March 18, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Hope

I've been pondering hope lately.

Hope is one of the three theological virtues – faith, hope, and love (or charity) – as put forth by Saint Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians. Widely defined, hope is the desire and search for a future good that is difficult, but not impossible, to attain. In the First Letter of Peter, we are told that the resurrection of Christ has given humanity a new birth into a living hope – that is, we now live our lives with the hope of resurrection where there is no more pain or sorrow, only life everlasting. Our life with Christ may often be difficult – after all, Christ told us to take up our cross, not put up our hammocks and eat BonBons. Following Christ is a difficult proposition, just ask the disciples; but it is in that following and in those difficulties of discipleship where hope flourishes.

And yet, hope can also be an elusive thing. We hope for good medical diagnoses. We hope for recovery from illnesses. We hope life will return to normal. We hope for easy deaths. We hope for things that might be realistically impossible to attain. But even so, sometimes hope is the one thing that keeps us moving forward day by day.

At the Committal, while earth is cast upon the coffin, the Celebrant says, “In sure and certain hope of the resurrection . . .” Christian hope allows us to continually move forward in faith as we work toward attaining union with Christ, both in the here and in the hereafter. And in that vein, Lent is a season of hope. We take on particular disciplines or abstain from certain things in the hope of changing and renewing our lives with Christ. We hope to eat better (by giving up an excess of sweets). We hope to be more diligent (by taking on the discipline of reading Scripture daily). We hope to be more Christ-like (by closely examining where we have fallen short).

As we draw closer to Holy Week and the events of the Passion, may you live each day in the hope of the resurrection.

Blessings,

March 11, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Women

March is Women's History Month. Like Black History Month, this is a time to recognize people who have made an impact on society but who also, because of their skin color or gender, have been removed from or ignored in mainstream history. To be honest, this celebration and month of recognizing women in society slipped past me unnoticed.

As I've mentioned before, a group of us are reading Honest to Goodness: Discovering the Truth and Beauty of a Loving God through Lent and discussing it after the 10:00 service. The subject for today's devotional is “I will comfort you like a mother.”

In a number of places Holy Scripture uses feminine imagery to describe God. From the creation story where both men and women were created in the image of God to Isaiah describing God as a mother comforting her children to Jesus longing to gather up God's children as a mother hen gathers her chicks, and others, Scripture makes clear that God is not a boy's name and neither is God male or female, but that male and female are both in the image of God.

Even with these scriptural images of God in the feminine, we overwhelmingly ascribe male attributes to God. Images of king, father, or warrior dominate. Even images of inanimate things – rock, wind, shield, and others – seem to be more prevalent in our thinking than feminine images.

How might our image of God change if we were willing to see God in the feminine? In our attempts to be more godlike, how might our relationships with others change if we became more motherly as God is motherly?

Here's something to consider during this Women's History Month and this season of Lent:  Could having feminine images of God help draw us closer to the divine?

May you continue to have a blessed Lent,

March 4, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Advertising

In the Lenten devotional book, Honest to Goodness: Discovering the Truth and Beauty of a Loving God, the topic for this Second Week of Lent is, “Dear Mortal, here's what I expect from you.” This Second Week of Lent is all about learning and meditating on what God requires of us to uphold our end of the covenant we have entered into.

Over and over again we are called to listen to God (the Jewish faith is based on the Shema – “Hear, O Israel”). We are called to be holy as the Lord God is holy. We are called to be generous with our wealth and share of our abundance with others. We are called to do justice, love mercy, and forgive others as God forgives us. We are called to shine the light of God's love, both so that others will see and so that we dispel the works of darkness. And we are called to love others as God and Jesus love us.

Notice that we are NOT called to place bumper stickers on our cars, wear hats or clothing with pithy biblical quotes, or stock up on any other religious trinkets we might use to identify us as people of God.

We can have all the clothing, stickers, and trinkets we want that advertise us as Christians, but if we don't do the very basics of what God is calling us to do, then it's all just so much false advertising.

What are the basics of what God is calling us to do, and how do we let people know that we are Christian people of God? We do it by listening to and respecting others. We do it by giving liberally and sharing our abundance with the less fortunate. We do it by working for justice, being merciful, and living humbly. We do it by living in and sharing the light of Christ that banishes all darkness.

And that is the only advertising needed.

Have a blessed Lent,

February 25, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Merciful God

This Lent a group of us are reading Honest to Goodness: Discovering the Truth and Beauty of a Loving God. It's a book of daily Lenten meditations focusing on “some of the most profound, surprising, and even hilarious words attributed to God.”

The reading for this Friday focuses on Exodus 34:6 – A God merciful and gracious, slow to anger; and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Even when people sin and God is moved to act with justice, God also acts with mercy. When people are about to sin, God acts with mercy in an effort to call them back. When people are in the midst of sinning, God begs them to repent and return to him.

But people tend to overshadow this mercy, graciousness, and steadfast love of God by focusing on God's wrath and punishment. What is it about punishment that we enjoy seeing doled out? Friday's devotion references Jonathan Edwards (Congregationalist pastor of the 18^th Century) and his famous sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.”

This Lent, what if we looked for ways to find God's mercy? What if during this Lent we pursued repentance not out of a fear of being punished but out of a sense love, mercy, and faithfulness in an effort to rightly restore our relationship with God?

And then, what if we worked to exhibit love, mercy, and faithfulness toward others that God extends to us?

Have a blessed Lent,

February 18, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday is the beginning of the Season of Lent, those (roughly) 40 days in which we participate in self-examination, repentance; prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and meditating on God's holy Word.

Over the years this day, and this season, have been focused on the aspect of giving up: giving up things of the self in favor of doing things for God; giving up things that waste time in favor of being more productive; giving up harmful language in favor of speaking well; etc. In more modern times we've seen practices of giving up television, social media, or chocolate. I'm aware of one priest who gives up wearing socks during Lent in order to help him understand just a little better of what many homeless people experience.

And while some of these practices are more pious than others, what all of them have in common is a sense that they are Lenten disciplines which can be ended with the arrival of Easter.

I came across and email yesterday with a link to a podcast about Lent where the tagline was, “Ash Wednesday is not an ending. It's a true beginning.”

That line sums up what I've been saying for several years: The point of Lenten disciplines is not to make us miserable. The point of Lenten disciplines is to give us time to make permanent changes.

Whatever your Lenten discipline is this year – reading more Scripture, purchasing additional hygiene products for the Food Pantry, attending worship services more often, turning off the tv to pray, – take a new look at what and why you're doing it. Could you look at that discipline as not just a seasonal practice but the beginning of a long-term change?

And whatever you do this Lent, may your practice be based in and reflect the love of Christ.

Blessings,

February 11, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Let us bless the Lord.

Lent begins next week with Ash Wednesday. This is a season of penitence, self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, and self-denial. In addition to fasting from certain activities or behaviors, it has become fashionable to take something on as a Lenten discipline. This year our youth group is encouraging everyone to take on the practice of purchasing extra personal hygiene products which will then be given to the Food Pantry.

You will also notice that the liturgy takes on a more somber tone. The Gloria or song of praise is replaced with the kyrie (Lord, have mercy; Christ, have mercy; Lord, have mercy), our hymns are noticeably different, and alleluias are omitted. Our dismissal also changes from one that specifically sends us out into the world with both joy and in acknowledgment of what we have just heard and participated, to, “Let us bless the Lord.”

This last form of dismissal (pp. 340, 366) was traditionally used in more solemn and penitential times, such as Advent and Lent. I have probably spent too much time searching for why this was, or the meaning behind why this dismissal came to be used during these times only to find nothing. This seems to be the classic, “We've always done it that way.” So let me give my interpretation of why we use that particular dismissal during Advent and Lent.

Lent, especially, is a penitential season. The Exhortation reminds us of our need for penitence and to make restitution. The Rite 1 Confession acknowledges that our sins “most justly provoke the wrath” of God. Nevertheless, we are also reminded of God's great mercy and steadfast love. We see this in many places, but most notably in Ps. 103 which begins, “Bless the Lord, O my soul.”

This psalm proclaims that, even in the midst of sinners, God is the God of mercy and grace. It proclaims a message of steadfast love and compassion, while also claiming that “as far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our sins from us.” It is in the knowledge that even though we are sinners God is yet merciful and loving, we are called to bless the Lord always.

That is why, in the Season of Lent, we are dismissed from the liturgy with the words, “Let us bless the Lord.” As we travel through this penitential season, working to change our habits and get right with God, remember to give thanks and praise to our God who is full of compassion and mercy.

Blessings,

February 4, 2026

Wednesday Word . . . Extend Hope to All People

This is the second clause of our Vision Statement. And while I think it's a good phrase, you might be wondering just how, exactly, do we do that? How do we “extend hope to all people?”

If you think about it, there are multiple ways to do this.

We offer our parish hall for AA meetings on Mondays and Thursdays. AA provides hope and resources for those people suffering from an addiction to alcohol and the chaos that can create in lives. Having a place to go that is consistent and safe provides hope for the people of AA.

The Johnson County Suicide Prevention Coalition provides hope for those struggling with thoughts of suicide. Through resources, advocacy, trainings, and awareness, the SPC works to provide hope for those contemplating suicide as well as their families. When we are sincere in telling people that we are better with them than without them, hope takes root.

At our Annual Meeting this past Sunday, Horizon and Balyn made a presentation to the congregation on behalf of the Confirmation class. As part of the class' “faith in action” segment, the group discussed a variety of needs within the community and settled on a hygiene drive through the season of Lent. Personal hygiene items are the one thing that the Food Pantry is always in need of and are items that go quickly when they do have them in stock.

How does the hygiene drive extend hope? Well . . . it's always easier to be hopeful when you're shaved, showered, and have your teeth brushed.

Supplying hygiene products for the food pantry would be an excellent Lenten discipline for the people of Saint Luke's. I encourage you to support this youth-led project by purchasing additional toothpaste, shampoo, soap, pads, wipes, and/or any other additional items that come to mind.

Through this project we can help provide daily hope for the people who rely on the Food Pantry, and thereby begin to live into our vision to extend hope to all people.

Blessings,