May 13, 2020

Daily Devotions


Meditation, Prayers, and Assorted Stuff for May 13, 2020

Henri Nouwen, Bread for the Journey, “Emptiness and Fullness”

Emptiness and fullness at first seem complete opposites. But in the spiritual life they are not. In the spiritual life we find the fulfillment of our deepest desires by becoming empty for God.
We must empty the cups of our lives completely to be able to receive the fullness of life from God. Jesus lived this on the cross. The moment of complete emptiness and complete fullness became the same. When he had given all away to his Abba, his dear Father, he cried out, “It is fulfilled” (John 19:30). He who was lifted up on the cross was also lifted into the resurrection. He who had emptied and humbled himself was raised up and “given the name above all other names” (see Philippians 2: 7-9) Let us keep listening to Jesus’ question: “Can you drink the cup that I am going to drink?” (Matthew 20:22)

Prayers For Strength To Get On With Life

These prayers come to us from Father William Lister, a former military chaplain, author and chef. He is now the chaplain of St. Mark’s English Church, Florence, Italy.

Almighty God, you care for everything you have made. You feed the birds of the air, you clothe the flowers of the field and your Son has told us to rest secure in your providence. I come to you now with great fear and uncertainty in this current crisis. Take this fear away from me. Help me to see the beauty and blessings all around me still. Inspire me to acts of kindness to others and open my heart to their support for me. Give each one of us a sure faith in this time of need and the knowledge of your love in your Son, our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Dear God, your Son was in the wilderness for forty days and forty nights being taunted and tempted by evil. As we endure this current wilderness of fear and uncertainty, inspire us with your powerful grace; help us to overcome our doubts and anxieties, and bring us to a sure knowledge of our closeness to your Son and the love he came to share. Through the same Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.

Moses, Non Sequitur Style…

Today’s links! 

https://www.marinij.com/2020/05/10/marin-priests-offer-drive-up-confession-amid-pandemic/You knew it was coming. Introducing drive through confession.


https://www.newsweek.com/113-year-old-women-oldest-coronavirus-survivor-1503372This 113-year-old woman not only beat COVID-19, but also the World War I era influenza pandemic.


https://mymodernmet.com/gdt-nature-photographer-2020/ Check out these winners of the Society for Nature Photography’s 2020 “Best Of” competition.


https://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/nasa-releases-satellite-images-of-california-superbloom-from-space/Thanks to unusually heavy, late-spring rains, California’s wildflowers are having an exceptionally beautiful year, with the blooms even visible from space.


https://www.atlasobscura.com/foods/buckfast-wine-scotlandThere’s wine, and then there’s WINE. Read all about Buckfast: each bottle packs 15 percent alcohol and the caffeine equivalent of about 10 cans of Coke.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOppMDE-x3kAnd, finally, like all the rest of us, Kevin James misses baseball.

Don’t forget Bible study tonight at 7 PM! We’ll discuss chapters 4 and 5 of the Acts of the Apostles. Here’s the Zoom info:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85133251670, Meeting ID: 851 3325 1670

Stay safe and stay well! 

Bob