Monday - May 27, 2024

SCRIPTURE Genesis 40:8 "Do not dream interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me." WORDS OF HOPE I'm sure that you remember the Bible story of Joseph, the young and precious son of Jacob. Because of sibling jealousy, he had been sold into slavery by his brothers and carted off to Egypt where he was sold once again as a slave in the house of Potiphar, one of Pharaoh's chief officers. There, he was given special new duties, responsibilities which he faithfully performed. How do you handle unexpected responsibilities in your life? Sometimes, in life's transition periods, we have opportunities and responsibilities which are completely unplanned. How many of us make the most of them? Back to our story, yet another unwelcome surprise awaited Joseph. One day Potiphar's wife tried to seduce the young and handsome Joseph to have sex with her. He refused to deviate from faithful service to his Egyptian master. So, the humiliated and aggrieved wife falsely claimed that he had tried to rape her. For her lie, he was placed in Pharaoh's prison; where for more than two years, he still conducted himself honestly. Although he longed for release and did not understand why God might allow this injustice, he persisted in a faithful, God-fearing lifestyle. He trusted God would find a way. God's way for his release was derived from that steadfast adherence to a good and productive life, even in difficult circumstances. The Cupbearer and Baker of Pharaoh, who also had been imprisoned, were given dreams. When they asked Joseph if he knew of anyone who could interpret dreams, Joseph, as quoted in the passage above, said: "Do not dream interpretations belong to God? Please tell them to me," He was sure that the faithful God of his life would give him the correct interpretation.” When the Cupbearer was released, he forgot about Joseph. It seemed that all hope of release was lost, but Joseph continued a God-fearing lifestyle waiting in prison for two years. Then one day, Pharaoh also had a troubling dream which none of his counselors could interpret. The Cupbearer remembered Joseph and asked that he be released to respond to Pharaoh's request. God gave the faithful Joseph the correct interpretation. Not only was Joseph released from prison, but he was made the chief counselor and second in command to Pharaoh; he became the Chief Steward of Egypt. Because Joseph had been persistently faithful to God, even in difficult times, he was honored with a powerful political position and his wisdom saved Egypt and his father's family from starvation during seven years of famine. So, what does the story tell you about enduring transitional times of loss and uncertainty? We may not be offered a post in the Federal government that would allow us to clean up our present mess, but we can be assured God will always remain faithful to us regardless of any circumstances in our lives. PRAYER Always , even in difficult times, may we be persistent in living a faithful God -inspired lifestyle! Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Donald (Luke) Day Order of St. Francis and St. Clare

SCRIPTURE Psalm 23:1 The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. WORDS OF HOPE “What I Am For”  Optimism is contagious in a wonderfully transformative way. When we meet someone with a positive outlook on life it is as if we have stepped into a brighter place. If we are self-aware, we will notice that our mood lightens. There is a shift in perspective. The possibility of being receptive to fresh viewpoints and new ideas increases. Optimism broadens the tunnel vision of pessimism and keeps an eye toward hope. As the Psalmist might put it, because I trust in the LORD, I choose to follow God rather than worry. Pessimism is invasive and corrosive. It can eat away at your spirit and swallow your hope. With so many things in our nation and world changing in ways that bring distress and even harm, it is understandable to be against that which disrupts or erodes. The danger is, we begin to view the world through a narrow lens. We focus on all those ideas, decisions and viewpoints that we object to—that we are against. We become defined by what we stand AGAINST. The better question is, “What do we stand FOR?” When we shine the spotlight on love, justice, compassion and equity the dark side of fear-based or authoritarian actions is more clearly seen. When we state what we are FOR it makes clear the reason why change is required of those things we find objectionable. When the frog is in the kettle and the heat is turned on it is vital that someone call attention to what has changed by reminding us that we all need cool water. If we don’t, everyone can get burned. PRAYER Dear Jesus who loves us, help us we pray. May we call out the turmoil and point to your Way. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Rev. Dr. Gary G. Kindley Pastoral Psychotherapist drgk.org

READING  “When life implodes in loss, it takes with it the future we thought was ours. The future can feel like a bleak, black hole.” Lisa Appelo WORDS OF HOPE Why the disciples did not recognize the resurrected Jesus on the road to Emmaus is a salient question to wrestle with, and it can also offer insight into our own difficulty sensing the presence of the risen Christ in our lives today. To refresh the story: As two of the disciples are journeying from Jerusalem after Holy Week, they are discussing “all these things which have happened”—the traumatic events they have just witnessed (Luke 24: 14). They are joined by a “stranger” who asks what they are talking about as they walk along, but Luke says that “their eyes were kept” from recognizing him as Jesus (16). When they tell him what they are talking about, the gospel indicates their emotional state: “They stood still, looking sad (17).” As they continue, they invite the “stranger” to come and stay with them, since nightfall is near. They only discern Jesus’ identity—their eyes being opened-- as he shares the breaking of the bread with them. So what kept their eyes from seeing the resurrected Jesus? Certainly, one response might be that Jesus looked different after he was “changed from glory into glory.” However, in most of the artistic depictions of the narrative, Jesus is not imaged as all that different from the disciples—no halo, luminousness, or altered physicality. He is often dressed differently—in white mostly and sometimes with a headcovering/shawl on his shoulders, but many times not even that. For me, the story speaks subtly but powerfully about the nature of the intense grief and disorientation in which the disciples were living. The recent days of injustice and violence, denial and betrayal. The days of witnessing Jesus’ torture and death by the state. The death of their prophet, leader, companion and brother, the longed-for Messiah, the one in whom all their hopes lived. Now gone. Like an ocean wave, the intensity of grief knocks us off our feet, bringing us to our knees. It impacts not only our emotions—but our bodies and mind. Our immune system is often compromised. Sleep habits are disturbed. We may eat too much or too little, seek substances to dull the pain, isolate ourselves. Energy is depleted. But equally important are the effects on the brain, a condition now called “grief brain.” Mary Francis O’Conner, one of the chief experts on the subject, asserts that “grief is tied to all sorts of different brain functions we have, from being able to recall memories to taking the perspective of another person, to even things like regulating our heart rate and the experience of pain and suffering.” Another significant interpretive dimension to the story is the effects of witnessing the torture of a beloved one. Dr. J. Carey Jackson asserts that 30% of people who have experienced violence show symptoms of PTSD. And in remembering violence against themselves as opposed to violence against another, “it is not their own suffering that haunts their nightmares, but the faces of others being tortured that they grieve most and can’t shake.” One possible manifestation of this is Cleopas’ reactive response when “the stranger” asks for a recounting of the events. Are you the only one who doesn’t know what’s happened here, he snaps, as if to deflect having to describe the pain he saw. However, Jesus’ continued presence and holding the story of the disastrous events allows the expression of the disciples’ suffering, helping it move through them. After an unimaginable and catastrophic loss, the road to Emmaus may be our own road. Our resistances to taking it all in, to “seeing”it—is understandable in human terms and verified by neurological processes. Telling our stories, bearing witness to one another’s grief helps us heal in the long run. PRAYER Risen Christ, Hear the anguish of our losses and be our healing balm. Amen. DEVOTION AUTHOR Dr. Pat Saxon

SCRIPTURE  Luke 5:9-11 For he and all who were with him were astounded at the catch of fish that they had taken, and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. Then Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; from now on you will be catching people.” When they had brought their boats to shore, they left everything and followed him. WORDS OF HOPE The story of Jesus preaching from Simon’s boat and the immense catch of fish is one that is told often. I find the interesting part that when Jesus called James, John and Simon to be his disciples, they left their nets and boats behind. The idea of catching people is often interpreted as “making converts” in our times. Yet, Jesus followers were not “making” or “catching” anyone. Jesus never forced anyone to follow his way, he merely laid out the plan and people were drawn to it by attraction to his teachings and that of his disciples. The message of Jesus is a gentle yet compelling one. He asks us to give up our nets and “catch people” through the example we live. Our very lives become the beacon that draws others to us. When I was a child, my mother used to often tell me that doing something right was “setting an example”. In fact, she urged me to live my life that way. I often asked her, “an example for who?” Now I know the answer. An example for anyone who finds my life worth following and replicating. Jesus is stating the same message, over and over he gives us the keys to the realm of heaven, and they are not physical keys, but a way to live our lives. By doing so we model heaven on earth and that is more valuable than any net. PRAYER May we follow the example of Jesus and bring about a better world. Amen DEVOTION AUTHOR Hardy Haberman

SCRIPTURE Acts 26.15b-18a “ ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,’ the Lord replied. ‘Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light…’ ” WORDS OF HOPE Today’s Scripture reading is about the life-changing encounter the Apostle Paul experiences on the road to Damascus during which the voice of the Risen Christ commissions him to a ministry that will define the rest of his life. Jesus is direct, succinct, and leaves no doubt as to the direction Paul will be taking. Several references are made about what Paul has seen and will see, because, in fact, as this declaration is made, Paul cannot see at all. He has been blinded by the sudden flash of light that is the presence of Christ in the rolling clouds before him. Paul has been traveling, probably by horseback, with a company of Roman soldiers, on his journey of persecution. His targets: Anyone who proclaims the teachings of Jesus and follows him in their words and lives. Works of art throughout the centuries have intensified the dramatic event depicting Paul thrown from his horse and on his knees, stunned by the light of glory. The voice tells him he will be a witness of what he has seen and will see of Jesus, opening the eyes of others in the process. But, Paul is blinded, unable to see Jesus at all, and in his recollection, has never seen Jesus in the past either. We can only try to imagine his confusion or ever putting ourselves in his bewildering situation. But, like Paul, how many times have we turned a blind eye to the presence of Jesus in our lives? How many times have we failed to see the face of Christ in the hurting, bewildered, or desperate among us? Paul had been blind countless times to courage of the Christ in those he had mercilessly persecuted, silenced, and imprisoned. Aren’t many of us in the same situation today? What will it take to knock us off our horses? Paul became the most influential of all the Apostles following this life-altering encounter, so the story leaves us with hope. We have the opportunity daily to become more active in proclaiming the words or living the life of Jesus every time we acknowledge the needs of the least fortunate among us or stand up for the humanity of the most persecuted. You know who they are. We can see them as our sisters and brothers through the eyes of Jesus, and with the guidance of Jesus, bring light back to their darkness. PRAYER God of Mercy, in a world gone dark, help us to travel the way of Jesus this day, that we may see his face in the ones you love most, the vulnerable, the despised, and the forgotten. May others see his face in us. By the Light of Christ, AMEN DEVOTION AUTHOR Dan Peeler Order of St. Francis and St. Clare