Matthew 1:18-24 I’ve always thought that Joseph got shortchanged in the Gospel, and in the church’s devotional life. Mary gets so much attention, and rightly so, but Joseph doesn’t even get a speaking part! Unlike Mary’s Annunciation, Joseph’s Annunciation that we heard last week doesn’t get a lot of notice. But his “yes” to the […]

The LORD appeared to Abraham by the terebinth of Mamre, as he sat in the entrance of his tent, while the day was growing hot. Looking up, Abraham saw three men standing nearby. When he saw them, he ran from the entrance of the tent to greet them; and bowing to the ground, he said: […]

Based onActs 8:26-40Jn 6:44-51 One of our children, Al, is non-binary. That is, they identify neither as male nor female and prefer the pronoun “they.” This has been a very long process for them (and us) and a very difficult struggle – within and without. They are now to the point where they will be […]

THE OPENING OF EYESby David WhyteThat day I saw beneath dark cloudsthe passing of light over the waterand I heard the voice of the world speak out.I knew then as I had beforelife is no passing memory of what has been,nor the remaining pages in a great book waitingto be read.It is the opening of […]

Luke 1: 39-45 from The Message Mary didn’t waste a minute. She got up and traveled to a town in Judah in the hill country, straight to Zachariah’s house, and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb leaped. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, and sang out exuberantly, You’re […]

Come away by yourselves to a deserted place and rest a while. Mark 6:31 For the past six weeks our home has been filled to overflowing with the presence of our daughter, her husband and our 19-month-old granddaughter. For several of those days, another of our children, just back from two years in Australia, joined […]

On that day, as evening drew on, Jesus said to them, “Let us cross to the other side.” Leaving the crowd, they took him with them in the boat just as he was.  Mark 4: 35-36 This story, of course, continues with the calming of the storm, but I found myself stuck on that last […]

Jeremiah 31:31-34 (The Message) “That’s right. The time is coming when I will make a brand-new covenant with Israel and Judah. It won’t be a repeat of the covenant I made with their ancestors when I took their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant even though I […]

God said [to Noah]: “This is the sign that I am giving for all ages to come, of the covenant between me and you and every living creature with you: I set my bow in the clouds to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth, and the […]

Let it grow in us, this light, let it grow in all of our hearts, the light of our love for one another, let it grow and get stronger, let it not be dimmed but increased, becoming ever more radiant, reaching out to enfold all the people who need its blessing so badly. Let it […]