onewhoponders

Daily Office Readings for Thanksgiving Day

Morning,  Psalm 147; Deuteronomy 26:1-11; John 6:26-35;

Evening, Psalm 145; Joel 2:21-27; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24;

“You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, who has dealt wondrously with you.” (Joel 2: 26)

Joel 2: 21 to 27 appears in both, our Daily Office Readings and our Eucharistic Readings, for today. Perhaps this happens because of the invitation to “eat in plenty and be satisfied” words.  However, the words that follow are even more important; “and praise the name of the Lord your God.”  I once had a bumper sticker which read, “Don’t criticize the farmer with your mouth full.”  The same holds true for God. If we are eating anything at all we should give thanks to God. 

I once was sharing lunch with a mother and her child.  The young man was accustomed to me saying the blessing before eating.  At one lunch we started with milk shakes.  The child waited before tasting his milk shake for me to bless it and was disappointed when I slurped some of my shake before saying the blessing.  When his mother informed me about this I was really taken aback. But I learned, and now blessings come before anything at all goes into my mouth.  I learned from that child to really praise the name of the Lord without fail; not just Thanksgiving Day, but every day, no matter how small the food item or other small gift might seem.  The young folks are watching us and I am thankful to God for God speaking to me, through them. A blessed milkshake is also plenty and satisfying, and taste better blessed.  Happy Thanksgiving!

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (The Collect for Thanksgiving Day: p. 246 BCP)

Almighty and gracious Father, we give you thanks for the fruits of the earth in their season and for the labors of those who harvest them. Make us, we pray, faithful stewards of your great bounty, for the provision of our necessities and the relief of all who are in need, to the glory of your Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:145-176; Evening, Psalms 128, 129, and 130;
Zechariah  12:1to10; Ephesians  1:3to14; Luke 19:1to10: 

“He was trying to see who Jesus was, but on account of the crowd he could not, because he was short in stature.” (Luke 19:3)

I am aware that Luke is speaking of a physical “short in statue.”  But many of us (tall or short) strive to see who Jesus really is.  But we are short in faith. Too many of us refuse to just believe.

Also, too often the direction of the crowd prevents us from seeing who Jesus is.  We tend to wrongly get on board with a crowd moving in an un-Jesus-like manner.  When ill-willed charismatic influencers take hold of the lead, we too easily tend to follow and go down roads that our Lord Jesus would never travel.

In this story, Jesus, without giving any clues that he was aware of Zacchaeus in the tree, stopped just below him and looked up and invited himself to supper with Zacchaeus.  ( I use this example as a way of inviting myself to a parishioner’s home for dinner.  No, just kidding.)  But Jesus was aware of Zacchaeus in the tree and met him “where he was.”

In just seeing Jesus, Zacchaeus repented and made right all the wrongs he had committed. Now Zacchaeus was a “Chief” Tax Collector.  Being a tax collector was bad enough, but as a chief tax collector he was even further removed from any welcome to the Temple and seen as a Roman sympathizer by his fellow Israelites. 

But after hearing him explain his forgiveness and giving back to any he had wronged, Jesus proclaims that Zacchaeus too, “is a child to Abraham”, which pre-empts and supersedes the Temple and all it stands for.  Jesus has put Zacchaeus back in the household of God.  And, Jesus does not hold his wealth against him. Zacchaeus is still a chief tax collector, and is still rich, but now he is a believer in our Lord Jesus.

Sometimes we are too spiritually short to see Jesus.  We must climb into the pews of a church in order to see him.  If we do, He will self-invite himself into our homes and our hearts.  And when he does, we will be changed forever and made children to Abraham. Thank You Lord Jesus.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us Pray:

O Holy Spirit of the living God: many have heard talk of you as you were made manifest in the person of our Lord Jesus but have yet to understand seeing you in their lives. Help us dear God to get to a place of understanding the miracles happening all around us in order that we may bring Jesus home to our hearts; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalms [120], 121, 122 and 123; Evening, Psalms 124, 125, and 126;
Zechariah 11:4to17; 1 Corinthians 3:10 to 23; Luke 18:31to43:

“I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.” (Psalm 122:1)

This is what Christian faith is all about: that is, our final, and forever passage into the house of the Lord. We long to hear the words, “Come beloved of the Lord, and enter into the joy of your Lord” as expressed in the words of the twenty fifth chapter of Matthew, where servants worked to improve on the talents left to them by their master, save the one who only had one talent and buried it. Also, in chapter twenty five of Matthew, the invitation extends to those who were placed on the right-hand side of the Lord because they cared for the hungry, the naked, the infirmed and those in prison.

As I have said before that I have been blessed to be present in hospital rooms when a parishioner or other patient was dying.  At some point, the person, who was unconscious, will open their eyes and stare at a space in the room where no one was sanding.  In most cases, an expression of joy or wonder is reflected on the dying person’s face.  It is at this point that I believe the gates of heaven opened in that hospital room, even though I could not see it, nor could anyone else in the room see it.  And at that point, the invitation is extended to the dying person to come into the house of the Lord.  Perhaps these are the very words that the dying says to him or herself, “I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord.”

I know that I would be glad to enter into the house of the Lord.  Many people, when asked how they are doing, will answer, “Well, I’m above ground and I’m still here.”  The implication is, that they are doing well and consider this earthly life as the best there is.  But I ponder what the afterlife is like.  Maybe being here in this life is not something to celebrate so much, but rather, it is the Christian work that we should be doing and celebrating. It is using the talents – gifts, that God has given us to the best of our abilities for the building up of the Church, and showing the love that God wants to be in every heart, that we should be doing and celebrating. This is the time to feed the hungry, clothe the naked visit the infirmed and imprisoned; thus preparing ourselves for that invitation into the house of the Lord.

Today we remember Isaac Watts; Hymnwriter (1748), and his information may be found at: Isaac Watts.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

All mighty God, the Alpha and the Omega, Master of the eternal home of Heaven; mercifully open to us Your invitation to enter into the House of the Lord when our times come so that we may continue to live eternally in that temple, not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Monday of Proper 29: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 106:1to18; Evening, Psalm 106:19to48:
Zechariah 10:1to12; Galatians 6:1to10; Luke 18:15to30:

“My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness,” (Galatians 6:1).

Each and every one of us are in need of forgiveness.  And God, in God’s all knowing wisdom, has given each of us the Spirit to restore a neighbor who, having been found in transgression, the power to restore a brother or sister, back into the fold.

I need it, you, reading this message, also need it. None of us are beyond needing restoration.  God made us this way on purpose. This is why our Lord Jesus taught us to pray, “Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.”

Sometimes those who sin against us do not ask for forgiveness.  This can be for one of two reasons. First, maybe they are in a bad place and were intentional about what they have done to you. Second, perhaps they didn’t realize that they have actually sinned against you.  I’ve experienced both.  In these situations I like to use the word “pardon.”  I can pardon a person without them even knowing it. When I pardon someone I can move on with my life and not sit and simmer about an insult or injury. 

While I am not opposed to informing someone that they have offended me, (in case they didn’t know it), I do not believe in asking someone for an apology.  I feel that once they are made aware that I felt hurt by something they have said or done (or not done), it’s up to their conscience as to what follows. Sadly, I have even seen whole countries insist on an apology from another country for some sad misdeed perpetrated on it.  I think, be it a country or a person, once the sin or any kind of violence has been made known, the apology should be forth coming and in all sincerity.

Once a transgression has been detected, you and I have been given the Spirit that will restore us all to a spirit of love and gentleness with one another.  All we have to do is use it and be thankful.

Today we remember James Otis Sargent Huntington: Founder (25 November 1935); and his information can be found at: James Otis Sargent Huntington.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Oh Almighty God, the forever lover of all souls, teach us please Lord God, to forgive others as you forgive us. Teach us the virtues of patience and kindness and genuine love for all people and let your holy Spirit take the lead in all transgressions we detect. Amen.

The Gospel Eucharistic Reading for Sunday, Christ the King Sunday: Year B

 John 18:33-37

“Pilate replied, “I am not a Jew, am I? Your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me. What have you done?” (John 18:35)

We can learn so much from the words of Pontius Pilate.  In our NRSV translation of John 18:35 above, we have the words “your own nation and the chief priests have handed you over to me.”  In the NIV translation we have, “it was your own people and your chief priests who handed you over to me.” While this might sound the same, I have to side with the NIV because the Jewish people were not then, a nation. They were however, Israel, believers of One God who struggles with God as their father Jacob did and was so named when he wrestled with God after sending his family before him to safety: (Genesis 38:24 to 30). Do you struggle with God?

So when Pilate says to Jesus, “I am not a Jew, am I?” He is correct. But I believe the NIV is closer to the truth with its wording of “your own people and your chief priests handed you over to me.”  Judas was one of Jesus’ “own people.”  He was not a nation, but a member of the twelve and he was a Jew. You and I are Jesus’ own people. So, do we hand our Lord Jesus over again to be crucified? Do we disown him as did Peter and Judas did? We too struggle with God. We too are Israel. Like it or not, we too are Jews in Pilates use of the word. Pilate says “your own people handed you over to me.” Are we the people of Jesus or not?

“Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my followers would be fighting to keep me from being handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my kingdom is not from here.”  I must remind us now that no matter the translation, the term “the Jews,” really meant the Temple authorities. For you see, Jesus and the twelve, were all Jews. So there must be some distinction between the followers of Jesus and the Temple Authorities, that is the scribes, the Sadducees, and the Pharisees. And while the Temple Authorities did stir up crowds of anti-Jesus Jews, the term “the Jews” is used too broadly; and at the same time, too narrow as it does not include Jesus’ own.

Let us not get caught up on the name given to us One-God people of today?  There is a lot we must get over.  What we Christians really want is the truth.  To this Jesus says to Pilate, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to my voice:” (John 18:37).  If our Eucharistic Lectionary had gone one verse further for today we would have what the former Arch Bishop of Canterbury, (the Most Reverend Rowan Williams), called “the most profound question in the whole of the New Testament; which comes from the lips of Pontius Pilate; “What is truth?”

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: A Collect for Sundays (BCP p. 98)

O God, you make us glad with the weekly remembrance of the glorious resurrection of your Son our Lord: Give us this day such blessing through our worship of you, that the week to come may be spent in your favor; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 107:33-43, and 108:1-6; Evening, Psalm 33:
Malachi 3:13to4:6; James 5:13to20; Luke 18:9to14

 “But the tax-collector, standing far off, would not even look up to heaven, but was beating his breast and saying, “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!” (Luke 18:13)

I had to mail something to Raleigh the other day that was very important to me. So I went to a local post office to make sure it was correct.  Raleigh, being the capital of North Carolina, I wanted to make sure my U.S. mail was properly sent by a method of tracking.

As I came to be next in line, and heard the next customer called to the next available clerk. I approached the postal clerk with all humility. I actually said, “I need mercy and patience to help me properly mail this package.” The clerk smiled and told me what I needed to do, and after I misprinted the “to” and “from” spaces, she just smiled again and helped me straighten it out.  I could not have moved on in any sense of accomplishment had it not been for the wonderful and compassionate postal worker.

I know that many people approach sales reps and clerks with arrogance and a sense of superiority. They like saying who they are and what they have accomplished, sort of like the Pharisee in our Luke reading for today; but not me.  I knew that if I was going to get anywhere close to what I wanted, it was going to be at the mercy of the postal clerk whom I stood in front of.

So too it is with eternal salvation. We must ask God to be merciful to us, a sinner. And pray God saves us so that we may return to our heavenly homes justified. Justification, in my postal experience, was made manifest in going back to my earthly home with routing numbers and a tracking code on the web. Arrogance and self promotion has no place in God’s Kingdom.  We must follow the tax collector’s lead in asking for mercy, and then doing the will of God.

Today we remember Clement of Rome, Bishop (23 November 100) and his information can be found at: Clement of Rome

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia; Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: (The Collect for Saturdays BCP p. 99)

Almighty God, who after the creation of the world rested from all your works and sanctified a day of rest for all your creatures: Grant that we, putting away all earthly anxieties, may be duly prepared for the service of your sanctuary, and that our rest here upon earth may be a preparation for the eternal rest promised to your people in heaven; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Friday of Proper 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 102; Evening, Psalm 107:1to32;
Malachi  3:1to12; James 5:7to12; Luke 18:1to8

“Above all, my beloved, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your ‘Yes’ be yes and your ‘No’ be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.” (James 5: 12)

This advice sounds good but rarely do I see it practiced. This is especially true when I witness someone on television being asked a simple “yes or no” question.  I find that after they are done responding, I still can’t figure out whether their response was yes, or no.

James is repeating the same advice given in Matthew where Matthew says, “All you need to say is simply ‘Yes’ or ‘No’; anything beyond this comes from the evil one” (Matthew 5:37). I think the real challenge is deciding where we are inside ourselves.  And we should remember that whether we are a “yes” or a “no,” we are only yes, or no, temporarily. We may change the next minute or the next year.  And even this yes to no; or no to yes, shift, doesn’t mean that we are wishy-washy, but rather, as we are more informed, our perspective changes.

I have great admiration for people who can “up front” respond with a yes or a no, and then explain the why’s. Sometimes they explain only when asked.  Sometimes they immediately fill in the why’s so as to explain their position.  But at least they are clear about where they stand at the moment. I think we first have to deal with where we are about any subject deep within ourselves.  And, it’s okay to be unsure. And it’s okay to say, I don’t know. 

To practice the yes or no quick response we might want to start with ourselves.  We can start out by simply asking ourselves easy questions like, “shall I get out of bed now? or, “do I want cereal for breakfast?” Then we can graduate to the more difficult questions like “do I support capital punishment; and how about abortion?”  We might change over time. And that’s alright.  But let us take a stand about where we are right now as for as yes, or no, is concerned, and do it without fear of feeling weak, only let us be open to change if our inside perspective changes.

Today we remember C.S. Lewis, Apologist and Spiritual Writer (22 Novermber 1963) and his information can be found at:  C. S. Lewis

“Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done” (Genesis 2:1 and 2). So, for this evening and tomorrow day my friends, Shabbat Shalom. 

What is Shabbat? Intro to the Jewish Sabbath – YouTube

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia; Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty God, who prayed us into being by saying “Yes” to our existence, as we are created in Your Image, help us now with steadfast discernment in order that our yes or no to any question, will come with careful and thoughtful love for all you have done, and are doing, for us. Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Thursday of Proper 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 105:1to22; Evening, Psalm 105:23 to 45
Malachi  2:1to16; James 4:13 to 5:6; Luke 17:20 to 37

“Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a town and spend a year there, doing business and making money.’ Yet you do not even know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.’ As it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.” (James 4:13 to 16)

None of us knows what tomorrow will bring.  The best we can do is to live the best life we can for this day. By the best life, I mean, to the benefit of our community, not to the enhancement of one’s self.  We should never say to ourselves that “I will go and do this or that,” without praying that such an act will be done only if it is the Lord’s will.  Remember the prayer, “Your kingdom come, your will be done.” In our Luke lesson for today, Jesus says, “For, in fact, the kingdom of God is among you.” (Luke 17:21). We live into the Kingdom of God daily.

Writing this blog has changed my life and the prospect of being a traveler.  I now don’t ever want to be in a place that doesn’t have a good Wi-Fi connection.  I need to be able to get my next day’s blog out, if it is the Lord’s will to do so. So I am content to stay here in Raeford, North Carolina, studying the Word, learning more and more about the World Wide Church that I love, and writing the Good News to all who will read it.

How about you?  What is it that the Lord has blessed you to do?  I have read somewhere that where your passion, and your community’s needs meet, is where God wants you to be, and what God wants you to do.  Your passion, if it is a noble vocation, is your ministry.  Pursue it.  We are truly only here for a little while.  But while we are here, we have the Lord’s work to do.

Today we remember two sets of the faithful:

Mechthilde of Hackeborn and Gertrude the Great; Mystics and Theologians, 1298 and 1302: who can be found at: Mechtilde of Hackeborn & Gertrude the Great:   and also;

William Byrd, John Merbecke and Thomas Tallis; Musicians, 1623, 1585 and 1585 who can be found at: William Byrd, John Merbecke & Thomas Tallis.

All these saints are mystics or musicians or both.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Most Holy Lord God, as you have a divine plan for all life and humanity in particular, we pray you lead us and guide us so as to bring heaven into our lives now and be with each of us as we say, ‘If the Lord wishes, we will live and do this or that.’ In your most holy Name we pray: Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 101 and 109; Evening, Psalm 119:121to144;
Malachi 1:1,6 to14; James 3:13 to 4:12; Luke 17:11to19

“For where there is envy and selfish ambition, there will also be disorder and wickedness of every kind.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” (James 3: 16 and 17)

Envy, or in its most sinister form, jealousy, always brings about bad relations among people.  If we are different in any outward way, it is only magnified in a negative way by envy or jealousy.  It will occur among people of the same ethnicity as well.  But when there are differences of any kind, the differences can take on, as James says, disorder and wickedness of every kind.

But James assures us that in the end, or as we like to say today, “at the end of the day,” it will all be better if we prayerfully regain our moral composure. But this only happens if we learn from wisdom.  He teaches us that wisdom is pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy. 

Although James confronts Paul in the, “faith versus works” arena, he sounds like Paul’s 1^st Corinthians letter when he defines wisdom as Paul defines love: that is, pure, peaceable, gentle, willing to yield and so forth.  Paul says of love that “love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.  Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away,” (1^st Corinthians 13: 4 to 8).  There seems to be a difference between knowledge and wisdom. There seems to be difference between knowing something (knowledge) and good judgment (wisdom).

Maybe there is a strong correlation between love and wisdom. Perhaps the path to wisdom is love, or the other way, the path to love is wisdom.  What do you think?

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

O Holy God Almighty, in your infinite love and wisdom you brought all life into being and gave us purpose. Stay with us Lord God and help us to be “first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” All this we pray in your most Holy Name; Amen.

Daily Office Readings for Tuesday of Proper 28: Year 2

Morning, Psalms 97 and 99; Evening, Psalm 94;
Habakkuk 3:1to18; James 3:1to12; Luke 17:1to10

“Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers and sisters, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness. For all of us make many mistakes. Anyone who makes no mistakes in speaking is perfect, able to keep the whole body in check with a bridle. If we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we guide their whole bodies” (James 3:1 to 3).

James’ words suggest that we, at some level, ought to practice what we are taught. Teachers then are probably the most important service providers in any community. Over the years I have taught many classes and counseled many people with various concerns.  I pray that my words to them are what I also practice, but more than that, it helps them to live better, more faithful lives. 

James is not original in using the metaphor of a bridle as an example of holding the attention of those we are trying to teach. This example appears in the Psalms. “Do not be like a horse or a mule, without understanding, whose temper must be curbed with bit and bridle ,else it will not stay near you; (Psalm 32: 9).

Our very first teachers are our parents. Even school teachers depend on parents to have taught the children the local language and behaviors.  On the very first day in school the child must understand simple instruction such as “sit here,” or “come here,” or “what is your name?”  From there the teacher takes hold of the bit and bridle, the reins, if you will, and guides us into more productive citizenry. 

Another very important person in teaching, and in particular the behavior of a community, is the pastor.  The pastor teacher is a special gift given to some in each community by God as a guide to righteous living. St. Paul teaches, “And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers” (Ephesians 4:11). The pastor-teacher gift is a combined vocation implanted in some of us for the purpose of comforting and guiding the people of God in righteous living.  And as James says, such people will be judged with greater strictness.

All parents are pastor teachers. Parents are called by God to comfort and guide their children in ways that promote harmony in the family, in their church, in their community, and in the world. Perhaps even bit and bridle is better than leaving them idle.

Today we remember Elizabeth of Hungary, Princess and Philanthropist (19 November 1231) and her information can be found at: Elizabeth of Hungary.

Please keep up your thoughts and prayers and hopes for Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine, and our schools. And, as we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and serve, and to teach others to love and serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray:

Almighty and ever-loving God, you have given us each other to love, lead and teach one another in ways that are pleasing in your sight. Equip us, we pray dear God, with your bit and bridle of righteousness, that we may be guided in righteous ways and to also teach our young ones in your holy ways. Amen.