Behold the One Beholding You
Joe Albright

Behold the One Beholding You

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Over the past two days, we reflected on God’s unconditional love and grace. I continue that theme today.

Not long ago, I heard Father Gregory Boyle talk about his friend and spiritual director, Bill Cain. A number of years ago, his friend took time off of his own ministry to care for his father as he died of cancer. 

His father had become quite frail but his mind remained sharp. At night, Bill would put his father to bed and then read to him from some novel, to try and put him to sleep. He said his father would often just lie there, staring at his son, smiling. 

Exhausted from the day’s care and work, he would plead, “Look, here’s the idea. I read to you, you fall asleep.” His father would apologize and close his eyes again. But this wouldn’t last long. After just a few moments, he would squint through one eye and smile at his son. Bill would catch him, “Now, come on, Dad. Time for sleep.” This routine went on and on.

After his father’s death, he said looking back on that – that time with his dad meant a great deal to him. And he came to see that this evening ritual was really just a story of a father who just couldn’t take his eyes off his kid. 

Maybe you’ve known what that is like – looking at your own child sleeping at night…

Father Greg said, “How much more so God? As Anthony De Mello writes, ‘Behold the One beholding you…’

This is the basis for our faith… This is the ground from which we build our relationships with each other. This is the ground from which our love and acceptance and care for others springs. This is the ground from which our ministry takes root. Without that foundation, none of it makes sense.

Let us pray: God of grace, we thank you for your unconditional love. Help us to accept this love and share it with a world desperately in need. Amen.

A God of Love
Joe Albright

A God of Love

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Yesterday we reflected on God’s unconditional love and grace. I continue that theme today.

Thomas Merton says, “Nothing can change God’s love for me, since my very existence is the sign that God loves me and the presence of his love creates and sustains me…”

Some people have a hard time accepting that. They have a hard time feeling chosen, or accepted or loved. Because so much of what the world tells us is that you have to be the best, the brightest, the best looking, have the most money, or you have to get it all right, or you have to play by a certain set of rules, in order to be loved, and accepted.  

I think about how a number of years ago now, at the request of a friend, I went to go visit a young man who had been arrested on drug charges and was brought into a juvenile detention center. He had so much anger in him, and he was clearly hurting… As we sat down to talk, he said, “I can’t do anything right. I’m failing school. I’m a failure at work. My dad says I’m an embarrassment. I don’t even belong in my own family. And I thought how does a young man, just 16 years old, pile up that kind of shame and guilt?

I don’t think he’s alone in that.

Somewhere along the line, people miss the message: they are sacred. And they are loved; that they are accepted by God… no matter what…

Sometimes we get a skewed idea of who God is, that God is an angry god, a tyrant god, or god who keeps score… But in Jesus, we are given a very different picture. God is a God of love.

Let us pray: God of grace, we thank you for your unconditional love. Help us to accept this love and share it with a world desperately in need. Amen.

The Beginning and Foundation
Joe Albright

The Beginning and Foundation

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One of our greatest needs as human beings is to be accepted; to be loved, to be valued. In the world, it’s true, that we often have to earn that acceptance. We have to earn that value. Sometimes we even feel we have to earn that love. It’s not often just handed to us. 

But what our scriptures teach is that love, acceptance, and grace are at the foundation of our faith. 

In fact, Luke makes this clear in one of the earliest stories in the gospel. He tells us that in Jesus’ baptism, the heavens are opened, the Spirit descends on him like a dove and God says, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”

Now think about this: How much ministry has Jesus accomplished up to that point? None. In the very next line, Luke says, he was about thirty years old when he began his work. Up to that point, what had Jesus done to earn that blessing? Nothing.  

Before any ministry, before he sets out on that beautiful three-year journey of healing, and teaching, before there is any sacrifice, before even the cross, God says, “With you, I am well pleased.”

It’s true not only of Jesus. He’s pleased with you. He’s pleased with you. 

There is nothing you can do to earn that. There is nothing you can do to lose that. It’s called grace. And it is the very beginning and foundation of our faith.

Let us pray: God of grace, we thank you for your unconditional love. Help us to accept this love and share it with a world desperately in need. Amen.

Arm in Arm (He Cares for You)
Roger Kunkel

Arm in Arm (He Cares for You)

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Friend of Dial Hope, do you sometimes feel like your problems are so overwhelming that you can barely keep your head above water? In the Bible, God tells you to cast “all your care upon him,” knowing he cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7) 

One of the most dramatic examples in the Bible of casting yourself upon God is Peter’s attempt to walk on water. It was liquid pavement beneath his feet. When Jesus bid Peter to come to him, Peter quickly stepped out of the boat and, with his eyes on the Lord, he began to walk. But then he looked around at the heavy seas. Terrified, he began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Immediately, Jesus was beside Peter. And, arm in arm, they walked on the water to the boat. Like Peter, if you get your eyes off your source and onto your impossible situation, you’re sunk. But, if you keep your eyes on Jesus and walk arm in arm with him, you’ll be safe…because Jesus specializes in meeting human needs. Whatever is over your head in the way of problems is already under his feet. It’s in his control! Remember: “Cast all your anxiety, your care on him, because he cares for you.” (1 Peter 5:7) 

Let us pray: God of love, who came into the world clothed in our garment of flesh and who willingly gave yourself to the cross, clothe us in your Spirit that persons will recognize you in us and receive your great gift of unconditional love and amazing grace. We remember today and this week the men and women serving our country in Afghanistan and Iraq. Surround them with your presence and give them Christ-confidence. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today Is a Gift
Joe Albright

Today Is a Gift

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I remember an old Family Circus comic that I saw years ago. The young boy was talking to his little sister, and he shared these simple words of wisdom, “Yesterday is the past, tomorrow is the future, but today is a gift. That’s why they call it the present.”

Today is a present. Today we have 24 un-used, brand-new hours to love deeply, to serve others, to show gratitude, to notice God, and to live life to its fullest. 

Maybe you have made mistakes in the past. Or, maybe you are worried sick about the future. But in this moment, there is good and beauty all around you. There are all sorts of possibilities. Breathe deeply and seize the moment. God is with you.

Let us pray: O God, you are the hope of ages past, and our hope for years to come, from generation to generation you are faithful, and we praise you. Today, open our eyes to the beauty of the present moment. Free us from anxiety and regret, and enable us to live here and now. Fill us with your joy and your peace; through Jesus Christ. Amen. 

Christ of the Depths
Joe Albright

Christ of the Depths

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Today, I am deeply grateful for those of you who have supported the Dial Hope Foundation with a financial donation. Hope reaches others because of you. Thank you!

The Rev. Mark Trotter tells about an underwater statue of Jesus in the port of Genoa that is called the Christ of the Deep. It is a statue of Christ the Redeemer, Jesus with his arms outstretched, as if to say, “Come unto me all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” The statue was placed in the depths of the ocean, as a memorial to all of those who died at sea. But Trotter makes the point that it is also a wonderful reminder that Christ has gone into the depths of our lives, to give us new life. 

Even today, Christ continues to descend into the depths of our pain and heartache, into our joy and celebration; into our problems and burdens. And the invitation is still there for all who are weary and heavy-ladened. He will give you rest.

Our prayer today is attributed to St. Patrick. Let us pray: May the strength of God pilot us. May the power of God preserve us. May the wisdom of God instruct us. May the hand of God protect us. May the way of God direct us. May the shield of God defend us. May the host of God guard us against the snares of evil and the temptations of the world. 

May Christ be with us, Christ before us, Christ in us, Christ over us. May your salvation, O Lord, be always ours this day and forevermore. Amen.

May the Evidence Grow
Joe Albright

May the Evidence Grow

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Some time back, my friend Rev. Peyton Hopkins shared with me that one of the families in his church had been audited by the IRS three times over the course of several years due to their generous giving. Apparently, extraordinarily high charitable giving is a potential red flag. This reminded Peyton of an age-old question, “If you were on trial for your faith, would there be enough evidence to convict you?”

In your case and mine, I hope there would be an abundance of evidence – evidence of our generosity, compassion, love, and forgiveness. I hope that each of us is leaving a clear trail of deep faith – not because we can earn God’s favor in any way. We can’t. I want that for us because I’ve seen how that way of life goes hand in hand with a deep sense of peace and an underlying joy that the circumstances of this world cannot shake.

I pray today that the evidence for our faith would grow. May it shine brightly simply by the way that we live.

Let us pray: Loving God, we all face moments of doubt and darkness and despair. There are times when our faith seems small in the face of the injustice and heartache of the world. I pray today, especially for the people who are going through difficult times, those who face anxiety or fears, and for those weighted down with burdens. I pray that today you would refresh us with your Spirit. Prompt us again and again to acts of kindness and mercy. Move us beyond ourselves, so that we could once again catch a glimpse of your peace, your joy, and your love. We ask in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Sacred Space
Joe Albright

Sacred Space

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Over the past couple of days, we’ve been reflecting on the idea of sanctuary. In many religious traditions, there is a gathering place, where the community comes together to hear and experience God’s presence.

I love the way the Irish poet and philosopher John O’Donohue frames the importance of this simple act. He writes:

“When one enters (a sanctuary) one does not simply enter a building; rather one enters unknowingly the gathered memory. This house is a living archive of transcendence… People have come into this (space) with burdens of heart that could find healing nowhere else in the world. They have come in here for shelter when storms have unraveled every stitch of meaning from their lives. And they have come in too to give thanks for blessings and gifts they could never have earned…Somewhere in this kept-darkness, the affection that created us waits to bless and heal us.”

All of this makes me think about the sanctuary where my congregation meets. I think about all the people over the years, myself included, who have shown up on a Sunday morning with heavy hearts. I think about moments when I’ve sat there pleading with God for mercy in my own life – and for the world… and other moments when the choir soared and the music touched my soul, and I felt glad to be alive; moments when my heart sang with sheer gratitude and praise. And moments when I felt convicted.

While that place is sacred, at the same time, it is also true that we can enter God’s presence in worship in other spaces.

I know a couple of our parishioners talked about how on Christmas Eve, they worshiped at our church online. They dimmed the lights in their own house and lit a candle. And the lights from all of us in the sanctuary on the screen set an ambiance… And they felt the Spirit’s presence right there in their living room. 

To come into God’s presence means simply to set time aside, perhaps to create a space. And to connect with others even across technology – as we sing, celebrate and acknowledge our common needs. We read these ancient texts in the hopes that our lives will be reshaped more and more into the image of Christ.

May you and I continue to find sanctuary as we offer our entire being in worship to the living God. May we come to see it as the gift that it is. And, in our offering, may God’s healing grace wash over us anew. 

Let us pray: We praise you for the gift of life and love, O God. We turn our hearts now to take sanctuary in you. Take our hearts… take our guilt, our shame, our worries, our anxiety, our joy, our praise, our lives… And fill us with healing, meaning, hope… with mana, with the Bread of Life; through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Come into God’s Presence
Joe Albright

Come into God’s Presence

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Just about a year ago, I asked my congregation: Why do you come to church? What difference has this made in your own life? And their answers were beautiful. Here are some of their responses:

I come because I feel compelled to bow my heart to worship the God who is bigger than I.

I found a renewed desire to follow Christ when I became a parent. I wanted to give my children a foundation in faith. I was blessed with our extended family found in our congregation to help guide and encourage me through the various stages of parenthood.

I come to be challenged to give and to grow.

I answered God’s call because I feel I am part of something bigger than myself. I am guided, receive blessings…, and feel the need to give back in gratitude.

I always felt something was missing in my life. I never really felt at peace. God has filled that emptiness. He is the great comforter and the only comforter that truly can bring peace. Life can be so difficult. 

There was an article in the Atlantic last year that related to a nationwide study. Apparently, over the past 25 years, some 40 million Americans stopped attending worship. That’s roughly 12% of the population. In a way, I get it. We’re busy… And there has been a massive distrust of institutions. And in some cases for good reason. However, at that same time, it feels like a huge loss.

Think about it. When else in life, do we stop to re-focus our lives? Where else do we stop to remember whose we are? When else are we able to honestly name the reality of the world around us – yes, there is a lot of brokenness, a lot of pain and sin and suffering – yet still say, we are here to worship because we don’t believe that suffering has the last word? 

Yesterday we reflected on Psalm 100 as an invitation to come into God’s presence.

May you and I continue to find sanctuary as we offer our entire being in worship to the living God. Whether that is in person or across technology, may we come to see it as the gift that it is. And, in our offering, may God’s healing grace wash over us anew. 

Let us pray: We praise you for the gift of life and love, O God. We turn our hearts now to take sanctuary in you. Take our hearts… take our guilt, our shame, our worries, our anxiety, our joy, our praise, our lives… And fill us with healing, meaning, hope… with mana, with the Bread of Life; through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Sanctuary
Joe Albright

Sanctuary

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Two summers ago, when we were on the Island of Iona, I remember going in to worship in that ancient abbey. It definitely felt like a thin place. It was originally built somewhere around the year 1200 I could feel within the walls a thousand years of prayers. I thought about the monks, Vikings, and pilgrims who had walked that sacred ground. 

There was one particular Saturday morning when we went in to worship, the wind was howling and rain was just coming down in sheets. Lighting was cracking. We came in out of the wet cold and sat down. In the moment of silence before worship, you could hear the wind and rain lashing the building outside. And Robbie leaned over and said, if feels like we are quite literally taking sanctuary here.

Psalm 100 is an invitation to find sanctuary: 

Make a joyful noise to the Lord all the earth… Come into God’s presence with singing. Enter God’s courts with praise…

Many scholars believe this psalm was sung as part of a processional leading into the temple in Jerusalem. You can almost sense the underlying joy and exuberance. Of course in those days, people would often travel far to get to the temple. And if you were fortunate enough to be able to make that journey, and enter this holy space, I imagine this song would resonate.

I think about the people of Israel. In those days they were largely an agricultural people and so their lives were at the mercy of the elements…So often they faced famine and drought. And just by means of where they are geographically, they were often at war.

I think about them then in their act of worship. Here was a community banding together to share their common need and to try to deal with what they could not control or even imagine; banding together to stare death and suffering in the eyes – and yet to claim that this suffering does not get to have the last word.

Come into God’s presence with singing…

May you and I continue to find sanctuary as we offer our entire being in worship to the living God. Whether that is in person or across technology, may we come to see it as the gift that it is. And, in our offering, may God’s healing grace wash over us anew. 

Let us pray: We praise you for the gift of life and love, O God. We turn our hearts now to take sanctuary in you. Take our hearts… take our guilt, our shame, our worries, our anxiety, our joy, our praise, our lives… And fill us with healing, meaning, hope… with mana, with the Bread of Life; through Christ, our Lord. Amen.