All Hallows’ Eve … a sweet taste of reality

Morning: Psalm 119:49-72; Revelation 12:1-6;

Eve of All Saints: Psalm 134; Wisdom 3:1-9; Revelation 19:1, 4-10

Like many former religious festivals, Hallowe’en is cute and happy.  The echoes of the old festival are there, though.  There are scary moments that reflect a little the timeless struggle with evil in the lives of many good folk.  As with Easter, when our great enemy, death, is put in its place, we need to sweeten some of life’s bitter realities with chocolate (well I do!), without forgetting why we celebrate those of our forebears who have suffered for goodness sake ... Why do we?  Isn’t it to give our children courage for the challenges they will face someday?

Keep your eyes open to wonder and belief

Morning: Psalm 45; Revelation 11:14-19

Evening: Psalms 47, 48; Luke 11:27-36

Whatever Jesus teaches, someone presses for more evidence to back up his claims.  He invites us to live in obedience to the truth we already know.  It is often like this ... People waste their time searching for some more agreeable truth, while the wisdom they need is right in front of them.  The call to change your whole life is hard ... it may be easier to remain sceptical than to trust.  But, says Jesus, do not close your eyes to wonder and belief; keep your life well lit, and do not ignore the light you already possess.

Jude … how to live well?

Morning: Psalm 66; Isaiah 28:9-16; Ephesians 4:1-16

Evening: Psalms 116, 117; John 14:15-31

Today is Saint Simon and Saint Jude’s Day.  Jude wonders how to live well.  Jesus says that loving him will help.  What is it, to love Jesus?  For me, it means loving what Jesus stands for.  In essence, Jesus stands for the renewal and healing of all life.  That will be costly, because some hang onto their own privileges at the expense of others’ lives. Jesus suffered and was killed because he loved his people. I love him for that.  And I pray that Love will ‘make its home’ in me; I will know then how to live.

Reach out and pray for Jewish friends today

Morning: Psalms 63, 98; I Corinthians 10:15-24

Evening: Psalm 103; Haggai 1:1-2:9; Matthew 18:15-20

Yesterday, a horrific shooting took the lives of 11 people at worship in a Pittsburg synagogue.  This act of hatred moves us to reach out with support and prayer for Jewish friends and neighbours.  Simply to say, “Well, it’s a violent world,” is to surrender to violence. Jesus teaches that when two disciples agree about something, their requests will be fulfilled. We surely agree, don’t we, that this violence must stop? … May we find strength and courage to resist the path of violence on every level, so that the Way of Peace may prevail.

The Lord’s Prayer … knock persistently

Morning: Psalm 30, 32; Revelation 10:1-11

Evening: Psalm 42, 43; Ezra 4:7, 11-24; Luke 11:1-13

A disciple asks Jesus to teach them all to pray.  Jesus gives a simple, rich prayer to help them become channels of love.  It is an unusual image for us … God as a sleepy father disturbed by a daughter or son he loves, or even by a stranger, in the middle of the night.  God is not only like a sleepy friend, of course.  But you can knock persistently and boldly anyway … insist on asking for what you need if you are to live well and serve the vision of God’s Kingdom on earth.

Jesus breaks old boundaries and taboos

Morning: Psalm 31; Revelation 9:13-21

Evening: Psalm 35; Ezra 3:1-13; Luke 10:38-42

Mary sits at Jesus’ feet not because she is an adoring admirer. Rather, she listens intently to the teacher because she herself wishes to become a teacher too.  Only a would-be rabbi sits at the rabbi’s feet – Jesus affirms her right to do this, thereby breaking down old boundaries and taboos. Mary steps (scandalously) into a space that is reserved for men, but her action is not like a modern feminist protest.  She is simply listening to the Good News of God’s overflowing love … Jesus never questions that both men and women should share this Good News with others.

But who is my neighbour?

Morning: Psalm 37:1-18; Revelation 9:1-12

Evening: Psalm 37:19-42; Ezra 1:1-11; Luke 10:25-37

Jesus’ Good Samaritan famously blows wide open what it means to be a neighbour. For Jesus, everyone is our neighbour. The religious people you expect to show neighbourliness instead ignore the plight of a man beaten by robbers.  But a Samaritan foreigner helps him.  Jesus changes forever the meaning of ‘neighbour’.  Likewise, the meaning of the commandment now shifts to become:  ‘Love everyone you meet as yourself.’  What an astoundingly difficult challenge!  Whenever we are able to obey this commandment, even in small ways, human society takes one more step in the direction of wholeness.