This past week I heard this interview with Father Greg Boyle who is a Jesuit Priest. Very early on in his ministry, he was placed in inner-city Los Angeles to work with gangs in the roughest part of the city. It was a fascinating interview – and so moving.

He ended up starting several businesses in the inner city to employ these kids who had been in gangs just to give them jobs – some kind of hope – some kind of way out. These kids, as you can imagine, come from the worst kind of life situations – they often drop out of school – very few opportunities. And he’s there building relationships with them.

And in this interview, he said, “Lately, the homies have been asking for a blessing. Though they never say “Father, may I have your blessing?” They always say, “Hey, G, give me a bless, yeah?”

“And they always say it the same way. So this kid, Louie, I’m talking to him, and he’s complaining about something. And finally, at the end of it, he says, “Hey, G, give me a bless, yeah?” I said, “Sure.” So he comes around to my side of the desk, and he knows the drill, and he bows his head, and I put my hands on his shoulder. Well, his birthday had been two days before, so it gave me an opportunity to say something to him. And I said, ‘You know, Louie, I’m proud to know you, and my life is richer because you came into it. When you were born, the world became a better place. And I’m proud to call you my son, even though’ — and I don’t know why I decided to add this part — ‘at times, you can really be a huge pain in the ass.’”

“And he looks up, and he smiles. And he says, ‘The feeling’s mutual.’”

He went on to laugh and said, “Sometimes we do have this opportunity to help others find belonging, love, and acceptance. Sometimes we do have these opportunities to help others glimpse their true identity. As it offered to us, we can offer it to others.”

“Alice Miller, who’s the late, great child psychologist, talked about how we’re all called to be enlightened witnesses: people who, through your kindness and tenderness and focused attention of love, return people to themselves. And in the process, you’re returned to yourself.”

Again this week, I wonder if there might be people in your life who need to hear a blessing from you…

Let us pray: Gracious God, may we know your unconditional love for us in the very deepest part of our beings. And may we share that gift with a world desperately in need. Amen.

In an old Winnie the Pooh comic strip, Pooh and Piglet take an evening walk. They mostly walk in silence. Finally, Piglet asks, “When you wake up in the morning, Pooh, what’s the first thing you say to yourself?”

“What’s for breakfast?” answers Pooh. And then Pooh asks, “And what do you say, Piglet?” Piglet responds, “I say, I wonder what exciting thing is going to happen today?”

I wonder what you say first thing in the morning. 

I once heard it said that there are two kinds of people in the world, those who either wake up and say, “Good morning, Lord!” Or, those by saying, “Good Lord, it’s morning.”

Whether you are a morning person or not, in those first few moments of the day you have an opportunity to set the tone and attitude for the entire day ahead. Spiritual leader Thich Nhat Hahn suggests we start each day with a smile. He claims, “Smiling helps you approach the day with gentleness and understanding.” Others recommend beginning with prayer, meditation, quiet time, journaling, or even writing a short gratitude list.

How we start out each morning, really sets the course for the day. Small rituals can really help us center and stay centered. They put us in touch with our own hearts and minds. They grant space for God and enable us to approach each new day with wonder, expectation, and joy.

Let us pray: Loving God, no matter how we began this morning, no matter what stress or burdens we may be carrying, grant us a new beginning to this day. From this point on, we will expect to see your hand at work in our lives and in the world around us. Amen. 

Have you heard about the confidential report on several candidates being considered for a pastorate at a local church? Let me share just a few with you:

Noah: Former pastorate of 120 years with not even one convert. Prone to unrealistic building projects.

Moses: A modest and meek man, but a poor communicator, even stuttering at times. Sometimes blows his stack and acts rashly. Some say he left an earlier church over a murder charge.

David: The most promising leader of all until we discovered the affair he had with his neighbor’s wife.

Jonah: Refused God’s call until he was forced to obey by getting swallowed up by a great fish. He told us the fish later spit him out on the shore near here. We hung up.

Peter: Too blue collar. Has a bad temper – even had been known to curse. Aggressive, but a loose cannon.

Paul: Powerful CEO-type leader and fascinating preacher. However, short on tact and has been known to preach all night.

Timothy: Too young!

Methuselah: Too old… WAY too old!

Jesus: Has had popular times, but once his church grew to 5000 he managed to offend them all, and then this church dwindled down to twelve people. Seldom stays in one place very long. And, of course, he’s single! 

This just reminds me never to be too quick to judge! God works through all kinds of people – even people we’d never expect – even people like you and me.

Pastor and scholar Eugene Peterson once wrote, “God, it turns out, does not require good people in order to do good work. As one medieval saying has it, “God draws straight lines with a crooked stick.” He can do work with us, whatever the moral and spiritual condition in which he finds us. God, we realize does some of his best work using the most unlikely people.”

Our prayer today comes out of my tradition’s book of common worship. Let us pray: Eternal God, you call us to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with courage, not knowing where we go, but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

Yesterday I shared a story told by Dr. Rachel Naomi Remen about the birthday of the world. The story relates how we, as human beings, are here to look for the hidden light in all people and events. And in doing so, help restore the innate wholeness of the world God created. 

Dr. Bremmen went on to say, this is “a very old story; it comes from the 14th century. And it’s a different way of looking at our power. It opens a sense of possibility. It’s not about healing the world by making a huge difference. It’s about healing the world that touches you, that’s around you. The world to which you have proximity. That’s where our power is. We heal the world one heart at a time.” 

She said, “Many people feel powerless in today’s situation….I think that we all feel that we’re not enough to make a difference, that we need to be more, somehow — either wealthier or more educated (younger/ older) or, somehow or other, different than the people we are. But according to this story, we are exactly what’s needed.” 

And to just wonder about that a little, what if we were exactly what’s needed? What then? How would I live if I was exactly what’s needed to heal the world? 

Maybe the idea here is not just to pray for peace… but to learn to forgive, and to live in peace within my own house, within my own neighborhood, my own church… Maybe it’s not just to pray for the lonely neighbor, but to visit. Not just to advocate for justice, but to think about what I buy and what I don’t buy… Not just to pray for unity, but to seek to understand the other.

And maybe it’s to ask: Where are the tears that need to be dried? Where are the divisions that need to be bridged? Where are the fractures within my grasp? In what ways can I be a minister and priest to those in my own life? How can I draw out the light, bring out the light right here, right now?

So one last story. A man was having trouble with his car late one evening. He made it to a small garage. A mechanic was there and he popped the hood and began to examine the engine. A helper stood by, directing the beams of a powerful flashlight into the recesses under the hood.

However, at one point the helper got distracted and turned away and in doing so inadvertently turned off the light. The mechanic looked up, and with good-humored impatience exclaimed: “Shine your light! What are you here for anyway?”

There’s something to think about in that question. What do we think we are here for?

Let us pray: Help us, Holy God, to notice the in-breaking light, to lift it up, to name it, to rejoice in it, and to reflect it. Amen. 

Today’s message was written by Rev. Dr. Roger Kunkel, founder of Dial Hope.

It is no secret that I have a passion for encouraging people to base their life on gratitude. Paul put it like this, “Give thanks in all circumstances.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18a).

Let me point out that Paul didn’t say to give thanks “for” all circumstances. Obviously, we don’t give thanks for cancer or heart attacks, arthritis or blindness, Alzheimer’s, or terrorist attacks. But we can give thanks “in” all circumstances because God is with us, come what may. And when we realize that and embrace that and reach out to God in faith, he will give us strength and see us through. We can count on that. And that is cause for great thanksgiving. 

There is an old legend that tells about a man who came one day to the barn where Satan stores the seeds that he scatters across the earth. The man noticed that the two most abundant seeds in the barn were the seeds of bitterness and discouragement. He asked Satan about those seeds. “Oh, yes,” came the reply, “bitterness and discouragement; they are, without question, my most effective seeds. Why, these seeds will grow almost anywhere.” 

Then, with a solemn look on his face, Satan said, “However, there is one place where the seeds of bitterness and discouragement will not grow.” “Oh?” said the man, “and where is that?” Satan answered, “They will not grow in a heart of gratitude.” 

Let us pray: God of love, we come to you with hearts full of love, souls full of trust, and minds full of thanksgiving. Your lovingkindness is as far-reaching as the stars, your care for us as deep as the sea. Help us to turn with childlike trust. Open our eyes to the wonders of Your Word and send us on our way with hope and courage. Watch over those traveling. Teach us that we never journey beyond your loving care. Through the amazing grace of Jesus Christ. Amen.