Monday - January 13, 2025

SCRIPTURE Ephesians 4:1-3 (The Message) In light of all this, here’s what I want you to do. While I’m locked up here, a prisoner for the Master, I want you to get out there and walk—better yet, run!—on the road God called you to travel. I don’t want any of you sitting around on your hands. I don’t want anyone strolling off, down some path that goes nowhere. And mark that you do this with humility and discipline—not in fits and starts, but steadily, pouring yourselves out for each other in acts of love, alert at noticing differences and quick at mending fences. WORDS OF HOPE Get Going and Use the Gifts You’ve Got! The writings of the Apostle Paul come alive in this contemporary paraphrase of the New Testament by American pastor, Eugene Peterson. There is an importance, an urgency to these words. They call us to the task of living out our journey on the path that the early disciples simply named, “The Way.” It is the path God calls you to travel. Where does that road go? It is a journey that is unique for everyone, yet similar. Whatever our gifts, we are to “pour ourselves out for each other in acts of love.” We are admonished to see beyond differences and quickly mend fences. Wow! Does that sound relevant and needed today! Verses 4-6 continue, “You were all called to travel on the same road and in the same direction, so stay together, both outwardly and inwardly. You have one Master, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who rules over all, works through all, and is present in all. Everything you are and think and do is permeated with Oneness.” Then, just when you think Paul’s message is describing some overly homogenized social melting pot, there is verse 7: “But that doesn’t mean you should all look and speak and act the same. Out of the generosity of Christ, each of us is given his own gift.” You may be struggling right now, but don’t ever succumb to the falsehood that you don’t have gifts that this world needs. Cultivate the discipline of a grateful heart. Offer loving kindness to someone who is ignored or rejected. Be the hands and feet of Christ through service, compassion, speaking up, and taking a stand when it matters. We can’t fix everything or save everyone. God doesn’t expect us to. God expects us to use the gifts we were given to bring hope and light to troubled people in tough places. Get going, and remember to use the gifts you’ve got! PRAYER Dear Jesus who loves us, help us we pray, to use what we have, be who we are, and follow Your Way. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist drgk.org

SCRIPTURE Matthew 19:13-14 Then people brought little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them and pray for them. But the disciples rebuked them. Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” WORDS OF HOPE Images of child labor populate the fiction of Romantic and Victorian England in works such as William Blake’s “The Chimney Sweeper” and several of Charles Dickens’ novels including David Copperfield. With the surge of industrialization, children often had their innocence stolen by harsh, abusive, and perilous situations. While his father was in debtors’ prison, Dickens himself worked 10 to 12 hours a day, separated from his family in unhealthy conditions in Warren Blacking Factory. In his autobiography he described the place as "a crazy, tumbledown house with rotten floors and staircase, dirty and decaying, with rats swarming down in the cellar.” https://editions.covecollective.org/content/memory-trauma-and-poverty-child-labor-charles-dickenss-david-copperfield Today, World Day against Child Labor, tragically highlights that this deplorable situation still exists across the globe. Though the UN adopted a goal of ending child labor by 2025, some 160 million youth are subject to the practice, some of the worst manifestations of which are slavery, forced labor, trafficking, and the recruitment of children in military service. * In the US in 2025, states are going in both directions—with some strengthening protections and others loosening. For example, in January Illinois limited the number of hours that children and youth can work during a school week to 18 and blacklisted certain types of employment: cannabis dispensaries, the adult entertainment industry, gambling establishments, and gun ranges. **As well, harsher penalties for violations will be enforced. On the other hand, according to the Economic Policy Institute, lawmakers this year proposed legislation in Florida, Kentucky, and Ohio that would undermine federal laws on child labor, minimum wage, and worker health and safety protections. “These proliferating state challenges to federal law are laying the groundwork for more extreme and dangerous Project 2025 proposals to allow employers across the country to hire children for hazardous jobs or to allow states to opt out of various federal labor standards like the minimum wage.”*** Texas child labor policies are actually quite extensive and can be found at the link below.**** EPI lists Texas as one of 14 states which had enacted stronger policies for protection in the years 2021-2024, but did not list specific ways for the states. Of course, enforcement of the statutes is crucial. Given the weak enforcement of safety in the foster care system, neglect in labor enforcement might be suspected as well. Deitrich Bonhoeffer once said that “the test of the morality of a civilization is what it does for its children.” The young are one of our most vulnerable populations and more easily controlled and exploited. Any endangerment or violation of them--physically, psychologically, mentally, spiritually-- should wound us all and stir us to justice seeking. Jesus reserved some of his harshest statements for those who harmed children: In Matthew 18: 6 he asserts, “If anyone causes one of these little ones…to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.” Let all who have ears, let them hear and take heed. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon  *https://www.humanresourcesonline.net/un-calls-for-urgent-action-as-world-misses-2025-goal-to-end-child-labour **https://www.newsweek.com/child-labor-laws-changed-five-states-2008126 ***https://www.epi.org/blog/coordinated-attacks-on-state-labor-standards-are-laying-the-groundwork-for-dangerous-project-2025-proposals-to-undermine-all-workers-rights/ ****https://www.twc.texas.gov/sites/default/files/fdcm/docs/whcl-75s-twc.pdf

SCRIPTURE Mark 6.47-51 Later that night, the boat was in the middle of the lake, and Jesus was alone on land. He saw the disciples straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Shortly before dawn he went out to them, walking on the lake. He was about to pass by them, but when they saw him walking on the lake, they thought he was a ghost. They cried out, because they all saw him and were terrified. Immediately, he spoke to them and said, “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” Then he climbed into the boat with them, and the wind died down. They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened. WORDS OF HOPE I love the writing style of the author of the Gospel of Mark. Following the life of Jesus, Mark continually reports the most remarkable of events in the most casual of manners. He also writes in succinct, competent news reporter terms, sharing only the facts without long commentaries. He would never be able to find a job on the national networks today. His favorite word is “immediately”. He never dwells on anything at length or troubles us with superfluous details. That is not true with Matthew, Luke, or John who each had a specific agenda for selected audiences. Mark just reports the news. In the above story, Jesus notices the disciples’ difficulty with the oars but is in no hurry to reach out to them. Later, he casually walks on the water to check out the situation and is about to stroll on by when he hears cries of anguish and fear from the boat. We are informed that the men are believers in ghosts, which heightens their fear, so “immediately” Jesus calms down first his friends and then the storm. Mark concludes that the amazed boat crew, as usual, does not have any spiritual understanding of what had happened, even though they had just witnessed Jesus feeding thousands of hungry people from a basket of bread and fish. They readily speculate that the apparition on the lake is a ghost but, are unable to accept the conspicuous fact that they are in the presence of God. Are our hearts hardened these days? Are we so weary of sensationalized news or political party reports that it takes not just a storm, but a tsunami to wake us up to the presence of God in our lives? If this story teaches us anything, it is that God is ever present, always aware, hears our cries, and then moves as God moves. Mark, in his succinct accounts, never gives us a detailed formula for gaining immediate access to God. He simply states that in any situation, God is always there beside us. Isn’t that enough? PRAYER May I always remember the many storms that have been stilled in my life and that you are unfailingly there beside me for the next one. Amen DEVOTION  Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. WORDS OF HOPE At our last meeting, our Cathedral of Hope small group was discussing the state of things in our city, state, country, and the world. Instead of spiraling into despair, we had a serious discussion about what we as individuals or as a small group can realistically do to make our world a better place not just for us but for everyone. We came to the conclusion that we will do the best we can to be conduits of God’s love wherever we find ourselves. Today is “Be A Miracle In Someone’s Life Day.” One definition of miracle is, “a highly improbable or extraordinary event, development, or accomplishment that brings welcome consequences.” As I thought about our group’s conversation and this definition, I was struck by the realization that in today’s world, acts of kindness and caring amongst strangers seems like a miracle of sorts. Maybe our group description of ourselves as conduits of God’s love can be expanded to include miracle workers. Maybe through our acts of sharing God’s love with friends and strangers alike, hearts will be softened, voices will be heard, barriers will be removed, and unity will have a chance. Our constant prayer is for such a miracle. If each of us becomes mindful of the needs of others and does the Gospel work of offering help and support to our neighbors, miracles will happen. Though no single one of us can “fix” things on our own, our individual acts of compassion, generosity, and kindness will combine and form a positive ripple in our world. That is the miracle of God’s love. Our group is a group of twelve. (The significance of that number is not lost on us.) We have made a commitment to ourselves, one another, our community, and our God to share God’s love at all times, to make the ripples, to believe that we can be a part of making miracles happen. Our hope is that each of you will join with us. Together we can make small ripples into tidal waves. “We impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit…” PRAYER In the words of the psalmist, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity.” (Psalm 133:1). May our work, prayers, and love become the stuff of miracles. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE  Psalm 48:9-10 Within your temple, O God, we meditate on your unfailing love. Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. WORDS OF HOPE In this season of flowers and rain God's amazing majesty is overwhelming. Watching the rain fall and seeing the Earth refreshed is such a special feeling. Nothing compares to a Spring shower. As we were waiting for guests to arrive at the DeGolyer house a few weeks ago, we kept the front door open so we could enjoy the majestic rainfall out in the Arboretum beyond our doors! The display was spectacular! Soft gentle rains at first, but later the loud claps of thunder reminded us that God's blessings sometimes come gently and other times the rains and blessings pour down at an enormous force. And for those of us in Texas, we know that after the Spring rains, and storms, there will be a long stretch of dry season! We learn to be thankful for each shower. Thankful for the moisture and thankful when it is just moisture and not destructive winds or hail or tornadoes! And we must learn to have fortitude and patience through the long dry spell that is likely ahead! My smartest neighbors do not battle with nature, they have native plants and don't try to defy Texas weather by planting a lawn that won't survive our weather without constant watering! But most of us still try to produce a green carpet out front and moan how hard it is to keep it pretty. Ours was planted when we moved to our house 22 years ago, so we go with it. But it is a battle against nature most of the growing season! Our lives are like the weather also! There are times when it seems God's blessings come in abundance. We are filled with joy and gratitude for all the beautiful gifts and other times there are periods when it seems we lose friends to death and long term illnesses and struggles and life becomes a challenge. Just like the long rain drought in Texas, we must remain faithful and continue to praise God for past blessings and future blessings even when we are not feeling those showers of blessings right at that moment. We can keep watering our thirsty lawns of our lives and remain faithful and remember to meditate on God's unfailing love and praise God during rain or drought! PRAYER God of gentle rain and raging storm and droughts, help us to be faithful whatever season of our life we find ourselves going through. You are always with us and blessing us even when we don't always realize we are receiving your daily blessings of life and breath. DEVOTION AUTHOR Jan Nunn CoH Volunteer