Month: December 2020

A little over 2000 years ago,
the world was a dark, bleak place.
A place of misery, torment, and despair.
We were blind, lost, and imprisoned.
Yet you gave us an indescribable gift
your son, Jesus Christ, our redeemer.

2020 has been a dark, bleak miserable year.
Greed, hatred, and violence are still rampant.
But now a pale horse has come and gone viral.
We’re captives in our homes, isolated from all.
We are lost…losing jobs, loved ones, and even hope.

We cry out to you Most High Glorious God,
Please have mercy upon your children.
Have mercy upon those who have died,
and carry them to heaven.
Have mercy upon those who are sick
and bring them back to the fullness of health.
Have mercy upon all affected by this pandemic
and bless each according to their needs as best for them.

O Lord my God,
Please stop this pandemic
and release us from this Covid prison.
For you are the light of the world that
opens our eyes to the path of salvation.
Your radiant presence fills our hearts with peace.
You are the source of faith, hope and love.
And in these trying times, you give us hope,
not just for a return to our normal lives.
But a hope for a future where our
world is full light, love, and joy.
A future where your gift to the world
is to lead everyone to eternal life.
Amen.

We’re born with hearts that have a piece missing.
Profound emptiness that’s never ending
Seeking, searching, trying anything to fill
Unable to stop, overcoming our will

Pleasure, people, power, things without end
Nothing works no matter how much we spend
An endless hunger that we only feed
Our lives centered upon this boundless need

What is the missing piece? What do we lack?
The answer is our origin, we must go back
Born flesh and blood, but spiritual too
Body and soul, each with needs to pursue

If you seek of this world and cannot find
Look beyond this world with heart and mind
Like seeks like. Our soul seeks God’s divine love
Stop looking down. Raise your eyes and seek above

Knock, the door will open. Seek and you’ll find
the missing peace that fills both heart and mind.
God’s love will mend your heart making you whole
Nourishing your spirit, healing your soul

This morning I spent some time in quiet contemplation in our sunroom. It’s going to be a beautiful, bright, sunny day. I watch the cardinals fly through our yard against a background of trees. Gentle breezes move the leaves and sway the branches. Together these create shifting regions of light and shadow. A variegated ever-changing pattern dancing through the trees. The predominant deep shadows accentuate the pockets of light. A wondrous living presentation. For quite some time I was mesmerized watching the light pierce the dark….

Finally, looking up, I am blinded by the light.

Two Hundred forty-four years ago our country declared its Independence from England stating God given rights of all people that include life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness.

A Declaration stating that we are all equal and all free.
A noble cause, a noble sentiment.

Look at the news,
Look at our cities and our country.
Where is the equality?
Where is the freedom?

We are all children of God.
We are all created equal.
We are each given the gift of free will.
We are each given the freedom to choose between good and evil.

Will we choose hate, promoting injustice, prejudice, denigration, and subjugation?

Or will we choose love, respecting the dignity of every human being and striving for justice and peace among all people.

Today I have set before each of you.
The freedom to choose…
between life and death,
and blessings and curses.
The freedom to choose…
between Heaven and Hell…
both here on earth, and for eternity.

Choose life