The election in America is over, thank God. More importantly, the terrible attack ads from candidates from both sides are off the air. Again, thank God! You see, the political election process, in my opinion, has contributed to the detriment of the soul of America. The level of acrimony in elections has reached a dangerous level of toxicity.

The problem with such activity is that each party has labeled the other not as an opponent, but as “the enemy”. So, when we do elect a person into the House or Senate from either party, they are seen through the political eyes of the other party as evil and destructive.

Political dissent is fine, even necessary to the democratic process. Casting the opponent as dangerous and evil is destructive and dangerous. Decades ago, each party touted their own candidate as a virtuous choice, one who could help to solve problems and help people. Now, each party casts the opponent as the enemy. My friends, this ought not to be!

I suppose we have devolved into this situation because of the bitter differences of opinion that exist in today’s toxic political climate. So, wherever you live, and whatever party you support, please demand better of your party.

We have different ideas of how to go forward, but we are NOT enemies.

Prayer: Lord, help us to keep your plans in focus in this election season, Amen

Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. (The servant’s name was Malchus.)                                                                                        John 18:10

This past Sunday, our Pastor, Dennis Miller, told a story about a message he had heard from a mentor many years ago. He titled it Malchus’ Ear. Malchus was the servant of the high priest Caiaphas, who had sent a cohort of Roman soldiers, including Malchus, to the garden of Gethsemane to arrest Jesus. Simon Peter, impetuous as he was, (and armed as well), struck the ear of Malchus and severed it. Jesus told Peter to put his sword away, and then proceeded to heal the severed ear of Malchus.

Pastor Dennis related that he could imagine that for years afterward, every time Caiaphas saw Malchus with an intact ear, he was reminded of the act of Jesus healing the man who had been sent to arrest him.

What a witness of the healing power of Jesus- physical healing, as well as the spiritual healing of love and forgiveness. Acts of love in the name of Jesus can last for generations.

A good reminder for all of us.

Prayer: Lord, help us to be the bearers of your healing power, Amen

The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news… Matthew 1:19

We have just turned the calendar page to November, and we have already begun the Christmas season. Yes, I know, it is not even Thanksgiving, and we have not even bought a turkey yet. That particular holiday is lost in the Christmas rush.

Many memes on Facebook are having fun with the idea that this is the Christmas season- from now until December 31. It lasts until January 6 for our Eastern Orthodox brethren. Christmas ads are already saturating the airwaves, thankfully, ready to push away the dreadful political ads. I am ecstatic that we can bury all political ads on November 4!

So, is the Christmas season rushed? Yes. Do I personally care? No. I am glad that we can have a significant season in our culture when we can have some warm family stories and a sense of traditional cultural harmony- at least on the surface.

Yes, the birth of Jesus has been co-opted by the culture and it has been mercilessly monetized. Agreed. However, the birth of Jesus into a broken world is exactly the reminder we need at this time. Jesus came into the world to show us a better way to relate to our fellow human beings. His entrance into human life exemplified love and healing in a hostile Roman world of oppression and pain.

We live in a world of oppression and suffering now for many people around the world. If we can remind ourselves and others that Jesus came into the world as a humble and vulnerable infant to show us the way to live, then we can celebrate with that same world a different way to live together. We can love one another in his name, feed the hungry, heal the sick, advocate for the marginalized, and offer hope to a world desperately in need of the way Jesus told us to live.

So, I say, on this November 2, 2026, Merry Christmas! May the joy of Jesus coming into the world be celebrated all year round!

Prayer: Lord, we celebrate the presence of Jesus all year long! Amen

“If you love me, keep my commands. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you                                         John 14:15-18

I was speaking with a client the other day about grace. I had written about this in the blog titled Healing Grace. I had mentioned to that client, (who felt that her mother didn’t deserve grace), that extending grace is hard to do. In fact, it is not natural, it is supernatural. This client is a very self-aware and dedicated Christian, who grapples with life’s hard issues. She has experienced early life abuse, and recovery is very hard. Indeed, trauma, especially at an early age, literally changes the way that we perceive the world. The fact that she is grappling with the whole idea of extending grace is a testament to the Holy Spirit who dwells within her.

Jesus said that when he left, he would send his spirit to “advocate to help you and be with you forever”. We need to recognize that such a promise is inviting the supernatural to overcome our natural inclinations. Often, following Jesus does not follow human logic, but it supersedes logic by overcoming the world with love.

Grace, indeed is supernatural.

Prayer: We thank you Lord for the Spirit whom you send to help and comfort us, Amen

 

Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits—
 who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
 who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
 who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s

Psalm 103:2-5

Also read Luke 17:11-19 

We read in Luke 17 a story of when Jesus traveled on the border of Samaria and Galilee (cultural and religious rivals). This unpopular and courageous travel plan enabled him to minister to people on the fringes of acceptability. Jesus traveled in the tension of his culture in order to be available to all.

There were ten men traveling together, bound in common by disease despite their cultural and religious differences. When we are in danger or pain, the superficial distinctions of race and religion often give way to more profound bonds that we have as human beings. We are seeing that played out in many ways as we all battle the Corona virus.

Jesus listened to their cries and granted the request for healing. He chose to use this as a teaching moment, so he gave them instructions in the Rabbinic model.

They were to show themselves to the priests, as was the custom for healing leprosy (Lev. 14:2) This was to be a witness to the priests that healing had taken place, and it was consistent with the law. The Samaritan also went to the priest – wonder what that was like?

Jesus gave them directions for healing, but they were not immediately healed. They were healed along the way as they followed the directions of Jesus. When we respond in obedience, we allow God to do His work- work we are unable to do ourselves. What we can do is be obedient to Him, and He will do the rest.

 

Prayer: Father, you can make us whole, not just clean for a time. Thank you for the availability of being whole in Jesus, Amen.

But those who suffer he delivers in their suffering; he speaks to them in their affliction.                     Job 36:15

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free…”               Luke 4:18

Thinking of those people around the world today who are suffering. Indeed, there are too many to count. There are millions of people around the globe who are needlessly suffering because of the greed and cruelty of others. I am thinking today of people in Ukraine who have been suffering for years because of the cruelty and ambition of Russia’s Vladimir Putin.

We know that there has been human suffering since the beginning of time. The sad and frustrating part of that is the needless suffering of innocent people who are oppressed by nationalist goals and empire building greed.

Jesus said that there will always be people among us who are poor and suffering, and that he speaks to them in their affliction. I do not really understand this feature of suffering, but I do trust that God has this in his hands. 

Prayer: Lord, we lift up people around us who are suffering today, Amen,

“Ask the beasts, and they will teach you the beauty of this earth…”                                       St. Francis of Assisi

“Mr. Francis”. That was the name given to our statue of St. Francis of Assisi by my son’s baseball friend many years ago. Saint Francis presided over our pond and garden area for many years until his untimely fall, occasioned by a neighborhood cat this past winter. The statue shattered in the frozen air. We have a new statue in his place now.

I contend that his spirit still rules the area. Our pond and backyard remain the home to five frogs, one very large “mutt” goldfish, Hardy, who has dominated the pond since his placement about seven or eight years ago, and various snails and possibly a few snakes.

Near the pond are two birdfeeders, one filled with thistle for the goldfinches, and one filled with sunflower seeds for the house finches, cardinals, wrens, and other assorted winged creatures. In other words, our backyard is somewhat of an animal sanctuary. The squirrels, including Rocky, who is a wounded little guy, feast on what drops from the sunflower seed feeder. Some unknown critter continues to bring a little gift of abandoned wasp nests to our deck stairs. We still cannot figure that one out. 

My point here is that we love to be part of the array of life that graces our backyard. I think that we are called, as much as we are able, to live harmoniously with creation. Yes, indeed, in the past my son and I did battle with some invasive raccoons (a story that deserves its own space), but by and large, we love to witness and protect the natural wildlife around our house.

We constantly are amazed at the beauty and grace of nature around us. I think in that small way, we are heeding the command for us to live peaceably with creation, and to see it as God’s handiwork.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for the marvelous diversity of creation, Amen

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.              II Corinthians 13:14

I recently had a discussion with a client about the concept of grace. This client had experienced abuse from her mother. The abuse took the form of emotional, and sometimes even physical abandonment when the client was quite young. Indeed, this has left a mark that stays to this day for this “30 something” client.

We had a deep discussion about the hurts of her childhood that persist to this day. The client is very self-aware, bright and articulate, and she has a strong faith to deal with this trauma. The more we discussed the situation, the client found that she has been withholding kindness and love toward her mother because her mother “does not deserve it”.

I told the client that I understood that position, and that she is still suffering from the lack of trust and acceptance that should have come from a loving parent. She had been wounded. At the same time, we must find a way forward so that the wounding does not continue to harm us.

When I discussed the concept of grace being defined as “undeserved merit”, the client simply paused and said, “when I hear that out loud, I recognize that I get grace from God that I do not deserve.”

The healing is beginning for this client, and she deserves that- we all do. God wants to do a healing in our hearts from the pain of the past. Our part is to be open to the grace that he gives for that healing.

Prayer: Lord, help people to heal with your abundant grace, Amen

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there, while he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness. He came to a broom bush, sat down under it and prayed that he might die. “I have had enough, Lord,” he said. “Take my life; I am no better than my ancestors.” Then he lay down under the bush and fell asleep.

All at once an angel touched him and said, “Get up and eat.” He looked around, and there by his head was some bread baked over hot coals, and a jar of water. He ate and drank and then lay down again.

The angel of the Lord came back a second time and touched him and said, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much for you.” So he got up and ate and drank. Strengthened by that food, he traveled forty days and forty nights until he reached Horeb, the mountain of God. There he went into a cave and spent the night.

I Kings 19:3-9

I was reminded of this passage recently in speaking with a friend. We were talking about mental health, and I was reminded of the prophet Elijah who had his own bouts with fear and depression. After a great victory over the pagan prophets of Baal, Elijah found that he had gone from the heights of victory to the depths of fear and depression. Sometimes, it happens just that fast- an emotional roller coaster that hits us at unexpected times of vulnerability.

The part that I loved about this was the provision made for Elijah. God had compassion on Elijah, and sent an angel to minister to the suffering prophet. Elijah was at his lowest, suicidal even, when God sent a ministering angel who told him, “Get up and eat, for the journey is too much…”

The tender acts of service and compassion restored Elijah physically and mentally. Even the mighty prophet Elijah was prone to the common human conditions- fatigue, fear, self-doubt, depression. Such is common to us all.

The restorative acts of service and compassion are also available to us all. We just need to recognize these hurts in our fellow travelers, and act like the angel sent to Elijah. We too can be restorative “angels”

Prayer: Lord, help us to see when those around us need an angel, Amen

In philosophy, Occam’s razor (also spelled Ockham’s razor or Ocham’s razor; Latin: novacula Occami) is the problem-solving principle that recommends searching for explanations constructed with the smallest possible set of elements. It is also known as the principle of parsimony or the law of parsimony (Latin: lex parsimoniae). Attributed to William of Ockham, a 14th-century English philosopher and theologian, it is frequently cited as Entia non sunt multiplicanda praeter necessitatem, which translates as “Entities must not be multiplied beyond necessity”

(Wikipedia)

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”     John 13:34-35

I have always believed that any kind of theology, that is, a way of understanding God, must be the simplest, most basic thing in the world. After all, God wants his creation to be drawn to him and to know him. God would not make it a difficult and onerous thing to know and relate to him.

So, in my search for knowing God over the years, I have essentially used Occam’s razor to understand his message. The way to understand God must transcend complicated philosophies and bewildering theology.

God sent his son, Jesus, to show us the “way to live”. Hence, the followers of Jesus were known early on as followers of The Way. The way of God, the way Jesus showed, is that to live a life pleasing to God, one must love his/her neighbor. In that way, they love God.

Too simple? Maybe, but for me, the simpler the better.

Prayer: Lord, help us to love one another as a pleasing honor to you, Amen