“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” –Matthew 5:3 Who are the poor in spirit? They are not those who scavenge the streets. They do not beg for mundane things, nor are they the people searching to fill their voids with that which the Read more…
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art. Thou my best Thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light. Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word; I ever with Thee and Thou Read more…
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” -Matthew 11:29 A yoke is a wooden cross piece that connects two animals, usually oxen, to plow a field. These two oxen are typically paired Read more…
Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. And the tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command these stones to become loaves of Read more…
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” –Hebrews 4:15 As we often struggle during Lent – giving up worldly attachments and embracing prayer, fasting and almsgiving Read more…
“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Your faithfulness.” –Lamentations 3:22-23 Lent is a season of repentance. In many ways, that means the act of embracing the brokenness both within and around us. We look Read more…
Oh! bring us, then, we pray Thee, now near to Thyself. Let us bathe ourselves in communion with our God. Blessed be the love which chose us before the world began. We can never sufficiently adore Thee for Thy sovereignty, the sovereignty of love which saw us in the ruins Read more…
I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, and in His word I hope; my soul waits for the LORD more than watchmen for the morning, more than watchmen for the morning. -Psalm 130:5-6 The 1662 Book of Common Prayer prescribes Psalm 130 (among others) to be read on Ash Read more…
Issue 3: Lazarus “Lazarus, come out!” Jesus’s first words to His resurrected friend demonstrate His power over death itself – even Lazarus, dead for four days, can be raised through Christ’s intervention. But more than just a show of divine power, these words are an invitation to greater intimacy with Read more…
Issue 4: Living Water “Whoever drinks the water I shall give,” Christ tells the Samaritan woman in John 4, “will never thirst.” In a culture which often disdains the possibility of everlasting fulfillment, Christ’s words might strike us as fanciful. To hope for perfect satisfaction in anything, it seems, is Read more…