1Kings 17:7-16; Psalm 4:2-8; Matthew 5:13-16

a light
that shines
within
drawn out
to meet another
drawn out
to meet
our God
we are guided
by this
our prayers
for love
and healing
are answered
we provide
each other
with sustenance
creating
a culture
of Life
from a
culture of death
we are
the salt
of the earth

Are you guided by your inner light?
Where does it lead you?

Matthew 5:1-12

the poor in spirit
the mourners
the meek
the hungry and thirsty
the merciful
the pure
the peacemakers
the persecuted
the insulted
and slandered for His sake
all blessed
by a heaven
that sees
and hears
and loves them

How are you blessed?

Exodus 34: 4-6,8-9; Daniel 3; 2 Cor 13: 11-13; John 3: 16-18

our merciful God
gracious
slow to anger
abounding
in steadfast
love and faithfulness
sending love
for our salvation
we open
our hearts
our minds
our bodies
our breath
to God’s
holy breath
Holy Spirit
condemned
no longer
we see
the Truth of love
we are free
to live
in peace
with all

Do you experience the grace of God
Do you feel God’s breath in you?
Are you alive in God’s Holy Spirit?

Mark 12:38-44

giving
from our surplus
we live
in our greed
not knowing
what is needed
for the journey-

nothing less
than everything

From where do you give?

Sooner or later everything falls away.
You, the work you’ve done, your successes
large and small, your failures too.
Those moments when you were light,
alongside the times when you were one with the night.
The friends, the people you loved;
Who loved you; those who might have
wished you ill, none of this is forever.
All of it is soon to go or going or long gone.

Everything falls away, except the thread
that you followed unknowingly all along.
The thread that strings together all you’ve been or done
The thread you didn’t know you were tracking
Until, toward the end, you see the thread is what stays
As everything else falls away.

Follow that thread as long as you can
And you will find it does not end
But weaves itself into the unimaginable vastness of life
Your life never was the solo turn it seemed to be
It was always part of the great weave of nature and humanity
An immensity that we come to know
Only as we follow our own small threads
To the place where they merge with the boundless whole.

Each of the threads runs its course, then
joins in life together. This magnificent tapestry-
This masterpiece in which we live forever -Parker Palmer

What is the thread you follow?

2Timothy2:8-15; Psalm 25:4-15; Mark 12:28-34

the word of God
alive
and free
teaching
challenging
and guiding
that we may know
the ways
of kindness
and constancy
loving God
with all
your soul
all of your mind
and all of your strength
and loving
our neighbor
as yourself

Does God’s word lead the way in your life?
How does it teach you to love your neighbor?
Who is your neighbor?

2Timothy 1:1-3,6-12; Psalm 25: 2-9; Mark 12: 18-27

not through a Spirit
of cowardice
but of power
and love
and self-control
we are given
our lives
as a gift
for goodness

misled
by our culture
we lose sight
of our spiritual nature
we become
discouraged
despairing
in time
ready for death

then
a Light comes
in revelation
drawing us
to Truth
a saving grace
and we see
ourselves
anew
in the realm
of angels

Have you lost sight of your spiritual nature?
Are you guided by the gifts of the Spirit?

2 Peter 3:12-15a, 17-18

Mary
Holy Spirit
upon you-
you trusted
through the eyes
of one without sin
without separation
from God
and conceived
within your being
a Son
who would bring light
to our eyes
and to the world…
with a song
upon our lips
we see
and rejoice

Do you say “yes” to the Spirit?
To what do you say “yes”?
What Light is born through you?

Painting by Adam Morse

Acts 2.1-11; Ps. 104 1, 24, 29-31,34; 1 Cor 12.3b-7,12,13; John 20.19-23

a noise
a strong
driving wind
tongues of fire
the Holy Spirit
our advocate
coming down
among us
to renew
the face of the earth
fruits of each
from the God
who loves All
for One good
bringing peace
we breathe easily
as we are freed from fear
we live
in the gifts
and drink of
the one Spirit
we give our lives
to this…
faithfulness
gentleness
love
joy
patience
kindness
generosity
self-control (Gal. 5:22-23)

How do you use your gifts?