learn things the hard way through experience. The point is that they are growing up and becoming their own person with the freedom to make choices on their own, and it’s hard for parents to let go and trust them to use the responsibility that goes along with this new power they have received.

I think it’s safe to say that we all want the best for our own generation, as well as the generations to come. We want to learn from those who have gone before us and not make the same mistakes and errors, and we even strive to improve and pass along our experience and wisdom to those who follow behind us. Despite this lofty ideal, we are all stubborn and rebellious at times and so are the people we are raising. Some of the most impactful life lessons I’ve learned have been from errors in judgment, stubbornness, or selfishness. Thankfully, I haven’t gotten the punishments I’ve deserved. I wonder if you can relate?

Psalm 78 tells Israel’s history during the Wilderness Wandering as a way of teaching about the journey of faith. The people of Israel have to learn things the hard way because they are stubborn and rebellious. This Psalm also teaches us about the nature of God and to trust God’s commandments. We hear how God is steadfast in grace, faithfulness, and goodness. This gives us HOPE for today, that despite our tendency to learn things the hard way, God calls humans into covenant and offers an abundance of grace, mercy, and goodness to his rebellious creatures. May we listen and learn to put our trust in God and keep God’s commandments.

 -- Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions for Self-Reflection: Can you relate to the situation of learning life lessons the hard way? Do you sense God’s mercy and goodness in your life?

Daily Challenge: Think about something our generation still isn’t getting right. If God’s great commission is to love God and love our neighbors, how might our generation get it right if we love more? In what ways would it look and feel different? How might you put more love into practice?

Cosmic Vibes - August 3

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 80; PM Psalm 77, [79]; Judges 6:25-40; Acts 2:37-47; John 1:1-18

Every single time I read the prologue to John’s gospel, it takes my heart and mind to star-gazing. I used to do this all the time when I was a kid. I can still recall what it feels like to lay in my grassy back yard and just stare up into the sky for a while. The sky might be cloudy or clear, which determines how many stars there are to gaze upon. It doesn’t really matter how many, or if any at all, it’s magnetizing regardless. I can hear all the sounds of nature happening around me - the wind rustling leaves in trees and on the ground near me, sometimes owls are hooting, sometimes critters are crawling around, or bugs are making bug sounds. I listen to my own breathing, it seems amplified, its rhythms are soothing as I feel my stomach and chest rise and fall with each breath, and I can sense the air flowing through my nose, filling my lungs, and then gently flowing out again. It’s nice and steady for a bit, and then I take a great big cleansing breath - in through my nose and push it out through my mouth, creating a whole new sensation.

My mind wanders and I begin pondering those cosmic questions kids ponder. Who am I? How did I get here? Why am I here? Am I real? Do I matter? And then I begin sensing that my life is bigger than just me, that my life is part of this huge cosmos that I’m connected to. As I’ve grown older and more grounded in who I am as a beloved child of the universe, I still return to the breath for contemplation and guidance. I think this will be a lifelong practice for me as I continually renew my spirit and seek God for direction in who I am becoming and what I’m supposed to be doing.

The prologue opens the gospel as an ancient hymn. It uses abstract language that is very beautiful and mysterious. Its cosmic vibes lend itself well to ponder existence, meaning, and purpose. If you examine the prologue closely, you can hear very concisely and succinctly the story of creation and the abstract nativity story with Christ being birthed as the living Word. I think my favorite part of this passage is how it describes power as coming from the Word, the Incarnate Christ.

The Word becomes Flesh and dwells among humankind to redeem the Creation and lead humanity. Humankind has the option to receive Christ and believe in the Way of Christ, and those who do so, receive the power of Love as children of God. Power that is fueled by Love overcomes the love of power that creates injustice, unrest, and division. The way of Love that Jesus teaches is how we come to know peace. No Jesus, no peace; Know Jesus, know peace. That sounds very appealing to me right now. I think I’m gonna make time to sit outside and recall the holy longing toward life in Christ and do a little stargazing to renew my Spirit! 

-- Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions for Self-Reflection: Which part of the prologue speaks to you the most?

Daily Challenge: Find a place where you can sit outside at night and experience stargazing. Say some prayers or just listen to the cosmos speaking to you.

Love Your Neighbor, Not Tolerate - August 1

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 75, 76; PM Psalm 23, 27; Judges 5:19-31; Acts 2:22-36; Matt. 28:11-20

Yesterday, one of the most monumental and beloved pastors in my hometown died from injuries after being hit by a car on his bicycle.  I didn’t know Steve well, but we both officiated my sister and brother-in-law’s wedding together.  He was the Senior Pastor of the largest PCUSA church in Memphis and was known as an advocate and warrior for justice and love.  The rabbi of the largest synagogue in the south wrote, “By emphasizing deed over creed and an expansive Christian faith that encompassed all of God’s children, Steve was a mirror of my own Jewish teaching of ‘tikun olam,' healing the brokenness and seeing God in every human being. We were brothers and kindred spirits.”

I write about Steve this morning because in the very best way, he taught an entire city about the power of Christian love and how faith communities could be places of hope and healing and resurrection.  He wrote two opinion pieces in local newspapers that have challenged me. I remember initially finding humor when a woman was seen sweeping the steps of Idlewild naked.  Many people were joking and writing silly things online including one of the local papers. The paper joked about what she was doing with a bag of dog food.  Steve penned an Op-ed about her and her fight with mental illness and his fierce struggle to love her and the challenge for all of us to see her with dignity.  I can still remember his response word for word: “alcoholism, mental illness, and homelessness.  And her name is Marilyn.” 

A few years later, after he retired, he wrote a bold and beautiful piece about what he learned in ministry where he pointed out that Jesus never said, tolerate your neighbor.  Jesus said Love your neighbor.  Tolerate your enemy?  Nope.  Love. “It makes all the difference in the world.” This fits our Gospel today, where we hear the Great Commission in Matthew’s Gospel.  We are the recipients of this commission: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything that I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Do you know what Jesus commanded?  It actually was very little, and it all requires love.  There are no commandments from Jesus’ mouth about who should be leaders of the church, or who can be married, or how we set up governments to care for her citizens.  Nope.  Feed the hungry, visit the imprisoned, clothe the naked, love your enemy, welcome children, and love your neighbor.  Maybe many of us have just been working on tolerating our enemies and our neighbors.  I guess that is better than nothing, but it is not what Jesus commanded. Jesus pushes us to grow for the rest of our earthly lives in how we understand this commandment.  Today, I am wondering how can we all go a little bit farther?

-       John+

Questions for Self-Reflection

What is the difference between tolerance and love for you?   What are some practical ways of loving our enemy?

Daily Challenge

Read the link from the reflection piece.  Spend time reflecting one of the 12 things Steve learned in 39 years of ministry.

Mutual Understanding - July 31

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 69:1-23(24-30)31-38; PM Psalm 73; Judges 5:1-18; Acts 2:1-21; Matt. 28:1-10

In my last semester in college, with only a few electives left, I spent the semester at the University of Wales in Swansea.  I lived in a little flat off campus with six other wild college students: Mattie, Johnny, Stu, Jules, Ben, and Dan.  Mattie, Stu, and Dan where Welsh students, with Stu being from Northern Wales.  Johnny, Ben, and Jules were English.  I would sit and play football (soccer) on the PlayStation with Johnny and he would talk really fast, and I would be shaking my head.  Then he would say, “Oh you want me to say it like an American so you can understand” and he would spout off a ridiculous American accent and we would all laugh.  Mattie was probably the hardest to understand.  His accent was best described as a high pitch mumble, and I was the only one who struggled to decipher his words.

I loved the accents, and I treasure those few months, but as I read the story of Pentecost in our Lectionary, I thought of my time in Wales.  See, even though we shared a common language, there were a number of cultural barriers that kept us engaged with one another and having to dig deeper and learn how to understand what each was saying. 

A few years later, I ended up in India for several weeks.  I remember showing up in a small village in central India five hours after we were scheduled to be there. We were greeted with drum lines and dancing and dinner served out of teak leaves. We had a translator who would translate the local language to Hindi and my friend, Milind, would then translate the Hindi to English.  I can’t imagine how much was lost in translation, but it was inspiring to share and learn from one another.  I was so struck by how their culture was so focused on an event and a relationship where our Western culture had been so focused on time. 

The story of Pentecost that we read in Acts is a miracle because the crowd gathered hears each other speaking in their native tongue.  They understand each other.  But it can’t just be about language, can it?  There must be a broadening of culture that is understood at that moment.  Their understanding of each other has to be much deeper.  It’s not just what they say, but the stories and culture that cause them to say it. 

We seem to be angry than ever at the words and the stories that we share with each other.  If you are oblivious to this, you must have somehow managed to resist the urge to have a social media account.  Well done!  It seems to me that we focus a lot more on the words, then pausing to ask why someone might have said or shared what they did.  What are the experiences, the narratives, the culture that has caused someone to arrive at their position?  It still might be wrong, or crazy, or dangerous, but the Spirit of Pentecost drives us to go further. 

My friend, Eric Law, says the goals of dialogue should not be mutual agreement, but mutual understanding.  This is what we should seek when we engage with one another.  It seems like we need the Spirit of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit’s help to help us manage our life today.   Good thing we are told at Baptism that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and marked as Christ’s own forever.  Maybe we should remember that as we work collectively to engage one another. 

-John+

Questions for Self-Reflection

What are the foundational experiences you have had that have led you to have different beliefs that other people?  What might some of the experiences be that others have had that would lead them to a different position?  

Daily Challenge

Today, something will be said, or you will read something that is offensive.  See this as an opportunity to engage in mutual understanding.

Showing Up For Each Other - July 30

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm [70], 71; PM Psalm 74; Judges 4:4-23; Acts 1:15-26; Matt. 27:55-66

I can still remember answering the phone.  I was a youth minister and had served the church for about three years at that point.  It was 6:30am and I was awakened by the vibrating on the nightstand and the flashing name of my boss, the Rector of our church.  Mark was calling to let me know that a parishioner had not awakened from her sleep, the mother of three of the youth in my youth group.  “I’ll meet you at the house,” he said. 

I can also remember feeling totally unprepared for that moment.  I was the king of silly games and creating church trivia and orchestrating the world’s finest Messy Olympics.  Staying up at lock-in for hours on end or planning a ski trip was a breeze, but I had yet to handle any serious pastoral concerns, and the death of a parent was a first.  I remember the dread of not knowing what to say, or even worse, wondering what would happen if I said the wrong thing. 

Mark met me outside and walked me to the back porch.  I sat down next to the two oldest and we just sat.  Not a word was said for what felt like an hour of time.  I am sure it was much less.  Finally, the oldest child said, “Thank you for being here.”

Today’s Gospel is the account from Matthew of the end of the crucifixion. Jesus’ is left on the cross, then taken down when it is evening and his body is placed in a tomb.  I find it interesting that the author makes note that “many women were also there, looking on from a distance.”  And when he is placed in the tomb, and Joseph of Arimathea leaves, Mary and Mary Magdalene are there, sitting in the tomb.  They just show up.  The text simply says, “sitting opposite the tomb.”  I wonder about their grief and how much each of the Marys, who so loved Jesus, must have felt and the comfort that they brought each other in that painful place.  I wonder if the women looking from afar would have brought calm and peace to each other in that moment of death and despair. 

Our world seems as broken as ever these last few months.  Maybe it has always been this painful and broken, and technology is now able to open our eyes to the reality of sin and brokenness. I keep wondering how we will fix or relieve the pain of others, how we will heal the divisions we have made, and mend the ripping of the common fabric of our nation. 

It strikes me especially this morning of the profound power of the women in this text, specifically the Marys, who show up for each other.   They don’t try to change the outcome, or come up with a plan for new leadership, or find the next steps of living after Jesus. They just show up for each other.  Maybe we are being pushed to consider that in all of our desiring to change the outcomes of the world, we might be paralyzed to respond. Or worse, when we try to take away others pain, or anger, or justify what has caused it, we are missing the opportunity to pause, listen, and be present.   Maybe all that is really needed is the presence of each other in our common life together. 

Showing up is a little bit more difficult these days, I’ll admit.  But maybe we are being invited to consider how our presence in the world and each other’s lives is far richer and more important than we may have ever considered. Instead of trying to take away someone’s pain, we need to learn and listen.  Maybe we just need to find out how to be a little more present to each other and let God do the rest.  

-       John+

 Questions for Self-Reflection

When someone says something difficult, how often do you respond?  What is a profound moment of healing that you have received as a result of someone else’s presence?

Daily Challenge

Practice the pause and don’t respond technique today.  Here are a few options of things to say:  “That sounds very X” or “It sounds like you are feeling Y” 

Writing the Next Chapter - July 29

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 72; PM Psalm 119:73-96; Judges 3:12-30; Acts 1:1-14; Matt. 27:45-54

As I read Acts, I feel a loss for words.  I want to write something profound.  I am finding the rhythm of reflecting every two to three weeks for six consecutive days to be both life-giving for my spiritual life and an increasingly daunting challenge.  Some days it comes easy.   A word or phrase emerges from the reading and a whole narrative is constructed, or a memory washes over and the words begin to flow easily from my fingers.

Today is not that day.  I have sat, prayed, daydreamed, and drifted off down many different avenues and I still feel empty.  The irony of this is not lost in our Acts reading.  The evangelist Luke, and the author of the Gospel of Luke, is beginning to write a new story.  In the very first verse, he shares that he has already written all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day he was taken up to heaven. He is starting a new story here.  And it will take us through Europe and Asia Minor and tell us the unbelievable story of the early church.

We as Christians focus so much of our attention on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. Christ is paramount to our faith and Luke wrote the longest of the four recognized Gospels.  It is the only place we hear the story of the good Samaritan and the story of the prodigal son.   But we are reminded today that the story as told by Luke wasn’t over yet. 

As I struggle through these words and my own attempt to tell a story, we are reminded the story was yet complete when Luke wrote his first volume.  Much more of the story still needed to be told.  We needed to learn about Stephen and his faith.  We needed to learn about how the disciples grew in their understanding of God or how Lydia was moved to be baptized, or Paul was in prison, or Saul became Paul, or the great shipwreck at Malta.  Those stories are foundational to our faith and they all came after the story of Jesus.

As these words slowly come out, maybe there is a call for all of us to be reminded that our story has yet to be written, but it too matters.  The way you and I respond to God’s love is a part of the next volume to be written, to share the faith for the ages to come.  How we reach out in love, how we follow the Risen Christ, how we renew and grow in our faith, will be the next story told.  It is a holy story about God’s love unfolding in this world and the next chapter is about you and me. 

-John+

Questions for Self-Reflection

Do you have a faith bucket-list?  What are the stories you would like to make come alive? 

Daily Challenge

If you are up for it, have fun trying to write your own obituary.  If that is too daunting, try making a list of five things related to your faith that could a faith bucket-list. 

And the Nose Fell Off - July 28

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 61, 62; PM Psalm 68:1-20(21-23)24-36; Judges 2:1-5,11-23; Rom. 16:17-27; Matt. 27:32-44

On our journey through the Holy Land back in March, we visited the place that many people today believe was Golgotha, the site of the crucifixion.  The early historian and priest Jerome believed the name was derived by the skulls that were left there. But in 1842, A German theologian noticed a limestone rock just north of the Damascus Gate that looked just like a skull.  In 1883, British Major-General Charles George Gordon endorsed this site as the true “place of the skull” as referred to in the Gospels.  Our group was shown a picture from the turn of the century, and I have to admit, it looks just like a skull.  Many support the claim that 2,000 years of weather might suggest that the site once had an even stronger appearance of a skull than it does today. 

But as I stood in the shadow of Golgotha, I couldn’t see it.  I kept looking at the picture and trying to compare and believed I was being bamboozled.  Turns out, strong rains in February 2015 made the nose fall off.  I kid you not…it is hard to imagine the “place of the skull” because the nose fell off.

Now, I don’t think we need to see Golgotha in its original form to wrestle with the true weight of our Gospel story.  But if we believe that Bible is not just an account of the past, but a story that invites us into a living and breathing engagement with the Risen Christ, how too does the setting where the story takes place change?  And where are we struggling to see the story, because it looks a little different than we thought it might?   Maybe it’s not our fault, it’s just the nose fell off. 

Our story of hope rests in the belief that Christ’s crucifixion was not the end.  That story has a setting and a location, but the story is still being written because the truth applies to our life as well.  Maybe things have changed in a way that are keeping you from seeing the story lived out in your life as well.   Maybe some rough weather and years of living have changed the setting.  I’m betting my life that hope is still there.  We just need to help each other do a better job of finding it. 

-       John+

Questions for Self-Reflection

Where do you struggle to see hope in your own life?  How have things changed over the past six months?  Six years?

Daily Challenge

Spend some time pondering how the setting changes a story.  Think of your favorite book or movie and how the setting impacts that story. 

A Track to the Water's Edge - July 27

Today’s Reflection: AM Psalm 56, 57, [58]; PM Psalm 64, 65; Joshua 24:16-33; Rom. 16:1-16; Matt. 27:24-31

I am reminded today of a story found in the works of a South African woman, written in 1890 called “Dreams” by Olive Schreiner.  Her work was first translated and introduced to the United States by Howard Thurman, a spiritual leader to Martin Luther King, Jr. The story is an incredibly powerful allegory about the fight for freedom, one that inspired King. 

In this story, a woman wakes from her sleep and is trying to make her way to freedom.  She encounters a wise old man.   She goes up to the water’s edge but there is no bridge. She asks the old man: “How do I get across? There is no bridge”. He says: “You must take off your clothes. They are dragged down by them who go into the water so clothed”. She takes off her clothes. She has a baby. He says: “Put that baby down, when you are in the water, you will forget to fight, you will only think of him.”  The baby draws blood.

She puts the baby down. The man says, “Go.”

She reaches the water and the woman yells, “For what do I go to this far land which no one has ever reached? Oh, I am alone! I am utterly alone!”  The man says, “Be quiet, listen. What do you hear?”   She answers: “I hear the sound of thousands and thousands and thousands of footsteps of those who came here before me.” He says, “How does a locust get across the stream? Some come down and jump into the water, and their bodies get washed away. Then some sink and the others pile up on top of them and their bodies build a bridge so the others can cross.”   She said, “Who is going across this bridge?” His reply: “All of humanity.” “And what about those who are washed away? What do they get out of it?” she asks. “They beat a track to the water’s edge.”

The story strikes a chord with me in the sacrificial way we are called to live and model our lives.   The fight for beloved community where all people are restored to the fullness of life through God’s justice has been a life long journey where many have yet to see the fruits of their labors, and yet they still beat a track to the water’s edge.

This old story rang a chord again in today’s reading from Romans’s as we hear Paul name Phoebe, Prisca, Aquila, Epanetus, Mary, Andronicus, Ampliatus, Urbanas, Apelles, Aristobulus, Herodion, and that’s just getting started.  He is naming people who have a profound impact on the early church. With the exception of Phoebe (and likely only because her name was employed in the Scriptural justification for the ordination of women), these are names that we do not know. I have read this passage many times in my life, and still only remembered Phoebe. It hit me in reading that list of names, that there must be millions of people who have gone before who have helped share the vision for Beloved Community, and shaped the faith that inspires so many, this radical way of Love, and these people are names that I do not know. 

I keep foolishly believing that if I work hard enough, or can inspire enough people, God’s kingdom, God’s radical love, and the way of true freedom for all people will have fully arrived.  And I forget, that for two thousand years, people have been beating a track to the water’s edge.  Yep… I have an ego to work on.

So what about us? What is our purpose in this journey with God. Maybe it is just to beat a track to the water’s edge.  And maybe knowing the story that others have been doing just the same, can inspire us, and help us see that we are a part of something much larger, something for the rest of humanity to cross. 

-       John+

Questions for Self-Reflection 

Where in your life do you feel like you are making no progress?  Why then do you try?   Is it worth it? 

Daily Challenge

Spend some time today on Google or Wikipedia trying to learn the name of one person who you did not know before that has positively affected the life of other people.

Time flies (or does it?) - July 25

Today’s Readings AM Psalm 55; PM Psalm 138, 139:1-17(18-23); Joshua 23:1-16; Rom. 15:25-33; Matt. 27:11-23

I saw The Music Man on public television when I was a child. Robert Preston and Shirley Jones and young Ronnie Howard. I loved it. My mom recorded the movie on our VCR, and my sisters and I watched that VHS tape ad nauseam. In the scene where the ladies of River City are preparing for their performance of Grecian Urns at the outdoor festival, the mayor’s wife prods their practice along proclaiming, “Tempus fugit, ladies, tempus fugit!”

Upon opening the Bible to the excerpt from Joshua appointed for this morning, I feel like I’ve stepped into a time warp. Joshua is now “old and well advanced in years.” How did the time fly so quickly? Just yesterday we read an action-packed account of God protecting Joshua, the Israelites, and Gibeonites from the five kings of the Amorites by inciting mayhem and hurling “huge stones from heaven” (hailstones) at those enemies. Through praying to God, Joshua stops the sun in the sky for a day. Big stuff! And today, it begins, “A long time afterward…” What did we miss in the middle? I’ll tell you. Conquests. Allotment of tribes across the lands of the Jordan River. A survey of peoples and boundaries. Lots of names.

What I love about getting to fast-forward to where Joshua is near the end of his life, is that we’re given the gift of his wisdom and experience, as he surveys all he has done. Hold fast to the Lord your God, he says. Observe the laws of Moses. God is faithful to the promises made to God’s people. Be very careful to love the Lord your God, and do not stray toward serving other gods, unless you want to see a flash of divine anger from the Lord.  

There are times during this summer that I wish I could command time to go faster. Where is the fast-forward button? I want to be past this time of physical separation from extended family and dear friends. I want to gather together for an outdoor festival or indoor worship service, free from fear, conflict, and plague. And time doesn’t work like that. Together, we get to do the hard work of living out our faith. Exile did not end immediately. And this time of trial and toil is similar.

Let us draw near to God in prayer, and cast our burdens upon the Lord. Let us offer support and encouragement to one another. Let us listen to a diversity of voices. Let us speak and act from a position of God’s love, for that is the gift given to us.

We will get to a place where our story will be told, and it will open, “A long time afterward…” We will have learned a lot. We will have regrets and successes. The Lord our God will still be with us.

Time flies, and waiting is the hardest part.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

• What part of the here-and-now do you want to slow down?

• What do you want to hurry up and move past?

Daily Challenge

Take a moment today to slow down. Appreciate where you are right now. Name five blessings that surround you, and give thanks to God.

Confession time – July 24

Today’s Readings AM Psalm 40, 54; PM Psalm 51; Joshua 9:22-10:15; Rom. 15:14-24; Matt. 27:1-10

“I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me." Psalm 51:3

Church has been a place of comfort for me. The cadence of the week was brightened by Sundays worshiping at the Church of the Ascension in Montgomery. I have memories of leaning against my dad, nestled against his side, while services were conducted. My sisters and I would sit on needlepoint kneelers, drawing on bulletins with stumpy, eraser-less golf pencils. My mom would gently put her hand on a shoulder or knee to indicate the whispering was not so quiet.

There was a time, however, when the connection and experience of church became deeper for me. I believe it was Holy Week, leading up to Easter…but my memory on the exact date or occasion is foggy. (I was probably about 10 or so.) What I do know is that there was a service of confession that happened. People could go up to the altar rail for prayers and absolution. I watched some folks file up to the front to kneel. There were tear-stained faces as parishioners trickled by to their seats. The light in the sanctuary was bright yellow. And I felt moved to go forward but was stuck. My family was rooted to our pew. My dad was on the outside. But I decided to go up to the altar. I cannot really name why…I had no specific wrong to name. I simply felt a tugging within me, and a need to kneel. The words from Psalm 51 resonate deeply with this memory: “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.” Though I could not put words to it, I could feel the 10-year-old sins rolling around within me. And so, I pushed past my dad and went up. I do not recall what I said, if anything. I can remember bowing my head and tears streaming hot down my cheeks. And as I returned to my family, I felt cleansed in a different way.

I wonder how Judas felt as he went to turn himself in, confessing of his wrongdoing: “I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” He handed over the payment for betraying Jesus to the authorities. Did he feel some measure of weight was lifted from his soul through repentance? I feel great compassion for him today.

Friends, sin burdens each of us. How are you called to wrestle honestly with those sins before you today? Know that you do not wrestle alone, and nothing can separate you from the love of God.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

How does sin tug on you, or trip you up? What actions do you take to confess wrongdoing and make amends?

Daily Challenge

Think of someone you have wronged. Make a confession to God of that sin and ask God’s forgiveness. Pray also about how you might make amends.

Cock-a-doodle Denial – July 23

Today’s Readings AM Psalm 50; PM Psalm [59, 60] or 66, 67; Joshua 9:3-21; Rom. 15:1-13; Matt. 26:69-75

When our family lived in Huntsville, I occasionally took the kids shopping with me at the local Kohl’s. Though I went for a focused reason, we would inevitably wander over to the toy section, conveniently located between the toddler boy clothes and the restroom. (What an ingenious trap of commercial upselling set for beaten down parents and their energetic children!) While in the mire of “I want” and “I need”, a shrill chirping noise began sporadically sounding. The best I can tell, it came from the area of the emergency exit by the toy section. Perhaps it was a door or smoke alarm that was malfunctioning? Whatever its genesis, it was annoying and happened each time we were there.

It was bothersome to me; it also got the attention of my kids. Robinson was probably 2 ½ years old when we first heard it, and he would ask, “Why that noise, Mommy?” And then he grew disquieted. The high-pitched beep scared him. He wanted to go home. “That creeps me out,” he says, even today, of that sound. That repetitive sensory experience was enough to break the toy-grabbing desires of a tiny tot.

It is a sound foretold by Jesus that rouses Peter to awareness in the gospel from Matthew today. Not an electronic beep, but the crowing of a rooster. “Before the cock crows, you will deny me three times,” Jesus says.

I can imagine sitting near Peter, in the darkness and swaying shadows of the courtyard, outside with the warm breeze blowing. Can you hear the noises of the earth and of the people in it? At this hour, Jesus is undergoing examination in a trial by the elders and chief priests. Peter has followed along from a distance, to stay informed of what is happening. As he waits near the guards, people are milling about. A servant-girl recognizes him and says, “You also were with Jesus the Galilean.” Peter dismisses her assertion. He moves to a different location outside the house and another servant-girl says to folks around her, “This man was with Jesus of Nazareth.” The second denial: I do not know the man. A little more time passes, and darkness and denial are enveloping Peter, who earlier in the evening had stated so clearly to Jesus, “Though all become deserters because of you, I will never desert you.” The third denial comes. And the cock crows. Peter weeps.

Have you been awakened by a sound or sensory experience, to face a painful truth about yourself that you’ve been avoiding? I have. It is disquieting and gut-wrenching. It’s like a tear amidst the fabric of who we think we are. It can be devastating. And yet, Jesus calls us back. Jesus offers redemption and reconciliation. Jesus loves us, just as he loves Peter. Though you may be facing a hard truth about yourself or the world around you, know that you are loved.

And so, it is time for me to stop. Robinson has walked in making the “ding-a-ling-a-ling” sound.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

• What sound quickly gets your attention?

• What is the voice or gesture you use to get the attention of others?

Daily Challenge

Pray that God opens your eyes to something you’ve been in denial about. Ask for the courage and patience to explore that space, and perhaps ask someone (friend, spiritual director, counselor) to help you in that soul work.

A woman of valor: Mary Magdalene – July 22

Today’s Readings AM Psalm 116; PM Psalm 30, 149; Zephaniah 3:14-20; Mark 15:47-16:7; 2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Today is the day in the lectionary cycle that we can remember and celebrate Saint Mary Magdalene, one of the Galilean women who accompanied Jesus and His disciples in ministry. Mary Magdalene was named as being present at the crucifixion and burial of Jesus the Christ. And we read in Mark’s gospel today the story of Mary Magdalene and other women who made preparations, bought spices, and went to the tomb where Jesus was buried, so that they could anoint his body.

What an upsetting time for these friends. They witnessed the closing of one chapter, the ministry and miracles of Jesus of Nazareth, punctuated by betrayal, trial, and violent death. To process what they have experienced, they planned to do the next right thing in saying goodbye: anointing the body laid in a tomb. What they did not know was that ministry in the wake of Jesus’ legacy was about to shift in a new direction.

Mary Magdalene and the other women anticipated that the biggest challenge they would face would be moving the large stone blocking the tomb. They actually walked into the beginning of another chapter of Jesus: resurrection! The heavy stone was rolled aside, and a young man in radiant white clothes (which is a nod to someone of heavenly or angelic proportions) spoke to them, with a message of comfort and wonder:

‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’

Mary Magdalene is an inspiration to me for faithfulness and perseverance. The holy scriptures we have about her presence in ministry during this holy time in Israel paint a picture of a woman who is devoted, focused, and open to hearing and receiving the salvation offered in the healing grace of Jesus. In this vignette today, I am struck by God working around and through Mary Magdalene. Her expectation was to continue working through the grief and devastation of Jesus’ death. Her experience became something very different; she witnessed the proof of resurrection. An empty tomb. An angelic message. Hope refreshed in miraculous surprise.

Mary Magdalene is another reminder that God is with us in our sufferings and shares with us in our consolation. If you are facing disappointment or loss during this season of instability and separation, I pray that the life and witness of Mary Magdalene can breathe a bit of encouragement in your heart this day.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

• What is a source of pain and loss for you today?

• What is the one thing you can do to process and address that pain?

Daily Challenge

Think of people who have supported you through a hard time. Reach out to one of them. Reflect on your experiences, and give thanks to God in prayer.

Choose humility: Mind your own little red wagon! – July 21

Today’s Readings:  AM Psalm 45; PM Psalm 47, 48; Joshua 8:1-22; Rom. 14:1-12; Matt. 26:47-56

“Mind your own little red wagon, Katherine.” My mom would say this to me often…which means that I went to her often with a complaint or report about actions of others in our household. It means, also, that I was the resident tattletale. I faithfully reported out-of-line behaviors day-in and day-out. “I’m gonna tell Mom!” was probably my most commonly uttered phrase for several years. I chose to be judge and supervisor of all sibling actions, as the oldest of three girls. (It’s a wonder my sisters still talk to me!)

Judgment. The apostle Paul asks in the letter to the Romans, “Why do you pass judgment on your brother?” In this time in the early Church, there was much strife over who was “in” and who was “out”. Was it just the Jews who were circumcised and followed the special days of devotion and ate a kosher diet? What about Gentiles, others from varied faith and ethnic backgrounds? Paul is trying to manage and quell tension from afar, and so we have this piece of his communique, issuing a command to stop their earthly nonsense, because it is God that is the supreme judge. We all will go before the Lord for examination, “For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’” (I can almost imagine Paul shouting these words.) He takes this tone to grab their attention, and to make that command – that edict on behalf of God’s reign. The scripture he quotes is from Isaiah --

Turn to me and be saved,

            all the ends of the earth

            for I am God, and there is no other.

By myself I have sworn,

             from my mouth has gone forth in righteousness

a word that shall not return:

“To me every knee shall bow,

                    every tongue shall swear.”   (45:22-23)

We hear these words again, yet offered in a lyrical promise in the letter to the Philippians —

          …so that at the name of Jesus

                     every knee should bend,

                    in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

          and every tongue should confess

                    that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.   (2:10-11)

Whether you hear better through a stern command or an appealing promise, the invitation remains the same. We are summoned to follow God. We are summoned to turn away from those other things in our lives that distract, disaffect, and discourage us. We are summoned to bow down to the Lord…and by humbling ourselves to God, our lips profess the Good News of God in Christ. Our eyes are opened to the deep needs and joys awaiting us. We can move, live, and grow in new and surprising ways, always following the footsteps of Jesus.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

• Of what (or who) are you judgmental these days?

• What does it take to get your attention: a gentle appeal or a demonstrative command?

Daily Challenge

Take time today to pray on your knees. If your body will not allow you to do this, then as you pray, imagine yourself on your knees in prayer. As you humble yourself before God, be attentive to the feelings that arise in you.

It's not easy to wake from sleep - July 20

Today’s Readings:  AM Psalm 41, 52; PM Psalm 44; Joshua 7:1-13; Rom. 13:8-14; Matt. 26:36-46

…it is now the moment for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we became believers; the night is far gone, the day is near. Let us then lay aside the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. (Romans 13:11b-12)

As I sit this morning, the words “wake from sleep” are calling to me. And it’s more than splashing my face with cool water or hugging a family member at the start of the day. This action of waking up is presented in the shadow of the apostle Paul’s retelling of the law of God: love does no wrong to a neighbor.

Paul was really good at presenting these summoning messages to peoples spread all across the Mediterranean. He recounted the laws of God, and then cast an image of what a faithful response to living into this new age of the Lord Jesus Christ who rose from the dead. In this section of Romans, Paul advised those receiving his letter about living faithfully with God.

I sit here wide awake, and yet I wonder how spiritually groggy I am about living into loving my neighbor as myself. It’s not that I fear I’ve settled into a secret life of debauchery or licentiousness, but what other works of darkness have been swallowing me up? Denial, fear, distraction, dissatisfaction…

The disciples battled with sleeping through critical times, too. In Matthew’s account of Jesus praying at Gethsemane, he entreated his friends Peter, James, and John to stay awake as he (Jesus) prays in the garden, wrestling with fear and dread. Peter and the Zebedee sons keep nodding off.

And so, as I reflect on this Monday, what is the invitation extended to you and to me in this call to stir from slumber? Paul’s letter to the Romans says to “put on the armor of light”…and then, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ”. This is a reminder of our baptism, in which we are renewed with a new garment, a new name, a new boldness. And what about Jesus? What does Jesus invite us to do? He tells his friends, “Get up, let us be going…” as he points out the truth of the betrayal and sin around them.

On this Monday, let us be roused from drowsiness, embrace the gifts of love and hope in baptism, and stand up. Let us address truth and sin. It won’t be easy, and Jesus is with us.

-- Katherine+

Questions for Reflection

• What "works of darkness" drag you down?

• What inspires and wakes you up?

Daily Challenge

Think of a smell, taste or touch that heightens your awareness. Reflect on what that experience does for you and pray that God opens your eyes to love more boldly today.

Starving for Jesus - July 18

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 30, 32; PM Psalm 42, 43; Joshua 6:1-14; Rom. 13:1-7; Matt. 26:26-35

My first thought when I read today’s gospel passage where we hear the words of institution by Jesus at the Last Supper was “Oh! How I have missed hearing these words in church at the Service of the Table for communion!” And my next thought was about Peter and how deeply I connect with his longing to do the right thing, yet his inability to follow through. That’s me. That’s all of us. I sat with this gospel passage to let it settle in with me prayerfully and then it struck me. We are starving for Jesus.

Who knew the last communion we would experience together in person would have been four months ago? We still have spiritual communion and are connected through Christ, even though we are missing all that we share through face-to-face connection. And I’m here to tell you, the Church is still open, regardless of the doors being closed and despite the enormous challenges. We’re being fed in ways that might be different, but these new ways are nourishing, nonetheless.

In some weird sense, you could say we started a new diet by fasting. We’ve cut out everything as we know it and added back only the essential nutrients of worship and discipleship.

We are feasting on the Word now more than ever in our practice of praying the Daily Office. The daily engagement of scripture and prayer is my bread of life right now. I am surprised how fulfilling digital ministry has been for me, and my sense for so many of you who continue staying connected. It provides a crucial connection point with Jesus and our community.

An important component of the Daily Office is the Confession of Sin. Like Peter, we turn our backs on Jesus and often come up short. We fall short with our family, friends, neighbors, and even strangers. Confession and reconciliation restore us to Christ and each other, and give us sustenance.

As we are fed, we share what we have with others. At my seminary, our Cross is outside the chapel as a reminder that Christ is out in the world among the hungry, and we are called to get out of the church building to feed God’s people. I think St. Stephen’s is doing a darn good job of being the Church out in the world, nurturing the needs of our own members, as well as the ongoing needs of the vulnerable and marginalized. 

Like you, I am craving the time when we can share the meal of communion as a community gathered together. Trust me, the clergy and staff are brilliantly creative in their efforts to make this a new possibility. It will be different, and we don’t know when that day will come, but it will be the sweetest communion you’ve ever shared. In the meantime, they are cooking up some new ways to connect so that St. Stephen’s can be and do Church in ways that satisfy our deep hunger and bring us communion with Jesus and each other wherever we are.

 -- Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions for Self Reflection: In what surprising ways are you being fed? What are you hungry for lately?

Daily Challenge: Give special attention to the Confession of Sin and The General Thanksgiving found in the Book of Common Prayer under Morning Prayer.

Can't We All Just Get Along, Leaning into Conflict - July 17

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another

with mutual affection; outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:9)

Today’s Readings: AM Psalm 31; PM Psalm 35; Joshua 4:19-5:1,10-15; Rom. 12:9-21; Matt. 26:17-25 

Can’t we all just get along?! As someone who tends to avoid conflict, this plea by Rodney King during the 1992 Los Angeles riots resonates with me. I am happiest when everyone is living in harmony. But getting along and living in harmony doesn’t just happen. I admire King for his efforts in trying to bring about peace and seeing that the violence was destroying their community. His appeal for peace continued with these words, “Please, we can get along here. We all can get along. I mean, we’re all stuck here for a while. Let’s try to work it out. Let’s try to beat it.” There’s some wisdom to uncover here.

Avoiding conflict is dysfunctional. Trying to work it out is absolutely what’s needed for us to get along and this requires intentional effort. The intentional effort of trying to work it out becomes more than getting along, but peacemaking. And the hard work of peacemaking is what our world needs. But since we all seem to have our minds made up already, practically speaking…how do we do this hard work of peacemaking?

I’m afraid it’s going to require a willingness to engage conflict rather than shutting people out who have different ideas or beliefs. For example, how can we reimagine schools, colleges & universities, and seminaries functioning in a few weeks with the Covid-19 cases and death tolls rising? We can’t just get along or avoid conflict on this issue. We have to engage in trying to work it out. Even the seemingly simple matter of wearing or not wearing a mask becomes a volatile issue because we can’t seem to agree on that one decision – though it’s being mandated. So, what’s it gonna take for us to lean into conflict and learn to get along?

The Wednesday Bible Study has been having some real talk lately about life and our everyday struggles to get along, and how Paul’s message fits in. Discussing the meaning of love was especially beneficial for all of us. Love is more than an emotion that we feel. It involves being and doing. We determined that liking everyone is not necessary, but we do have to know how to love people in the way that God commands which is agape love. Agape love is unconditional and involves patience, kindness, humility, grace, generosity, truth, hospitality, and hope. Agape love is eternal and draws us near to God.

What Paul is preaching is how to fully participate in God’s mission for the world. For this mission to work in our communities and world, it’s like any successful relationship which involves 100% mutual participation - not 50/50 meeting halfway in the middle - but going all the way with full participation. What Paul is preaching - with all the Do’s and Don’t’s of the Romans passage - is to lean into the conflict of things (and this is very much easier said than done). He’s calling for a decentering of ourselves in exchange for centering God. Let God’s love guide our thoughts, words, and actions. This takes time and effort. In fact, this peacemaking is a life-long practice.

Here’s the clincher. God is at the heart of each of us, not just me and you, but every person. The experience of living fully engaged with one another in agape love allows us to experience our shared life in the Spirit. Sharing our lives and participating in God’s mission collectively changes our hearts by opening them to the love of God that dwells among me and you and everyone else, rather than shutting each other out. Can we let go of our personal ego, lean into conflict together through agape love, and allow God to draw our hearts closer together for peacemaking? Can’t we all just get along?!

-- Susan Oakes, Seminarian

Susan Oakes is a rising senior at the Seminary of the Southwest in Austin, Texas. This summer, she is serving as a seminarian intern at Saint Stephen's, her sponsoring parish for ordination.

Questions for Self Reflection: Are you a conflict avoider or do you lean into conflict? What is one conflict you would like to engage?

Daily Challenge: Think of someone who is hard for you to love. Now think of that person as a beloved child of God, made by God in God’s image and made for love, creativity, beauty, and goodness. Pray for this person today.