Thursday, February 28

Jeremiah 4:9-10, 19-28

Psalms 70, 71, 74

Romans 2:12-24

John 5:19-29

 John 5: 19-29

I spend my work days working with children, teens and their parents.  When I am working with the parents I repeatedly emphasize that as parents we are seed planters.  That means we teach lessons daily to our children knowing that one day the lesson will take.  To illustrate this idea I usually ask them to think about planting a flower or herb or vegetable from seed.  You place the seed in the ground and then you give it what it needs; sunshine, water, and TIME.  We entrust the seed to the earth, the good earth, and we plant it where it will get the necessary amount of sun and moisture. Then we let it go – that is we give it time.  We do not dig it up everyday to see if it is spouting yet.  We let the elements work together as it is intended.  If we have done our preparation and we wait, then the crop will eventually come when it is ready.

Easter has already come – about 2000 years ago.  We celebrate the wonder of the first Easter every year.  It is a harvest festival.  God spent thousands of years preparing the earth for the seed that would give all the people of the world eternal nourishment.  That preparation time for us is Lent.  In this time we are called to prepare and wait 40 days – the Jews were asked to wait thousands of years.  Who could blame them if from time to time they lost sight of the promise.  Let us not lose sight of the promise for which we are preparing.  Nourish yourself with the essential elements (scripture readings, prayer, acts of service) so that you sprout, and grow during Lent.  In this way you will be ready when on Easter we celebrate God’s victory over death through the life and resurrection of Jesus.

God prepare me during this Lenten season to open my heart to your love and your will, that I may grow in my faith and act out in good ways throughout your creation. Amen.

Bob Felice

Wednesday, February 27

Jeremiah 3:6-18

Psalms 72, 119:73-96

Romans 1:28-2:11
John 5:1-18

  Psalm 72:

May he defend the afflicted among the people

and save the children of the needy;

may he crush the oppressor.

Relationship is a gift that holds purpose.  God's original intention for us was that we accurately reflect his image by blessing one another.   Without relationship we simply miss the mark and yet, in relationship, I feel like I miss the mark each day.  I find myself burned, over looked, and mistreated.  Do others work toward blessing me?  Am I choosing to bless others?   Is it worth it?   The answer to all three is yes, but it's messy.

Conflict is hard whether it's between friends, family, co-workers, or strangers.  The urge I feel to be validated and justified when tension builds from disagreement is so strong that I often find myself shouting in defense or walking away in anger.  If I don't have anything nice to say, I shouldn't say anything at all, right?  Sort of.  The temptation is to view my opposite as the enemy and to choose only my “lens of life” as I wade through my emotions.  The problem with this is that my lens is so small that any choice I make alone about handling a situation only robs the other person and myself of the opportunity to see more of God's perspective.  Every person is afflicted, every person is a child of the needy, every person is oppressed.  God desires to break through each of these places...even in the midst of conflict.  He never said that this was an easy process but He did promise never to leave us.  The hard part is that pressing into relationship is messy but behind my sin and theirs are people - created souls who the Lord loves so much that He sacrificed His only son so that we may live.  The words that should be said (or not said) can be found as long as I'm choosing relationship with Jesus first.

Lord, in the midst of the pain in relationship, show me your perspective on my oppressors and in a tangible way bring life through me where the real enemy wishes to take it.

Heather Williams

Faculty, Holy Spirit Episcopal School

Tuesday, February 26

Jeremiah 2:1-13

Psalms 61, 62, 68

Romans 1:16-25

John 4:43-54

Once more he visited Cana in Galilee, where he had turned the water into wine.  And there was a certain royal official whose son lay sick at Capernaum.  When this man heard that Jesus had arrived in Galilee from Judea, he went to him and begged him to come and heal his son, who was close to death.  “Unless you people see signs and wonders,” Jesus told him, “you will never believe.”  The royal official said, “Sir, come down before my child dies.”  “Go,” Jesus replied, “your son will live.”

The man took Jesus at his word and departed.   John 4:46-50, NIV

The absolute faith of this royal official is striking, and I’ve wondered at times why he is not more commonly held up as an example. 

This man of apparently high status begs the carpenter’s son to come to Capernaum to heal his son.  Jesus’ reaction to the man’s plea betrays perhaps a little weariness with the people who are looking for miracles on demand, rather than truly seeking to know the Father.  But the official seems to wave off Jesus’ response, doggedly beseeching Jesus to hurry to Capernaum to save his son.  He hasn’t come for demonstrations- he already believes and is now begging for his son’s salvation.  In fact, he believes so strongly, that when Jesus tells him his son will live, the official does not insist that Jesus come to his son.  Rather he “took Jesus at his word” and leaves for Capernaum.

Where does the official’s great faith come from?  Was he at the wedding in Cana and a witness to Jesus’ first recorded miracle?  John doesn’t say, although he does note “this was now the second sign that Jesus did when he had come from Judea to Galilee.”  But the official doesn’t just demonstrate a belief that Jesus is capable of “signs and wonders;” he also shows great faith in Jesus’ compassion.  He is utterly confident that Jesus can and wants to perform this individual act of salvation. 

Lord, lead me to a faith as deep and strong as the royal official, to unwaveringly take Jesus at his Word, knowing he always delivers what he promises.

Karen Montgomery

Monday, February 25

Jeremiah 1:11-19

Psalms 56, 57, 58, 64, 65

Romans 1:1-15

John 4:27-42

Romans 1:11-12 "I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong —that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith."

My girlfriends and I have been known to call for a "huddle" in times where we are in need of some prayer.  That huddle is like a lifeline from each of us directly to God.  Knowing that someone is literally, "standing in the gap" (for more on that see Ezekiel 22:30) is a powerful encouragement.  Today, Paul is calling for a prayer huddle with the church in Rome.  He is saying, I know things are hard, and I REALLY want to be with you... but the time just isn't right.

I know God's timing is perfect. I keep telling myself that our new pastor/friend/priest/boss won't come one minute too soon or ten minutes too late... but some days are especially hard to buy that piece of real estate.  So I'm clinging to the promises that He has made us... Holding on for dear life to Zephaniah 3:17 "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with his love. He will rejoice over you with singing."  Or the one that I'm CLAIMING (claiming I tell you...) over Holy Spirit Episcopal Church.  Psalm 27:13, "I am CONVINCED, that I will see the goodness of the Lord, in the land of the living."

We are NOT a dying church - we are a church that has been pruned and is waiting for the goodness of the SUN with the coming of spring!  I feel like right now we look a bit like a crepe myrtle. You know the ones that my friends who are gardeners refer to as having been "crepe murdered" - we look stunted and awkward... But give us time and then watch us come into our own.  Having been pruned - we will be a healthier parish for this experience!

And fear not, sisters and brothers... He will bring us a faithful pastor. And not a moment too late!

Godspeed,

KariAnn Lessner

Dir. of Children’s and Family Ministries/Contemporary Worship Leader, Holy Spirit Episcopal Church

SECOND SUNDAY OF LENT

Sunday, February 24

Jeremiah 1:1-10
Psalms 8, 24, 29, 84
1 Corinthians 3:11-23
Mark 3:31-4:9 

As I was reading over the scriptures assigned for this day, a common thread was in many of them...God is great.  Our world today has lost the vision of the majesty of God.  We lack perspective.  Sin distorts our thoughts, making us larger than we ought to be and making God smaller than He is.  Therefore, our problems seem bigger than God, our plans seem better than His will, and our logic makes more sense to us than His WORD. 

Read Psalm 8…in particular Psalm 8:3-4 (NASB): 

When I consider Your heavens, the work of your fingers, The moon and the stars, which You have ordained; What is man that You take thought of him, And the son of man that You care for him?

Consider the frailty of our flesh.  When we see ourselves relative to God, we, along with David in this psalm, are amazed that God is even mindful of us.  This perspective reminds us of grace.  We are made by grace, saved by grace, sustained by grace, and completely dependent on grace.  The majesty of God’s name and the glory and honor for which He has crowned His fallen creatures, all of us people, are mind-blowing.  Understanding the greatness of God brings us back to sanity.  Our problems become smaller than God, our plans bow to His will, and our faulty logic submits to His Word. 

Observe the contrast between the majesty of the Almighty and the neediness of all of us.  Draw near to Christ.  He is calling.  See the miracle of grace.  Let God shape your perspective. 

Tina Davis

Parent, Holy Spirit Episcopal School

Saturday, February 23

Deuteronomy 11:18-28

Psalms 55, 138, 139

Hebrews 5:1-10

John 4:1-26

John 4:1-26

My NIV Student Bible has many explanatory notes (thank goodness) and one in particular makes the point that unlike Matthew, Mark, and Luke, where most of Jesus’ encounters are with groups and/or crowds.  John’s Gospel shows Jesus having one-on-one conversations, starting with Philip and a secret meeting with Nicodemus, a Pharisee.  But this reading is about Jesus’ one-on-one meeting and conversation with a promiscuous woman who also happens to be a Samaritan.

It seems certain that Jesus intentionally chose to go to Samaria since he took the short-cut from Jerusalem to Galilee which took him through Samaria – “usually avoided by Jews for over 700 years of religious and racial prejudice separated Jews from Samaritans” (The Lion Handbook of the Bible).  Upon arrival in Samaria, Jesus is hot, tired, and thirsty and stops at Jacob’s well.  As we know from our early Sunday School lessons, Jesus was the first to speak and asked for a drink of water.  The woman was astounded that he not only spoke to her, a woman, but to make matters worse, a Samaritan woman.  After some back-and-forth between them, Jesus said who he was and could give her “living water” and she would never be thirsty again.  The conversation then evolved into her personal life and promiscuity which prompted her to say, “Sir, I can see that you are a prophet” and “I know the Messiah is coming.”  This time Jesus’ response states explicitly who he is with one of his “I am” statements, “I who speak to you am he.”

Just think, this seemingly insignificant encounter resulted in many new converts, both from the woman’s testimony and Jesus’ own words.   Wouldn’t it be a real show of our own faith in Jesus if all of us at Holy Spirit could follow the Samaritan woman’s example? 

Virginia McGarvey

Friday, February 22
Deuteronomy 10:12-22
Psalms 40, 51, 54
Hebrews 4:11-16
John 3:22-36 

Psalm 51 v15 – “O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise” - sounds familiar doesn’t it?   The phase is used frequently in our liturgies.  However, for me it brings back most memories of countless Morning Prayer services in the days before the current practice of weekly Holy Eucharist.  In Morning Prayer it comes just after the Confession and before the Venite or Jubilate.

Somehow although we gain in Communion at the table I miss the beauty of the former, and now little used liturgies.  They had such beautiful flowing lyrics - in the Venite:

O come, let us worship and fall down,

and kneel before the Lord our Maker.

For he is the Lord our God,

and we are the people of his pasture

and the sheep of his hand.

Strange that after over 30 years of the new Prayer book I should be reminiscing over the change.  Change is inevitable, our culture demands change.  Our church is changing and adapting, in whole or in part, to developing social culture. If we do not accommodate the modern way we will lose out. 

That’s not to say we should throw the baby out with the bath water.  We do have to recognize, for example, that while methods of interactive communication have drastically changed, Christ’s message can be just as effective in a “Podcast” or a “Live Stream” and can be effectively heard in a coffee shop or bar in person or on an I-Pod. 

That’s not to say we can’t still enjoy the glory of the Morning Prayer, of course we can.  However, we also must accommodate the new social media and use it to further the message of Christ. 

John McGarvey

Thursday, February 21

Deuteronomy 9:23-10:5

Psalms 19, 46, 50, 59, 60

Hebrews 4:1-10

John 3:16-21

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him, shall but perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

This is the verdict:  Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. John 3:19

John 3:16 is of course one of the most well known verses in the bible. What struck me is that it is followed just a few verses later by John 3:19 that reminds us that men loved darkness instead of light.

We don't have to look far to see that men's deeds are indeed evil. Evil exists big time in this world, and we can't prevent the awful consequences of it no matter how armed or unarmed we are.

As Christians we are called to spread the truth about Jesus Christ so that others may know the truth and come into the light. But many of us prefer living by example as we attempt to stay in the light more than in the darkness, and that is good.

But perhaps we are called to reach out more and say or do something when we see family, friends or even strangers struggling with addictions and aggressive or destructive behaviors. We can step in to help on our own or enlist the help of the many organizations that are there to assist. And we can commit to daily prayer for all those involved.

Let us pray:

Lord, show me how and when to reach out to those who are troubled. Let me be bold in working to bring those in darkness into the light.

Amen.

Bernadette Ellis

Wednesday, February 20
Deuteronomy 9:13-21

Psalms 49, 53, 119:49-72

Hebrews 3:12-19

John 2:23-3:15

When it’s God that calls you stubborn, there is no denying it.  Humans are a “stiff-necked people indeed!”  We tend to focus on the beginning of the story of Moses.  That part where God uses his endless might to bring a powerful Pharaoh to his knees in order to free the Israelites.  We seem to forget about the part in which those same Israelites turn around in a matter of days and begin to worship a metallic effigy of livestock.  God, in understandable frustration, promises to dispose of these ridiculously thick individuals and find Moses some more suitably grateful followers.

At the cursory level, the moral of this story is simple: listen to God; don’t be stubborn.  While a wonderfully true statement, I don’t feel that this maxim quite captures all that his passage has to offer.

Tenacity is so often seen as foolish or pathetic.  How habitually have we been advised to “just let it go and move on?”  Has anyone ever told you “it’s just not worth your time?”  Perhaps out of fear, or simply out of habit, the Israelites were unable to “let go and move on” from false gods to the one true God.  Yet, if it weren’t for the courageous tenacity of Moses and his unwillingness to the let his people die, this story would have a far more abrupt ending.  Moses, in answer to the foolish stubbornness of the Israelites presented his own brand of tenacity and showed God that obstinacy can be both humanity’s weakness and strength.

And where would we as human beings be today if not for the stubbornness of our God?  If I’m being honest, I would have labeled humanity a failed experiment and given up on them within the first week of our creation.  But God didn’t. He buckled down and prepared for millennia of disappointment and heartbreak because tenacity is the hardest when it is the most worthwhile.

So when is it good to be stubborn?  It is good when we are sharing God’s word.  It is good when we are doing his work.  It is good when others doubt his plan for us.  It is good when we begin to question our own worth.  Whenever it is the least bit difficult to be a child of God, that is when we need to remind ourselves of just how stubborn we can be.

Lisa Ellis

Senior, Memorial High School

Tuesday, February 19

Deuteronomy 9:4-12

Psalms 45, 47, 48

Hebrews 3:1-11

John 2:13-22

John 2: 13-22

When Jesus entered Jerusalem and saw the extent to which the true purpose of the temple was being undermined, He took corrective action in very dramatic fashion.  The people of Israel had lost sight of God’s desire and had gone their own way.  When He told the parable of the temple being destroyed and then raised after three days, His true meaning was lost on those to whom he spoke.  They were oblivious to the fact that Jesus was referring to His own body and not the blocks of stone in front of them.  They could not or would not hear His words.  Even with 2,000 years separating us from these events, we find ourselves in a situation not wholly unlike that of the Israelites in Jesus’ time.  God speaks to us and oftentimes it is our nature to hear what we want to hear.  What we want is immeasurably inferior to what God intends, so we must learn from biblical accounts such as these to avoid the pitfalls to which our stubbornness can lead.

Mark Ramey, Jr.

Monday, February 18

Deuteronomy 8:11-20

Psalms 41, 44, 52

Hebrews 2:11-18

John 2:1-12

Psalm 44 starts with a long list of the great works God has done for Israel in the past. Then there is an even longer list of the sufferings they were currently experiencing. It ends in a plea, “Rise up, come to our help. Redeem us for the sake of your steadfast love.” My study Bible says that it is a group lament, and was most likely written during the Babylonian Exile.

I could really see myself in this psalm. There have been times when I felt just like the psalmist, especially during the years when I was suffering from depression. It is a very emotional outpouring. My version goes something like this:

“God, I love you, and I know you love me. I have experienced your work in my life. However, right now, things are just awful, and I can’t seem to find you anywhere. I haven’t forgotten you; and I am trying my best to follow your path, but God, this is all too much. It feels like you have forgotten me. I don’t think I can take much more! Where are you? Help me!”

Through it all, I know that God is there, even when I feel alone and lost. I depend on that “steadfast love.” Then, at some point, I find God again. Once again we walk down the path together and carry on long, rambling conversations.

And that is the most precious gift there is.

Susan Bowen

FIRST SUNDAY OF LENT

Sunday, February 17

Deuteronomy 8:1-10
Psalms 63, 98, 103
1 Corinthians 1:17-31
Mark 2:18-22  

I like to think of my daughter, Lauren, as our family's spiritual leader.   Though she's only seventeen, she has often initiated our involvement in things that have helped us to grow in our faith.  Lauren traveled to Africa last summer and though she was the only member of our family that actually made the journey, we've all been touched by her time there and the connections she made with people while visiting.  Lauren spent two weeks in Zambia volunteering at Camp Life.  Camp Life is a lot like VBS.  It offers children, many of them orphans, living in extreme poverty, an opportunity to spend a week in a safe, joy-filled environment.  They are loved on and fed well, something that for most does not happen near enough.  They are fed spiritually too, as Camp Life seeks to teach the Zambian children that God has a love for them that is strong and deep.  The experience provides an avenue for some children to find financial sponsorship.  This for many may ultimately be the key to their escape from poverty.  Families around the world that choose to sponsor a Zambian child make a commitment to give a monthly donation for years to come...a sacrifice, but for many in our country, it's a sacrifice that is hardly felt.  

I remember driving Lauren home from the airport the day I picked her up when she returned from Zambia.  She gazed out the window as we sped down the Beltway on our way home.  I could see that she was looking at the many homes, businesses, and restaurants that we were passing.  She didn't say a word, but softly began to cry.  I pulled off the road and hugged her tightly.  She sobbed, "We have so much here...it's just not fair." When we got home, Lauren showed us pictures and told stories that were not easy to see and hear.  There are times I wish I didn't know what life in Zambia is like for the children Lauren came to know and love.  If I didn't know, then the images Lauren shared might not creep into my mind when enjoying a pricey meal in a restaurant.  I might be tempted to look for a bigger, newer house.  I could possibly splurge on whatever my heart desires and not even think twice.  In Deuteronomy, Chapter 8, though, there is a simple, but powerful message that, along with my daughter's experience in Africa, reminds me that we are to think beyond ourselves in all that we do.  The chapter is titled in bold, Do Not Forget the Lord.  When we remember that our purpose here is to serve Him and that it is He who has provided for us abundantly, it becomes only natural to share our blessings with those that struggle in heartbreaking situations.

My prayer this Lenten season is this:  Lord, help us that each and every day, we might focus on three things...simplicity, sacrifice, and service.  In doing so, we will not forget you.  We will not forget your blessings nor the sacrifice that you made for us.  We will instead glorify your name as we love and care for one another.

Beth McGee

Saturday, February 16

Deuteronomy 7:17-26

Psalms 30, 32, 42, 43

Titus 3:1-15

John 1:43-51

 No Good - John 1:43-51

“Can anything good come out of Nazareth?”  This is the question that Nathanael asks when first urged by Philip to “come and see” Jesus.  Nathanael, without being in relationship with Jesus, finds him suspicious, at best.  He knows Nazareth and can’t possibly think of anything good that might come from such a place. 

What is the Nazareth in your life?

·    Our family has a 5-year-old friend who is currently battling a rare type of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma.  “Can anything good come out of childhood cancer?”

·    Our church, currently, seeks a new rector.  “Can anything good come out of all this waiting?”

·    Children living in the Third Ward experience hunger on a regular basis.  “Can anything good come out of childhood hunger?”

·    Ugandans live without a fresh water source.  “Can anything good come out of a place of thirst?”

·    Soldiers die far from home and we ask, “Can anything good come from fighting battles not easily won?”

·    Teens run away from home, only to be caught in the web of addiction, slavery and brokenness.  “Can anything good come from this darkness?”

·    Children die while in their classroom.  “Can anything good come from a massacre?”

·    The Son of Man was hung on a cross to die.  “Can anything good come from His crucifixion?”

Because we are Easter people, we can rejoice in finding the “yes” in all of life’s scenarios despite our ability to understand.  Yes, Jesus is with us no matter what circumstances abound.  Yes, Jesus shines a bright light into dark spaces.  Yes, Jesus shows up right on time.  As a community of faith, let’s rally each other to believe the “yes” even when we don’t understand, even when the world tells us “no.”

And like Philip in this story, let’s commit to share the “yes” with others and invite them to “come and see!”

Melissa Peter

Friday, February 15

Deuteronomy 7:12-16

Psalms 31, 35, 95

Titus 2:1-15

John 1:35-42

In today’s gospel reading, John tells of how John the Baptist recognized Jesus as the Messiah.  I have to believe his excitement was palatable.  This man, Jesus, was the manifestation of his entire ministry.  “Look, the Lamb of God.”  What an incredible declaration.  John the Baptist wanted not only his friends to know who this was, he wanted everyone, present and future, to know who he was.  And, he wanted us to follow him.  Those first disciples even called him, “Rabbi, which means teacher.”  They knew right off that Jesus had come to teach them something incredibly important.

In Paul’s letter to Titus, he is instructing Titus on what to teach the people of Crete.  Paul specifically lists older women, (my favorite part), older men, younger men and younger women and how they should act, and, most importantly, how they should act towards one another.

Jesus is still trying to teach us.  He wants us to follow his example.  Be good to one another and also continually be willing to declare that, “He is the Messiah.”  Paul takes great pains to teach Titus that everyone is included.  None of us is off the hook.

Figuring out the details is always the hard part. 

But, that is what Lent is all about.

Thanks be to God,

Jennie Perry

Thursday, February 14   

Deuteronomy 7:6-11

Psalm 37

Titus 1:1-16 
John 1:29-34

I’ll begin with a confession: I’m kind of an Old Testament snob. The history has never made sense. The names are a newscaster’s nightmare. If I want violence, there’s TV or the movies. In 15 years of writing Lenten or Christmas meditations, I imagine I’ve dealt with a New Testament reading just about every time.

Reboot!

Psalm 37 is one to bookmark or print out and put in places you’d look when the world starts ganging up. Almost everyone can find a verse or two, a passage or thought that will lighten the darkness.

A few of my favorites:

**Verse 28 – “The Lord loves what is right and does not abandon his faithful people.”

**Verse 21 – “The good man is generous with his gifts.”

**Verse 7 – “Don’t be worried about those who prosper or those who succeed in their evil plans.”

**Verse 16 – “The little that a good man owns is worth more than the wealth of all the wicked.”

**Verse 25 – “I have never seen a good man abandoned by the Lord or his children begging for food.”

Words to live by. Thoughts to be comforted by.

On this day of hearts and flowers and candy, happy Valentine’s Day.

Ed Spaulding

ASH WEDNESDAY

Wednesday, February 13

Jonah 3:1-4:11

Psalms 32, 95, 102, 130, 143

Hebrews 12:1-14

Luke 18:9-14

It was my first Mardi Gras in New Orleans as an “adult.”  I was an 18-year-old college freshman, making my way down Bourbon Street with a rugby team from San Diego my roommate and I met on the streetcar.  I was doing my best to appear cool and collected, but I was actually terrified.  As the hours wore on, my new pals were getting increasingly out of control.  There were so many people packed onto the French Quarter that, at times, my feet weren’t even touching the ground as we moved.  I was going along with the crowd not only figuratively but also literally.  All of a sudden, the crush of people became much worse.  I looked up and saw a line of policemen coming toward us on horseback, pushing the sea of people aside and yelling into their bullhorns, “Mardi Gras is over!  Get off the street now!”  It was midnight.  The police were clearing the way for the large mechanical street sweepers and garbage trucks that followed them.  Fat Tuesday was indeed over.  It was Ash Wednesday, and Lent had begun.  It was all very sobering.  We were swept off the street like dirt off a porch.

That has always been a powerful image for me, the dramatic moment at midnight when the Carnival season abruptly ended and Lent began.  It was also amazing to me that no matter how much filth there was to clean up that night, the job got done.  Lent is like that.  God gives us the opportunity to repent and reflect, to clean up our act.  No mess is too big.

Today’s readings remind us of not only of God’s justice and righteousness, but, most importantly, his abundant mercy.  God is always willing to forgive our transgressions.  He is always willing to give us a fresh start, whether we deserve it or not.  It is such an incredible gift.  Let us use this gift of Lent wisely.

Evelyn Snow