Rejoice! A new day is starting!
Children are learning to listen
to the breath and know that God
is in each inhale and exhale.
Young ones are learning that they are
created in the image of God
and are inherently so good.
Guilt is no longer used to control.
Love of God, self, and neighbor
Guide our lives toward goodness and mercy.
Rejoice! A new day is starting!
Success is gauged by the lives of
families listening to God
and showing kindness to others.
Success is gauged by compassion
for self, family, friends, and
the full community at large.
Success is gauged by care of earth
for birds, flowers, water, trees, skies,
and gardens tended with love.
Rejoice! A new day is starting!
Mark 12:30-31
You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your being, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this, You will love your neighbor as yourself. No other commandment is greater than these.”
As one who was brought up during the years that behavior was managed through guilt, it was not easy to learn to love myself with all my imperfections. So, you can imagine how pleased we were to provide a Vacation Bible School that emphasizes love of self, neighbor, and community. Who would have thought that we would have progressed to the point that we would take time to do gentle yoga stretches and deep breaths as part of the day? And sing lovely songs about Compassionate Prayer?
In my personal daily devotions, I’ve been reading Meditations with Teilhard De Chardin, by Blanche Gallagher. De Chardin wrote about the spiritual evolution of the universe. His theology was formed in the trenches at the front lines of World War I, deep in the deserts of China, and while in Egypt. Not unlike Charles Darwin’s Survival of the Species, De Chardin spoke of the ways our spirituality must evolve if we are to survive. Like Darwin, he was persecuted for his views. Yet he courageously never stopped challenging ideas that were harmful to humanity and to Mother Earth.
It is with a big sigh of relief that we are evolving spiritually in ways that are life-giving and affirming. We recognize that the Spirit of Christ lives within our bodies and souls, uniting our hearts in love and peace. Rejoice, a new day is starting!
The Peace of Christ be with you,
Marta
Rev. Marta Wheeler
To view and download a PDF version of this Devotional, click here: Devotional MW 2021-07-21