A Concord Pastor Comments

Monday Morning Offering: 8/24

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 09:01:03 +0000

Good morning, good God!

This morning, Lord, I offer you:
   my desire to mend a friend's broken heart,
   my knowing it's beyond my craft to do
   and my prayer that you, great Healer of Hearts,
   will touch, restore and fill her heart
   as I know only you can do...

This morning, Lord, I offer you:
   my desire to help a friend find faith,
   my knowing that faith's not mine to give
   and my prayer that you, with your Spirit's power
   will open his heart to the hope and trust

I know he needs to believe in your love...

This morning, Lord, I offer you:

   my desire to cure a friend's illness,
   my knowing that I'm not a doctor
   and my prayer that you, the Divine Physician,
   will treat and restore him to health and strength,
   to his family, his work, his well-being...

This morning, Lord, I offer you:
   my desire for a friend to get out of jail,
   my knowing I don't hold the keys
   and my prayer that you, most Merciful Judge,
   will free his heart to accept what comes
   and to trust in you and your care for him...

This morning, Lord, I offer you:
   my desire to help my friend who's depressed,
   my knowing I often don't know what to say
   and my prayer that you, all Wisdom and Grace
   will calm her anxious and fearful soul
   and bring her serenity, calm and peace...

This morning, Lord, I have so much to offer:
my desires, self-knowledge,

- most of all my prayer -

that you will touch my friends' precious lives

with your healing and gifts,

with wholeness and health,
with your freedom and mercy,

with the grace of your presence,

your peace and deep joy...

Oh, and Lord!
I could use some of these gifts myself

- and I promise to share whatever you give!

Amen.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 8/23

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 22:00:00 +0000

On Sundays, Night Prayer will focus on an element from the day's celebration of Mass. This weekend I preached on "keys," and the "keys of grace" entrusted to Eliakim and Peter in today's readings. I began my homily by asking, "Do you know where your keys are?" At one time or another (or much more often!) we've all misplaced our keys and we know the panic that ensues...

Among my possessions, Lord,

among the things I might misplace,

which might trigger the most anxiety

and desire to find what I've lost?

My keys? My cell phone?

My wallet? My glasses? My lap top?

It's because I really believe

I really need these things,

that I can't get along without them

that when I lose them

I feel like I've lost my security,

my safety - myself...

Would that I'd panic as quickly, Lord,

would that I'd worry as greatly

and search as diligently:

- when I lose my connection with you

when I'm "way too busy" to pray...

- when I lose my sense of well-being

when I fail to care for myself....

- when I lose my sense of direction

when I follow a foolish path...

- when I lose myself to sorrow

when I cling to grief I won't let go...

- when I lose my sense of purpose

when I surrender to disappointment...

- when I lose my faith in you

when I narrow my trust in your care...

- when I lose my hope for tomorrow

when I surrender myself to the past...

- when I lose my joy in living

and I lock the door of my heart...

Of all the things I think I need,

of all that I truly treasure,

let these things, Lord, be most important

and my finding them my greatest joy:

- my relationship with you

- the abiding gift of your mercy

- awareness of my personal dignity

- trust in where you're leading me

- living mindfully, in the moment

- accepting the whole of my life as gift

- trust in the breadth and depth of your love

- faith that you're always with me

- courage to open my soul to all love

Phones and wallets, keys and glasses,

all these will pass, Lord, can be replaced

so focus my heart on what really matters,

help me treasure the greatest gifts,

and help me rejoice and share the good news

when I've found what I thought I had lost...

And just one more thing, Lord:

when I am lost and all alone,

be like the shepherd who lost his sheep,

like the woman who lost her coin,

and search, search, search and search

'til you've found me,

'til I know, deep in my heart,

that indeed, I have been found by you...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

and asleep rest in your peace...

Amen.

Tonight's music comes not from the pages of scripture or a hymnal - but from hit Broadway musical. I suspect the composers were writing about human friendship but as a believer, I can't help but think of God as the one who is always searching me out and finding me over and over again...

You Will Be Found from Dear Evan Hansen

by Pasek and Paul

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Have you ever felt like nobody was there?
Have you ever felt forgotten in the middle of nowhere?
Have you ever felt like you could disappear?
Like you could fall, and no one would hear?

Well, let that lonely feeling wash away
Maybe there's a reason to believe you'll be okay
'Cause when you don't feel strong enough to stand
You can reach, reach out your hand

And oh, someone will come running
And I know, they'll take you home

Even when the dark comes crashing through
When you need a friend to carry you
And when you're broken on the ground
You will be found

So let the sun come streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
Lift your head and look around
You will be found

There's a place where we don't have to feel unknown

And every time that you call out
You're a little less alone

If you only say the word
From across the silence
Your voice is heard

And oh, someone will come running
Oh, they'll take you home

Even when the dark comes crashin' through
When you need a friend to carry you
When you're broken on the ground

You will be found!

So when the sun comes streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
If you only look around
You will be found

You will be found
You will be found

Out of the shadows
The morning is breaking
And all is new, all is new
It's filling up the empty
And suddenly I see that
All is new, all is new

You are not alone

Even when the dark comes crashin' through
When you need someone to carry you
When you're broken on the ground

You will be found!

So when the sun comes streaming in
'Cause you'll reach up and you'll rise again
If you only look around
You will be found

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Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 8/23

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 08:14:24 +0000

One of the delights of being here in Georgetown, CO is sitting on my sister's porch and watching the hummingbirds come to the feeders. They rarely feed in groups like this so I was pleased to catch this trio in a moment of sharing. I love this Mary Oliver poem - and thought my video and her verse might fill a pause for prayer this Sunday morning. (Click on the video [middle icon, lower right) to expand, for a closer look)

As for life,

I’m humbled,

I’m without words

sufficient to say

how it has been hard as flint,

and soft as a spring pond,

both of these

and over and over,

and long pale afternoons besides,

and so many mysteries

beautiful as eggs in a nest,

still unhatched

though warm and watched over

by something I have never seen –

a tree angel, perhaps,

or a ghost of holiness.

Every day I walk out into the world

to be dazzled, then to be reflective.

It suffices, it is all comfort –

along with human love,

dog love, water love, little-serpent love,

sunburst love, or love for that smallest of birds

flying among the scarlet flowers.

There is hardly time to think about

stopping, and lying down at last

to the long afterlife, to the tenderness

yet to come, when

time will brim over the singular pond, and become forever,

and we will pretend to melt away into the leaves.

As for death,

I can’t wait to be the hummingbird,

can you?

- Mary Oliver

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Have you ever lost your keys?

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sun, 23 Aug 2026 03:59:37 +0000

Unfortunately, I failed to hit RECORD when I began preaching my homily so I only have the text to post this evening. I preached on these readings for the 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time, especially the first reading (Isaiah) and the gospel (Matthew).

Do you know where your keys are right now? If you know exactly where they are - I’m sure you feel secure in that knowledge. But if you suddenly realize that you don’t know where they are - well, unfortunately then - you might think of nothing else from now until the end of mass!

Keys are important! They open all manner of: things, places, containers, and realities and they can keep those same things closed, locked up, safe and secure.

The keys you and I carry in our pockets and purses are not the keys the Lord handed over to Eliakim: those were the keys to the royal house of David!

And the keys you and I hold are not the keys Jesus promised to Peter: the keys to loose and to bind, to open and to close --- all things in heaven and on earth!

But the keys you and I might worry about the most - the keys to our homes and cars and safety deposit boxes - these are NOT our most important keys.

We don’t hold the “Keys to the Kingdom” that Jesus entrusted to Peter but you and I do possess what I’ll call: the keys to “My Little Corner” of the kingdom of God.

The most valuable keys I hold are kept on a key ring in my heart.

Yes, all my keys are important - including those in my pocket - but the most important keys I own - are kept in my heart (or under the welcome mat just outside the door to my heart).

The keys Jesus gave to Peter - the keys of the kingdom - aren’t kept in the Vatican on some jeweled, gold key ring. And they’re not the keys to some mystical locks on the pearly gates of heaven.

Rather, the keys Jesus gave Peter were Keys of Grace: keys to open and to shut, to lock and unlock, to bind and to free - all with the very power and authority of God!

And Jesus has made copies of those keys - and has given - has entrusted them --- to us!

The keys to “My Little Corner” of the kingdom of God are always within my reach. And the keys to “Your Little Corner” of the kingdom of God are right in your hands, too.

If that’s difficult to imagine or grasp, think of it this way: you and I always have in hand the Keys of Grace that can open or close, lock or unlock, bind or free – THE HUMAN HEART - both our own – and the hearts of others as well.

• I’m thinking of the keys we use to OPEN our hearts -- or to lock them up --- and lock others out.

• Think of the times we’ve been slow to share the keys to our hearts

because there may have been other times when we shared those keys too freely, times when others may have taken advantage of the access we gave them…

• Or… how many of us carry in our hearts the key of forgiveness - but we’re slow to use – we even refuse to turn that key to open a door we’ve closed and slammed shut in the face of someone who has hurt us?

• And how many of us hold the keys to resources we have in abundance, to a bounty we’ve locked up for ourselves and our own,

while others in need - go without the basic necessities of life that we might be able to supply?

• How many of us carry keys that lock some people out of our lives,

out of our neighborhoods and social circles? Some even carry keys to lock others out of our nation.

• How many young people have locked their parents and families, out of their lives and hearts? How many older folks have locked out the young because of their lifestyles and choices?

• And… how many of us hold that precious key - the key that might open someone else’s heart – someone who’s locked up tight - in unhappiness… or loneliness… or disappointment… or silence?

• Or what gifts and talents and strengths do we keep locked up, hiding them, not sharing and using them for others?

• And perhaps there some things - some desires, affections, relationships or habits - which I should lock out of my heart: things that have no place and serve no good purpose in my life…

Only •I• hold the key to my own heart, to “My Little Corner” of the kingdom of God: a key I can use to open my heart – or close my heart;

a key I can use to bind or set others free; a key that I can choose to share freely - or guard jealously.

What do •I• do with the keys entrusted to me? The key to my heart and all its many different rooms.

Of course the Lord has the Master Key. Jesus holds the master key to the hearts of us all - but he doesn’t use it to barge in on us.

In the Book of Revelation, the Lord says: “Listen! I am standing at the door, knocking; if you hear my voice and you open the door, I will come in, and eat with you, and you with me.” (Rev. 3:20)

Jesus waits patiently at my heart’s door, at your heart’s door. (He doesn’t go looking for a key under the mat!) He knocks… and he waits… he waits for me to turn the lock - from the inside - and to open up - and invite him in – and to hand over to him – the key to “My Little Corner” of the kingdom of God – which was first his gift to me

So…

• What keys do I hold? • What do they open? • What do they keep locked in? • Whom do they keep locked out? • Over whose hearts and lives do my keys have power to bind and to free, to open and close?

And perhaps the most important question of all: what would be opened in my life, what and whom would be loosed and set free - if I invited the Lord to use his master key and open my heart to him and to my neighbor - and especially those who are in need - of what my heart holds?

In Jesus, God has unlocked and opened for us the kingdom of his love and his mercy.

Here at this altar, the Lord unlocks the banquet hall of heaven and invites us all to take a place at his table where he opens his heart and shares his life - as once he offered it on the Cross - only now in the Bread and Cup of the Eucharist.

May our Holy Communion here with Jesus open our hearts to the gift of God’s love - and unlock our hearts to share that love with one another.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 8/21

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sat, 22 Aug 2026 02:29:08 +0000

This past week I came across these words from the great spiritual writer, Henri Nouwen. (For our purposes here, I've arranged his prose into sense lines.) I would count these words as among the most wise, insightful and powerful texts on the spiritual life that I've ever read. I believe there's something here for every reader... (My own prayer follows after)

Our life is a short time in expectation,

a time in which sadness and joy kiss each other

at every moment.

There is a quality of sadness

that pervades all the moments of our lives.

It seems that there is no such thing

as a clear-cut pure joy,

but that even in the most happy moments

of our existence

we sense a tinge of sadness.

In every satisfaction,

there is an awareness of limitations...

In every success,

there is the fear of jealousy...

Behind every smile,

there is a tear...

In every embrace,

there is loneliness...

In every friendship,

distance...

And in all forms of light,

there is the knowledge of surrounding darkness...

But this intimate experience

in which every bit of life

is touched by a bit of death

can point us beyond the limits of our existence...

It can do so

by making us look forward in expectation

to the day when our hearts will be filled

with perfect joy,

a joy that no one shall take away from us...

- Henri J.M. Nouwen in

Making All Things New: An Invitation to the Spiritual Life

Night Prayer

Lord, grant me the grace to accept in my own life:

that all life is short;

that every joy is kissed by sadness,

every sadness kissed by joy;

that this bittersweet embrace

in this communion of your grace,

is the only place I'll find

the healing promise of your peace

and the faith to trust and hope:

all shall be well, all shall be well,

that in the end, all shall be well...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

and asleep rest in your peace...

Amen.

Searching for music to pair with Nouwen's text and my prayer was not an easy task. Everything song I found that came close was seeking to guide the listener through sadness to joy - and of course, that's not a bad thing! But Nouwen's words speak to how joy and sadness live together... But I finally discovered and I'm offering this instrumental piece by Davis Harwell. You'll hear how the steady, deep pulse of sadness in the composition underlies and accompanies the lighter higher line of joy... Sadness and joy kiss each other...

Joy and at the Same Time Sadness
by Davis Harwell

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Pause for Prayer: THURSDAY 8/20

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 09:00:05 +0000

You can see from the image above that I'm taking on a very difficult question here - one that has no quick or easy answers. And those answers that have been offered, have left many people unsatisfied. I'm not offering an answer in the prayer that follows - more of an exploration of a tough question whose probing, if nothing else, will lead us to ponder and pray over the inscrutable mysteries of God...

I hate it, Lord,
when bad things happen to good people...

And, let’s face it, Lord:

bad things happen to good people

a lot, even often - all the time…

And I don’t understand, Lord – WHY –

some really bad things happen

to some really good people

and why sometimes

the worst things happen

to the best of people…

And I don’t understand, Lord,
why you – you who are so good -

why you ALLOW

bad things to happen to good people,

things that burden and complicate

and mess up the lives

of people who’ve done no wrong…

I don’t understand, Lord:

why hard times fall

on hard workers;

or why the rich get richer

and the poor get poorer;

or why innocent people

are unjustly accused;

or why the kindest of people

get sick and die;

or why so many starve

while food is wasted;

or while some have 2 homes

while others are homeless;

or why hard-working people

lose all that they have;

or why innocent children

are born into poverty;

or why the weak are bullied

by strong-armed thugs;

why good folks suffer

for no good reason

in ways that are painful,

undeserved and harsh…

So, that’s why I wonder, Lord,

why do you let bad things happen

to good people

- why do you let bad things happen

to ANY people!

Why do you, a loving, merciful God

allow your people, your own, your beloved,

to know, to experience, to live through

their losses, suffering and pain?

Lord, it’s not that I think

you’re mean or cruel:

I believe that you’re loving,

merciful and kind…

And it’s not that I think

you don’t care about me:

I believe that you hold me close

in your arms, your hands and your heart…

And it’s not that I think

you forget or abandon me:

I believe you keep a watchful eye on me

always, all day and all night…

But I also know, Lord,

that I live in a broken world

a world with sharp and jagged edges

that cut and scrape and wound and scar

the bodies and the souls

of the good and the bad alike

I know, Lord,

that you’re not the source

of my suffering and pain…

that it’s I who fail you,

not you who fail me…

that you love me, Lord - all of the time -

when I’m good – and when I’m not…

And I know that hard times come my way

when I fail to love you

and my brothers and sisters

and when I fail to love myself;

that bad things often happen to me

when I’m foolish, not wise

when I’m selfish, not generous

when I’m judgmental, not understanding

when I’m rude, not respectful

when I’m greedy, not generous

when I’m angry, not peaceful

when I’m arrogant, not humble

when I’m spiteful, not kind

when I’m prejudiced, not impartial

when I’m hostile, not friendly

when I’m demanding, not accepting,

when I’m crude, not respectable,

when I’m aggressive, not approachable

when I’m rough, not gentle

when I’m uncaring, not thoughtful

when I’m lustful, not clean

when I’m hardhearted, not forgiving

when I’m reckless, not prudent

when I’m hasty, not careful

when I’m hateful, not loving…

And sometimes, Lord,

- when others are judgmental and spiteful -

that’s when bad things happen to me…

But at other times, Lord,

- when it’s me who’s spiteful and judgmental

that’s when bad things happen to others

- and I’m the one who’s at fault…

But you already know all about all of this, Lord,

because you are good, you are always good

– and yet –

such bad things happened to you

and for that we are all to blame…

You are good, Lord, loving and faithful,

merciful, selfless, kind and just

but on account of my faults and my many sins,

you were unjustly judged and condemned,

and you suffered and died on the Cross for me

that I might be pardoned, forgiven by you

and have that life and find that peace

that’s only yours to give…

Walk with me, Lord and be by my side

when hard things come my way,

and bad things happen to me

when I don’t understand

my suffering and my pain

and I turn to you for healing…

When bad things happen to good folks, Lord,

when bad things happen to me:

deepen my faith in you and your word

and give me the strength I need

to love my neighbor as myself

and you, my God, above all…

Amen.

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 8/19

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 04:00:00 +0000

Today, Lord, I choose to believe in you
- not to try to go it alone -
but to believe in your loving care for me...

Today, Lord, I choose to trust in you
   - not to stress out in fear and panic -
          but to trust that you're always right by my side...

Today, Lord, I choose to live by your Word
   - not by my whims and fancies -
          but by the wisdom and truth of your Word...

Today, Lord, I choose to do what is right
   - not to shortcut my way on the easy path -
          but to do what I know to be just and fair...

Today, Lord, I choose to smile and to laugh
- not to pout in self-pity or weep in despair -
but to seek out what joy this new day will bring...

Today, Lord, I choose to tell the truth
- not to lie and cheat my way out -
but to speak the truth in in word and deed...

Today, Lord, I choose to reach out to others
   - putting others' needs ahead of my own -
          learning to love as I want to be loved...

Today, Lord, I choose to look for the good
   - in spite of my bent to see all that's wrong -
          and to find in what's good the touch of your hand...

Today, Lord, I choose to walk your path

- following your map and not my own -

'til I find you before me, behind me, beside me..

Today, Lord, I choose to live as I'm called

- not for my own gain but only for you -

and all for your glory, honor and praise...

Today, Lord, I choose what will help me to grow
in your truth, in your grace,
in your peace and your joy...

Today, Lord
- I choose you!

Amen.

Today I Choose You by Tony Elenburg

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Yesterday is gone forever,
And tomorrow's still a day away;
I can't change the things I've done,
And You alone know beyond today
What comes my way;
But in the stillness of your presence, Lord,
I'm reminded of Your grace;
The Spirit breathes assurance
That I have a choice today.

And today I choose to abide in you,
Today I choose to abide in you;
Today may be a storm like I've never seen before
But today I'll rest,
Today I'll rest,
Lord, today I'll rest in You.

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A late evening prayer...

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Wed, 19 Aug 2026 02:58:22 +0000

My sister took this photo while we were sitting on her porch in the late afternoon looking past the hummingbird feeder and towards the mountains here in Georgetown, Colorado. Although the feeder is a popular spot, just at this moment no one seemed to be thirsty. I share the photo as an image of the peace and beauty that have been my surroundings since the beginning of July...

I've done little, Lord,

and surely less than I might have,

to deserve the peace I've found here,

much less to be deemed worthy

of this natural estate

where I've made my summer home

so I count it grace, pure gift, then,

a blessing and a boon,

to be welcomed to retreat here,

to this place and to this time,

to this respite from all else,

to this moment two months long...

to this time, this precious time,

spent with family and with friends,

passed in leisure and in prayer,

in the Colorado mountains,

'neath the beauty of the clouds

floating close by heaven's door,

where I find myself so much at peace

and closer, Lord,

to you...

Amen.

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If you could have dinner with anyone, living or dead: whom would you invite?

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Tue, 18 Aug 2026 06:00:19 +0000

Leonard Bernstein

waiting to have dinner with me...

Have you ever been asked this question? For decades now, I've named Leonard Bernstein as the person I'd love to have dinner with. Not just because he's a composer and I love music - but because one composition of his has held a place in my heart since the first time I heard it: MASS: A Theatre Piece for Singers, Players, and Dancers.

Bernstein's MASS was premiered as the opening performance of the John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts on September 5, 1971. Reviews by music, theater and church critics were very mixed. Although Catholic response was largely negative and harsh, some 30 years later Pope John Paul II requested that MASS be performed at the Vatican where it was well received.

MASS premiered two years before my ordination as a priest and I was immediately taken by its use of ancient liturgical texts and contemporary lyrics (Stephen Schwartz and Paul Simon contributed to Bernstein's libretto); its variety of musical genres; and the deep insights it offered into the heart of Christian worship - all from the creative genius of three Jewish musicians!

In the homily I preached at my first mass in 1973, I took a line from Bernstein's MASS as my central image: "How easily things get broken!" How easily God's creation has been broken... how easily humankind has been broken... how easily the human heart is broken... how easily was the body of Christ broken, for us, that we might be healed and made whole... how humbling that in spite of and through my own brokenness I should be called to break the bread of eucharist for God's people...

And how I would love to have the opportunity to sit down with this maestro and seek some insight into the creative process that guided his mind, heart and soul to composing this masterpiece music, drama and faith!

All of this comes to mind because I recently found online a video of Bernstein's MASS which includes the score! I've had a recording of MASS for decades but have never seen the score. I realize that most folks won't be as excited by this as I am - so I'm placing the video with the score at the end of this post.

But I do want to introduce you to this wonderful musical masterpiece. Recall from its title that it's a theatre piece for singers, players, and dancers. It's not a musical or a play - but it does have singers, players, dancers, a little costuming and a few props. Seeing it staged, then, is the intended experience and simply listening to the audio is, well, much less than that.

Unfortunately, I've never seen MASS in a theater - and videos of the whole production are scarce. I'm offering this one which features the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, directed by Marin Alsop and featuring Paulo Szot as the Celebrant. I have some reluctance here because this 2012 production includes some unhappy changes in the score, particularly in the Epistle section, around the 40:00 mark. (What was I saying about brokenness?) If you choose to listen to the production here, you'll find some conversation about this in the comments on YouTube. Other than this unfortunate issue, I warmly recommend this presentation and I believe you'll enjoy it - even be moved by it.

MASS:

A Theatre Piece for Singers,

Players, and Dancers.

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

Leonard Bernstein's MASS

With the score!

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

A performance by the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra with Jubiliant Sykes singing the role of the Celebrant.

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Monday Morning Offering: 8/17

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 06:39:27 +0000

Coffee in the Morning by George Mendoza

Good morning, good God!

Sometimes, Lord,
I feel little nudges, prompts and pokes
- and I'm sure they come from you -
because they hit me when I need a push,
nudge me where I need to go
and prompt me on the things I need to do...

I offer thanks this morning, Lord
for all the ways you press upon my heart

and remind me of your presence

and gently pull me free of fears

that keep me from your joy...

Grace - the word for all the ways

you nudge me toward

your gifts of peace and love,

your Spirit keeping, saving me

from all the selfish folly

of my doings and designs...

Does even one day pass
   that you don't stir within my soul,
dropping hints within my heart
   to move my mind to muse
       upon your presence all around?

Is any moment empty
   of the whisper of your wisdom
nudging me beyond myself
    to serve whom I've not served,
    to give as I've not given,
    to love as I've not thought my heart

could give itself away?

Poke, push, and prompt me, Lord
and wake me to your word;
call me to life more free
than all I've known thus far...

Open wide my eyes and ears

to those whose paths cross mine,
who may not yet have felt the touch

of grace upon their hearts...

Good God of Monday morning
and of every starry night,
I pray I'll feel you nudging me
all through the week ahead...

Amen.

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noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 00:55:26 +0000

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A different kind of prayer tonight... the power of flowers in jail

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 23:37:19 +0000

Many of my readers know that when I visit here in Georgetown, Colorado I join in a weekly prayer group led by my sister, Ruth, at the Clear Creek County Jail. My sister always brings along a small plastic container holding 3 or 4 blossoms (see above) which she sets in the middle of the table around which we gather. Before we pray, Ruth always tells the men what the flowers are and invariably they pass the mini-arrangement around the table for a closer look.

Running a little late this past Thursday night we almost didn't bring any flowers - but at the last minute, my sister collected a few blooms from her front yard and then while we were waiting outside the facility for a deputy to let us in, I plucked a couple wildflowers growing at the jail's entrance and added them in.

As the men walked into the room for prayer, we saw that there was a newcomer, a tall guy, solid build - and with long dreadlocks - I'll call him Jack. We welcomed Jack and as it happened, he took a seat near the flowers on the table. Just as we were ready to begin, Jack exclaimed - and he truly did exclaim: Are those real flowers? We said yes and he said, I haven't seen a flower in over a year - can I touch them? Then he took the small bottle in hand and carefully inspected each blossom, touching the petals oh-so-gently and sniffing the scent of something fresh, natural and beautiful. Then Jack set the flowers down on the table - with the care one might use in handling something valuable, fragile and precious.

We can't take phones into the jail so I have no video - and my words here don't really do justice to the moment of awe and appreciation we all experienced through Jack on Thursday night. But I wanted to post this, hoping to share with you - and invite you into - this holy moment...

Perhaps sometime today or tomorrow you might go outdoors and find something fresh, alive and beautiful and hold it gently in your hand.. and be grateful for what Jack taught us - and for what God has given us - in the simplest things of life...

In the photo at the top of the post is the small bottle my sister uses to bring flowers into the jail. I want to share with you the partially hidden inscription: Learn from the way the wildflowers grow... Matthew 6:28

Simple Gifts

composed by Elder Joseph Brackett

` performed by Yo Yo Ma and Alison Krauss

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'Tis the gift to be simple, ’tis the gift to be free

'Tis the gift to come down where you ought to be,

And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight.

When true simplicity is gained,

To bow and to bend we will not be ashamed,

To turn, turn will be our delight,

Till by turning, turning we come ’round right.

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Does it matter whom you believe in? what you believe in? how you name God?

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sun, 16 Aug 2026 02:40:51 +0000

Above you'll find the audio for my homily this Sunday, based on these scriptures. (If the widget doesn't appear, click here!) And here's the text of my homily:

How often have you heard someone say,

“Well, it doesn't really matter what God you believe in… or how you name God… It doesn't really matter what you believe in - as long as you believe in something. See, I'm really spiritual, not religious.”

Ever heard people talk like that?

Well, all three scriptures today do highlight the universality of God. And of God's love and grace.

• Isaiah reminded us that the Lord's house will be a house of prayer for all peoples.

• St. Paul is clear that although his own people, the Jews have yet to accept the gospel - God's covenant with them, his chosen, is irrevocable.

• And in the gospel, we find Jesus reaching beyond his own mission, his mission to the house of Israel, reaching out to a pagan woman whose plea is inspired, perhaps not so much by faith, as by personal desperation.

As ancient as these scriptures may be, they still speak to us today. In our own times, the universality of God's love and grace is accepted by many religions, faiths and denominations. In fact (and in addition) it's under the umbrella of the universality of God's love for us that many people gather - as they reject organized religion and its structures, its practices, its faith, beliefs, and demands.

How about us, about Catholics?

Some Catholics may be surprised to learn that while our Church claims to be the one true Church, we also firmly believe - and the catechism of the Catholic Church teaches this:

• that God creates every person out of pure goodness, and he reaches out in all times and all places to those he loves.

• And that the human heart naturally desires God, because every human being is created by God and for God.

• And that Christ’s sacrifice on the cross was offered for the entirety of the human race.

• And that since Christ died for all (and since all are, in fact, called to one and the same destiny, which is divine) we Catholics believe that the Holy Spirit offers to all the possibility of becoming partakers - in a way known to God -partakers in the mystery of Jesus.

I didn't make up any of that! It's all from the Catechism of the Catholic Church. It's official teaching!

So, does it not matter, does it make no difference who or what we believe in - as long as we believe in someone or something - is that so?

Well, to answer that question, we need to approach it from two vantage points. First (and this isn't always easy either) we need to try to see things from God's point of view. How does God see things?

• God is the creator of every human being and knows every human person, every human soul, intimately - even those who don't know or acknowledge God.

• God has known every human being since before all time, and God has loved every human being ever born, or to be born, regardless of what they believe or don't believe - God loves them.

• And God's love for each of us and for every one of us is eternally greater than whatever we believe - or don't believe.

• God is love.

And God's love for each of us is pure gift. A gift given out of God's desire to engage us, to engage you and me, to engage each one of us in a relationship of love. God wants to be, for each of us: our BFF.

It's precisely this movement of love on God's part - at God's initiation at God's invitation - it's this movement that even those who don't believe in God - they sense and intuit, because, as the Catechism says, the human heart naturally desires God's love because the human heart was created, made, by God, and for God.

It's God's love inviting each of us that draws us either: to believe in God -or- to gather under that umbrella with those who name themselves “spiritual but not religious.”

And it's that same gift of God's love - showered on and sensed and intuited by all - that moves us all, prompts us all, nudges us all, impels us all - to love one another. To be kind, caring, just, honest, forgiving, and generous to our neighbor. That comes naturally to us - because we were made by and for God. It's the universal gift of God's love that draws and leads humankind (and again, even naturally so) to build and structure a society founded on the expectations, the responsibilities, and the demands that rise from love of neighbor.

In fact, we Christians, we Catholics, say that such love is the law by which we are called to live. And with that statement, I've crossed over to the other vantage point from which we need to try to understand the universality of God's love and grace: he vantage point of the believer's perspective.

There are thousands of religions, spiritualities, faiths, and beliefs in the world. But I'm a Christian, and I'm speaking to other Christians.

So what do I believe?

• I believe in one God, the creator of all things and all people - all things visible and invisible, seen and unseen.

• I believe that God created me, that God created you, that God created us out of love and for love.

• That God made us to know, to share, to experience, and to find joy in his love for us. And to share that love with one another, as generously and as selflessly, as all that is divine has shared itself with all that is human.

• And I believe that to pierce through and to heal all the ways our hearts are deaf, blind, and insensitive to God's love, God spoke a word, of love - his word of love - and he spoke it so powerfully that it became flesh, took our flesh and blood - in Jesus - precisely so that all might see and hear and touch that love that is seeking us always - the love of God.

• So I believe, we believe, in Jesus, God's word of love made flesh… Jesus who preached the gospel of his father's merciful love… Jesus who suffered and died for us - on account of our failure to love each other… Jesus who rose from the dead so that we might have life, and love, and have it to the full, and have it forever.

The life of Jesus - the life message, suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus - the life of Jesus is God's gift to the world. It's the gift of his love. And in that gift, and with that gift, come revelations, invitations, and expectations.

• Revelations of who God is, and of God's love for us.

• Invitations to share in that love, to bathe in the mercy God's love offers us.

• And expectations of how we, God's chosen and beloved, are to love God - by loving one another and the world in which we live.

In just a few moments, you'll be joining me in professing all this - these very same beliefs - when we pray, the Nicene Creed. And in the Creed, we're going to say, We believe in one holy Catholic and apostolic Church. That's the Church born of the love, the gospel, the sacrifice, the heart, the desire, of Jesus.

While we believe that God's love is universal, that no human being lives outside or beyond God's loving and universal embrace - we also believe that in a unique, historical, physical, personal, and unrepeatable way, God revealed himself to the world in the mystery of Jesus - who calls us to live in a community of faith… in a communion of grace… in the people of the Church… loving each other as generously and selflessly as he loved us on the Cross.

We Catholic Christians believe all of this is God's gift to us in Jesus who lives even now among us in the presence and the power of his Spirit. And that gift, the gift of knowing, sharing in, experiencing, finding joy, and naming God's love in Jesus, is a gift beyond compare, an unparalleled gift from God, who desires to reveal himself to us, who desires to be one with us in love.

It's in the light of what we've been given, what we've heard, and what we've received - that we who follow Jesus in the community of the Church can never say, can never say: It doesn't matter who you believe in. It doesn't matter what you believe in. It doesn't matter how you name your god.

It does matter if you're religious as well as spiritual.

We who know Jesus cannot say that - so much more than that is our belief.

• I'm talking about the belief that you turn to for help when you're in trouble. In grief. You're suffering loss and despair.

• The belief in which you find mercy, forgiveness, joy, and peace.

• The belief that moves your hearts on Christmas Eve and Good Friday, and Easter Sunday, and even on some occasional Saturday afternoons.

• The belief that gathered us here together today.

• The belief for which many of our brothers and sisters, to this day, are being persecuted and even martyred around the world.

• The belief that leads us to hunger for, and to find at this table, the bread and cup of the last supper - the presence of Jesus among us in the Eucharist.

This is the mystery of faith. This is the mystery of our faith. And so for us, it does truly matter who we believe in, what we believe in - and how we name our God who loves us and who calls and invites us - and the whole of humanity - to partake in the love of Jesus: the word of God, spoken in love, made flesh - in whom we are saved and redeemed.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Saturday 8/15

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 23:00:00 +0000

We live in a harsh world, Lord,

a rough and tumble, coarse

and often unforgiving place

where humankind and nature, too,

make dangerous

the streets we walk,

the cities where we live

and our global village

where we've yet to find the way

to live in peace,

united as one family,

reconciled,

healed

and faithful to your word...

Power-hungry greed and lust

lay waste the land

and claim the lives of many:

especially the innocent,

the young, the frail,

the refugee, the immigrant,

the poor...

For our pleasure, for a dollar,

for convenience, for a vote

we betray the human dignity

bestowed on every soul

by you, O Lord, our Maker,

our loving, gracious God...

We long for, plead and pray for

that balance, that sweet justice,

meant to keep us all alive:

flourishing and growing,

beautiful and fruitful

in your garden,

ever green...

And so it is we turn tonight,

we turn our hearts to Mary:

gentle woman, quiet light,

morning star, so strong and bright

gentle mother, peaceful dove,

seat of wisdom,

heart of love...

O Mary, mother, sister,

give us just the grace we need:

to become God's faithful children,

making peace with one another,

kind and gentle with our neighbors,

with the world we call our home...

Gentle Mother, peaceful dove,

teach us wisdom,teach us love...

Protect us, Lord while we're awake
and watch over us while we sleep
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

Hail Mary: Gentle Woman

by Carey Landry

performed by the Daughters of Saint Paul

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Hail Mary, full of grace,
The Lord is with you.
Blessed are you among women
And blest is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary Mother of God,
Pray for us sinners now
And at the hour of death.
Amen.

Gentle woman, quiet light,
Morning star, so strong, so bright.
Gentle mother, peaceful dove,
Teach us wisdom, teach us love.

You were chosen by the Father,

You were chosen for the Son,

You were chosen from all women

and for woman, shining one...

Blessed are you among women,

blest in turn all women, too,

blessed they with peaceful spirits

blessed they with gentle hearts...

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Pause for Prayer: Saturday, August 15

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 06:01:00 +0000

The Assumption of Bertha Huber by Marcia Sandmeyer Wilson

Reminder: Today is the Feast of the Assumption but because it falls on a Saturday, the obligation to attend Mass today is lifted. More info here.)

This morning's post doesn't include a prayer text but does offer four stories: Bertha's Story, The Assumption Story, Margaret's Story and Our Story... Let these stories be "prayer starters" for your day...

Bertha's Story

This is the 19th year I've posted this delightful painting on the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. I offer this not out of any irreverence or even playfulness but rather to help us understand what happened in Mary's life and how this relates to ours. About this piece, the artists, Marcia Sandmeyer Wilson writes:

"This 16x20 oil painting is called The Assumption of Bertha Huber. It is the third version I have done of this theme. Miss Huber was godmother to my three children. She died at age 87 in August, 1975 and I told the children I would paint what it 'really' looked like.

"Miss Huber was from Munich so I know she was expecting nice blond angels waiting for her in heaven...

"At the bottom of the painting is supposed to be me and the three children weeping for her at the nursing home where she had expired just moments before our arrival. It was a very good nursing home, by the way, named Calvary, in the Bronx."

Painting in the folk art style, Wilson has given us a folk art appreciation of the Assumption. The word comes from the Latin assumere which means to take to one's self.

The Assumption Story

The feast of the Assumption celebrates the Lord's taking to himself his beloved Mother, the Mother of us all, who, the Church has taught from early times, was assumed into heaven body and soul lest her body, which bore the Christ into the world, should undergo any corruption.

We pray that one day the Lord will take us to himself at the time of our passing from this life to life forever with God: one day the hands reaching down in Wilson's painting will reach out for you and me. No, we will not be assumed body and soul: this mortal coil of ours will undergo the inevitable corruption of nature. Yet one day, we pray and hope, the Lord will waken each of us to glory and our souls will be reunited with our bodies in a glorified state, the beauty of which we cannot yet imagine.

Margaret's Story
I remember being called, some years ago, to visit and pray with a woman who was dying. Margaret was only a few weeks shy of her 103rd birthday! I saw her only hours before her death and yet she was as sharp as a tack, greeting me by name, thanking me for coming to see her, and joining wholeheartedly in the prayers I offered with her and for her.

But there were moments during my visit when Margaret seemed distracted from our conversation, straining to see something above her that I couldn't see. And several times she turned her head, as if to listen more closely to a voice I could not hear... I don't know, but I would not be surprised if this beautiful woman was attending to the faces of all the saints, all of her loved ones in heaven, of Mary, and of the Lord himself as he prepared to take her to himself...

Our Story

There’s a prayer that comes at the end of a Catholic funeral mass and it gives beautiful expression to this faith and hope of ours. I'll use Margaret as the name for the deceased here...

Trusting in God,

we have prayed together for Margaret

and now we come to the last farewell.

There is sadness in parting,

but we take comfort in the hope

that one day we shall see Margaret again

and enjoy her friendship.

Although we may leave here in sorrow,

the mercy of God

will gather us together again

in the joy of his kingdom.

Therefore let us console one another

in our faith in Christ Jesus.

That's good news! We shall indeed see and know and love one another in heaven! The mercy of God will gather us together again with those who have gone before us!

But we don’t even have to wait until heaven to have communion with those who have gone before us: with Mary, the mother of Jesus and of us all; and with our loved ones whom the Lord has taken to himself.

Each time we approach the altar, we have a taste and a sip of that eternal banquet which awaits us in the Lord’s kingdom and which, we hope and pray, those who have gone before us are already enjoying.

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Is today a holy day of obligation?

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sat, 15 Aug 2026 01:11:25 +0000

In addition to every Sunday, the dioceses of the United States observe 6 holy days of obligation every year. If January 1, August 15 or November 1 fall on a Saturday or Monday, the day's feast is celebrated but the obligation to attend Mass that day is lifted. This weekend, the feast of the Assumption (August 15) falls on a Saturday so it will not be a day of obligation.

January 1:

Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God

40 days after Easter

or the Seventh Sunday of Easter

(as determined by the local ecclesiastical province

- follow the link for an interesting view of things!)

Solemnity of he Ascension of the Lord

August 15:

Solemnity of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary

November 1:

Solemnity of All Saints

December 8:

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception

December 25:

The Nativity of the Lord

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Pause for Prayer: FRIDAY 8/14

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Fri, 14 Aug 2026 04:00:00 +0000

For some this post will seem to come too early but students go back to school at various times and I don't want to miss any of them!

Below you'll find three prayers I wrote for those who are returning to the classroom: one for students, one for parents, one for teachers and one for empty nesters.

Following my prayers, you'll find another prayer for empty nesters from Diana Macalintal's fine book, The Work of Your Hands: Prayers for Ordinary and Extraordinary Moments of Grace.

Share these prayers! In addition to you and your immediate family, are there others in your extended family, among your neighbors and friends or in your parish who might benefit from these prayers? Please pass them on!

+ + +

A Student's Prayer

You might pray this at home with your children, on the first day of school. Or you could slip a copy into backpacks and lunch kits - or post it on the family bulletin board or the refrigerator door!

Dear God,
Help me remember that you’re always by my side,
   at school and all day long.
Help me be the best student I can be,
   using all the gifts and talents you’ve given me.
Help me study well and often
   – especially when I don’t feel like studying at all!
Help me finish all my homework – on time.
Help me listen to my teachers and coaches.
Help me play fair and play safely.
Help me be honest when I’m tempted to cheat.
Help me always tell the truth.
Help me be kind to everyone at school
   and to treat others as I’d want them to treat me.
Help me make good friends
   and help me be a good friend to others.
Help me see how I can help others
   and to ask for help when I need it myself.
Help me love and respect, trust and appreciate my parents
- and be honest with them.
Help me remember that you’re with me always, Lord,
   and that you’ll never leave my side.
Amen.

+ + +

A Parent's Prayer for Students

Here's a prayer for those who stay at home or take off for work as the kids leave for school...

Dear Lord,
As my children leave for school,
I pray you keep them in your care.
Send your Spirit to open their minds
   to all that's true and beautiful and good.
Help them see the gifts and talents
   you have given them
       and teach them to use them well.
Help them to grow in knowledge and wisdom.
Help them to be kind to others
   and lead others to be kind to them.
Give their teachers patience and understanding
   and help them teach what's just and true.
Send your angels to guide and guard my children
   and to keep them from all harm.
Open their young hearts to your presence
   and enfold them in your peace and protection.
Hold them in the palm of your hand, Lord,
   and at day's end, bring them safely home.
Amen.

+ + +

A Teacher's Prayer

And let's not forget teachers and school staff and administrators!

Dear God,
A new school year is about to begin
   and my classroom door will soon open
       to the students you've assigned to my care...
Open my mind and heart to each of them
   and especially to the ones
       who will challenge me the most...
Help me challenge my students, all of them,
   to study, to learn, to grow in knowledge
       and even a little wisdom...
Help me remember, Lord,
   how young my students are:
       give me patience to help them grow up
           and insight to know the help they need...
Help me understand that sometimes
   my students may not understand me:
       help me be clear in all I say and do...
My students don't know the burdens and worries
   my heart brings to the classroom, Lord,
so help me remember how anxious and how heavy

   my students' hearts may be...
Keep me from favoring any particular students, Lord,
   except for those who need my help the most...
Let my choices and decisions in the classroom
   be fair and just, honest and true...
Send your Spirit to fill me with gifts
   of knowledge and understanding, counsel and wisdom…
Lord, open my mind and heart to my students' parents,
   especially those who'll challenge me the most...
Help me challenge parents to challenge their children
   to study, to learn and to grow...

Teach me to teach as you would, Lord:

with understanding when I need to be firm,

with gentleness in all things

and with patience ‘til the last bell rings…

Amen.

+ + +

Reflections for Empty Nesters

For parents sending their high school graduates off to college, the military or the work force (in two versions: for a daughter, for a son).

When a son is leaving home:
Yes, it's hard...
but it was, in large measure, just for this
   that you brought him into the world:
       for him to grow and mature,
   to begin to be on his own,
       loving you not any less at all
   and perhaps even loving you more

        for all you've given him up 'til now
   and how you'll love him yet
       as he becomes more and more his own man,

this child you love so much...

Through your tears ask God to help you now

to find the joy that’s rightly yours

in the life of the fine young man you've raised:

your child, your son, born of you,

of your love, your heart and your soul.

Amen.

When a daughter is leaving home:

Yes, it's hard...
but it was, in large measure, just for this
   that you brought her into the world:
       for her to grow and mature,
   to begin to be on her own,

       loving you not any less at all
   and perhaps even loving you more
       for all you've given her up 'til now
   and how you'll lover her yet
   as she becomes more and more her own woman,

this child you love so much...

Through your tears ask God to help you now

to find the joy that’s rightly yours

in the life of the fine young woman you've raised:

your child, your daughter, born of you,

of your love, your heart and your soul.

Amen.

+ + +

And here's Diana Macalintal's Parent’s Prayer When Children are Leaving Home, in two versions: for a daughter, for a son.

A Parent’s Prayer When A Daughter Leaves Home

Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child
   and entrusted me with her care.
Surround her with good people and watch over her each day.
And let her know that I will always be near
   whenever she may need me.
Heal any hurts we may harbor with each other
   and forgive our failings
       as we learn to be in a new kind of relationship with each other.
And when the sight of her empty room
   pierces my heart with sadness,
may I find comfort in knowing that my child is your child too,
   filled with your grace and sheltered by your love.
Amen.

A Parent’s Prayer When A Son Leaves Home

Gracious God, you blessed me with the gift of my child

   and entrusted me with his care.
Now he leaves this home and begins a new life apart from me.
Surround him with good people and watch over him each day.
And let him know that I will always be near
   whenever he may need me.
Heal any hurts we may harbor with each other
   and forgive our failings
       as we learn to be in a new kind of relationship with each other.
And when the sight of his empty room
   pierces my heart with sadness,
may I find comfort in knowing that my child is your child too,
   filled with your grace and sheltered by your love.
Amen.

Copyright 2014 by Order of Saint Benedict.
Published by Liturgical Press, Collegeville, Minnesota.
Used with permission.

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Pause for Prayer: WEDNESDAY 8/12

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 07:19:14 +0000

What problem am I bringing to God today?

Am I so anxious about tomorrow or next week
that I miss the help the Lord offers me today?

Am I having a hard time "keeping it in today?"

The Lord's with me right now,
in this very moment, while I'm on line...

The Lord's not waiting for tomorrow

or next week or next month,

he's waiting right now

to give me just the help I need

to make it through today,

one day at a time...

Help me just today, Lord:
that's what I really need....

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4 million is a lot of votes!

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 21:28:56 +0000

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Pause for Prayer: TUESDAY 8/11

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 03:19:14 +0000

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

help me leave the past behind

and open my heart to the future...

Lead me along this day's path, Lord,

though I can't know, though I may fear

what's down the road for me...

Lead me along this day's path, Lord,

keep me from dragging my butt

and dawdling, stalling, delaying...

Lead me along this day's path, Lord,

and keep me in the moment:

don't let me turn back...

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

point me in the right direction

and let let nothing change my course...

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

help me trust the road you map for me

though I don't know where it ends...

Lead me along this day's path, Lord:

show me the way and stay by my side

with every step I take...

Lead me along this day's path, Lord,

as I know you always do

and give me the grace to follow

where your love and wisdom lead...

Amen.

This is probably NOT the "Lead Me, Lord" you know!

Lead Me, Lord by Gary Valenciano

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NIGHT PRAYER: Monday 8/10

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Tue, 11 Aug 2026 02:51:05 +0000

I'm thinking, Lord, of all the ways my life is

touched, bruised, blessed, shaped and changed

by family and by friends,

by strangers passing by,

by grudges and resentments,

by a word of consolation,

affirmation and support,

by a gentle or a harsh remark,

by an open, outstretched hand,

by a not so subtle snub,

by another's smile or tears,

by a rumored piece of gossip

or a teasing provocation,

by attention and neglect,

by an understanding glance,

by the smallest deed of kindness

done in secret and with love...

All of which causes me to wonder,

how does my life, Lord,

touch, bruise, bless, shape and change the lives

of my family and my friends,

of strangers passing by,

of those I live and work with,

those entrusted to my care,

of those who serve my many needs,

of those I disagree with,

of those who have forgotten me,

of those who most annoy me,

of those who lift me up,

of those who need my help,

of those whom I've offended

and of anyone who's most in need

of what is mine to share...

We touch, bruise, bless, shape

and change each other's lives, Lord,

and often without knowing,

without seeing or perceiving

how much and in how many ways

we touch, bruise, bless, shape

and change the precious lives

of family and of friends,

of acquaintances and neighbors,

and of strangers passing by,

all brothers, sisters 'round the world,

all one in you, our God...

Protect us, Lord while we're awake
and watch over us while we sleep
that awake, we might keep watch with you
and asleep, rest in your peace...

Amen.

One of the joys of writing these Night Prayer posts is searching for music and finding pieces I've never heard before. That's the case tonight: Pastor Nancy Rabbe has set Shirley Erena Murray's poem to music and the result is, as the title indicates, gentle and light...

Go Gently, Go Lightly by by Nancy Rabbe

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

Go gently, go lightly, go safe in the Spirit, live simply, don’t carry much more than you need: go trusting God’s goodness, go spreading God’s kindness, stay centered on Jesus and where he will lead. Go singing, go bringing the gifts of the Spirit, go hopefully searching for things that are true: in living, in loving, whatever befalls you, God keep you, God bless you in all that you do.

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Whose voice do you listen to the most? Whose voice has the greatest impact on your thinking, opinions, choices and decisions?

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Mon, 10 Aug 2026 03:06:54 +0000

Here's the audio for my homily for August 9, based on these three scriptures. (If a widget doesn't appear above, click here!) The text of my homily follows before.

I've got a lot of questions today. Many more questions than answers. And you can be sure I pose all these questions to myself as well as to you.

First question. Whose voice? Whose voice in your life do you turn to most frequently for advice, guidance, answers to your questions?

Second question. Whose voice in your life do you trust the most? Depend on, rely upon the most?

Third question, of all the voices in your life competing for your attention, which of those voices do you usually end up listening to? turning to and following? Which voice wins the competition for your allegiance?

And the last question. Regardless of where you turn for advice, whose voice in your life actually has the most impact on your thinking? on your choices and your decisions?

Well, there may be as many answers to those questions as there are people here at mass today. But it's also likely that a number of us may have the same responses.

Perhaps the most significant voice in your life is that of your spouse. Or your mother, or your father, or trusted family member. Or maybe it's the voice of a close friend, a neighbor, a coworker, a mentor from your school days.

Could be it's the voice of a favorite author, philosopher, a poet, someone in the media.

And for some of us, and at times for all of us, the most influential voice we listen to might be - our own.

Of course, there's another voice to consider here (and I'm sure you saw this coming) - the voice of God. The voice that speaks to us in our prayer and in the scriptures. The voice that speaks to us in the teachings of Christian tradition. The voice that speaks to us in our conscience.

And that leads us to a few more questions…

What influence does God's voice have in our lives when we're lost or confused, when we're seeking advice, or guidance, insight, or wisdom, truth, clarity - or simply answers to questions we have?

What's the impact of God's voice, of God's word, on my thinking, my opinions, my conscience, my choices, my decisions? In the daily competition for my attention, my allegiance, my respect - how often does God's voice, or God's word, come out ahead of all the other voices?

And here's a tough question. Actually, the toughest one for me. How do I respond when the voice of God runs counter to all the other voices sounding in my head, in my heart?

And here's another way to phrase that last question…

How well do I listen to… how seriously do I take… how faithfully do I follow the voice of God -- when it flies in the face of what's accepted and conventional? When it calls me beyond my gut response. When the word of God doesn't make any financial sense. When the voice of God asks of me more than I am naturally inclined to give. When the voice of God, the word of God, confronts me, challenges me, and calls me beyond my comfort zone.

Listening to and listening for the voice of God is a challenge -- precisely because the voice of God and the word of God are so challenging!

Here are just a couple of examples from the New Testament - hard sayings from Jesus…

You must strive to be perfect… (Matthew 5:48)
Sell what you have and give to the poor… (Mark 10:17-22)
Love your enemies - and pray - for those who persecute you… (Matthew 5:43)
If you want to be my disciple, you must deny yourself, take up your cross and follow me… (Matthew 16:24)
Greater love than this no one has, than to lay down one’s life for one’s friend… (John 15:3)
The first will be last and the last will be first… (Matthew 20:16)
Offer no resistance to one who is evil. When someone strikes you on your right cheek, turn the other one to him as well… (Matthew 5:39)
Give to the one who begs from you, and do not refuse the one who would borrow from you… (Matthew 5:42)
Love your neighbor - as yourself… ( Matthew 22:39)

Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you… (John 6:53)

If you say, “I love God,” but you hate your neighbor – you are a liar… (1 John 4:20)

How many times must you forgive the one who offends you?

If your neighbor sins against you, you must forgive him 7 X 77 times… (Matthew 18:22)

Where your treasure is, there also will your heart be… (Matthew 6:21)

How very challenging is the voice of God, the word of God, when it flies in the face of what's accepted and conventional. When it calls me beyond my gut response, when it doesn't make any financial sense, when it asks more of me than I'm actually inclined to give, when it confronts me, challenges me, and calls me to go beyond my comfort zone.

All those scriptures - and think of today's first reading, when we found Elijah, huddled in his cave, waiting to hear God's voice: it didn't come as he expected in the wind, earthquake, or fire, but rather in “a tiny whispering sound.”

Perhaps the voice of God is something we need to listen for more carefully, strained to hear, in the ordinary experiences of our lives.

And in the second scripture, St. Paul wrote of how his heart was “filled with great sorrow and anguish.” Perhaps God's voice is speaking to us in the pain we can't ignore - or in the pain we want to ignore.

And in today's gospel, Peter wants to believe he's hearing the voice of Jesus, but he's afraid and he's slow to trust that voice. He says, “Lord, if it's you, tell me to walk on the water. If it's your voice I hear.” Perhaps we hear God's voice calling us, but we hesitate to respond because we hear that voice calling us beyond what we're able to trust and to try. Beyond what we're ready to accept and believe. Beyond what we're willing to concede and yield to. Beyond what we're ready to give up, or to give away. Beyond where we're willing to move, to press on, to further the journey.

But could any voice in my life or yours be more significant, more important, wiser, of greater counsel, more loving, just, or knowledgeable - than the voice of God and the word of God?

Is any other voice in our lives more likely to speak the truth to us? The whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

Can anyone else's word, can anyone else's voice, offer greater wisdom, clarity, and insight, and the voice, and the word of God?

Well, I told you I was gonna ask a lot of questions, so I did. Now let me offer you - not exactly answers - but rather some suggestions for where we might turn and begin to find some answers.

Perhaps we need to better attune ourselves, attune our minds and hearts, to listen for, to more accurately hear and understand, the voice of God in our lives.

Perhaps we need to make some quiet time every day - at least once during the week - and apart from Saturday afternoons - to make some quiet time, to listen, as Elijah did, for that small, whispering sound of God's voice in our minds, in our hearts, in our prayer, in our conscience - to hear God's voice speak his presence and his peace, not in the extraordinary - but in the ordinary pieces of our daily lives, right where we are.

Perhaps we need to make some quiet time so we can hear, as St. Paul did, to hear God speak in and through our pain, our anguish, our problems: to hear God speak, a healing word. Perhaps we need to make some time - in the roar of the storms that often threaten us - to hear the voice of Jesus as Peter did, to hear the voice of Jesus calling us to trust him when we hear him. To trust that he will give us what we need to step beyond our comfort zone, to do what may seem to be impossible, to walk a path we may think is impassable. And to live by the only word we can trust to free and to save us.

What will we have missed if we don't make that kind of time in our lives? We will have missed nothing less than the voice of God.

So I'll close as I began with a few questions….

Whose voice in our lives do we turn to most frequently for advice, guidance, answers to our questions?

Regardless of where we turn for advice, whose voice impacts us most significantly, impacts our thinking, our choices, our decisions.

How many voices in our lives compete for our allegiance and attention, and which voice wins?

And how, in the week ahead, might each of us listen more carefully to hear the voice of God speaking in our prayer, in the scriptures, in our thoughts, in our conscience, in our hearts?

It was the voice of God that called all of us here today. It was the voice of God that calls us to his table. We have heard his voice and we've accepted the invitation - we're here. May the sacrament receive from this table open the ears of our hearts, to hear his voice in the week ahead: to go where he calls, to follow where he leads, and to do as he commands.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Sunday 8/9

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 22:47:08 +0000

On Sundays, Night Prayer takes its lead from some element of the day's liturgy. Tonight we begin with the words of Jesus in today's gospel: Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid...

Lord, I can't count the number of time
when you tell me to have no fear,
to fear not, to be not afraid...

I'm grateful for all that encouragement

but the truth is,

I still have fears... I'm often afraid...

And still you tell me,

Be not afraid...

Sometimes, Lord,

   I'm not even sure what it is I fear
but I know when I'm afraid
    because I know how it feels
         - and I know when I feel it...

And yet you tell me,

Be not afraid...

Sometimes I'm afraid

of things in my past,
things that no longer exist,
the old, familiar ghosts of things long gone...

And again you tell me,

Be not afraid...

And sometimes I fear

what doesn't yet exist:

I fear what's next

or what might be,

or what could be

or things I dream up

that will never be...

And once more you tell me,

Be not afraid...

Sometimes, Lord,
I'm afraid of people,

afraid of folks I've no reason to fear

and sometimes I fear

those who love me

and that makes no sense at all...

And still you tell me,

Be not afraid...

And sometimes, Lord,

I know it's my fear

that blinds my heart

to the grace and strength

you give me

- when I am afraid!

And yet you tell me,

Be not afraid...

And sometimes, Lord, I'm afraid of myself:

of who I am,

of what I've done -or not yet done-

of what I might yet do

and then begins the vicious circle

of fearing the fear within me,

the fear that makes me afraid...

And again you tell me,

Be not afraid...

And sometimes, Lord,

I'm afraid of you

who never tire of telling me:

Take heart and be not afraid,

I'm here, I'm with you,

I'm your courage and strength,

I will not leave your side...

What will it take, Lord, what must I do,
to take a step outside my fear, beyond my fear,
to trust in you, to walk with you:

my shield, my safety,

my refuge from danger

and my hope that all shall be well...

Fill my heart with your Spirit, Lord,
with the grace I need - day after day -
to take but one small step in faith

beyond my doubt, beyond my fear...

I need to hear your words again, Lord,

again and again and again,
'til my faith is strong beyond my dread,
and secure beyond my fear...

So before I go to sleep tonight,

let me hear you whisper again:

Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid,

I am here, I am with you

and all shall be well...

Protect me, Lord, while I'm awake

and watch over me while I sleep

that awake, I might keep watch with you

and asleep, rest in your peace...

Be Not Afraid by Taylor Davis

performed by Stonebriar Music

If a widget doesn't appear below, click here!

Be not afraid for I have redeemed you

Be not afraid I've called you by name

My love for you is everlasting

My love for you shall have no end

When you pass through the waters

I will surround you

When you pass through the floods

They will not sweep o'er

When you walk through the fire

You will not be consumed

You are my child You are my child

You are so precious to me (2x)

You are my child

And I'll love you always

Just hold my hand and I'll lead you on

When you feel lost always remember

I am right here Just call out my name

When you pass through the waters

I will surround you

When you pass through the floods

They will not sweep o'er

When you walk through the fire

You will not be consumed

You are my child

You are so precious to me

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Pause for Prayer: SUNDAY 8/9

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Sun, 09 Aug 2026 05:17:43 +0000

Photo by Greg Mara, Wells Beach 8/6/14

Clouds are clouds are clouds...

No matter how thick, how dark, how foreboding,
no matter how gray, how gloomy and grim,
no matter the wind and the rain they portend:
clouds are clouds are clouds...

No matter the thunderhead shrouding the heavens,
no matter the rumbling rolling within,
no matter the lightning piercing their veil:
clouds are clouds are clouds...

And clouds will break and clouds will clear
and clouds will pass and soon reveal
what clouds will never wipe away:
the sun, the moon,

   the stars, the sky,
   the new day's dawn,
   the hope it brings...

Lord

let nothing shield me from your light,

let nothing hide your face from me,
let nothing overscast my hope

of what I trust I'll see once more

when clear skies reign again...

For clouds are only clouds, Lord,

but you're the rising sun,

you're the light that never fades,

you're the day that never ends,

you're the radiance of wisdom,

you're the dawn that comes each morning

though the skies be clear or gray...

For clouds are clouds are clouds, Lord:

clouds are only clouds...

Amen.

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NIGHT PRAYER: Friday 8/7

noreply@blogger.com (Concord Pastor) — Fri, 07 Aug 2026 23:13:01 +0000

Why are you far away, Lord?
Why do you hide yourself when I am in trouble?
- Psalm 10

Sometimes, that’s just how I feel, Lord!

I feel like you are far, far away

when I’m in trouble

and when I need you the most…

Of course, I know that part of the problem

is my praying, hoping, wanting and wishing
that you'd solve all my problems

and give me peace – right now –

or at least sooner than later

and the truth is, Lord:

it's already later than sooner...

So that's why you hear me pray,
Where are you, Lord?

Have you forgotten me?

Why, Lord, do you stand far away

when I’m in trouble and I need you?

Why do I wait so long for you to do
what I know you can do?
Why do you wait so long to do
what you can do?

I know you hear my prayer,

that you know my every problem.
But I have to wonder

what keeps your arm from reaching out,

your hand from helping and healing me

- or have I somehow missed

your reach, your touch, your care?

Why do you leave me locked in chains of fear,
shackled in confusion,

imprisoned by my hopelessness?

I don't think I’m asking for too much, Lord.
I ask only for a share

of what some seem to have in abundance:

I ask for the peace of mind and heart

that opens to the joy

that's only yours to give...

And I know, Lord:

your love for all your people is mysterious,

sometimes confusing and confounding,

always mystifying - and yet inviting -

and ever faithful, true, abiding...

And I know, Lord,

that even when I don’t understand,

when I feel like you’ve forgotten me,

when I can’t seem to find you,

- even and especially then -

I need to put my hope and trust in you

because you’re my safe place while I wait…

you’re my fortress when I feel attacked…

you’re my refuge in my fear…

you’re my haven in my hopelessness…

my safe harbor when my heavy heart

is storm-tossed and alone...

So tonight I pray and trust, Lord, that you’ll be

my strength when I'm weak,
my confidence when I'm tempted to give up,

my wisdom when I just don’t understand,
my light in the depths of darkness,

my joy in the midst of grief,

and my hope when I wonder

why when I’m in trouble

         you seem so far away…

And I pray for others who are troubled, Lord,
   those who know so well

the prayer I pray tonight,

the plea that lives in their hearts, too…

And… if in fear and pain I've somehow missed
how your healing hand has

touched my deepest wounds,
let me see and know

how you’ve reached out,

how close you’ve been

how much you’ve done

in mercy and with kindness

to touch my troubled heart

with the peace for which I pray…

In the quiet of my prayer, Lord,

help me know you’re by my side,

that you’re never far away,

but always close at hand…

Help me trust that your heart holds, Lord,

a place for mine to rest

and that in your heart I’ll find the peace

I long to know and pray for…

Protect me, Lord, while I’m awake

and watch over me while I sleep,

that awake, I might keep watch with you

and asleep, rest in your peace…

Amen.

Lord, I Need You by Chris Tomlin

If a video doesn't appear below, click here!

Lord I come, I confess

Bowing here I find my rest

Without You I fall apart

You're the one that guides my heart

Lord, I need You, oh I need You

Every hour I need You

My one defense, my righteousness

Oh God, how I need You

Where sin runs deep, Your grace is more

Where grace is found is where You are

And where You are Lord I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

Yes, where you are, Lord, I am free

Holiness is Christ in me

So teach my song to rise to You

When temptation comes my way

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

And when I cannot stand I'll fall on You

Jesus You're my hope and stay

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