He must increase, but I must decrease

Morning: Psalm 72; I Samuel 1:1-20; Hebrews 3:1-6

Evening: Psalms 146, 147; Zechariah 2:10-13; John 3:25-30

Here, I have sought daily to speak about Jesus in 100 words or less and in non-religious language. Where I have managed to do that, I give thanks! As I let go the reins of the community which I have done my best to serve, I will also let go of these daily reflections. These things are always fraught with the problems of ego, to which I am not immune! So, it is fitting that this final reflection end with John’s remark about Jesus: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Friends, I will see you on the path. Onward!

 

The embodied, life-giving Word that holds the Cosmos

 

Morning: Psalms 146, 147; Sirach 43:1-12; Ephesians 4:1-16

Evening: Psalms 111, 112, 113; John 1:1-18

I love words - crosswords, puns, how foreign languages sound, poetry, pithy sayings, the way one word can contain a universe of meaning, and that Jesus is The Word. Have you noticed, I am quite taken with Jesus and with finding words that adequately distil this One Word? Jesus is the embodied, life-giving Word. He challenges me to choose, out of the profusion of possibilities, words not heavily weighed down with sickly piety or spiritual baggage. Which words will I use to speak of Jesus so that you will hear what this Word means, this Word that holds the Cosmos?

We do not lose heart ... Love surpasses knowledge

Morning: Psalms 30, 32; Deuteronomy 5:22-33; 2 Corinthians 4:13-5:10

Evening: Psalm 104; Sirach 42:15-25; Ephesians 3:14-21

In youth, it is not unusual to have high hopes for all you will accomplish during the seemingly long life ahead. Then, in elder years, even if you have pursued a great calling, you may wonder whether you have accomplished anything at all. Thomas Aquinas, the great medieval theologian, not long before his death wrote: ‘Everything I have written is straw.’ St. Paul, though, is full of encouragement for every step on life’s path ... he says we can rely on a Love that surpasses our capacity to understand it, therefore we do not lose heart.

 

Does what you prize fit your soul?

Morning: Psalm 31; Deuteronomy 5:1-22; 2 Corinthians 4:1-12

Evening: Psalm 35; Luke 16:10-18

On Monday, I’m retiring. As I do, I think about this daily practice of reflecting on the Scriptures; I hope it has stretched and challenged you, as it has me. Now I am looking forward and opening myself up to new possibilities. A couple of questions hold my attention: Does what you prize fit your soul? Does it make your heart glad? ... There are many commendable ways of living, but no-one can live them all. Find a life that fits, then live it with all your heart.

 

Cut one another some slack

Morning: Psalm 37:1-18; Deuteronomy 4:32-40; 2 Corinthians 3:1-18

Evening: Psalm 37:19-42; Luke 16:1-9

Zealous to be diligent stewards of all they have received, people of faith can sometimes get pretty rigid about who is worthy of grace and who is not. They are often first hardest on themselves, but this can easily spill over into being judgmental of others’ failings. Jesus encourages us all to go lightly with whatever expectations we have of one another. In this often fraught and angry world, we need friends. Maybe Jesus is saying: Cut one another some slack. Trust one another. Win friends by being humble about your own failings and by forgiving others for theirs.

 

Lost ... and Found

Morning: Psalm 38; Deuteronomy 4:25-31; 2 Corinthians 1;23 – 2:17

Evening: Psalm 119:25-48; Luke 15:1-2, 11-32

I looked for my flip-flops in the Lost and Found at the ‘Y’, which was just a plastic barrel full of indescribably gross stuff. I gave up the search! I did not want the lost flip-flops that badly!! Imagine, though, that your son is Lost. You will gladly endure indescribable torment to find him. And then, if you remember a time when you yourself were Lost and feeling unworthy, when Love reached out and welcomed you home, you may also remember how dear you are to the One who Found you and how glad you both are that they did.

 

What is heaven like? ... like joy in the Cosmos!

Morning: Psalms 26, 28; Deuteronomy 4:15-24; 2 Corinthians 1:12-22

Evening: Psalms 36, 39; Luke 15:1-10

I do not know what heaven is, but I imagine it is like the way you feel after being lost in grief or regret, shame, or remorse, because of something you did or didn’t do ... and then you suddenly realize there is a way forward into reconciliation and a fresh start. You know what you must do. When you find your way like this, you are back in tune with everything, full of joy. You and the Cosmos are saying ‘Yes!’ to one another, and this joy lifts you up. This is what heaven is like, I am sure.

 

Called to give your all for a New Creation

Morning: Psalm 25; Deuteronomy 4:9-14; 2 Corinthians 1:1-11

Evening: Psalms 9, 15; Luke 14:25-35

In the catalogue of seemingly outrageous and unrealistic things Jesus said, high on the list is this: “None of you can become my disciple if you do not give up all your possessions.” That is ... there are some urgent tasks that involve great personal risk. During the past 18 months, some courageous souls have given their all to care for others in this pandemic, just as soldiers give their all, in war. Jesus’s call is for disciples who are ready to give their all for a New Creation. This is the cost, and the reward, of discipleship.

 

Love ‘don’t come easy’ ... we need the Spirit

Morning: Psalm 118; Isaiah 11:1-9; I Corinthians 2:1-13

Evening: Psalm 145; John 14:21-29

The Beatles released ‘All you need is Love’ in 1967. In 1970, they split up! In 1971, Ringo wrote the line, “Use a little love and we will make it work out better”, in his new song, entitled: ‘It don’t come easy’! Ringo didn’t want to sing about God, but he let George Harrison sing in the song about Krishna (the supreme God in Hinduism); George believed his ‘Sweet Lord’ was the source of Love. In Jesus’s teaching, we need Love, yes, and Love comes not from our own efforts, but from beyond ourselves, from being open to the Spirit.

 

Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a desert

Morning: Psalms 107:33-43; 108:1-6; Hebrews 9:1-14; Luke 11:14-23

Evening: Psalm 33; Exodus 19:3-8a,16-20; I Peter 2:4-10

Where the Sahara Desert is, ancient civilizations once thrived. Natural climatic changes and human misuse (harvesting too many trees and over-grazing) created desert. Now, the Amazon Basin is under threat of becoming desert, too, if trees continue to be cut down to clear land for agriculture. Jesus warned that when we are divided against ourselves, we destroy our world. Conflicting goals are a spiritual issue with material consequences. Pursuing happiness by seeking wealth at all costs is incompatible with our total well-being, because inner dryness and dissatisfaction of heart and soul creates inhospitable deserts in our outer world.

 

There is need of only one thing ... sit, be still, listen

Morning: Psalm 102; Ezekiel 34:17-31; Hebrews 8:1-13

Evening: Psalm 107:1-32; Luke 10:38-42

Martha is ‘worried and distracted by many things’, says Jesus. Is he judging her? Her sister, Mary, chooses to sit with Jesus, which he calls ‘the better part’. Maybe he means that, ironically, when you fret about your workload, you tend not to make good choices. Martha’s worry causes her to judge her sister’s choices. Jesus does not judge Martha for this; he merely invites her to choose to sit, like Mary, and let him tend her spirit. Similarly, he invites us to spend time being still, listening. It will help us to make good choices about other things.

 

 

Love my neighbour ... who is that?

Morning: Psalm 105:1-22; Ezekiel 18:1-4, 19-32; Hebrews 7:18-28

Evening: Psalm 105:23-45; Luke 10:25-37

Our neighbour sold his house. He did not ask us to approve the buyers. Is this Jesus’s point? Everyone could be my neighbour - stranger or alien - but not everyone is. I cannot love everyone - only people nearby, and people I meet along life’s way. These are my neighbours. Imagine if I loved even just the people next door ... and imagine you did that, too ... and so on. Soon we would have the world covered. Imagine, says Jesus, what a world it could be, then make it happen ... Love your neighbours, love at least them.

 

How shall we use well all that we know?

Morning: Psalms 101, 109:1-30; Ezekiel 11:14-25; Hebrews 7:1-17

Evening: Psalm 119:121-144; Luke 10:17-24

Yesterday, CBC radio reported about the controversial quad-mester system being used in Ontario schools. The host and a teacher talked about education as communicating quantities of information. Our society may think wisdom and intelligence are about knowing a lot. But wisdom is how well you understand, a spiritual quality, a knowing that cannot be taught by downloading information. You can get information on the internet, but not wisdom. I long for our schools to help children explore the question that is hidden from the so-called ‘wise and intelligent’ ... How shall we use well all that we know?

 

Peace to this house ... pray for the peace of Jerusalem

Morning: Psalms 97, 99; Ezekiel 7:10-27; Hebrews 6:13-20

Evening: Psalm 94; Luke 10:1-17

Last Sunday was Jerusalem Sunday, with Israel and Palestine embroiled again in violent conflict ... Jesus tells ‘the 70’ to bring to every house the greeting: “Peace be to this house”. They are to discern whether a ‘child of peace’ lives in the house ... May God grant that now, at the sacred centre of 3 of the world’s major religions, ‘children of peace’ might appear who are ready to work with conviction for healing and for an end to this perpetual strife. Friends, pray courage for the children of Peace, whoever they are; pray for the peace of Jerusalem.

 

Called to a devout and holy life ... not to ‘being nice’

Morning: Psalm 89:1-18; Ezekiel 4:1-17; Hebrews 6:1-12

Evening: Psalm 89:19-52; Luke 9:51-62

In 1729, William Law, a Church of England priest, published: A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life. Reading Luke’s Gospel reminds me how serious and uncompromising are the demands Jesus makes of his disciples. His call is to a difficult, even arduous, way of life. The urgency and significance of the Christian Way is sometimes so watered down that it gets all but lost in ‘niceness’. Jesus is rigorous. His Way demands courage and lifelong dedication in those who say ‘Yes’ to him. But the reward is big, too - a full and rich life.

 

Do not be afraid

Morning: Psalms 66, 67; Ezekiel 3:16-27; Ephesians 2:1-10

Evening: Psalms 19, 46; Matthew 10:24-42

Jesus often says, “do not be afraid”. He is realistic; we fall prey to fear. He wants us to fear nothing ... except losing ourselves by sacrificing our integrity for something that is not worthy of us. Will we live our lives in fear of falling short of other people’s expectations? Or will we live courageously into what we came here for? Sometimes, the people we love can pressure us to be untrue to ourselves. It is hard to say “no” to them. Courage, friends. Do not be afraid to be the person you are called to be.

 

The least among you is the greatest

Morning: Psalms 87, 90; Ezekiel 3:4-17; Hebrews 5:7-14

Evening: Psalm 136; Luke 9:37-50

Jesus’s disciples lacked faith, understanding and humility. Proving the last point, they argued about which of them was the greatest! Jesus responded by bringing a child alongside him, which was unusual since children were given scant attention in that society. To find and to welcome God, seek out and honour not those you think are the greatest but those you regard as least important. Let go of the status you seek by being around so-called important people. Be honest ... Who are the people you think - consciously or unconsciously - are unimportant? Honour them and you will encounter God.

 

 

Am I open to my lot?

Morning: Psalm 80; I Samuel 16:1-13; I John 2:18-25

Evening: Psalm 33; I Samuel 12:1-5; Acts 20:17-35

When they chose a replacement for Judas, they did not ask whether he wanted the job! They ‘cast lots’, which seems random, but trusted the Spirit to help. When the lot fell on Matthias, they probably informed him that he was the one, and he agreed! What do you think about being open to taking on a task that you do not necessarily want but for which others believe you are well suited? The story of Matthias, whose Day it is today, begs the question for me: Will I be open when ‘the lot’ falls on me?

 

Go ... I’m with you

Morning: Psalms 8, 47; Ezekiel 1:1-14, 24-28b; Hebrews 2:5-18

Evening: Psalms 24, 96; Matthew 28:16-20

Most of us need a purpose, a reason to be, something that gives life joy and meaning. “Go!” says Jesus, as he sends his disciples out to build a new world. They are motivated, for sure. More than motivation, though, we also need people who support us. Jesus promises his friends, “Remember I am with you always.” We can do amazing things when we know we are not alone, when we share the load. In keeping with the Way of Jesus, the simple assurance, ‘I’m with you,’ may be the best gift we can offer or receive.

 

 

Finding our way back home to God

Morning: Psalm 119:97-120; James 5:13-18; Luke 12:22-31

Eve of Ascension: Psalm 68:1-20; 2 Kings 2:1-15; Revelation 5:1-14

Where will our human striving lead us? It depends on what we strive for. Is it for food or drink or clothing? Is it to live long and prosper? ‘Do not keep worrying’ about these things, says Jesus, but strive for God’s ways and you will have these things too. TS Eliot writes: “We shall not cease from exploration and the end of all our exploring will be to arrive where we started and know the place for the first time.” So, perhaps it is all about finding our way back home to God?

 

Whatever you need ... whatever satisfies your soul

Morning: Psalm 78:1-39; Deuteronomy 8:11-20; James 1:16-27

Evening: Psalm 78:40 -72; Luke 11:1-13

“Ask and it will be given you, search and you will find, knock and the door will be opened for you,” says Jesus. Be persistent in prayer. But look at the story that comes just before this ... the friend in need will be given whatever he needs. Jesus is not teaching that you will be given whatever you ask for, or whatever you seek, but whatever you need. Through prayer you discover and pursue what you need so that you can focus your energy on what satisfies your soul.

 

What is today for?

Morning: Psalm 80; Deuteronomy 8:1-10; James 1:1-15

Evening: Psalm 77; Luke 9:18-27

What is life for? Indirectly, Jesus keeps posing this huge question; he wants us to find ourselves. William Wordsworth admits how hard this is: “The world is too much with us, late or soon, Getting and spending, we lay waste our powers.” You may not even know you are lost. It happens gradually. These days you may lose yourself on the internet, click by click, taking the bait, following someone else’s priorities. Even when you discover that life is for finding yourself in, it is better to make the quest manageable ... Try a simpler question: What is today for?

 

Don’t waste too much time on ‘weeds’

Morning: Psalms 93, 96; Sirach 43:1-12, 27-32; I Timothy 3:13 – 4:5

Evening: Psalm 34; Matthew 13:24-34a

Discouragement can come easily, like weeds that want to thwart your efforts to grow good things. Jesus seems to say: Don’t waste too much time on ‘weeds’; give your energy to all the things that you want to see thrive.

 

All shall be well, all shall be well

Morning: Psalms 75, 76; Wisdom 19:1-8, 18-22; Romans 15:1-13

Evening: Psalms 23, 27; Luke 9:1-17

Here is King Herod - troubled soul, guilty about beheading John Baptist. Herod is curious about Jesus, though, perhaps even looking to him for hope? Julian of Norwich is drawn to Jesus, too. (It is Julian’s Day today.) A 14^th century ascetic living in troubled times, she is deeply convinced of God’s all-encompassing Love. Julian believes she hears Jesus say, tenderly, to reassure her, “All shall be well, all shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” Troubled souls, take comfort, even hope, in this universal Love, no matter what evil you may have imagined or done.

 

Get up!

Morning: Psalm 106:1-18; Wisdom 16:15 – 17:1

Evening: Psalm 106:19-48; Luke 8:40-56

When Jesus heals people or raises the dead, he does it without fanfare using ordinary words: “Come out,” or “Take up your mat and walk,” or “Get up!” People think a girl is dead, but when Jesus says, “Get up!”, she does. The power of death afflicts us in so many ways ... Life can be hard, like it is just not worth the effort. When you find yourself in this state, it is good to hear Jesus say, “Get up!”. When he believes that even the depths of despair are not the end, you begin to believe it, too.

 

Figuring out how to express Love in beautiful actions

Morning: Psalms 97, 98; Proverbs 8:22-30; John 13:20-35

Evening: Psalm 145; Isaiah 44:1-8; I John 5:1-12

A friend and I chatted yesterday at a distance - cop-style, cars parked at Timmies! In different ways, we both seek to serve Jesus’s commandment of Love. I think we agreed that this means valuing others, listening to their convictions, expecting to learn from them, serving them. These are the crucial first steps in loving one another. Today is the Feast Day of St. John. John’s life’s work was to pass on Jesus’s message of Love to us using beautiful words. Our life’s work is figuring out how to show Love in beautiful actions ... in serving one another.

 

Pay attention to how you listen to Jesus

Morning: Psalm 72; Wisdom 13:1-9; Romans 13:1-14

Evening: Psalm 119:73-96; Luke 8:16-25

You know how it is, right, when someone is speaking, but you are not really listening? It is easy to get distracted or lost in your own thoughts. At a crucial moment, Jesus calls for people to pay close attention to how they are listening, because something critical is taking place ... a ‘lamp’ is being lit to illuminate human life; a new understanding our ourselves as the human family is forming around the Way of this Jesus; he speaks with authority and power. Pay attention to how you listen to Jesus ... you don’t want to miss it.

 

Sow good things & May the Fourth be with you!

Morning: Psalms 61, 62; Wisdom 10:1-21; Romans 12:1-21

Evening: Psalm 68:1-36; Luke 8:1-15

Knapweed in my garden again! Apparently, it takes 5 years’ constant effort to beat it back; each of its flowers produces thousands of seeds! ... In Jesus’ story, a sower sows grain liberally - lots of seed! When you want to initiate good things, or plant new ideas, you may find yourself competing for space; unfriendly influences often want to choke out new growth. For the promised New Creation, you must sow good things liberally year by year and not let ‘weeds’ get the upper hand! And May the Fourth be with you!

 

Forgiveness is not a reward for love; it is love

Morning: Psalms 56, 57, 58; Wisdom 9:1, 7-18; Colossians 4:2-18

Evening: Psalms 64, 65; Luke 7:36-50

It is fascinating that when I read Scripture carefully, it often reveals things I had not noticed at first, usually because I made assumptions. Like, I assume that Jesus forgives the woman who washes his feet because she shows him love. If I read carefully, though, it says she shows him loved because she first experiences forgiveness. Forgiveness is not a reward for love; forgiveness is love. And love springs from knowing you are forgiven. So ... Whom do I need to forgive? My forgiveness might just free someone else to give and receive love, too. Love begets love.

 

Escaping the vicious cycle of judgement

Morning: Psalms 24, 29; Wisdom 7:22 – 8:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

Evening: Psalms 8, 84; Matthew 7:7-14

A lot of what passes for religion is so busy judging others that it is lost and dizzy within its own vicious cycle of judgement. On Thursday, we read Luke’s words about not judging others; now here they are again from Matthew ... Jesus jokes about not trying to take a speck out of someone else’s eye (that is, not correcting their ideas or actions from your own skewed point of view) when you have a plank or a log in your own eye! To clear your vision and free yourself of prejudice ... rely on the Spirit.

 

To bear fruit, you must die to yourself

Morning: Psalm 119:137-160; Job 23:1-12; John 1:43-51

Evening: Psalm 139; Proverbs 4:7-18; John 12:20-26

The compelling way, truth and life of Jesus led Philip and James (whose Day it is today) to serve his Good News of renewal for humankind. Tradition says both died persecuted for their faith. Philip was crucified. James, for 30 years Bishop of Jerusalem, was, at 96, thrown from the pinnacle of the Temple. James prayed forgiveness for the culprits: “They know not what they do.” You do not need to die as Philip and James did; but to bear fruit, you must die to yourself. “If a grain dies, it bears much fruit.” What might this mean for you?

 

We had better get used to sharing our good things

Morning: Psalms 40, 54; Wisdom 6:12-23; Colossians 3:1-11

Evening: Psalm 51; Luke 7:1-17

Some religious leaders think they have a corner on God’s favour, but Jesus still heals the son of a foreigner, a Roman centurion who demonstrates great faith. Even today, some pious church folk think God’s grace is just for them ... But Jesus ushers in the renewal of humanity. In that renewal, there are no distinctions of race, religion, or rank ... Paul writes: “Christ is all and in all.” People may not like this idea but ... if we want to be whole someday, we had better get used to sharing good things instead of keeping them to ourselves.

 

Find a reliable guide

Morning: Psalm 50; Wisdom 5:9-23; Colossians 2:8-23

Evening: Psalms 114, 115; Luke 6:39-49

In its rush to publish and devour the next best-seller ‘How to’ guidebook, our culture risks being guided by the ‘blind’. By ‘blind guides’, Jesus means those who lack true wisdom or understanding. Without wisdom, which takes time, it is foolish to presume you can guide others into life ... you cannot know its pitfalls. Jesus invites us to dedicate ourselves to wisdom and goodness and to build on solid rock. For many, he is that rock. They trust him; he is a reliable guide. Find a reliable guide, then you will see where the pot-holes are, too.

 

Where will Jesus’s teaching lead me?

Morning: Psalm 119:49-72; Wisdom 4:16-5:8; Colossians 1:24-2:7

Evening: Psalm 49; Luke 6:27-38

Jesus’s teaching is strange, yes, and exciting. Who has truly plumbed its depths? “Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you ... Give to everyone who begs from you ... Do to others as you would have them do to you ... lend, expecting nothing in return ... Be merciful ... Do not judge ... do not condemn ... Forgive ... give ... the measure you give will be the measure you get back.” Exciting, amazing, astounding. Where will such teaching lead me, when I live it?

 

Listen carefully to Jesus’s strange teachings

Morning: Psalm 45; Wisdom 3:1-9; Colossians 1:15-23

Evening: Psalms 47, 48; Luke 6:12-26

Some describe faith as if it consisted of boring platitudes, but that is religion. Listen carefully, instead, to Jesus’s strange teachings: Poverty is a blessing, and hunger, or tears, or when people mistreat you for your faith. And it is woeful to be rich, or well-fed, or to laugh, or have people speak well of you. Why? Perhaps Jesus wants us to question our assumptions about all these states? Something else is going on here. The truly holy lies beyond either pain or pleasure. The poor are often the happiest of people and the rich are still subject to discontent.

 

With the utmost patience ... it cuts both ways

Morning: Psalm 145; Sirach 2:1-11; Acts 12:25 – 13:3

Evening: Psalms 67, 96; Isaiah 62:6-12; 2 Timothy 4:1-11

What happens in you when someone tries to convince you about what you think is their whacky idea? What do you do when they are annoyingly persistent and patient with you? Today is St. Mark’s Day. He probably was used to people being impatient with his whacky ideas about a man called Jesus. Paul, with whom Mark sometimes travelled, taught: “Be persistent whether the time is favourable or unfavourable; convince, rebuke, and encourage, with the utmost patience ...” I need most that last part - utmost patience, whether listening to whacky ideas or speaking them! Because patience cuts both ways.

 

Beware of falsehood and ravening wolves

Morning: Psalms 63:1-8, 98; Wisdom 1:1-15; I Peter 5:1-11

Evening: Psalm 103; Matthew 7:15-29

Have you asked someone for directions, and they led you astray? Some give directions whether they know the way or not. Jesus is blunt ... On life’s way, you will meet those who are dangerous, like wolves. Be discerning about whom you trust; you can usually tell. Do they have integrity? Bluster and certainty may be covers for ignorance or self-serving deceit. Choose a guide who knows the way, its twists and turns. Wise travellers choose wise guides, who are not themselves dangerous, but they know a wolf when they meet one, and how not to be devoured by it.

 

The old and the new ... as with wine, so with life

Morning: Psalms 30, 32; Daniel 6:16-28; 3 John 1:1-15

Evening: Psalms 42, 43; Luke 5:27-39

‘New wine’, for Jesus, signifies new life. New wine must be put in ‘new wineskins’; in the same way, renewed life is embodied in new customs. I once thought Jesus was teaching that new is best. I had not noticed that he also says: “No one after drinking old wine desires new, for he says, ‘The old is good.’” Wines are most enjoyable when allowed to mature. Old, good, mature wine was once new. You cannot have quality wines without new wine. While the new matures, you savour the old. As with wine, so with life.

 

Prepare to be seized by amazement

Morning: Psalm 105:1-22; Daniel 6:1-15; 2 John 1:1-13

Evening: Psalm 105:23-45; Luke 5:12-26

‘Amazement seized them’ ... Did Jesus plan to amaze people or was he teaching them to be open to things that lie beyond our understanding? When were you last seized by amazement? Now, we are able to explain lots of astounding things in the world. But, in the face of mystery, we cannot always say: ‘One day we will understand.’ Perhaps not. Better to be prepared for another possibility ... that some things truly are beyond our comprehension. In the presence of such things, the proper stance is just to be amazed. Prepare to be seized by amazement; yes, today.

 

Be ready to ‘pivot’ & try something new

Morning: Psalm 37:1-18; Daniel 5:13-30; I John 5:13-20

Evening: Psalm 37:19-42; Luke 5:1-11

A few months ago, they were talking on the radio about what was the ‘new word’ for 2020. I believe they chose ‘pandemic’ - for obvious reasons - but I disagree; I think the real ‘new word’ for 2020, which is being used these days in just about every circumstance you can imagine, is ‘pivot’. It’s exactly what Jesus urged his fishermen followers to do ... cast your nets over the other side of the boat. Was he calling them to do the same with their lives? Sometimes, life and love compel you to ‘pivot’ and try something completely different.

 

After the night, daybreak, and perhaps rest

Morning: Psalm 38; Daniel 5:1-12; I John 5:1-12

Evening: Psalm 119:25-48; Luke 4:38-44

Have you passed the night at the bedside of a loved one, or one of your patients, or a friend? This sacred, yet arduous, task is a labour of love. Luke writes: “At daybreak Jesus departed and went to a deserted place.” He likely needed to find a place to rest. It sounds as if, at Simon’s house, he had attended to sick people all night. From the very beginning, Jesus was immersed in the hard and holy reality of human life. If you have cared for the sick through the night, you understand. But daybreak comes, and perhaps rest.

 

In spite of obstacles, you carry on doing what is right

Morning: Psalms 26, 28; Daniel 4:28-37; I John 4:7-21

Evening: Psalms 36, 39; Luke 4:31-37

Soon after being thrown out of Nazareth, Jesus taught, to great acclaim, in Capernaum (30 miles away). His reputation as a healer and authoritative teacher grew, as did opposition to him. There is conflict in any public life ... Jesus, after years of study and preparation, stepped into the public arena to advocate for justice and right relationships and against religious and political abuses. He faced suffering and death at the hands of political and religious powers-that-be. Faithfulness always requires a resilient stance before unrighteous power ... In spite of obstacles, you carry on doing what is right.

 

The sharing of good things is more beneficial for us all

Morning: Psalm 25; Daniel 4:19-27; I John 3:19-4:6

Evening: Psalms 9, 15; Luke 4:14-30

COVAX seeks to ensure that all the world’s peoples get equal access to Covid-19 vaccines. Interestingly, Jesus was thrown out of his hometown for reminding people that they should be prepared to share good things with the poor and oppressed of all nations. In the so-called First World, we are often quick to believe that privileges ought to flow first to us. In the New World that Jesus promises, good things are shared. This pandemic is teaching us that such equitable sharing of good things is not only more just; it is actually more beneficial for everyone, in the end.

 

Carried by Love ... where you do not want to go

Morning: Psalms 148, 149, 150; Daniel 4:1-18; I Peter 4:7-11

Evening: Psalms 114, 115; John 21:15-25

Our society is rights-conscious ... I will not do what I choose not to do. While this is a valuable human principle, it ignores the fact that many desirable human paths are ones we might prefer not to take. It is our right to resist, right? But Jesus says to Peter: “When you were young, you used to ... walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, ... another will ... carry you where you do not want to go.” Young or old, can I allow myself to be carried by Love beyond my need to assert my rights?

For what will I live ... and for whom?

Morning: Psalms 20, 212:1-14; Daniel 3:19-30; I John 3:11-18

Evening: Psalms 110:1-5, 116, 117; Luke 4:1-13

Jesus’s temptations are ours, too: 1. Serving things instead of serving others; 2. Choosing physical satisfaction over inner fulfilment; 3. Wanting or trying to be like God, all-powerful, having everything. The rite of Baptism calls these temptations: “the world, the flesh, and the devil.” I suppose they embody the wilderness struggle each of us must undergo, with its central question: For what will I live ... and for whom? Will it be for others, the world and God, or only for myself? It is vaguely reassuring to hear that Jesus had to figure out the answers to these questions, too.

 

People will come together as one

Morning: Psalms 16, 17; Daniel 3:1-18; I John 3:1-10

Evening: Psalms 134, 135; Luke 3:15-22

Yesterday, CBC re-aired a hope-filled interview with Maria Campbell, who writes about her experience as a Métis woman. Her book, Halfbreed ends: “I believe that one day, very soon, people will set aside their differences and come together as one ... Then together we will fight our common enemies. Change will come because this time we won’t give up.” Hope like hers rings in every great human story ... hope for a better time, or for a powerful One who will help set things right. In the story of Jesus, the time is now, and he is the powerful One.

 

A change is gonna come, oh yes it will

Morning: Psalm 18:1-20; Daniel 2:31-49; I John 2:18-29

Evening: Psalm 18:21-50; Luke 3:1-14

One Night in Miami depicts a meeting between Malcolm X, Muhammad Ali, Jim Brown and Sam Cooke. It embodies the spirit that produced Cooke’s A Change is Gonna Come ( https://youtu.be/wEBlaMOmKV4 ), inspired by Dylan’s Blowin’ in the Wind ( https://youtu.be/vWwgrjjIMXA ). John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus, quoting Isaiah: “Every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill shall be made low, the crooked straight, and the rough places level ways, and all flesh see the salvation of God.” It may be a long time comin’, but that change is gonna come, oh yes it will.

 

Agree to agree about things that matter

Morning: Psalm 119:1-24; Daniel 2:17-30; I John 2:12-17

Evening: Psalms 12, 13, 14; John 17:20-26

Jesus prays fervently for his followers before he leaves them to get on with their work. He does not pray that they be excellent or righteous but ... “that they may all be one.” Surely this does not mean that we are to lose our identities and become insipid and unrecognizable as ourselves. The uniqueness of each soul makes the whole human community immeasurably rich. Doesn’t Jesus mean, instead, that each of us must give a little, bend, sacrifice some of our own preferences and privileges, and agree to agree about things that matter?

 

Sent into a world to which you do not belong

Morning: Psalms 5, 6; Daniel 2:1-16; I John 2:1-11

Evening: Psalms 10, 11; John 17:12-19

Remember Star Trek? You are carried into an encounter between different worlds; people are transported into places where they do not belong. They go, with purpose and curiosity, sometimes uncertainty, fear, even love. The positive dimension of human experience is re-imagined in cosmic terms. It’s wonderful, right!? Jesus says, ‘I do not belong to the world’. He also sends his followers where they ‘do not belong’. The disciple’s calling is... boldly go with a word of truth that the world may consider alien, strange, even threatening. Love is that strange and wonderful truth which makes unfamiliar and hostile worlds friends.

 

May we be one

Morning: Psalms 1, 2, 3; Daniel 1:1-21; I John 1:1-10

Evening: Psalms 4, 7; John 17:1-11

Conflict about religion and faith saddens me. Jesus dreams that those who trust in God (by whatever name) will be one. In faith, we all need a spiritual home ... Just so long as we do not think that our spiritual family has the whole truth and those who see things differently are wrong. The Anglican Church is my spiritual home, but I still dream of finding deep unity and harmony with people who choose different spiritual paths.  Believing the same things does not necessarily serve truth. Being one, though, is life-giving, lasting truth. May we be one.

 

Once you were not a people, but now ...

Morning: Psalms 146, 147; Isaiah 43:8-13; I Peter 2:2-10

Evening: Psalms 111, 112, 113; John 14:1-7

Peter points out one significant change for individuals who find faith ... they become a people, through solidarity of experience and purpose, compassion and love. If persons of faith offer anything to this fragmented world, it is their being united in common cause for the common good. Mona and I received many compassionate messages yesterday about the loss of our dear pet dog. Others understand loss. Commonality of experience leads to mutual understanding. May we find deep compassion for one another in myriad such ways. Then, as one people, let us build up both one another and the wider community.

 

I had not realized until now ...

Morning: Psalm 145; Isaiah 25:1-9; 2 Corinthians 4:16-5:10

Evening: Psalm 104; John 16:16-33

For almost 11 years, we have shared our lives with a lovely Australian Shepherd we called Sophie. A few hours ago, we had to say goodbye to her and let her go. We have smiled as we recall her unique ways; we have cried many tears. I had not realized until now ... how this beloved animal enlarged my heart and opened up a perspective on life I had not seen before. Thanks to her, I can say that life still promises many more as yet unseen joys ... for ‘we walk by faith and not by sight’. Farewell Sophie!

 

Why do human beings fight about religion?

Morning: Psalm 136; Daniel 12:1-4, 13; I Corinthians 15:51-58

Evening: Psalm 118; John 16:1-15

In John Steinbeck’s novel, To a God Unknown, is a line I always remember: “Oh, how the prayers of the millions fight and destroy one another on their way to the throne of God!” Our religious ideas and convictions have precipitated so much human conflict. Just last night, Catholic and Protestant youths were again turning to violence on the streets of Belfast. We fight because we do not listen to one another nor to the Spirit who speaks through every human life. If we presume that our enemies can hear neither us nor the Spirit, we are all lost. Listen!

 

 

Can these dry bones live?

Morning: Psalms 146, 147; Ezekiel 37:1-14; I Corinthians 15:41-50

Evening: Psalms 148, 149; John 15:12-27

Many valuable aspects of human life dried up long before this pandemic. Community became hard to find. Public dialogue grew increasingly rare. Our sense of the common good retreated into greater individualism and self-concern. I long for old-fashioned community spirit and engagement in common cause. The world of the future will depend on this. Ezekiel, during a time of social disintegration, and finding himself in a valley of scattered dry bones, was asked: “Can these bones live?” Ezekiel discovered that, by the action of the Spirit, dry bones may have life breathed into them again. This is my prayer.

 

 

Where does Love come from?

 

Morning: Psalms 97, 99; Micah 7:7-15; Acts 3:1-10

Evening: Psalm 115; John 15:1-11

Where does Love come from? Isn’t it built into the Cosmos? What do you think? Isn’t Love the strongest of all the messages from the Creator? Love overflows in human story, in Mother Nature, in the faithfulness of the days and seasons. Love is in them all. No surprise that Jesus calls himself ‘the Vine’, an image from nature, as the source of Love for us. Just as he draws Love from the Creator, so we learn Love from him. Given this, his commands follow naturally too ... Love the Creator with all your heart and your neighbour as yourself.

Goodness is impossible without Love

Morning:

Morning: Psalm 103; Acts 2:36-41; I Corinthians 15:12-28

Evening: Psalms 111, 114; John 14:15-31

In different ways, Jesus repeats that if you love him, you will live by his Way. Your good actions do not win love; they are your duty. Rather, your love inspires your good actions. Love comes first; it is the source of the Creation, the fountain of goodness. You do not have to be good to be loved; but when you love, you cannot help doing all the good you wanted to do but could not. Goodness is impossible without love. Just being told to do the right thing does not ensure that you will. Love is the guarantee.

 

The way, the truth and the life ... a new future for all

Morning: Psalms 93, 98; Jonah 2:1-9; Acts 2:14, 22-32

Evening: Psalm 66; John 14:1-14

Pious followers of Jesus sometimes twist his words out of shape. Thinking they grasp the truth, they may miss it completely. When Jesus says, “No one comes to the Father except through me,” some think he is a sort of heavenly boarder guard, checking people’s visas! Instead, he is everyone’s guide towards their true place in the world. God’s dream is for everyone to find themselves ‘at home’ here. Those who have never even heard of Jesus are, of course, part of this dream too ... It is unimaginable that anyone might be excluded. His new future is for all.

 

 

He got up

Morning: Psalms 148, 149, 150; Exodus 12:1-14; John 1:1-18

Evening: Psalms 113, 114; Isaiah 51:9-11; John 20:19-23

This is the Easter story ... that after dying of suffocation on a criminal’s cross, after lying dead (not just sleeping, but dead) in a tomb for 36 hours … as surely as the sun rose today and flooded the world with light … Jesus got up, rose again with new life in him. He was seen by many, who ate with him, talked with him, touched him, and were so transformed by their experience that they spent their life’s energies spreading the word about the new thing God is doing in the world.

 

What will you live for?

Morning: Psalms 95, 88; Job 19:21-27a; Hebrews 4:1-16

Evening: Psalm 27; Romans 8:1-11

I listened to a CBC radio special yesterday, For God’s Sake. You can find it here: https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/1721806915563 . It features an engaging set of interviews with adherents of various religious faiths. All shared a sense of living for a purpose beyond material or physical satisfaction alone ... If you set your mind only on these things, that is death, says St. Paul; there is more: ‘To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace.’ Today’s question, in this pause between Good Friday and Easter Day, seems to be: What will you live for?

 

Friends you can count on when the going get rough

Morning: Psalms 95, 22; Genesis 22:1-14; I Peter 1:10-20; John 13:36-38

Evening: Psalms 40:1-15, 54; John 19:38-42

You know, I suspect Jesus has a lot of friends who would rather not demonstrate their friendship publicly. But even such quiet friends, if they are true, come through when the going get rough. Joseph and Nicodemus kept their friendship with Jesus quiet, for fear that it would be misunderstood by others. But, in the end, Joseph and Nicodemus put friendship ahead of fear. When Jesus’s close friends shrank back in fear, these two came and buried him. You probably know a few quiet friends of Jesus - the ones you can count on when the going gets rough.

 

Love one another and break bread together

Morning: Psalm 102; Jeremiah 20:7-11; I Cor 10:14-17; 11:27-32

Evening: Psalms 142, 143; John 17:1-11

On Maundy Thursday, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet and gave them a new practice, a holy meal in the breaking of bread and sharing of wine. Maundy Thursday takes its name from the Latin ‘mandatum’ (command), referring to Jesus’s new commandment ... ‘love one another’. Humility was perhaps Jesus’s most powerful expression of love, shown when he washed his disciples’ feet. Humility thinks and speaks well of others. Humility regards others as equal companions - ‘companions’ are those you break bread with on the human journey. So, love one another and break bread together. This we can do.

 

Reckoning with the Power of Death

Morning: Psalm 55; Jeremiah 17:5-10, 14-17; Philippians 4:1-13

Evening: Psalm 74; John 12:27-36

Ponder this ... Does the power of death rule you? Jesus claims his crucifixion is a reckoning with that power which dominates humans: the power of death. He says: ‘Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out.’ Christians believe the Cross of Jesus marks, paradoxically, the end of death’s power. Rising from death, Jesus defeats death and shows that we no longer need to live in its thrall. When death dies, we really live. Think of it in another way ... Does anything prevent you from really living? Help is near.

 

 

Let go of what you needed to lose anyway

Morning: Psalms 6, 12; Jeremiah 15:10-21; Philippians 3:15-21

Evening: Psalm 94; John 12:20-26

Lose your life to find your life ... Jesus returns to this theme often. During this Holy Week, it is the theme. Not only does letting go of ego and self-concern help you find your true self. It also, amazingly, makes the world a better place. Jesus gives up his life, in a stark and literal way, on Good Friday. But you are also invited to realize that, even without physically dying, you can let go of what you needed to lose anyway, and, by doing so, change your small corner of the world for the better.

 

Your actions spring from what you believe

Morning: Psalm 51:1-18; Jeremiah 12:1-16; Philippians 3:1-14

Evening: Psalm 69:1-23; John 12:9-19

St. Paul tells the Philippians that [he] has discovered in Jesus what he calls righteousness through faith. In other words, good actions spring from what you believe more than from an act of the will. If you do not believe yourself valuable, you may not value others or treat them well. If you believe that you are deeply loved and that Love is the foundation of the Cosmos, your actions will almost certainly be seasoned with love. Perhaps the central human question is not, ‘What do you want?’ but, ‘What do you believe?’ Everything follows from that, for good or ill.

 

Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies ...

Morning: Psalms 24, 29; Zechariah 9:9-12; I Timothy 6:12-16

Evening: Psalm 103; Zechariah 12:9-11; 13:1, 7-9; Matthew 21:12-17

As a four-year-old, Ali ran up to Mona: “Mom, Adam lost his button, ‘Praise the Lord!’” Adam had a metal button that said: ‘Praise the Lord!’ Mona was shocked at Ali’s apparent religious fervour! When Jesus healed people, the children cried ‘Hosanna!’ (‘Praise the Lord!’) Religious people were angry that they called him ‘Lord’. Then Jesus recited the famous words, which most people do not realize are adapted from Psalm 8: “Out of the mouths of infants and nursing babies ... you have prepared praise for yourself.” Children often show us authentic truth about God. Watch them; you will see.

 

 

If only, or if ... regret, or promise?

Morning: Psalm 137:1-6; Jeremiah 31:27-34; Romans 11:25-36

Evening: Psalms 42, 43; John 11:28-44

‘If only ...’ is the way we voice regret about what might have been. Hindsight is, proverbially, 20/20. We do not accept foresight as easily; that would mean giving ourselves over to trust - in a promise or a person. Mary laments to Jesus about Lazarus’s death: “If you had been here ...”. But Jesus replies with an ‘If’ that leads to a promise: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (you will see amazing things). To experience promise instead of regret, you must trust, as Mary did.

 

The Word became flesh and lived among us

Morning: Psalms 85, 87; Isaiah 52:7-12; Hebrew 2:5-10

Evening: Psalms 110:1-7, 132; John 1: 9-14

There are scores of human stories about how things began. Some things we know ... there was a Big Bang. If you push back far enough, though, the stories lead into the unknown. Many humans, though, have experienced enough of Love that they believe the Cosmos began with a gracious and merciful One ... God, Word, Creator, YHWH, Allah. In Jesus, if you believe it, this One became flesh, to point humanity towards Love. Can it be!? ... Jesus - one of us - is all we need to know about the Love from which everything springs?

 

You are a child of God ... wait, think about this

Morning: Psalm 119:145-176; Jeremiah 25:30-38; Romans 10:14-21

Evening: Psalms 8, 138; Genesis 3:1-15; Galatians 4:1-7

Christians have always said that Jesus is as human as the rest of us. That is why tonight, nine months before Christmas Eve, the ‘Eve of the Annunciation’, the angel’s visit to Mary, is celebrated. This recalls how Jesus was born of an earthly human mother following a 9-month pregnancy. Thus, we know that Jesus is our brother. If one born of God is our brother, we are no longer slaves to anything or anyone, but also children of God. Before you say, “Yeh right!” think about this for a minute. This is a great mystery, worthy of your consideration.

 

Wisdom lies in openness to other ways of seeing

Morning: Psalms 121, 122, 123; Jeremiah 25:8-17; Romans 10:1-13

Evening: Psalms 124, 125, 126; John 9:18-41

Matters of faith are especially prone to misunderstandings ... People get stuck in rigid ideas and cannot see beyond them to different perspectives. Religious teachers proclaim as certainties things that are beyond our knowing. Jesus shows - by his words and actions - that wisdom lies in remaining open to other ways of seeing the world and the faith. He only wishes that we be: slow to accuse others of error, unbelief or malice; and, quick to admit our own errors, to welcome different perspectives, to repent of our judgements of others and to forgive.

 

A new way of seeing

Morning: Psalm 31; Jeremiah 24:1-10; Romans 9:19-33

Evening: Psalm 35; John 9:1-17

Art is a way of seeing unclouded by expectations of the way things ought to look. Your brain thinks, ‘I know what faces look like’, so it does not see the uniqueness of this particular face. The man born blind brings no assumptions to his view of Jesus - once blind, now he can see: Jesus is ‘a prophet’. The Pharisees’ assumptions make them blind. Jesus introduces a new way of seeing that heals blindness and brings new understanding. His Way often shows that those who think they understand things best (‘Pharisees’ ancient and modern) actually know very little.

 

Life is short - find it in service to something greater

Morning: Psalm 118; Jeremiah 23:16-32; I Corinthians 9:19-27

Evening: Psalm 145; Mark 8:31-9:1

“Life is short.” Yesterday, I heard two different people say these words, independently of one another and in different contexts. Both were reflecting on how important it is to spend your life well, to live it to the fullest and to be devoted to something beyond you - perhaps art, or another person, or a community, or friendship among people of different cultures and customs. Jesus would agree ... You lose (or waste) your life when you spend it serving only your own needs. But you find your life when you lose yourself in service to something greater.

 

 

It is the spirit that gives life

Morning: Psalms 107:33-43; 108:1-6; Jeremiah 23:9-15; Romans 9:1-18

Evening: Psalm 33; John 6:60-71

Physical existence is nothing without spirit; we know this. The human longing for this intangible ‘something more’ is a theme of literature. Think of the songs that tell of the illusion of finding satisfaction in things. The promised satisfaction is short-lived. All too soon, we are searching again for the ‘missing ingredient’ that will complete us and make us whole. Jesus spells out the truth: “It is the spirit that gives life; the flesh (i.e. stuff) is useless.” You cannot buy or build the spirit, as you do things. The spirit is a gift you invite in and gratefully welcome.

 

Strengthened in your inner being

Morning: Psalm 132; Isaiah 63:7-16; Matthew 1:18-25

Evening: Psalm 34; Ephesians 3:14-21

I used to be much stronger physically; I was useful. Now, when Mona asks, “Graham, can you open this jar for me?” I tremble ... sometimes I can do it easily, sometimes not without a performance! This takes some getting used to. But maybe you need to lose physical strength to grow strong in other ways? Being honest about your weakness is a sign of inner strength - fortitude, or courage. Paul prays for the Church in Ephesus: “May you be strengthened in your inner being”. O God, give me the courage to make myself useful now in new ways.

 

As real as giving gets

Morning: Psalm 69:1-38; Jeremiah 22:13-23; Romans 8:12-27

Evening: Psalm 73; John 6:41-51

When a flesh-and-blood human gives her all, her generosity nourishes other lives. You may know someone who has given himself for the sake of others during this COVID pandemic. This is what Jesus means when he says, “the bread I will give for the life of the world is my flesh”. Such self-giving does not need to lead to a gruesome death. Most will not die, as Jesus does, when they give of themselves. But when any flesh-and-blood human gives their all, in whatever way, for the world’s sake, their gift, like Jesus’s gift, is as real as giving gets.

 

What is bread to you?

Morning: Psalms 101, 109:1-30; Jeremiah 18:1-11; Romans 8:1-11

Evening: Psalms 119:121-144; John 6:27-40

What is bread to you? Bread. Delicious in the mouth, taste of earth, wind and grain. Bread. Delectable in the nostrils, aroma of the sacred and good. Bread. Balm for sore eyes, drawing you towards what you value. Bread. Yielding in the fingers, full of spirit and substance, ready to bend. Bread. Word on the ear calling you home, back to your heart’s desire. Bread. Essence of your life, broken and shared, because you will give your life for what you love and for those you love. Jesus, ‘Bread of life’.

 

Meaningful work that satisfies hungry souls

Morning: Psalms 97, 99; Jeremiah 17:19-27; Romans 7:13-25

Evening: Psalm 94; John 6:16-27

Refrigeration allows us to keep perishable food for months. But it will eventually perish. When Jesus says, “Do not work for the food that perishes, but for the food that endures”, he is not on about market gardening! He is talking about finding work that satisfies a deeper hunger, by bringing purposeful love to our fleeting lives. The work Jesus calls us into has meaning beyond ourselves; it nourishes our own souls, yes, but also the souls of others and the earth itself. Maybe one person’s real work is market gardening. What is my real work? That is the question.

 

Feed the human soul, then none go hungry for bread

Morning: Psalm 89:1-18; Jeremiah 16:10-21; Romans 7:1-12

Evening: Psalm 89:19-52; John 6:1-15

When Jesus feeds thousands, the people want to make him king. They think he is what a king should be ... one who ensures the economy is functioning well, all are fed, big trade surplus! Jesus resists being misunderstood so narrowly as a purely political leader. True, a theme with Jesus is that none should go hungry. Yet, the way to make that happen finally for real is not by economic miracles but by nourishing hungry spirits and souls so that all choose to live well together. When a nation is oriented toward right relationships, none go hungry for bread.