Monday - June 2, 2025
Jonathon McClellan
SCRIPTURE
Proverbs 26:20 NIV
Without wood a fire goes out.
WORDS OF HOPE
The Serenity of Silence
Silence is not the absence of chaos but the presence of control. Rage is chaotic, so too is lust; neither of which need sound to be present. To quiet the storms in our hearts, we need only bring order to the confusion. One can only stay silent by showing restraint. A teacher should instruct by considering what she or he says.
Every manner of thought passes through the mind, every kind of emotion is felt in the heart, but if each thought were said and every emotion expressed, then even in sleep there would be no rest. Silence bridals the tongue and reins in the heart. It does not always stop the fire within, but it keeps the fire from spreading.
Consider silence when you do not know what to say. It is better to say nothing than it is to say the wrong thing. How good it is to sleep in peace. It is hard to sleep under a bridge while a train is passing by. Likewise, let your words offer the listener rest and try your best not to argue. Anger without control ruins relationships but anger with control sees the end of it.
There are times when we cannot stay silent, for a pot will boil over if the lid is kept on for too long. However, if we are patient and wise, then we will choose the manner in which we speak and the time. Many monks meditate in silence. Some have found silence so valuable that they even take a vow of silence, meaning that they live their entire lives without speaking.
Perhaps, this is the reason why they never go to war. How can there be a fire with nothing to burn or how can there be an argument without words? Quiet places are quite peaceful. There is music all around us, and we can only hear it if we are listening.
PRAYER
Gentle Spirit,
Teach us wisdom. Help us to understand. Some of us do not know peace. Grant us the serenity of silence. Let our minds be at rest and our hearts be still. Bless You, for always making a way. Amen.
DEVOTION AUTHOR
Jonathon McClellan
Order of St Francis and St. Clare
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SCRIPTURE Ecclesiastes 9.12-18 For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel net, and like birds caught in a snare, so mortals are snared at a time of calamity, when it suddenly falls upon them. I have also seen this example of wisdom under the sun, and it seemed important to me. There was a little city with few people in it. A great king came against it and besieged it, building great siege works against it. Now there was found in it a poor, wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that poor man. So, I said, ‘Wisdom is better than might; yet the poor man’s wisdom is despised, and his words are not heeded.’ The quiet words of the wise are more to be heeded than the shouting of a ruler among fools. Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one bungler destroys much good. WORDS OF HOPE I came across the above passage while searching for some Bible references to quiet. There are many, and many that we are probably well aware. But this one was new to me. And the thing that struck me, the most was the short parable in the center about the small city. Admittedly, there is a contradiction that I do not understand where it first says that the wise man’s wisdom delivered the city, and then it says his words were not heeded. Clearly, the city was delivered; someone listened to the wise man. But the words of the wise man delivered the city from the siege. Nonetheless, the last four lines are words that I’m sure we should heed. Quiet words of wisdom not only are effective, not only are useful, but are also comforting. We are in a stage of time where shouts from all directions create such a cacophony of anger and distain for others that we do not hear the quiet words of wisdom. And not just those words of wisdom from outside ourselves. We can also miss those quiet words of wisdom within ourselves; that still small voice that that calls us to be the best, or at least to try to do the best that we can with what we have. Each of us has life experiences, stores of knowledge and internalized wisdom that gives us the ability, hopefully, to discern wisdom versus folly. So, I encourage you today to take some time, maybe even set aside time for several days to listen to the quiet voices, whether they are within or without. Do not let the shouting drown out the wisdom that you know you have. PRAYER Great Creator help us to hear the quiet voices that lead us to wisdom. Bring up within us that part of you that resides quietly within all of our hearts. Help us to drown out the shouting and replace it with your loving voice. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Weber Baker Order of Saint Francis and Saint Clare.
SCRIPTURE Psalm 16.1-2 Protect me, O God, for in you I take refuge. I say to God, you are my Lord”. All that I have which is good is provided by you. WORDS OF HOPE Today’s Lectionary from Psalm 16 is a short one. It is always helpful to read the passage specified for the day several times, reflect on what you have read, and then take time for personal prayer to God, taking the time to be quiet and seek to hear the voice of God as a part of our reflection. Consider the fact in reflecting on today’s reading that the Disciples had become accustomed to seeking refuge in Jesus. For three years, Jesus had been present to teach and comfort his followers before the bottom had dropped out of their lives. He had died, been buried, resurrected, and two of them had told of his reappearance to them on the road to Emmaus. Confused and in fear, they met together in a room with a locked door. Then suddenly, the resurrected Jesus appeared to them in that locked space and said: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” Reflect on Jesus’ words, “I do not give to you as the world gives”. What is the usual rhythm of giving or supplying which is common in our world? It is a give and take, a time of contentment and then sooner or later a time of uncertainty or fear. In sharp contrast, God’s loving peace is constant! That peace referred to by Jesus is an anchor which always holds us. It is our shalom at all times. It is not the world’s give-and-take system. It is the peace of Jesus, now, tomorrow, and forever. PRAYER Morning by morning, our God, may we seek your will in our lives. With your divine presence and guidance, help us to recognize the needs of others and extend our hands and heart, to bless their lives. And in all that we are and do, may you be glorified. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Philippians 5. 1-18 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice. WORDS OF HOPE Today’s Scripture reading was written by the Apostle Paul during one of the many times he had been arrested and thrown into jail through the efforts of the religious establishment. He was literally in chains. In Paul’s day, jails were more like caves, unventilated basements, holes in the ground where prisoners lived in darkness and filth and were chained to the walls. This was Paul’s situation when he wrote these words and the words. When I was in Seminary, I was told that asking questions about scripture was a valuable practice. We learn through our inquiries of who, what, where, when, and why in respect to anything we study, but one question the professors advised we should never ask about the Bible was “How?” This usually applied to the accomplishment of miracles. How did Jesus turn water into wine? How did a serpent talk? How did Jacob roll away the one-ton stone from Rachael’s well? But, along with these magical-sounding events, I always wondered “How did Paul get his hands on the parchments, ink, and quills plus the Scribe he needed to write those letters- and in pitch blackness?” “Don’t worry about it” was the standard professor’s answer. The questions I should have been asking was “How did Paul have the grace and character to center so many of his prison epistles on the forgiveness of the people who had condemned him to chains in the first place? How did he reconcile the triumphs of the false teachers, the envious, the selfish, and the ambitious who continued to stir up trouble while he was powerless in prison? Paul answers that “How” question in the first sentence of today’s reading: “It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.” Paul knew how to turn the worst of times into the best of victories for Jesus’ message of love. He had learned to react in any circumstance as Jesus would react. No physical circumstances and no mental torture could eclipse the shining truth of the life of his Savior. And because of this he rejoiced. PRAYER Patient God, today we ask one more “how” question: How do we react today when our defense of the Gospel of love and inclusion is challenged? May we answer our own question by praying how do we strive to react more like Jesus? Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare
SCRIPTURE Psalm 34: 18 God is near to the broken-hearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. WORDS OF HOPE I just finished the text of a talk for a Faith and Grief gathering about the death of my closest friend of over 50 years. Writing it has been more difficult than I thought because as I have returned to remember the weeks and months leading up to and following her death on Christmas morning 2021, grief has re-emerged—as well as some warm and wonderful memories. This particular time of loss was different for me because first I buried my sorrow in part because of a desire to be present for Janet, Sis’s wife. But as the months passed, the pressure of “unattended sorrow” built, and when a new grief struck—the unexpected death of my sweet dog Charley--I knew I needed help. Grace led me to just the right person—a spiritual director very skilled in grief, and through our work together, grief began to move through me. During this time I attended a Faith and Grief retreat in the hill country and experienced a powerful cathartic experience. The text speaks of it, saying, “One afternoon while walking up the long incline to Cathedral Hill, I began talking to God out loud and sobbing uncontrollably, my heart broken wide open, coming to the realization that I had buried my grief because I could not stand to face the loss of all that Sissi had been to me in the course of my life.” Though the pain of the heart broken open will bring us to our knees, I believe with Parker Palmer that it can open us to “largeness of life, a greater capacity to hold our and the world’s pain and joy. Heartbreak can become the vessel of compassion and grace, enlarging us for empathy and attuning us to the suffering of others.” https://couragerenewal.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/PJP-WeavingsArticle-Broken-OpenHeart.pdf Palmer proposes that the process by which this happens involves 3 main steps: First, in a world where we are expected to reply “fine” when asked how we are, “we must learn to name and acknowledge our suffering to ourself and others,” to become vulnerable. And we need to find companions who can witness to our pain and not try to “fix us.” Second, once we have named and claimed our suffering, “we must move to the heart of it, feeling the pain of it fully rather than following cultural practices of numbing, fleeing it by distractions, or blaming externals.” May we never underestimate the daily courage it requires to take this path to learn what our grief has to teach us and come out on the other side. “Third, if we are to learn from our suffering, we must create a micro-climate of quietude around ourselves, allowing the turmoil to settle and an inner quietude to emerge, so ‘that of God within us’ can help us find our way through. Nurtured by silence, we can stop taking our leads from the voices of ego and world and start listening to the still, small voice of all that is Holy.” Our spiritual communities can become key places of support in our death-denying culture. May we, as in all else, follow Jesus, the man of sorrows acquainted with our grief, in this counter-cultural healing practice. PRAYER God of the broken hearted, draw near in the pain of our own personal losses and the pain from the death blows to dignity, freedom, and peace that have been let loose on the world. Teach us how to grieve well and in compassion seek justice. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon
SCRIPTURE Matthew 19:13-15 Then little children were being brought to him in order that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples spoke sternly to those who brought them; but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs.” And he laid his hands on them and went on his way. WORDS OF HOPE Last year, as I indulged in some holiday shopping, I observed parents struggling to shop with children. While that can be an absolutely delightful experience, it is often not. My heart went out to the crying toddlers and their stressed-out parents. Today I want to share a story on behalf of all the children in our community and their parents who would love to parent more peacefully. I was teaching a two-day parenting course when I stressed the importance of being a friend to their child's excitement. (Listen up. This applies to the child within each of us as well as our offspring). I described entering a store with a toddler who spots a display of balloons. "Balloon!" cries the child with hands outstretched. Now, the parent has to make a choice. Some will start a lecture on why the child cannot have everything they see or want. Others will try to ignore the child. Some will respond with a stern "No!" The wise parent will choose none of the above things, as those options fail to befriend the child's excitement. Rather the parent can join the child's delight in the balloons and say, "Oh yes, look at all the pretty colors! Perhaps name some of the colors. (Keep pushing the cart.) If the child expresses a wish to have one, the parent can say, "Oh, wouldn't it be fun to have a whole bunch of them? How about a room full, or a house full? How about a sky full?" The cart keeps moving. Something else will no doubt catch the child's attention and the game can start all over. If the child insists they actually want something, the parent can take out a handy little book containing the child's Wish List, and dutifully record the wish. These wishes can be reviewed often to see which ones remain to be fulfilled on birthdays or other special occasions. One doubting couple assured me I had not met their four-year-old, if I thought such a thing would work. Before the next day's session they took the child to a store they knew had just such a display of balloons. They returned the next day to report. Their daughter had cried, "Balloon!" just as expected. The mother responded by saying yes, they were pretty. Then she said oh, wouldn't it be fun to have a whole bunch, etc. The little girl agreed then said, "I wanted you to see them." The mother thanked the child for showing her the balloons. The parents learned that their child was not as demanding as they had thought, and they all enjoyed their shopping experience with no tantrums. I wish for all children and their parents such happy times, filled with excitement and loving moments. PRAYER Loving God, help us to be mindful of the "least" among us. Help us to value every moment we spend with each other. Help us to notice the parents who struggle, and the children who are hurting and sad. May we take every opportunity to support them and offer our love even as you have loved us. Grant us peace on earth and in each of our homes. We love you, God. We appreciate all the loving moments that you have given us. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Carole Anne Sarah
READING Mindful Every day I see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight, that leaves me like a needle in the haystack of light. It was what I was born for - to look, to listen, to lose myself inside this soft world - to instruct myself over and over in joy, and acclamation. Nor am I talking about the exceptional, the fearful, the dreadful, the very extravagant - but of the ordinary, the common, the very drab, the daily presentations. Oh, good scholar, I say to myself, how can you help but grow wise with such teachings as these - the untrimmable light of the world, the ocean's shine, the prayers that are made out of grass? - Mary Olive WORDS OF HOPE I just returned from a cruise, during which I saw gorgeous parts of the world that I’d not visited before, ate delicious food, experienced talented entertainers in some high-tech shows, and met some interesting people. When I returned home and people asked about my trip, my immediate response was that it was relaxing. That answer stems from the one day, a “sea day,” where I spent its entirety alone on the balcony in my cabin reading, writing, thinking, praying, listening, and drinking mediocre decaf coffee. The only thing to see was the vastness of the ocean, which could be viewed as nothing or as everything. During these hours, I was reminded that God doesn’t need spotlights and fanfares, glitz and glamour, the powerful and the extraordinary to be revealed; in fact, it is quite the opposite. God works through the ordinary, the small, the mundane, the weak, the powerless, the seemingly insignificant moments, and people. This is why each day we must “see or hear something that more or less kills me with delight, that leaves me like a needle in a haystack of light.” Moses was a shepherd in the fields when through an ordinary bush, made extraordinary by God, Moses was instructed to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. God chose an ordinary man on an ordinary day through an ordinary bush to do extraordinary things. The same is true of the disciples of Jesus. They were ordinary men chosen by Jesus to spread the good news. Jesus “authorized” them to heal the sick, cast out demons, and baptize. This was quite a career change for this group of a tax collector, zealot, and fishermen. Jesus transformed ordinary water into fine wine at the wedding of Cana and he transforms a boy’s simple meal of five loaves of bread and two fish into enough food to feed five thousand. Again, ordinary things that become extraordinary through the power of God. These examples in Scripture, the words of the poet Mary Oliver, and, for me, my day surrounded by simple things, remind me that we need to take pride and comfort in the mundane that is the everyday. God greets us in the soapy dishwater, in the carpool lane, during the boring meeting. God meets us in the toys we are picking up for the hundredth time, the can of soup we are opening, in the trash bag we are carrying to the curb. God is the everything amidst the seemingly nothingness. “Oh, good scholar, I say to myself, how can you help but grow wise with such teachings as these—“ PRAYER God of All, grant us the wisdom to cherish the ordinary as a sacred space where Your love dwells. Teach us to find joy not only in the extraordinary but also in the seemingly simple and mundane, knowing that it is there that Your grace often shines the brightest. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Kris Baker Order of St. Francis and St. Clare