SCRIPTURE Luke 23:39-43 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” WORDS OF HOPE These few verses are found in Luke's account of Jesus' passion on the cross. He had been crucified with two thieves hung on crosses beside him. The holy Jesus had suffered the exhaustion of his betrayal, trial, torture and now the pain of being nailed to the cross. Death of his body was close at hand. And yet, he must endure ridicule from one of those thieves and many individuals who traveled by the site of the crucifixion. It seemed almost too much to deal with. Almost a time to curse and spit if there had been only enough energy left in his body. Maybe it's a time to sink within one's own body and shut out all the noise and evil action around. However, one of those thieves recognized Jesus' holy nature and pleaded that Jesus would remember his confession: "I have been condemned justly but this man (Jesus) has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus could have been consumed with his own agony, but instead, he responded to that thief: "Truly, I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise." There's a real lesson for us in these few verses. In times of deep pain and loss in our life, there usually are others around us who also are in agony and may not have an adequate relationship with God. They may not have the assurance of that divine loving presence which can lead them through the current trial. In such difficult and self-consuming moments, we are still servants of Christ, and still asked to witness to God's loving and forgiving care. It is during such moments, that our words and actions have their greatest strength to tell of divine grace. It is then that we can extend to others God's offer of peace to a weary humanity. As followers and proclaimers of the blessed love of God, never do we have the right to "crawl into our own shell of comfort" and ignore the pain of those around us! May we always take the example of Jesus' promise given to this dying thief. We can do no less than Jesus! PRAYER Gracious God, as we reflect on the example of Jesus' experience, strengthen us to be more faithful and consistent in our life's witness to your redeeming love. Open our eyes to the opportunities in which we can help others find you as a rich source of comfort and guidance for their life. May this week be filled with God-given opportunities for us to express God's love. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE John 13:31-35 At the last supper, when Judas had gone out, Jesus said, "Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews, so now I say to you, 'Where I am going, you cannot come.' I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." John 13:31-35 WORDS OF HOPE The passage above is most often associated with Maundy Thursday, as it is Jesus’s words to the disciples at the Last Supper. It was also the Gospel reading in the common lectionary for the Fifth Sunday after Easter. Why are we reading it again so soon? Because the words of Jesus here are important and worth repeating…over and over and over. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” I recently had an annual checkup with my cardiologist. In our general conversation, he was touting the benefits of The Mediterranean Diet. When I got home, I did a little research about what exactly is The Mediterranean Diet. The food components of this diet were not surprising—fruits and vegetables, whole grains, legumes, poultry, limited red meat and sweets—but I was pleasantly surprised by some of the information that was included in the more thorough articles, details of this “diet” that went beyond just what goes on the plate and into the mouth. The Mediterranean Diet is not a diet in the way that we have come to understand that word; rather, it is a lifestyle, a way of living that values and thrives on community and social engagement especially around meals, laughing often, moving “naturally” (not specifically intentional exercise, but walking in your daily life and getting up from in front of the TV and computer), and living simply. I realized that many people approach Christianity like they do the commonly held understanding of a diet. If I only consume the “right” things—read and inwardly digest the Bible—my faith life will be healthy and good. This approach fails to take into account how we are nourished by the food we eat and how we live outwardly as Christians every day. Focusing more on self rather than on community, it overlooks, or perhaps even ignores, the “new commandment” that Jesus gives to his disciples. The meal that Jesus and his disciples shared on their last night together is certainly important to the “diet” of our Christian faith, but our consumption of the bread and wine on Sunday morning is not all that there is to the story. The post-communion prayer in the Episcopal Church ends, “…Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart; through Christ our Lord.” The food that we consume is only one part of living a full and healthy life, spiritually or otherwise. We partake of the communion bread and wine to remind us of Jesus’s promises to us and to give of us nourishment and energy to do the work that Jesus has called us to do. The example and the commandment that Jesus left to his disciples is one of service, presence, and love. Jesus was fully present with them on that night. He washed their feet. He affirmed his love for them. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another…” So be it. PRAYER Blessed Jesus, you gave us this new commandment to love one another. Feed, nourish, strengthen, and guide me in my daily life so that everyone I encounter feels love and knows that I am your disciple. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR  Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE 1 Corinthians 1.30 By God’s doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption. WORDS OF HOPE There are days when I feel numb. Texas weather can do that to us. The days are getting warmer, heat is draining, and it can leave me feeling empty, waiting for the next good thing to happen. I avoid the news as a rule, especially these days. My opinion about too many things is easily reduced to how I’ll vote the next time there’s an election, but this isn’t a review about political ramblings. It’s about profound emotions that come and go with or without much effort. Emotions often exist as a summation of life experiences, the triumphs, and disappointments; the random joy, anger, and sadness that define life on earth. I confess I’m usually an optimistic brain type. Like Lady Gaga’s “Born That Way”. We have a certain predetermined overriding attitude that makes us naturally feel one way or the other. The recipe of chemicals within each of us that both gives us insight in our fellow Earthlings, and as ego determines, a microscopic glance into our often-predetermined moods. I like to think I’m in control of that, but am I? Truth is, I know too well what situations I’ve caused to happen, the failures and successes of personal history that brought me to this day, because of what my thoughts and actions create. I own my creation no matter how tough or how lax I’ve been on myself and I live the life I created and must face my own profound happiness, anger, and even sadness. Sometimes, I have to accept the fact that my mood is the sum-total of randomness, much like the weather. The Texas heat is the “Sun total” of its ability to give life, sustain it, and by a scientifically measurable way, offer us nourishment. The Son of God does the same. Christ is not a time traveler, but a voice for all time. Christ’s wisdom and insight into our humanity is profundity in itself. The mystery of the Word that became flesh, offering his example of living, and becoming our redeemer is a wonderful, but abstract idea, giving a path of hope, helping us deal with the unexplained or the follies of living. If we dare listen to that Word, we are given God’s Door for an exit; an exit from emotional strife, dependency, sadness, the complexities of life and the ability to let go of the tiny details and embrace simplicity itself. To love, to forgive, to create, and embrace the most elusive thing granted to all of us, to calm down and simply BE. PRAYER Thank you that, regardless of environments, circumstances, or the state of our current emotional lives, your love and wisdom are always there to guide us and to redeem us. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE Romans 8.26  In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit intercedes for us through wordless groans. WORDS OF HOPE I am by my own admission and the admission of others, an absolutely atrocious wrapper of presents. When I was younger, I somehow or another was able to do an incredible job. But as I’ve grown older, I seem to have lost that skill. I’m not sure why or how. Today is cellophane tape day. Once upon a time cellophane was the brand name in the United States for what we now commonly referred to as Scotch tape. But over time the word became genericized because of its use to describe all forms of such tape. But in the United Kingdom, that trademark has held. And so, it was in the Harry Potter books there was a substance called Spellotape which could be used to fix many of the problems that the wizarding world experienced. This was changed to Scotch tape in the American version of the book and the pun was lost. So, while I wish I had spellotape to slap onto my gifts so that they would be repaired in the wrapping, this does not exist. My wrapping is helped by tape. It holds the paper together, wrinkled, perhaps torn, perhaps patched. And even when I manage to recreate the great job I did when I was younger, tape is the essential substance that holds it all together. It is what makes the gift at look presentable. I think the Apostle Paul in the passage above and then several other passages throughout the New Testament, sees the Holy Spirit in a similar way. Sometimes, if we only try to use the gifts God has given us, we still don’t manage to look like a perfect package. We have good days. We have our bad days. And we have those days when we manage to do a great job of being God’s representative here on earth. But regardless of how we present ourselves, the Holy Spirit holds us, wrinkled, perhaps torn, perhaps patched. But still a gift of God. PRAYER Gracious and merciful God, thank you for the Holy Spirit, the comforter who keeps us together in our hardest times and in our roughest times and in our best times. Allow us to let the Spirit do its work so that we may do your work upon the Earth. I’m in. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare

SCRIPTURE Matthew 17:20 NIV He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” WORDS OF HOPE The Angel in the Mirror What would happen if we removed the toxic people from our lives, encouraged ourselves, and understood that God was intentional when God made us? Would we then have any reason to ever be jealous of others, be overly critical of ourselves, sabotage our own success, or have a negative outlook on life? What is underneath the insecurity that plagues so many of us? We can see the consequences of it and may even be able to give good quality advice to others, but when it comes to taking that advice for ourselves or dealing with our own insecurity, we often shy from the thought of facing ourselves. “The mirror never lies” is an old saying that many of us know very well. It suggests that our eyes can see the truth when it is shown to us. When we look at ourselves, however, we doubt, lack self-confidence, and fail to understand our own worth. Although we may see with our eyes, it is with the heart that a person believes. Thus, it is our hearts that have the final say on how we feel about ourselves. Every insecurity has a heart condition attached to it, for our ability to love or hate ourselves has to do with our emotional wellness. So then, how does the sick become healthy and how do we look in the mirror and love the person staring back at us? We try. Every tree starts out as a small seed before it grows into its full size. By itself, the seed won’t do anything. It must be planted, watered daily, and given lots of light. Even then, progress is slow and small. Slowly, but surely, it grows roots, becomes a small sprout, gets taller and taller, until it is at last a huge tree with many branches and much fruit. If you cut it down, if you stop watering it, and if you refuse to give it light, then you will never know the greatness of your seed. You don’t have to understand your worth all at once, but in time, your seed can become a forest. PRAYER Great I Am, You see us. Though we hide in the darkness of our own sorrows and cut ourselves with blades of our own making, You see us. Even though we have been blinded by our failures and made deaf from the screams of our critics, You say, “I have made you in my own image.” Help us overcome, for we will remember You and praise Your name. If we are Your children, then grant us the grace to believe the truth, for nothing hidden will stay hidden. Even Your love towards us, we cannot deny. Shine Your light so that we may see. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR  Jonathon McClellan Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE John 7. 1-9 Jesus was staying in Galilee. He did not wish to go to Judea because the Jewish leaders were looking for an opportunity to kill him. Now, the Jewish festival of Booths was near. So, his brothers said to him, “Leave here and go to Judea so that your disciples also may see the works you are doing; for no one who wants to be widely known acts in secret ... WORDS OF HOPE Does your family tell you what to do with your life? Today’s Scripture reading is a good indication that Jesus’ family sometimes did. We know that the brothers referenced are indeed his blood relations, not his spiritual family. We often use the terms “brothers and sisters” today for other members of the Christian community but, it is clear that there is a distinction made here between “Brothers” and “Disciples”, one as Jesus’ birth family and the other as his followers. I am always fascinated by the prospect of growing up in the same house with Jesus as an actual brother. The few times the Gospels ever refer to Jesus’ at-home relationships, we get a good idea that his siblings were not his fanboys. Proximity does not equal closeness and his siblings never seemed to have much of a clue as to who he was or what his purpose might be. Since they were related to him however, they felt it was their family duty to tell him to do what they determined was best for him. Sound familiar? They certainly had a good idea that their brother was extraordinary. When they speak of his works, we know they must have witnessed him doing some pretty amazing things around the house and they became impatient, not understanding why he was hanging around the old town and not seeking fame and fortune in the big city…especially during a huge festival where he was certain to have a large audience. Shouldn’t someone with his gifts want to become “widely known”? He was sure to bring fame to the whole family! Sure, the jealous Jewish leaders were busy plotting his death, but wouldn’t the prospect of being famous be worth taking the chance? The difference between us and Jesus is that we never read about him throwing a tantrum and yelling, “It’s MY life!” at his meddling brothers. He knew who he was even if they didn’t. That is the lesson he still teaches us. Our families are always generous with advice, some of it actually good, and we should be grateful for their intentions, but if we follow Jesus, we should already know the way that is right for us. He did tell us to love all of our neighbors, even the ones who are related to us. Besides, some of them are good cooks. PRAYER Help us to love and appreciate our families, both of birth and of choice. May we remember that all of us are the beloved children of the same Divine Parent. Give us the patience of Jesus. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

READING “If a bullet should enter my brain, let that bullet shatter every closet door.” Harvey Milk WORDS OF HOPE It is ironic that this morning, when I am called to write a devotion that comes out on Harvey Milk Day, I read a NYTimes article on a Pee Wee Herman documentary shown at Sundance this January. Essentially, Paul Reubens, the actor who eventually took on the persona of Herman, speaks of getting involved with an attractive man in the 70’s, moving in and beginning an intimate relationship, but then, feeling that he was losing his identity, ended that relationship, and decided to go back in the closet. According to Mark Harris, “The shock is that, out of what he acknowledges was “self-hatred” and “self-preservation,” as well as ambition and the practical impossibility of surviving as an out Saturday-morning children’s star in the 1980s, he hid his true self even from many close associates and friends.” (NYTimes, May 12, 2025) Harvey Milk, on the other hand, was a visionary civil and human rights leader who was one of the first openly gay elected officials in the United States when he won a seat on the San Francisco Board of Supervisors in 1977. “Milk’s unprecedented loud and unapologetic proclamation of his authenticity as an openly gay candidate for public office, and his subsequent election gave never before experienced hope to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) people everywhere at a time when the community was encountering widespread hostility and discrimination.”* One of his successes was mobilizing to defeat Proposition 6, a California ballot initiative which would have mandated the firing of teachers who were openly gay. Milk felt strongly that we had to come out to fight for our rights: “We are coming out to fight the lies, the myths, the distortions. We are coming out to tell the truths about gays, for I am tired of the conspiracy of silence, so I’m going to talk about it. And I want you to talk about it. You must come out.” Milk received regular death threats and knew that with the animus in some circles there was the possibility of his getting killed. One of the multiple copies of his will includes a directive “in case of my assassination” and included the quotation at the beginning of this reflection. On November 27, 1978, Dan White, a disgruntled former city supervisor, assassinated both ally-mayor George Moscone and Harvey Milk. But instead of curtailing the LGBT+ movement, it helped fuel greater commitment to claiming our rights. The juxtaposition of these two stories-- along with the resurgence of intolerance and hostility particularly toward the transgender community fueling the passage of bills and executive actions-- has raised the possibility of some people feeling the necessity of going back into the closet or not risking coming out. And this morning I worry that we will harshly judge folks who feel that they need to choose safety. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I want us to be loud and proud, to speak and write, and to advocate and protest for our rights. But I don’t want to see what has happened in some circles about the Israeli-Arab crisis—the labeling of anyone who does not support Israel 100 percent, no questions asked, as anti-semitic. As followers of Jesus, we must give each other more respect, care, and love than that. PRAYER Justice Loving God who created each of us “fearfully and wonderfully,” help us push back against all that would oppress and turn back the progress we have made. And help us honor and support each other –even when our choices about whether we can live out loud and proud-- are different. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR  Dr. Pat Saxon

SCRIPTURE Leviticus 19:13-14 “You shall not defraud your neighbor; you shall not steal; and you shall not keep for yourself the wages of a laborer until morning. You shall not revile the deaf or put a stumbling block before the blind; you shall fear your God: I am the Lord.” WORDS OF HOPE These are part of the commandments given in Leviticus that are often overlooked by people with only a cursory understanding of the Holy Scriptures. They are often dismissed as the Levitical Code and relegated to something only the priests followed, and indeed a lot of Leviticus is arcane and not particularly relevant to today’s world. Yet there is wisdom here that is tough to overlook. We live in a world where stealing and defrauding workers seems to be a “business model” and keeping money as long as possible and as much as possible is a national pastime. Maybe it’s time we took some of the scriptural commandments to heart and rather than just posting them on walls, we tried to understand their meaning. That last line in particular sounds like a biblical version of DEI. Funny how thousands of years ago the writers of this book knew it was morally wrong to make things inaccessible to those with disabilities. Inclusion and equity is the message of Jesus as well. He didn’t turn people away because they looked different or had disabilities or were outcasts of society. He opened the way for them and welcomed them with open arms. I am reminded of a friend of mine when I was growing up had polio. His family had built a swimming pool in their back yard so he could do exercises in the water and improve his muscle condition as he recovered from the disease. Swimming pools were a rare luxury in the 1950’s and my friend was generous. He welcomed me and my friends over to his house to swim whenever he was there. He modeled grace, even though he was profoundly disabled, and I never saw his disability as something to be shunned. PRAYER God of many names, may we deal fairly with all we come in contact with, and may we use our skills and actions to remove stumbling blocks to your grace. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR  Hardy Haberman

SCRIPTURE Ephesians 4: 21-24 (NLT) Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. WORDS OF HOPE I was ten years old when I chose to become a Christian. I thought I would automatically think and act like the new person I was supposed to be. That idea did not last long. I still had some pretty uncharitable thoughts. I was still tempted to lie when I thought it would be to my advantage. In short, I discovered following Christ meant I had to put some effort into being Christ-like. Over time, I learned that it is definitely worth the effort. I also learned that the "Jesus Way" makes my life easier and more rewarding. My brother Butch told me an interesting story illustrating how this works in everyday life. He was approached by a customer looking for something in the department next to his. He had just received a message that his supervisor wanted to talk with him, but he decided to help the customer first. Together he and the customer located what was needed, but a necessary component was on a top shelf. He was about to search for a ladder to access it when "George," the person in charge of that department, returned. Butch showed him what the customer needed and asked if George would finish helping the customer so Butch could respond to his supervisor. "You have a ladder in your department. Get it, and help the customer yourself," George responded sharply. Butch admitted he had several thoughts about things to say or do. Still, he recalled that he had prayed that morning for God to guide him in all his interactions that day. So, he said, "OK," and helped the customer. The next day, he prayed for God's guidance and grace as he started his day. He specifically asked God to help him deal kindly with the troublesome co-worker. Towards the end of the day, Butch saw an opportunity to finish cleaning and tidying his area early. Then he went to George and said, " I've finished early in my area. Can I help you with anything?" Astounded, George said, "I have never had anyone offer to help me, especially after how I treated you yesterday." He apologized for his behavior. Butch accepted the apology and said he had often needed grace from others too. Together they attacked the tasks in George's department. Now, they help each other when they can. That story illustrates the "Jesus Way" pretty well, as I see it. It is easier to meet an unpleasant encounter gracefully if you have started your day in communion with God. Notice that I did not say that my brother, the "Christian" in this story, is a role model for all to follow. He is not. He is human and my brother, so I know there are plenty of other times he has been the one in need of grace. And God is always there for him, granting grace as needed. I love the story because it reminds me that God can create some delightful endings from the mess in our daily lives. We don't have to quit our jobs to serve God, and we don't have to speak from a pulpit to deliver a powerful message. PRAYER Beloved God, Thank you for providing encouragement through our fellowship with one another. Thank you for your infinite grace and for making our lives better. Help us to remember that every person we encounter and every situation is an opportunity to practice love and grace, as you have taught us. Multiply your love through us. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Carole Anne Sarah