A long time ago … I used to subscribe to a mailing. Yes. It came in the mail. I looked forward to it, as it came from the late Walter Wink. It consisted of a bunch of little tid-bits of information. He once mentioned that he’d sit in the bathtub with a newspaper or magazine and a pair of scissors. Clip, clip, clip. He’d cut out anything he found interesting. (I have no idea if this was true, or he meant it as tongue in cheek).

At any rate, I hope this is provides a similar interest.

The Lectionary Readings for today

Scripture Lessons for this Week: 3rd Sunday after the Epiphany:

Jonah 3:1-5, 10; Psalm 62:5-12; 1 Corinthians 7:29-31; Mark 1:14-20

First a Theme

We continue the theme of calling this week. Jonah is called. The fishermen James and John; Andrew and Peter are called. Do you notice how the fisherman are from two different groups? One set of brothers are casting their nets from shore, the other set of brothers come from a boat with hired hands. Jesus calls us across societal or economic boundaries. To use a pun: We are all in the same boat, folks.

Notice how Jesus is calling them (and us as the reader) to something that is already here! John spoke of the coming, anticipated new Reign of God. Jesus proclaims it is already here, at hand.

How do we participate?

A Book Resource

When starting Winds of Grace, I was given the following book from some wonderful folks in the church. Roald Kverndal’s The Way of the Sea: The Changing Shape of Mission in the Seafaring World. Kverndal presents a rather academic study of Maritime Ministry. We tend to think of Maritime Ministry as a fairly recent missional activity of the churches to the Merchant Marine.

However, Kverndal brings us back to the early church to show that the Gospel was often spread via … wait for it … boat, ship, across the water.

For those of us who live upon the water, it says something positive about our own lifestyle.

An External Link

This week the world (especially the world of baseball) lost a legend: Hank Aaron. Kevin B. Blackistone reflects on how Aaron’s carrier also worked at shattering the myth of White Superiority. You can find his article from the Washington Post here.

Another External Link

This morning, Richard Rohr gives a wonderful reflection on how we frame our worldviews, how we give meaning to our lives. If you don’t follow along with Rohr’s email devotions, I highly recommend them. I’ve enclosed the link for today’s devotion (“The Three Domes“), and you can sign-up to receive them as daily emails.

How does this fits in for today?

Who have been the leaders who have called you out of yourself to live in a bigger world? Who has called you to participate in a larger story, The Story?

A Spiritual Practice

This week’s spiritual “practice” is probably more an attitude, a perspective upon which to look at the world. Practicing the Presence of God is attributed to Brother Lawrence, who reluctantly wrote about it, but didn’t think it was anything all that special.

Basically, it goes like this: we try living our lives as each little thing we do is done for the love of God. In Brother Lawrence’s case, who worked in the monastery kitchens, “And it is not necessary to have great things to do. I turn my little omelet in the pan for the love of God.”

This practice’s simplicity, I have found, is what makes it so difficult.

I’ll post later this week with more about this spiritual practice.

Blessed be

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The Roald Kverndal book link in this post is an affiliate link. The rest of the links are not. All the links are for your convenience. If you were to purchase something by following the Roald Kverndal book link we would get a small commission at no extra expense to you. Thank you for the support.