Monday, March 31: Suzie Franson

Mark 7:24-37. But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”

During Lent we strive to place ourselves before the Light and allow it to illumine our dark places for refinement and renewal. This requires a real trust - a deep sense of safety and belovedness. For, from whom are we more likely to be able to receive criticism: a superior, cold colleague, for instance, or an old trusted friend? So, are we safe enough and beloved enough in God to allow Him to place us in the refining fire this season and always?

Today’s text is not one I would usually associate with such a lesson. I have long struggled with it and was somewhat dismayed to receive it from the Lord as my Lenten text. If He gave it to me then He also had a teaching for it, so I prayed. And that very evening I saw my answer - in the Song of Solomon of all places.

In my Bible study work on the Song we were reminded that God will, at times, hide His face from obedient believers to draw out the yearning of their heart toward Him in greater ways. In the verse before our text, Jesus turns His face from the woman: what I have is not for you. He was pulling back to allow her to show herself, and Him, the depth of her love and faith. And she, obedient, truly seeking Him, pursues Him: I will strive for You, even if I only get the scraps.

Jesus marveled at her (Song 6:5). Her faithful response delighted Him (Zeph 3:17). He said to her, “O woman, how great is your faith.” (Matthew’s telling of the same story 15:28) Our faithful pursuit is a gift to Jesus, He delights in our love; we are beautiful and beloved to Him. (Song 1:15; John 15:9)

So if we are beautiful and beloved, if He delights in us and marvels at us, then we must be safe enough to receive the truth about ourselves without condemnation. It is the paradox of grace: when we know how much he beholds us in love, we will see the dark places and it will lead us to confession and new life. “Dark I am, yet lovely.” (Song 1:5)

—Suzie Franson

Sunday, March 30 - The Fourth Sunday in Lent: Jennifer Eichenberger

Ephesians 5:8-14. For once you were darkness, but now in the Lord you are light. Live as children of light.

I imagine a dark cool winter morning waking my little ones from their beds to get ready for school. 30 minutes later as we walk to the school bus stop, we first cross the street to avoid the shade and walk in the early sunlight. We have an intentional path where we are warmer, we can see our way and cars can see us better as we cross. Our choice to walk in God’s light also has to be intentional.  We have to wake up and look for the light daily and realize it is important not only for us to see but that we need to be seen by others. Imagine a sweet child’s voice, perhaps your own, singing, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.”

— Jennifer Eichenberger

Saturday, March 29: The Williams Family

Mark 7:1-23. There is nothing outside a person that by going in can defile, but the things that come out are what defile.

Our family has begun many Lenten seasons asking each other, “What are you giving up for Lent? Ice Cream? Chocolate? Midnight snacks?” That sounds a lot like the Pharisees in this reading, scolding the disciples for not following the tradition of ritual hand-washing before eating. But Jesus challenges the Pharisees, calling them hypocrites and pointing out that culinary restrictions and rituals won’t bring you closer to God. Jesus tells the people that it’s not their interactions with things that matter; God cares about how they behave with other people. In this reading, Jesus reminds us that we will be “clean,” and closer to God, if we are kind and caring towards others. If we are selfish, spiteful, and greedy – if we put ourselves first – we are more unclean than any speck of dirt could make us. So this Lent, our family has decided not to focus on ritualistic sacrifices that have more to do with how we interact with things in our world. Instead, we will look for opportunities to follow Jesus’s teachings and example and bring “from within” our “human hearts” more love and concern and care for others, to do what we can to clean what has been “defiled.” The Prayer of St. Francis – a favorite of Mary’s Grandpa “Red” Weldon – will be our inspiration:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace

Where there is hatred, let me sow love

Where there is injury, pardon

Where there is doubt, faith

Where there is despair, hope

Where there is darkness, light

Where there is sadness, joy

— The Williams Family: Fred, Mary, Isabel & Connor

Friday, March 28: Aileen Loranger

1 Corinthians 9: 16-18, 24-27. So I do not run aimlessly

Perhaps, like me, you have been inspired by the remarkable athletes competing in the Sochi Winter Olympics this year. No matter the sport – skiing, skating or snow boarding - these athletes represent the best of the best. They exemplify dedication, endurance, discipline. These men and women are icons of sacrifice and mastery, keeping their eye on the prize. They are all winners in my book, even when they fall short, because they gave it all they had to see what was possible.

Lent is a season of quiet reflection, of atonement, of reconciliation with God. We ask God to create in us a clean heart, a right spirit. We pray for the joy of God’s saving help and renewed spiritual sustenance. Paul’s passage seems to encourage us to pursue our relationship with the Divine with the same disciplined intent as the athletes, to be focused on living into the gospel through daily thought, word and deed. In this way, we proclaim God’s love to all through our living example. Giving it our best effort, we see that we are all winners in the kingdom of heaven. 

— Aileen Loranger 

Thursday, March 27: Tim Blok

Mark 6:30-46. And all ate and were filled.

This story is a Sunday school classic, with memorable numbers (two, five, twelve, five thousand) and broadly drawn characters, easily illustrated on a felt board or in a storybook Bible. As a child I learned from this story that Jesus cares for us, that we should be kind to our neighbors, and that we shouldn’t get cranky in our faith, like the disciples.

Now, when I try to dig deeper, I’m more interested in the crowd. We read that Jesus “had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd”, and I think, yes, here are my people. Perhaps they showed up for something new, for answers, or for healing. Maybe they didn’t know why they showed up. And instead of being told what Jesus said to them, we are given a detailed description of how their most basic need was met in a miraculous way. “And all ate and were filled.” No word on Jesus’ sermon. Why is it that, instead of reading a transcript of Jesus’ teaching, we are instead provided with a detailed account of dinner? Shouldn’t the focus be reversed? Wouldn’t that make more sense?

This is part of my struggle during Lent. When I try and expand my two-dimensional, felt board understanding, I find that my questions are rarely given direct answers. Instead of a concise explanation of what is going on, I am provided with a sprawling, messy story that seems to leave out a lot of important information. Instead of clear teaching, I am given bread and wine. I’m confused and frustrated, and not entirely sure why I am here. To that end, it seems important to acknowledge that maybe teaching and understanding aren’t prerequisites for being fed.

— Tim Blok

Wednesday, March 26: Tucker Moodey

Psalm 81:16. I would feed you with the finest of the wheat, and with honey from the rock I would satisfy you. 

“We can do this the easy way, or we can do it the hard way.” I couldn’t dislodge this well-worn gangster pulp fiction line when I read Psalm 81. God presents what appears to be a simple choice. “Listen and obey me, and when you open your mouth I will fill it.” Easy way. “Give over to the stubbornness of your heart to follow your own devices...” Hard way. As a Christian, I immediately leap to the choice of “easy way” with all of the benefits God promises. But when I honestly reflect on my actions, I choose to live much of my life the “hard way”. Why do I inhabit this gray space between black and white that diminishes my experience of God’s promise. How can I more faithfully listen and obey?

Having spent some days reflecting on this question, I’ve noticed a few of the ways I undermine my choice of God’s easy way.

• Distraction: The other night when we sat down to our family dinner, the Olympics were on TV. As we sang our familiar blessing, eyes on Bob Costas, it occurred to me how insincere and distracted our thanks must have sounded to God. I started thinking about how often my experience of life’s moments are fragmented by competing messages, thoughts, worries, and soundtracks. During Lent, I will try to quell the noise so I can speak with more sincerity, and listen for God’s voice in the voices of those around me.
• Control: For someone who chooses God’s way, I spend a remarkable amount of time making sure even the little things turn out the right way, used interchangeably here with my way. The justifications flow – so it goes well, so I’m successful, so I won’t worry, so you’ll be happy, so I can be on time, etc. During Lent, I will make an effort to pry my white knuckles from the wheel, and see where God takes me. This one will be a challenge.
• Spiritual Laziness: Raised Episcopalian, I find myself coasting in faith without pushing myself to engage, explore, and learn. I “feel spiritual”, but how little I read the Bible! How seldom I risk peering into my soul during prayer! During Lent, I will put more structure into my daily spiritual time, reading the lectionary in the morning, and reflecting at days end. 

Dear God, please reveal in me the humility to listen and obey, that I may taste honey from the rock. Amen.

—Tucker Moodey

Tuesday, March 25: Joanne DelBene

Luke 1:26-38. Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Many years ago, shortly after my husband died, the men who were working in my yard knocked on my door, asking to place flowers under the huge cedar tree that my husband loved; they had seen an angel there. I cherished that tree and the flowers were there when I moved.

In Luke’s annunciation story the angel Gabriel appears to Mary saying, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.”(1:29). Luke tells us that she was “much perplexed”(1:30). The angel Gabriel reassures her, tells her not to be afraid, that she has “found favor with God”(1:31). We then hear the message, familiar and dear to us, that Mary will bear a child. “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you: therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God”(1:36). I wonder what it must have been like for Mary to hear that message from God. It must have taken great trust and faithfulness to respond: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” When I am paying attention, really listening, allowing space for God’s message to enter, I understand Mary’s response.

In Matthew’s annunciation story the angel brings the message of the coming birth of Jesus to Joseph in a dream (Matt.1:18-25). In the Old Testament story of Samson’s birth, the wife of Manoah describes the angel who told her she would bear a son as “a man of God” whose “appearance was like that of an angel of God, most awe-inspiring; I did not ask him where he came from and he did not tell me his name”(Judges 13:7). My prayer is that we can recognize our messengers of God, our angels, in whatever form they come, hear their messages and say, like Mary, “let it be with me according to your word” as we live more intentionally in discipleship.

—Joanne DelBene

Monday, March 24: Catherine Blundell

Mark 5:21-43. For she said, “If I but touch his clothes, I will be made well.”

A woman who has been sick for 12 years, and who has tried everything she can think of to no avail, is desperate to be healed by Jesus. She pushes through the crowd and touches his cloak and is indeed instantly healed. At first this seems just like so many other miracles we read about in the Bible which are hard to explain. How could the slightest touch heal her so quickly and completely? But in taking a closer look, I was struck by what Jesus said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.” In other words, Jesus is saying, you are not healed by any ‘power’ that came from touching my cloak, but rather because you believed.

Does Jesus mean that if I have enough faith, I can get everything to work out in my life the way I want it to? If I am suffering, will my faith alone heal me? I do know that we are not in control of every outcome, nor can we rely solely on our own plans. We need to rely on our faith to remain spiritually healthy and to understand that God is the ultimate source of power and control. Whether Jesus healed the woman or she healed herself isn’t really the question. What matters is that God’s goodness is always there for us and we just need to reach for it.

I think Lent is the perfect time to strip away the temptation we have to be in control, and rather to focus on those things that bring us closer to God, such as prayer, meditation , and abstaining from the distractions which bombard us each day. In drawing closer to God, we just might feel ourselves restored to spiritual health, much like the woman in this story.

—Catherine Blundell

Sunday, March 23 - The Third Sunday in Lent: Colin Radford

Romans 5:1-11. And hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.

The power of the Good News is that God accepts us in spite of ourselves if we just have faith and love.

How strong is my own faith? When I read the letters of Paul, my first reaction is, How often am I mean, greedy, self-centered, easily tempted, lured by false pride? 

Christ endured persecution, physical and mental torture, and a gruesome death reserved for criminals, for what? Why for us? Christ has been consistently with us to introduce us to God’s incredible undeserved loving kindness and generosity; and intercede for us with God.
To earn trust, faith and love? Amazing grace, indeed.

Paul’s answer is huge love:
Christ personifies God’s love. Where there is love, there is hope. Where there is hope, one can endure, even gladly suffer. Because God has given humankind His Son and His Holy Spirit, our hearts are or should be full of love. The incredible undeserved kindness and generosity of God is the source and strength of our faith. By faith we love and are received and accepted by God. Faith and love fill us with eternal inner peace and contentment.

At least they should.

My take: I must focus like a storm tossed helmsman on God’s love, and return that love to God the Trinity, with all my heart, strength and soul, to even come close to the goal of vanquishing inner temptations and selfish motives that too often shoal me from God. If I focus on what God has given me and those I love instead of on the distractions of this world, then I can respond to God’s love. According to my reading of Paul, faith and love together alone are all that God asks. With faith and love, we will be acceptable to God.

—Colin Radford

Saturday, March 22: Gretchen Breunig

Mark 5: 1-20. Then they began to beg Jesus to leave their neighborhood.

In this passage, Jesus met a man named “Legion” possessed by a host of demons. Legion fell on his knees before Jesus, and his demons left him to infest a herd of unsuspecting pigs. The pigs ran away and drowned themselves. The people were afraid, and “they began to plead with Jesus to leave their region.” As Jesus boarded his boat, Legion begged to go with him. Jesus said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much The Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” The people were amazed.

Like Legion, many of us have endured a range of “demons,” which come in several shades of color. The darker ones trap us into paralysis: mental illness, chronic illness, pain, diabetes, obesity, or depression. Demons of lighter hues affect all of intermittently: the health and personal crises of daily life in a family. There are always too many priorities to address, unfinished tasks, under-managed resources, and inadequate time to meet everyone’s needs. We feel the inherent guilt towards those whom we have hurt or neglected by misguided choices. We fear the unknown, including what life would like if we repented and took action. “Forgive us for what we have done, and for what we have left undone.”

I have to say, I am a big fan of the underrated pigs, who I am sure had an altruistic, heroic story of their own. Jesus brings mercy and forgiveness to those who pray for help in times of duress, often through sacrifice of our friends and family. He rids us of our demons and leaves us ready for a new day. “The people were amazed.”

—Gretchen Breunig

Friday, March 21: Curt and Vicky Young

Mark 4:35-41. He woke up and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” Then the wind ceased, and there was dead calm.

This well-known “miracle” in Mark’s gospel occurs during the evening passage of Jesus and his disciples across the Sea of Galilee, leaving crowds of people on one shore, to venture across “the lake” to the other side.

It is apparent that Jesus was intent not only upon teaching the crowds, but also reinforcing the faith of his own disciples, who still needed further convincing.

As declared “believers,” Vicky and I are reminded from time to time of deeds that Jesus performed which stretches our credulity as rational thinkers. The disciples, at this point in their relationship with Jesus, experienced similar doubts.

The Sea of Galilee is particularly susceptible to sudden, violent storms because of its location near narrow mountain passes where cool air clashes with the hot, humid air over the water. This environment gave Jesus the opportunity to test his disciples under game, i.e. life-or-death, vs. practice conditions.

Here is Jesus, asleep on a cushion in the stern of the boat, testing their faith. His calm demeanor not providing sufficient reassurance, he invokes meteorological intervention, and rebukes them for their lack of faith.

A number of years ago our faith was tested when one of our daughters was diagnosed with cancer, a revelation that no parent is ever fully prepared to accept. The darkness of that moment was overwhelming for us.

With daily prayer by our family members, as well as participation in a deeply moving Novena experience with our Roman Catholic friends, her treatment proved to be successful. She passed her five-year cancer-free milestone two years ago.

We are thankful for this positive outcome, made possible by skilled medical care and an undying faith in the presence of the Lord in our lives.

—Curt and Vicky Young

Thursday, March 20: Beth Zobel

Mark 4:21-34. And Jesus said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.”

We In Him/He in Us
In this passage, Jesus calls us to responsibility. We are to pay attention and put some effort into living a God-centered life. We are even promised reward for taking these steps. You’d think with this assurance from God we’d be all OVER paying attention and making right effort! But, alas, we continually miss the mark. We are predisposed to inattentive minds that dart about seeking pleasure and avoiding pain. (Try this: spend a day counting the times your motives are geared toward wanting or aversion.) But Jesus knows there is more in us. He sees our true capacity. He knows what it is to be fully human-so asks of us only what is attainable. During this Lenten season, I intend to follow His teachings and path to the cross with this understanding: Jesus asks me to pay attention and commit to wise effort because he KNOWS I am capable-because HE LIVES IN ME.

— Beth Zobel

Wednesday, March 19: Kristen McSherry

Luke 2:41-52. When his parents saw him, they were astonished; and his mother said to him, “Child, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in great anxiety.”

Mary and Joseph made an annual pilgrimage from Nazareth to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover. The year Jesus was twelve his parents departed for their journey home after the celebration and traveled for a day before realizing Jesus was not with them. They returned to Jerusalem and found him sitting in a temple with his teachers, listening, learning, asking questions. For three days Jesus was separated from his parents.
I can only imagine the fear, terror, and pain Mary and Joseph felt during this separation. God choose Joseph and Mary to be Jesus’ earthly parents. He entrusted His Son to their care. Anyone who has cared for a young child has experienced the heart wrenching panic of losing sight of him or her.

Jesus replied “Why were you searching for me? Didn’t you know I had to be in my father’s house?” But they did not understand what he was saying to them.

Jesus’ parents lost sight of him, but was he really lost? Or was he right where he was supposed to be?

It’s hard to imagine when our children are little that we won’t be able to wrap our arms around them and protect them with our love and warmth forever. They will begin to separate from us in adolescence and the teenage years as they seek to forge their own identity. This can be an angst filled time. However, we never really lose them. We will find them answering their own call. They will follow their own path. Sometimes this path is very different from what we envisioned, but God is always with them.

— Kristen McSherry

Tuesday, March 18: Rachel Clifton

Mark 3:19b-35. A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, ‘Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.’ And he replied, ‘Who are my mother and my brothers?’ And looking at those who sat around him, he said, ‘Here are my mother and my brothers! Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.’

In this passage, it does not seem that Jesus was so much rejecting his mother and brothers and sisters as he was expanding the definition of family. He was opening his arms wide to those that wanted to be part of the Kingdom of God and saying that his family was more far reaching and inclusive than they ever could imagine.

In the same way, we who are part of the St. Thomas community are mother, father, brothers and sisters together with all those who are part of the Kingdom. We are more than just John or Rob or Lisa or Betty that sit in the pew in front of or behind us. We are spiritually related. We are family. When we are drawn into relationship with the Father, Son and Holy Spirit we will begin to find that our heart’s desire is to do God’s will. And the privilege of being together is that we can encourage and remind each other of this personal call of God on our lives.

What if we don’t feel that we really are part of the kingdom? What can we do? One suggestion that has been helpful to us has been to place ourselves firmly within the Lord’s Prayer. When you pray it, use your own name, or a personal pronoun. “My Father who art in heaven. Hallowed by thy name in my life. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, in my life on earth as it is in heaven” and so on. As we say the Lord’s prayer in this personal way, we are asking God’s help to do his will in our lives here on earth and are reminding ourselves that this is what we truly desire in our individual lives and in our church family.

— Rachel Clifton

Monday, March 17: Patti Hopper

Psalm 65:7. You still the roaring of the seas, and the roaring of their waves, and the clamor of the people.

Such strong words….roar and clamor. These words provoke feelings of anxiety. But I am again impressed with God’s power. And we are calmed by our faith in His power. His great power gives us confidence to face challenges in our lives and in the life of our community.
Not only did God create the roaring seas, he can quiet the roar. “You visit the earth and water it abundantly; you make it very plenteous.”

Can we even hear our clamor? So do we need to be heard so badly that we sometimes not see enthusiasm as clamor? Again I think of quiet, and thoughtfulness.

Here is the recognition that God’s power has brought us all that we need to care for our flocks, our community. During this Lenten time of renewal of faith, good works, prayer, and sacrifice, I feel God’s strength supporting me. God is with us. 

As God stills the roaring, he prepares the earth for Spring and Resurrection.

— Patti Hopper

Sunday, March 16 - The Second Sunday in Lent: Dwight Russell

Romans 4:1-5,13-17. For the promise that he would inherit the world did not come to Abraham or to his descendants through the law but through the righteousness of faith.”

The Law (Commandments) were given to humankind by God, through Moses, as a code of behavior and existence which would apply not only to the Israelites of that age but to succeeding generations “ad infinitum”, including us today. Biblical history illustrates that, time after time, the Israelites failed to follow God’s instructions and suffered because of a lack of faith, worship of other gods, etc. However, we also see examples of God keeping his covenants and promises when the Israelites kept the faith and adhered to His commandments.

So, what do we make of this all too familiar “human condition” as it relates to Abraham? The simple answer is that the law is concrete and human beings are abstract. The law doesn’t think or have the capacity to reason, but we do, and thence comes our opportunity to relate to God by faith, worship, and following His commandments to the best of our ability. This also, was all Abraham could do. He had to understand that first came God, and then the law from God. By logic his subjective reaction was to have faith in God first, using the law as a guideline for his faith and the righteousness therein. It is significant that faith was reckoned to Abraham before he was circumcised; his circumcision was a “sign or seal” of the righteousness which he had by faith prior to that act.  He continued to believe that God would make of him a great nation, and remained faithful until he died at a very old age – a good lesson for us all.

This is an interesting passage as it relates to Jesus Christ. He gave us a new two-part covenant, teaching us to “Love God with all our hearts and souls, and love our neighbors as ourselves”. He did not come to establish a new religion, but rather to fulfill the law. The new covenant gives us guidance for our lives and supersedes the old, but the Commandments continue to be a foundation for us. Faith was not reckoned as righteousness for Abraham’s sake alone, but for ours also, manifested in our belief in the Christ.

I could write about the danger of “becoming stuck in the law” but that is for another time. In the meantime, on this and every day, “Let us bless the Lord.”

— Dwight Russell

Saturday, March 15: Tonya Farr

Psalm 139:2. You know my sitting down and my rising up; you discern my thoughts from afar.

You know that lovely feeling when it is your birthday and friends and family contact you to send you caring birthday wishes? Blessings come from every imaginable source; phone calls, conversations over meals, Facebook posts, you name it. It feels pretty good doesn’t it? It is especially nice hearing from loved ones that you haven’t spoken with for some time. 
This Psalm brings that feeling to my mind. Going about my busy days, I don’t always call to mind that God is with me. But God is with us every day, not just on our birthdays. He sticks with us no matter where we go, what we do (or don’t do), or what mistakes we make.

God is always with us; omnipresent. Not just with, but in us. He knows all of our thoughts, fears, and emotions. He knows when I get angry at inconsiderate drivers. He knows when I get worried over my teen learning to drive. He knows when my feelings are hurt, because my kids don’t necessarily love the dinner I worked so hard to prepare. He knows when we smile, frown, cry, or scowl. There is no putting on a brave face for God. He knows what we are truly thinking and feeling.

I am not one that easily shares my feelings with others. Most especially if those feelings portray weakness, sadness, or negative thoughts. Why? I guess I am worried of being less valued than the person who is strong, happy, and positive. But with God, strong or weak, happy or sad, calm or angry, he still loves each of us. 

Take a moment and reflect on the warm inner glow of knowing in your heart that God loves you, even when it is not your birthday!

— Tonya Farr

Friday, March 14: Cheryl Tyson

Genesis 40: 1-23. But remember me when it is well with you; please do me the kindness to make mention of me to Pharaoh, and so get me out of this place.

Joseph’s story offers a banquet of lessons on which to reflect during this Lenten Season - faith, reconciliation, God’s promise. But, it is his unshakable sense of hope in the goodness of others that is evident in this verse.

One would predict that after Joseph’s brothers had plotted to kill him and then sold him into slavery, that he would be a bitter and suspicious man. But his sense of hope and trust is displayed in this verse as he anticipates that the Pharaoh’s Cup Bearer will feel inspired to repay his kindness and expedite his release from prison. But faith is the seed of hope, and Joseph’s faith in God is enduring.

The definition of hope is confident expectation. One Biblical scholar describes Joseph as having “inextinguishable hope.” Inextinguishable, because despite the betrayal by his brothers, and his imprisonment after being falsely accused of attempted rape by Potiphar’s wife, his hope in the goodness of others remained.

We have all felt the sting from a hurt or betrayal by others. And the sting is even more painful when it is those closest to us who are the origin of our injury. But even during his suffering Joseph always felt that God was with him. Joseph’s hope was inspired by God’s promise that his suffering would have meaning and be an opportunity for blessings.

I pray we follow Joseph’s example to trust in God during times of suffering. And, as with Joseph in bondage and Christ on Calvary, that we have faith that through our suffering we too can find meaning and an opportunity for blessings. It is this faith which will be the seed of our hope.

— Cheryl Tyson

Thursday, March 13: Greg Murray

1 Corinthians 3:10-15. Using the gift that God gave me, I did the work of an expert builder and laid the foundation, and someone else is building on it. But each of you must be careful how you build. For God has already placed Jesus Christ as the one and only foundation, and no other foundation can be laid. Some will use gold or silver or precious stones in building on the foundation; others will use wood or grass or straw. And the quality of each person’s work will be seen when the Day of Christ exposes it. For on that Day fire will reveal everyone’s work; the fire will test it and show its real quality. If what was built on the foundation survives the fire, the builder will receive a reward. But if your work is burnt up, then you will lose it; but you yourself will be saved, as if you had escaped through the fire.

As a builder, I am particularly struck by these verses, in which Paul tells us that he did the work of a master builder in laying the foundation of faith in Jesus Christ for the people of Corinth. He goes on to tell us that how we build on the foundation – how we live out their faith in Jesus – will be tested with fire. I know that my “faith foundation” is tested with “fire” in both the little annoyances of daily life, as well as in those times of great sorrow and hurt that we each experience as we journey through life. 

The quality of the foundation of any building and the connection of the structure to the foundation determines the longevity, safety and security of any building. When we began construction on the Ebsworth Life Center we ran into soil that did not provide good bearing for the foundation. We had to do more excavation and widen our footings to create a solid, stable foundation. For me there are definitely times in my life when I need to “shore up the footing” to truly open my heart and mind to Christ’s loving touch and faithful presence – the foundation of my life.

Likewise, the connection between the foundation and the framing of the Ebsworth Life Center has been made strong and sure through the thoughtful planning, remarkable effort and amazing craftsmanship of our architects, engineers and builders. They along with you, through your planning, vision and sacrificial giving, have helped to make this a community where we are all together building a wonderful structure, both physically and spiritually, to share Christ’s love with one another and our community.

Being involved in the construction of the Ebsworth Life Center has been an amazing faith journey for me and it has been a chance to fully listen to and respond to God’s call. It has also given me a chance to experience, again and again, God’s love and faithfulness in this place and in each of you. Blessings.

— Greg Murray

Wednesday, March 12: Anne Katri

Mark 1:35. In the morning, while it was still very dark, He got up and went out to a deserted place, and there He prayed.”

In Mark 1:35, we are reminded by Jesus’ actions to make time to connect with God and pray alone. Jesus does so faithfully, even after the Sabbath day, when He has already worshiped and performed healing miracles very publicly in the community. He finds time to pray early in the morning, alone. He is focused on giving thanks to God by prayer; He is not scared of the darkness, or fearful of the demons thought to be “lurking” in the wilderness. 

For me, morning prayer often takes place during early morning runs around Green Lake park. Rising in the dark experiencing God’s natural beauty around me, this is a time when I am able to pray for concerns or fears I have and also pray to give thanks for the many things that are going right in my life and for those around me. With every step on the frosty gravel as I circle the lake, I feel God’s closeness and spirit. By the time my run is complete, the sun is up, shining brightly on the lake and providing light and hope for the coming day. 

 “Lord, run by my side. Live in my heartbeat. Give me strength in my steps. As the cold whirls around me, as the wind pushes me, I know You surround me. As the sun warms me, as the rain cleanses me, I know You are with me, challenging me and loving me. And so I give you this run. Thank you, God, for matching my stride and blessing me with this day ahead. Amen.” (Adapted from A Runner’s Prayer).

— Anne Katri

Tuesday, March 11: Shirley E. Deffenbaugh

Psalm 48: 9 (New Revised Standard Version [NRSV]). We ponder your steadfast love, O God, in the midst of your temple. • Psalm 48 (translated by Nan C. Merrill in Psalms for Praying: An Invitation to Wholeness, p. 93). We have pondered your steadfast love, O Beloved, in the midst of our hearts, your holy temple.

American poet Wallace Stevens wrote, “The poet is the priest of the invisible.” I like that notion. The psalmist/poet in the NRSV describes an invisible God in tangible terms through the metaphors of power and might – a God who dwells on a holy mountain [a remote God] and the beauty of God’s dwelling place is terrifying, causing armies of kings to tremble in fearsome awe, yet the psalmist calls the faithful to praise Him and to consider His towers, bulwarks, and strongholds. Then, the poet/priest suddenly calls the faithful to ponder God’s steadfast love in the temple building. On one level, of course, the church where we worship, through its beauty, evokes our personal images and response – the arches in the St. Thomas’ nave call up the rib cage, the heart’s enclosure. When I sit in the nave, I know that I’m encased in God’s breast. On another level, I move to Nan Merrill’s translation – God’s holy temple is my own heart, a place where the Beloved dwells. When I ponder the Beloved’s steadfast love in the inner temple, I see . . . our cat’s loving eyes, the birds who feed in our yard, my parents who tucked me in every night, my grandmothers who made doll quilts for me, our Celtic wedding rings with twin herons entwining the ribbon of eternity, the women’s “thank you” for a hot lunch at The Sophia Way, the clergy serving the bread and wine at St. Thomas’ altar.

— Shirley E. Deffenbaugh

Monday, March 10: Christopher Breunig

Mark 1:1-13. And the Spirit immediately drove him out into the wilderness.

This passage is the start of Mark’s Gospel. It does not include the story of the Nativity, no baby in the manger. But in a way, it is a birth of sorts – the birth of Jesus’ ministry. It starts with Jesus coming to John the Baptist, who is preaching and baptizing in the Jordan River. Jesus and John knew one another – their mothers were friends. Jesus is baptized and John sees the heavens part and the spirit descending on Jesus like a dove. This same spirit drives Jesus away into the wilderness and into the hands of angels and with wild beasts. Quite a dramatic scene – I imagine that Jesus wordlessly walks away from the River Jordan and into a spiritual and physical wilderness for forty days, since Mark records no further words by Jesus or John. This is a transition – John preaches no more as he is imprisoned. Jesus ministry begins.

The wilderness plays a very important part in formation of Jesus’ ministry. Like a lifelong Christian, Jesus was dedicated and informed in his Jewish faith. We know he attended temple and possessed knowledge of biblical texts. But this is not enough. Jesus does not rise from the Jordan, dry off and immediately start preaching and recruiting disciples. He starts preaching and gaining disciples after his time in the wilderness.

Like Jesus, our baptism starts the journey of our own ministry. Unlike Jesus, many of us never get to the wilderness, to wrestle with demons and be ministered to by angels. This is a loss. By avoiding the wilderness, remaining comforted by the daily rhythm and interruptions of our familiar life, we lose out on opportunities to be challenged and changed by God. May you find time in Lent to withdraw from your daily life, even for a short period, and let angels minister to you while you wrestle with demons. You will return changed.

—Christopher Breunig

Sunday, March 9 - The First Sunday in Lent: Harriett Gill

Psalm 32:5. Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not conceal my guilt. I said I will confess my transgressions to the Lord. Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.

Receiving forgiveness for wrongdoing is a humbling and yet, freeing thing. We need to emphasize that our sins are forgiven when we admit to them, and proclaim our regrets and sorrow for committing them. When we do this, it is as though a heavy burden – the burden of guilt - has been taken from us. If we do not admit our guilt, it can affect not only our mental and spiritual health, but also our physical wellbeing. The amazing thing is what we are able to learn about forgiveness. When we can truly, with God’s help, forgive one who has caused anguish or harm, the simple act of forgiving and handing the problem to the Lord seems to make the burden of pain vanish. Sometime it seems too slowly, but it does go away. This happens even when the one who has caused the pain does not care whether or not we forgive him or her. When one thinks on this, it causes a sort of comic relief! When I was a small child I learned a chorus that went like this :

I’m so happy and here is the reason why/Jesus took my burden all away. 

Once my heart was heavy with a load of sin, /Jesus took my burden, I have peace within.

That peace within is a wonderful, priceless thing. It is there for all of us . There is joy in being forgiven and joy in our forgiving the ones who have injured us. When we truly forgive the one who has caused our pain, that forgiveness takes away the burden of our pain. We tend to make things difficult, but God’s Love is wonderfully easy.

— Harriett Gill

Saturday, March 8: Marilyn Pedersen

John 17:20-26. I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one…

This passage reminds me that I am part of God’s creation. A tapestry, a unique part of a grand jigsaw puzzle. My particular thread or jigsaw puzzle piece is necessary to complete the whole. I am reminded that I am not the only part. It is vital that I recognize everyone else’s unique, important place in God’s creation. We all have a role to play. God is in me and in the other. We might disagree on what we need to accomplish but we are both part of the equation. What can I learn from the other? Do I need to re-examine my opinions/perspective/prejudices/closely held beliefs? My life matters. Every life matters. We are deeply loved.

—Marilyn Pedersen

Friday, March 7: Eric Ewing

Ezekiel 18:21-23, 25-32. But if the wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed and observes all my statutes and practices justice and righteousness, he shall surely live; he shall not die. All his transgressions which he has committed will not be remembered against him; because of his righteousness which he has practiced, he will live. 

Ezekiel 18 is about how God deals justly with individuals. The voice of God declares that sinners will die and the righteous shall live. The transgressions of a sinner are his/hers alone and an individual is only accountable for his or her own actions, not those of his/her family or associates.

As I read this passage I’m struck by my own experience that when I live in accordance with what I know to be good I feel alive. I feel connected with God. When I act in a manner that is contrary to what I know is good I feel less connected with God. I can even get to a place where I feel dead. The decisions I make and the actions I take have a direct impact on how “alive” or “dead” I feel. My actions lead to an experience of connection with or abandonment from spirit.

“I am alive. Who is this aliveness? I am.” The words of this song I once heard echo through my mind in times of doubt, depression, and worry. My aliveness is my connection with God and it hungers for deeper connection. My aliveness is my unique gift to the world. My unique expression. When I embrace righteousness I connect more deeply with God in that moment and I choose to live. I become vital.

— Eric Ewing

Thursday, March 6: Stephanie Curry

Habakkuk 3:17-18. Though the cherry trees don’t blossom and the strawberries don’t ripen, Though the apples are worm-eaten and the wheat fields stunted, Though the sheep pens are sheepless and the cattle barns empty, I’m singing joyful praise to GOD. I’m turning cartwheels of joy to my Savior God. Counting on GOD’s Rule to prevail, I take heart and gain strength.

I lived in Anchorage for seven years during the 1980’s and was fascinated by the blend of races and cultures. Indigenous Natives, Asians, African Americans, European Americans, Latinos, Polynesians, and Texans.  The oil industry was booming bringing with it an influx of oil and gas professionals, mostly from Texas. I became friends with one such person, a petroleum engineer, in a Bible study I attended. Born and raised in Texas, he rattled off euphemisms and pithy southern phrases easily.

My favorite was “What’s down in the well comes up in the bucket.”

For me, Lent is a time to pay closer attention to “the well”. In her book A Clearing Season: Reflections for Lent, Sarah Parsons says Lent is an annual invitation to create a spacious place in our lives to draw closer to God. More specifically, it is a chance to identify the obstructions that keep us from God. She writes, “Lent gives us a chance to look at such obstructions and to move them gently away so that we can come closer to the Love that gives us life, the Love whose triumph we will celebrate on Easter morning.”

Making space in my schedule to draw closer to God is easier than making space in the noisy workshop of my soul. Those annoying obstructions for me include the rancorous voices of self-criticism and doubt, and a very disgruntled attitude toward God regarding my biggest challenge, multiple sclerosis. Those are my orchards of bloomless fruit trees, stunted wheat fields, and empty stockyards Habakkuk describes in the verses above. 

This Lenten season I cannot tackle all the obstructions in my life that prevent a closer walk with God. I can however, make space in my life to name and choose one, and open my mind to Light’s gentle guidance, allowing God to purify the well waters of my soul as only Love can do. My desire is to name then surrender that one obstruction with no expectations or mental gymnastics about the outcome. I know from experience that God is faithful, can be trusted, and Love triumphs. The well waters of my soul also know this, not by experience; I just know.

So, no matter the circumstances in and around me, the pure waters of praise and joy can and will rise up “in my bucket” as a song to Lord of living water.        

                                                          

 — Stephanie Curry

Introduction to the Lenten Devotional: The Rev. Karen Haig

For Christians, Lent is a time set apart. Forty full, rich and long days to reflect and to pray, to look within, to seek out and explore the things in our lives that create distance between God and ourselves. Lent is a time to listen carefully and to discern what it is that God is calling us into. What might we take on, or let go of, in order to more freely love God, our neighbors and ourselves?

We offer you the St. Thomas Lenten Devotional and invite you to spend some time each day reflecting on Holy Scripture with our St. Thomas community. These reflections have been written with great care and attention by the people of our community, and they offer us an opportunity to move more deeply into our relationships with God, with one another and with ourselves.  My heartfelt thanks to all who prayed and pondered and wrote so beautifully from the riches of their own lives, to make this booklet happen. This little devotional is a great gift to us all, and it has been my privilege to have had a hand in bringing it to you. I invite you to use it to pray with, and to come closer into community by coming to know a bit more of the people who have written these reflections. May this Lent be an especially rich and holy season for us all.

- Faithfully, Karen†

Ash Wednesday, March 5: Bishop Greg Rickel

Matthew 6:21. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

This is a most quoted scripture and one that is often misquoted. You will hear people often transpose the “treasure” and the “heart.” It works either way, but transposing it does have a nuance. I think Jesus knew what he was doing when he stated it the correct way, for where your treasure is, there you heart will be also. Lent is a time to discern such things. Where is your treasure? And of course, before you might know that, you may have to answer, what is your treasure? A very wise spiritual director once told me that most people are not qualified to answer that question for themselves. We have this built in denial to our reality, which more or less leads us not to be honest with ourselves. My spiritual director said, instead, ask those who truly love you. Get them to be honest. They will be able to see where your treasure is. I remember once, of the many times, my son played the role of spiritual director. He rather jokingly said that he wondered if he might get an appointment on my schedule. 

Now that is truth. 

It is a struggle I continue to battle to this day, my treasure is order and response, and getting things done. I can be quite good at that, to the detriment of what, at least I believe is my “treasure.” Perhaps, in this Lent, a good discipline would be to take great stock in what is your treasure, to name it, to maybe even write it down, to make it real, to test it out with those who love you. To compare that list, the one that has the priorities as we think we live them, and the real ones. To do this, is to know your heart.

- The Rt. Rev. Greg Rickel, Bishop of Olympia