Monday - June 2, 2025

SCRIPTURE Joshua 2.1-2 Then Joshua, son of Nun, secretly sent two spies to Jericho. “Go, look over the land,” he said. So, they went and entered the house of a harlot named Rahab and stayed there. WORDS OF HOPE The routine sexism and degrading language in some of the Old Testament stories is sometimes hard to take. Most of us know the story of Rahab, an innkeeper of Jericho whose bravery and clever maneuvering gave the Hebrews one of their most famous victories. Her actions in the story gave no indications of her being a prostitute, but because she was a successful self-employed woman, the writer presumed she must have been. How else could a single woman support herself? If we take the time to read the story we discover Rahab was actually an innkeeper. Words can be killers. The great poet and commentator on life, Dorothy Parker proved that statement to be true countless times. In answer to a question about her opinion on horticulture, she once said “You can lead a horticulture, but you can’t make her think.” It was a deliberate pun, begging for a laugh, but I love what she did with clever words. Unlike the misogynist writer of Joshua, Dorothy Parker was funny. Still is. I can look up any quote from her and get a giggle or become lost in thought. She had a lot to say about what she observed, mostly about the hypocritically snobbish and ultra-rich culture where she did her work. She didn’t hold back, and she seemed always quick to make her point. But before I leave Rahab’s story behind, I was talking to a friend once about her observations on famous Bible prostitutes. My quite liberal friend made me almost spew my absinthe one day. (OK it wasn’t absinthe it was coffee. However, since I was talking about Dorothy Parker, I thought it was more appropriate for the story.) Anyway, she said something to the effect of: “People get up in arms about that Bible harlot Jesus saved from stoning and sent on her way.” My friend said the fact that this was a self-employed woman was inconsequential. The real harlots were the men who wanted to stone her. They had betrayed their faith in a God of love and forgiveness. Profound! She’s right. In many ways Mrs. Parker had a lot in common with Jesus. You might think I’m off my rocker. Do people still say that? Jesus was eloquent but plain-spoken in addressing his world. If we really take note of the freedoms Jesus’ actions and words were expressing, it’s easy to see Jesus was often not politically correct, was he? He had a thing or two to say about the hypocrisy of the religious snobs of the day as well as their oppressive laws. The liberation theology in Jesus’ public speeches was ultimately empowering to the powerless. The difference is in his time if you said certain radical things, you could get killed, but in Dorothy Parker’s time, her critics reasoned she was probably just drunk. It eased the sting of the truth. In retrospect, Jesus did tell us we don’t need a strictly defined, rule-giving God. Look around. We eat well at our cafeteria of spirituality… a little if this and a little of that. Whatever serves our appetite. He described the simplicity of a one-flavor- fits- all kind of God and forget all the rest. Choose love. In fact love IS the only flavor. That’s easy enough.  PRAYER Give us the courage of Rahab and the perseverance of Jesus to use words to their best advantage, words that respect all people and words that manifest your love. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Charlie C. Rose Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

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