An Elder Pilgrim's Reflections

"But whenever you pray,  go into your room and shut the door  and pray to your Father who is in secret;  and your Father who sees in secret will reward you." (Matthew 6:6) As my fall risk increased, my doctor prescribed physical therapy. My first appointment concluded with the therapist saying, “We’ll start by building up your core muscles which are the basis for stability." So, I wondered what core spiritual practices are the basis for strengthening my faith? Four core spiritual practices are clear: Bible reading and study, prayer, worship., and acts of justice. Centering prayer is a core practice which is not an obvious way to deepen your relationship with God.  Centering Prayer, based on Matthew 6:6, says “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Centering prayer works like this: First, “enter your room”, meaning finding a quiet place.  Choose a sa...

"The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.    He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters;    he restores my soul." (from   Psalm 23 ) Lectio Divina , is a method involving reading, meditating, and praying Scripture verses aiming to help people connect more deeply with God.    There are four basic steps:  1.     Reading the Scripture passage several times slowly listening for God's small voice. 2.    Thinking about how it applies to your life. 3.    Praying and opening your heart to God 4.    Being still and listening for what God is saying to you. As I read Psalm 23, two words stand out for me; water and soul. Places where I have been quiet and listening for what God may be saying are the shore and waterfalls. At the rocky shore of Acadia, N.P., God speaks through the rhythm of the waves rolling against the rocks in sets of three. God says, the rhyt...

While they were talking about this,  Jesus himself stood among them  and said to them,  “Peace be with you.” (from L uke 24:36b-48 ) Each Sunday my pastor tells us to turn to a person near us and say, “Peace be with you,” a greeting we all say. Some disciples were discussing the facts about the risen Lord and how they saw a connection between Moses, the prophets, and the Scriptures. Their conversation included Jesus’ ministry, focus on table ministry, and their experience of the resurrected Jesus.  When Jesus walked with the disciples and said,” peace be with you,” it was more than a customary welcome. Jesus standing with them continues sharing the message salvation to disciples gathered after his death. This greeting connects a wish for common well-being, and is also related to the Hebrew notion of shalom, indicating social relations and justice. “Peace be with you” is also a reminder Christians are commissioned to forgive sins which can sometimes mean salvation. So...

So the other disciples told Thomas, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” (from John 20:19-31 ) You’d have to see it to believe it!!! I have a 60-year-old automatic watch my father gave me for college graduation. The watch, like me, slowed down, needs repair, and requires a specialist compelling me to do an internet search for a repair shop fixing antiques and vintage timepieces. I located a shop about 20 miles away claiming to repair antique and vintage watches. Entering the shop, I was amazed to see a collection of grandfather clocks, mantle clocks, wall clocks, and a collection of antique vintage watches. It's an astonishing collection!! You’d have to see it to believe it!!! The only way to experience my amazement, you MUST go there! (133 S Courtland St, East Stroudsburg, PA 18301)   That’s how it was with Mary and the ...

"But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” (from Mark 16:1-8 ) Last week I reconnected with two former youth group members via social media. One, teaching in an English school, lives in Dubai with two teen-age daughters.  Knowing his life journey and how far he has come, I’d describe it as going from a “tomb” to an Easter life of new beginnings. The other moved from the “tomb” of rural life to Easter city life with new beginnings including job hunting, commuting, and learning a transportation system with trains and busses. I’m certain if we were to reconnect face to face, we’d have a great celebration. When Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome came to anoint Jesus, found the stone rolled back, and a young man in a white robe, they were amazed and afraid.  The young man told them to tell Peter and the disciples to go to Galilee where they will see him. Through the young man, J...

"After mocking him, they stripped him of the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out to crucify him." (from Mark 15:1-47 ) As I reflect on the story of Jesus’ torment, suffering and crucifixion, similar stories come to my mind. Stories such as George Floyd, Breyonna Taylor, school shootings by students, and NYC subway incidents. On the one hand, I think there’s nothing outstanding about Jesus’ torment, suffering and crucifixion.  The Roman government crucified lots of people because of betrayal, arrest under false charges, abandonment, physical abuse, and mob “justice". The world in Jesus’ day experienced profound cruelty from the elite and those with governmental power able to manipulate the legal system for their corrupt interests. On the other hand, Jesus’ trial and crucifixion was an apocalyptic event, a revelation. The disciples understood Jesus as the Messiah when the Centurion said, “Truly, this was the Son of God!”  The first chapter is...

Now among those who went up to worship at the festival were some Greeks. They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and said to him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” ( from  John 12:20-32 ) During Fellowship Time, I try talking to new folks asking why they chose to attend our church. Many have chosen to attend because they have just moved into the area, were seeking a church, and experienced us as a friendly church. Some, after experiencing a traumatic event, are seeking Jesus. One person, sharing the event using limited language, spoke of feeling clueless, not having money, and poor at conversation. The person was seeking Jesus with a troubled soul needing comfort and hope. The Greeks are seeking Jesus, but the Scripture doesn’t tell, and we don’t know, their expectations In searching the Scriptures, John 7:35-36 suggests the seekers aren’t Greeks, rather Jews dispersed among Greeks freed the Babylonian exile and heading to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. The “Greeks...