Verse of the day
I will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth.
– Psalm 34:1
Voice of the day
You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance.
– Kahlil Gibran
Prayer of the day
God, teach us to seek you not only when life feels heavy, but also when our hearts are overflowing with joy. Let gratitude become our daily prayer, and may we never become so comfortable in our blessings that we forget to celebrate your goodness. Amen.
As we prepare to go to our polling place and vote, this quote from Thomas Merton’s introduction to the Japanese edition of The Seven Storey Mountain speaks of our calling… my vote, like Merton’s life, will speak… this is my hope and my prayer today!
“It is my intention to make my entire life a rejection of, a protest against the crimes and injustices of war and political tyranny which threaten to destroy the whole race of man and the world with him. By my monastic life and vows I am saying NO to all the concentration camps, the aerial bombardments, the staged political rituals, the judicial murders, the racial injustices, the economic tyrannies, and the whole socio-economic apparatus which seems geared for nothing but global destruction in spite of all its fair words in favor of peace. I make monastic silence a protest against the lies of politicians, propagandists and agitators, and when I speak it is to deny that my faith and my Church can ever seriously be aligned with these forces of injustice and destruction. But it is true, nevertheless, that the faith in which I believe is also invoked by many who believe in war, believe in racial injustices, believe in self-righteous and lying forms of tyranny. My life must then, be a protest against these also, and perhaps against these most of all.”
Verse of the day
Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.
– Galatians 6:2
Voice of the day
When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’
– Fred Rogers
Prayer of the day
God, help us recognize the opportunities we have to care for one another, especially in difficult times. Make us people who bring hope, offer support, and remind others that they do not have to carry their burdens alone. Amen.
Our identity is in the One who loves us. This saves us from our false self, which is anxiously dependent on others’ opinions and leads us to sell our souls to the world and to the Evil One who rules the world. The spiritual task is to say that a self defined by other is illusion. — The Road to Peace
Reflection Question: Whose opinion continues to affect your sense of yourself?
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! – 1 John 3: 1
Long before we were born, we already had been seen, known, loved, and held safe in God’s hands. We were bound together in God’s heart long before we met each other here and now. Long before we could say to each other, “I need you, I love you, hold me, touch me, care for me,” there was a Voice that said: “You are my beloved, on you my favor rests.” Long before we learned to care for each other, we were cared for by our Creator: “Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne?” declares the Lord. “Though she may forget, I will not forget you! See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands: your frame [i.e., body] is ever before me” (Isa. 49:16). — Spiritual Formation: Following the Movements of the Spirit
Reflection Question: What does it mean to you to know that you were loved before you were born, before genetics or family systems or privilege or trauma had any influence on you?
“Can a mother forget the baby at her breast
and have no compassion on the child she has borne?
Though she may forget,
I will not forget you!
See, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands.” – Isaiah 49: 15, 16
“Leaning into our intuition through the vision of dreams and looking for signs and symbols in nature means that when we look beneath the surface of life, instead of just skating across and taking everything at face value, we have faith that there is the love of thousands shimmering right there.”
—Christine Valters Paintner, PhD, Virtual Celtic Pilgrimage: The Wisdom of Irish Saints Kevin, Ita, and Enda — An Online, Self-Study Retreat The live sessions were recorded over the feast of Samhain (Oct 31 – Nov 8 ) but can be watched at any time you want to connect with Ireland, Celtic spirituality and your ancestors.
When has your intuition connected you with the love of thousands?
Verse of the day
She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
– Matthew 1:21
Voice of the day
The church is the bearer of a message to all nations: that in Jesus Christ God has acted decisively for the salvation of the world.
– Lesslie Newbigin
Prayer of the day
God, thank you for bringing hope, healing, and salvation into the world. Help us share your love with others through our words, our actions, and the way we stand up for those in need. Amen.
Verse of the day
So do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring worries of its own. Today’s trouble is enough for today.
– Matthew 6:34
Voice of the day
My anxiety did not dissipate. Instead, God met me repeatedly in its very presence.
– Sara Billups
Prayer of the day
God, help us to trust you with what we cannot see and find peace in the things we cannot control. Remind us to take each day as it comes, do our best, and leave tomorrow in your hands. Amen.
A powerful reflection from my seminary classmate and dear friend, Shirley!
“Woe betide those who lie in bed planning evil and wicked deeds, and rise at daybreak to do them, knowing that they have the power to do evil!”Micah 2:1 REB Micah has seen the corruption of Israel’s leaders, and exploitation of the powerless. He has watched lives being uprooted by greedy, callous people who hatched
Micah – The Unwelcome Voice of Truth
Verse of the day
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.
– Ephesians 4:32
Voice of the day
Our attitude toward God becomes thanksgiving. Our understanding of ourselves becomes humility. Our response to our brothers and sisters is from the posture of servanthood: we incarnate and convey to them God’s mercy.
– Clarence Jordan
Prayer of the day
Gracious God, help us to lead with kindness, approach one another with humility, and extend the same mercy and forgiveness that you have shown us. May our gratitude for your love be reflected in the way we care for others, especially those who need it most. Amen.
