Tag: jonah

Pondering for Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Daily Office Readings for Wednesday of Proper 23: Year 2

Morning, Psalm 119:1to24; Evening, Psalms 12, 13 and 14;

Jonah 1:17to2:10; Acts 27:9to26; Luke 9:1to17

“Then Jonah prayed to the Lord his God from the belly of the fish, saying, ‘I called to the Lord out of my distress, and he answered me; out of the belly of Sheol. I cried, and you heard my voice.” (Jonah 2:1 and 2)

I have a saying, “God’s ears hears tears.”  I know it’s not correct grammar, but it works for me.  It is a reminder that when we are at our lowest level in life, all we have to do is cry out to God.  Theologians will tell us that we can’t know God. And, maybe there is some truth to that.  But maybe we can know something about God. Throughout the Bible God comes to the aid of people who come to tears, from Hagar (Genesis 21:16),  to Mary Magdalene (John 20:11), and many points in between. God comes to people who cry from sadness, grief, or abuse.

I have come to believe that it matters not what people believe in terms of getting God’s attention.  God is so attached to the sadness of humans that even if a self declared atheist cries, God is with him or her. We can’t escape the love of God. God loves us more than we love God. God forgives our shortcomings. God overlooks our ignorance.  God is eternally merciful and therefore,  God’s ears hears tears.

If you think you don’t know how to pray, just cry; it works.  Cry from sadness, Cry from abuse or victimization.  Cry from loss of a loved one.  In all these, God is with you.  God made us with secret alarms that go directly to God which brings God to us in times of distress.  This is why God’s ears hears tears.  This does not mean that God will respond in a way that suits the one crying.  It does mean that God is present and attentive in ways beyond the discernment of mortals.

In the Biblical examples above, an angel attended to Hagar and Ishmael in Genesis, and Jesus called Mary by Name in the Gospel of John. In our story of Jonah for today the writer has Jonah spit out by the sea creature on the shores of Nineveh. It takes these times of desolation and isolation to become contemplative enough to feel the presence of God with us, Emanuel. 

This still happens today.  Don’t wait until something bad happens.  Carve out some time to be still and be quiet and wait for God.  Reflect on your life, the good and the bad.  If you come to tears, watch out! God’s ears, hears tears.

Today we remember Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewsky, Scholar, Translator, and Bishop (October 14, 1906); and his information may be found at: Samuel Isaac Joseph Schereschewski.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to serve, while pondering anew what the Almighty can do. John

Let us pray: For a Person in Trouble or Bereavement (BCP p. 831)

O merciful Father, who hast taught us in thy holy Word that thou dost not willingly afflict or grieve the children of humanity: Look with pity upon the sorrows of thy servant for whom my prayer is offered. Remember me, O Lord, in mercy, nourish my soul with patience, comfort me with a sense of thy goodness, lift up thy countenance upon me, and give me peace; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pondering for Saturday, July 26, 2025

Daily Office Readings for Saturday of Proper 11: Year 1

Morning, Psalm 55; Evening, Psalms 138, and 139:1-17;
2nd  Samuel 1:1 to 16; Acts 15:22 to 35; Mark 6:1 to 13:

“He left that place and came to his home town, and his disciples followed him.  On the Sabbath he began to teach in the synagogue, and many who heard him were astounded. They said, ‘Where did this man get all this? What is this wisdom that has been given to him? What deeds of power are being done by his hands!  Is not this the carpenter, the son of Mary and brother of James and Joses and Judas and Simon, and are not his sisters here with us?’ And they took offence at him.” (Mark 6: 1 to 3)

This kind of hometown response to the works of our Lord Jesus comes to us from the Gospel accounts frequently. This lesson reminds us that God can, and does, work through anyone. It is understood by we Christians today that this however was not just anyone, it was God Incarnate, our Lord God in the flesh, Jesus.

But we must also understand that God can bring us a message through the lips of anyone.  The person delivering you the message may not even be aware of the content of the message.  But it will hit home with you.  Just because you know a person, and the family they come from, or how poorly they did in school, does not mean that God can’t use them for your good and the good of your community.

When we refuse to listen to what God is bringing us because of who is bringing it, we are saying that God is not able to use such a person for good use.  I recall the little story of Jonah.  Jonah did not want to do anything to help Nineveh.  He did not like them. But God loved them. So, when Jonah finally gave in and (I think) half heartedly delivered the message of repentance, the people of Nineveh listened and repented despite the message coming from someone that they knew didn’t care for them. We can never guess who God will use for our own good.

Because the people of Nazareth knew the returning Jesus, and his family who were still among them, they made the hasty decision that he can’t be all that special.  They didn’t consider what God might be doing.  Let us today not fall into the same way of thinking. Let us keep an open heart and an open mind and be accepting and thankful for any good coming from anyone.  All good comes from God regardless of who delivers it.

As we listen to what the Spirit of God is saying to us, let us live to love and to serve, and to teach others to love and to 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.