Friday, March 8 

Jeremiah 11:1-8, 14-20

Psalms 88, 91, 92

Romans 6:1-11

John 8:33-47

Psalm 92 – from the Message

“What a beautiful, God, to give thanks, to sing on them to you, the High God! To announce your love to each day break, sing your faithful presence all through the night. Accompanied by dulcimer and harp, the full-bodied music of strings”

I have just returned from a trip to Mexico for the funeral of a very long friendship friend – I was in Guadalajara with her husband, 4 children and 5 of 8 grandchildren – I felt it would be a very sad experience, but discovered a great camaraderie among all there – a loving wonderful thing (Marcy, I followed it). The service was at St. Marks Anglican Church and Debbie (eldest daughter) had sung with the Jalisco Choral before, and somehow on one days notice, they came – Director and all. After a lovely service, they broke into the “Alleluia Chorus.”  Not a dry eye but rising to our feet – arms lifted, “joy!!!”

“What a beautiful, God, to give thanks,

to sing an anthem to you, the High God!”

Lynn Mather

Thursday, March 7

Jeremiah 10:11-24

Psalms 42, 43, 85, 85

Romans 5:12-21

John 8:21-32

  Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

John 8:31-32 (NRSV)

As I read the bible, I’m always struck by verses that are commonly heard in conversation, but not necessarily attributed to the bible or Jesus.

I have heard (and thought about) the “truth setting you free” because when you are honest, it simplifies your life, as the truth stands alone, but lying requires a great deal of work, and planning,  and leads to more lies and ultimately loss of trust and damaged relationships, at the least.

But it is important for me to remember that Jesus had a lot more in mind when he spoke of “truth.”

Jesus was telling me about himself as the “Truth,” that he can free me from the sins that wear me down, if I’ll just try to know him and keep trying, even when it’s hard. 

Jesus also wants me to know the truth of who I am.  That God made me and loved me so much that he sent Jesus to die for my sins so that I could feel his grace. 

Jesus wants us to know that whatever we are suffering from --  bitterness, pain, sadness, guilt or anything else that is holding us captive, he came to free us from that.  With the Truth.

Melonye Suarez

Wednesday, March 6

Jeremiah 8:18-9:6

Psalms 81, 82, 119:97-120

Romans 5:1-11

John 8:12-20

Thoughts on the Light of the World

Lent that time without chocolate, booze and coffee but I try to keep my fasting a secret between God and myself. The end arrives on Easter morning and for members of Holy Spirit choir the fasting continues but it is a fasting from blissful sleep.  An early drive to church which I suppose is compensated for slightly by an almost empty freeway, a quick donning of robes, a bit of a warm up and a climb of the stairs to a dark church.

Then it happens.  Light, ethereal candlelight, one flame seems to light the whole church far more effectively than the customary many electric bulbs.  The early morning rise makes sense, I am here to worship Jesus my Savior and friend.  My mind might at times be full of darkness, doubts and indecision but on occasions, such as the lighting of the Paschal candle for a moment the nonsense of faith makes sense. Christ is close, his light can enter my heart and stay there.

The metaphor of the Pascal candle is strong.  The last time I saw it was three years ago. I may never see it again but I have the memory and with it memories of the Holy Spirit church family. May Christ continue to work in us as beacons of light in within our church family and surrounding communities.

Jane Brown

Tuesday, March 5

Jeremiah 7:21-34
Psalm 78
Romans 4:13-25
John 7:37-52

Today’s readings, or at least three of the four, have a theme of foreboding, of warning, which given our time in the Lenten calendar is appropriate.  The writer of the 78th Psalm tells us he will be speaking in parables (hmm…who does that sound like?) and then proceeds to retell the story of the ancestors’ willful missteps from the time of Moses up to the time of David.  Jeremiah stands at the door of Solomon’s Temple and shouts out to the people that they might as well just take all that meat they are sacrificing and eat it, because they are breaking so many of Yahweh’s laws that their sacrifices are not going to matter.  And Jesus is wrapping up one of his first very controversial lecture series at the Feast of the Tabernacles, bringing many to the faith…and causing the chief priests and the Pharisees to begin their fear and distrust in him to grow.

For those of us who love Paul, the fourth reading is a relatively (if uncharacteristically) gentle explanation to his fellow Romans about the concept of faith.  Perhaps there was a more common understanding of the story of Abraham and how he came to be a father at such a great age, that he is the focus of this example of true faith.  He speaks of the fact that even though Abraham and Sarah were so incredibly old, that they believed that God/Yahweh could make happen what he promised, which was counted to them as faith.  Paul neatly ties this faith righteousness to those who choose to believe that Jesus is Lord and was raised from the dead for us all.

I encourage you to read these readings – the Weeping Prophet, the Psalmist of Asaph, the Beloved, and Paul – we are reminded (or should be) that our lives and our actions and our true intentions all have consequences; some that are mete in this life, and some that will be mete in the next. 

“…so the next generation would know the, even the children yet to be born, and they in turn would tell their children. Then they would be their trust in God and would not forget his deeds but would keep his commands.”   Psalm 78:6-7

Peace!

Vicki Cravens

Monday, March 4

Jeremiah 7:1-15

Psalms 77, 79, 80

Romans 4:1-12

John 7:14-36

“…make your face to shine upon us that we may be saved.”

- Psalm 77

The psalmist’s cry in the midst of his frustration and despair, the chorus of the psalm, is that the Lord God would shine His face upon the people in order that they might be delivered and restored from their troubles.  The image that is written on my heart when I hear this refrain is one of an adoring father looking lovingly at his young child.  He is filled with so much love and joy that his face shines, and, in return, the child’s face shines, too.

The psalmist does not come to God with a list of requests, as I so often do.  He does not ask God for this or that.  The psalmist reminds us that all we truly need is to look to the face of our adoring Father.

“The Lord bless you, and keep you:

The Lord make his face to shine upon you,

and be gracious unto you:

The Lord lift up his countenance upon you,

and give you peace.”

Laura Nachtigall

Faculty, Holy Spirit Episcopal School