EPISCOPAL RELIEF AND DEVELOPMENT
Fast from judging others; feast on the Christ indwelling in them.
Fast from emphasis on differences; feast on the unity of all life.
Fast from apparent darkness; feast on the reality of light.
Fast from words that pollute; feast on phrases that purify.
Fast from discontent; feast on gratitude.
Fast from anger; feast on patience.
Fast from pessimism; feast on optimism.
Fast from worry; feast on trust.
Fast from complaining; feast on appreciation.
Fast from negatives; feast on affirmatives.
Fast from unrelenting pressures; feast on unceasing prayer.
Fast from hostility; feast on nonviolence.
Fast from bitterness; feast on forgiveness.
Fast from self-concern; feast on compassion for others.
Fast from personal anxiety; feast on eternal truth.
Fast from discouragement; feast on hope.
Fast from facts that depress; feast on truths that uplift.
Fast from lethargy; feast on enthusiasm.
Fast from suspicion; feast on truth.
Fast from thoughts that weaken; feast on promises that inspire.
Fast from idle gossip; feast on purposeful silence.
Gentle God, during this season of fasting and feasting, gift us with your presence so we can be a gift to others in carrying out your work. Amen.
Grace
Jesus chooses to build his church upon Peter’s leadership, not because Peter was so strong – strong though he was – but because he was so weak. Peter’s brokenness became Jesus’ real breakthrough to him. It’s not that Peter was amazing; God’s grace was amazing. And so it is with us: God’s grace being made perfect in our weakness.
-Br. Curtis Almquist
Society of Saint John the Evangelist
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LET’S GO TO CHURCH!
At this time as our nation is in crisis, it is time for men and women of good will to help repair and save our nation. It is time for prayer and reconciliation. The news that we have seen on television, this week, is not fake news or a hoax. It is the reality of what is in some people’s minds.
The actions did not occur on a whim, they were carefully planned and talked about in the social media arena. They were designed to take over our government, removes its’ elected leaders and hamper or destroy our democracy. It did not matter who the elected were or when they were elected, the matter was that they were to be nullified. I will admit though, some were sympathetic to the cause that provoked the actions.
We are at a crisis point, we can’t take guns and fight it out in the streets. We can’t forget that we have identified ourselves as a Christian nation. At times of crisis or destruction in other parts of the world, we have always reached out to help. We have provided food, medical providers and medicines, we have provided education for children, we have helped to provide safe drinking water for people throughout the world and we have helped to eradicate infections and diseases, (Ebola, malaria, small pox, cholera, polio, tuberculosis, etc.....) throughout the world. Even now, with the rest of the world, we are working to solve the mystery of the COVID-19 and developing vaccines that will arrest it. There is no doubt, that if we find a cure, we will share it with the rest of the world.
In this church season of Epiphany, we have had a real time/epiphany of our own. It has been revealed or shown, to us and to the world, that there is an ugliness in America. Instead of staying below the surface it has boldly raised its’ head and shocked the conscience and belief system of many.
Can this be the America we know and love? Are these our neighbors, fellow Americans, who harbor such hatred and violence? Are these the people we see daily in the streets, in the stores, at our children’s schools, even sharing meals and being our friends in normal times as we move about? The answer is yes!
What can we do?
We can go to church, to temple, to synagogue, to mosque, to kingdom Hall. We can go to our faith. We can go to the lessons our faiths have taught us. After all, throughout time they have taught us how to live with each other and others who are not like us. Our faiths have taught us how to have peace and respect for others. Our faiths have taught us to have hope that good will always prevail.
We pray and believe that the sick will get well. We pray that our, your own, sons or daughters in military combat will come home alive and safe. We pray that people can survive the raging chaos of tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and fires. We pray because we are asking a higher power or God for help.
We have, for Christians, just celebrated God’s gift of Jesus Christ to us. The message in this gift? I love you.
So, in this desperate time for our nation, let us look to, depend on and practice the lessons of our faith. Let us treat each other with dignity and respect. Let us reach out hands to be helpful. Let us be peace makers and keepers. Let us look for the Jesus Christ, the love in each other.
If we go to church in our hearts and actions, we can overcome and our nation will return to normalcy.
Rev. Lionel Starke
Grace
Jesus chooses to build his church upon Peter’s leadership, not because Peter was so strong – strong though he was – but because he was so weak. Peter’s brokenness became Jesus’ real breakthrough to him. It’s not that Peter was amazing; God’s grace was amazing. And so it is with us: God’s grace being made perfect in our weakness.
-Br. Curtis Almquist
Society of Saint John the Evangelist
Read More and Comment >
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WHAT HAPPENS IN HEAVEN
I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ‘This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.'
I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.
Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them. 'I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.
Finally, at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed. 'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.
'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.'
'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked.
'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.'
'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked.
'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.'
'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the world who has that opportunity.'
'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.'
'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... You are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'
'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world...'
'If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare.'
'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'
Ok, what now? How can I start?
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
ATTN: Acknowledge Dept. 'Thank you, Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it.'
If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with, how can you not send it on???? I thank God for everything, especially all my family and friends!
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Every now and then I go back to my past and remember things that have encouraged me and kept me kept me moving forward. One of these is the book ARE YOU RUNNING WITH ME JESUS? Prayers by Malcolm Boyd. During this turbulent time, I’ve looked into it again and would like to share this prayer with you. It’s morning, Jesus. It’s morning, and there’s that light and sound all over again. I’ve got to move fast.... get into the bathroom, wash up, grab a bite to eat, and run some more. I just don’t feel like it, Lord. What I really want to do is to get back in bed, pull up the covers, and sleep. All I seem to want today is the big sleep, and here I’ve got to run all over again. Where am I running? You know these things I can’t understand. It’s not that I need to have you tell me. What counts most is just that somebody knows, and it’s you. That helps a lot. So I’ll follow along, okay? But lead, Lord. Now I’ve got to run. Are you running with me, Jesus?
This book was a Christmas gift given to me in 1970. Rev. Lionel Starkes
Que_Sucede_en_El_Cielo.pdf
I dreamt that I went to Heaven and an angel was showing me around. We walked side-by-side inside a large workroom filled with angels. My angel guide stopped in front of the first section and said, ‘This is the Receiving Section. Here, all petitions to God said in prayer are received.'
I looked around in this area, and it was terribly busy with so many angels sorting out petitions written on voluminous paper sheets and scraps from people all over the world.
Then we moved on down a long corridor until we reached the second section. The angel then said to me, 'This is the Packaging and Delivery Section. Here, the graces and blessings the people asked for are processed and delivered to the living persons who asked for them. 'I noticed again how busy it was there. There were many angels working hard at that station, since so many blessings had been requested and were being packaged for delivery to Earth.
Finally, at the farthest end of the long corridor we stopped at the door of a very small station. To my great surprise, only one angel was seated there, idly doing nothing. 'This is the Acknowledgment Section,' my angel friend quietly admitted to me. He seemed embarrassed. 'How is it that there is no work going on here?' I asked.
'So sad,' the angel sighed. 'After people receive the blessings that they asked for, very few send back acknowledgments.'
'How does one acknowledge God's blessings?' I asked. 'Simple,' the angel answered. Just say, 'Thank you, Lord.' 'What blessings should they acknowledge?' I asked.
'If you have food in the refrigerator, clothes on your back, a roof overhead and a place to sleep you are richer than 75% of this world. If you have money in the bank, in your wallet, and spare change in a dish, you are
among the top 8% of the world's wealthy.'
'And if you get this on your own computer, you are part of the 1% in the
world who has that opportunity.'
'If you woke up this morning with more health than illness... You are more blessed than the many who will not even survive this day.'
'If you have never experienced the fear in battle, the loneliness of imprisonment, the agony of torture, or the pangs of starvation... You are ahead of 700 million people in the world.'
'If you can attend a church without the fear of harassment, arrest, torture or death you are envied by, and more blessed than, three billion people in the world...'
'If your parents are still alive and still married...you are very rare.'
'If you can hold your head up and smile, you are not the norm, you're unique to all those in doubt and despair.'
Ok, what now? How can I start?
If you can read this message, you just received a double blessing in that someone was thinking of you as very special and you are more blessed than
over two billion people in the world who cannot read at all.
Have a good day, count your blessings, and if you care to, pass this along to remind everyone else how blessed we all are.
ATTN: Acknowledge Dept. 'Thank you, Lord, for giving me the ability to share this message and for giving me so many wonderful people with whom to share it.'
If you have read this far, and are thankful for all that you have been blessed with, how can you not send it on????
I thank God for everything, especially all my family and friends!
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Bishop Olmstead's message is about what we as Christians can do when we see division in our world, in our communities, and in our families. Instead of getting steamed up, shouting, and stomping our feet, he suggests we do these three things: "First: Listen– The Lord teaches us in Proverbs (17:27), “The wise say very little, and those with understanding stay calm.” You and I are called to be witnesses of our merciful Savior, who died on the Cross to overcome sin and division. We can only be faithful witnesses by listening attentively to Jesus and to those whom He gives us to love. Arguing and talking over one another cannot bear good fruit. As we strive to speak the truth in love, we must embody God’s mercy and kindness. Secondly: Pray– Often, we mistakenly think we can solve difficulties or convince people to make better choices without relying on the grace of God. Let us remember the wisdom of Psalm 121, “Our help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.” St. Augustine tells us, “We must pray as though everything depended on God.” When we bring our concerns to the Lord, we are uniting ourselves with the One who is (Jn 14:6) “the way, the truth and the life.” St. John Paul II said, “In prayer you become one with the source of our true light – Jesus Himself.” Thirdly: Start with your family. Our mission in Christ begins in the family, the basic unit of the Church and society. I invite every Catholic home to consider these questions: - Where is Jesus in your family?
- Where is He in your relationships?
- Have you invited the Lord to be part of every moment of everyday – especially the tough days?
If you haven’t spoken to a family member or two in a while, call them, check on them and ask them how they are doing. Assure them of your love and of the Lord of Jesus. If you’re a parent with little children, take a break from work or other activity during the day to spend time with them. Ask them how life is going, what they are struggling with, and how you can be of help. Don’t be ashamed to tell them: “I you love you”, and “Jesus loves you, too.” I'm with Bishop Tom! I don't think we can go wrong by listening to Jesus and to those he gives us to love, by lifting our concerns in prayer to the Lord, and by assuring other people of our love, and God's love, for them.
El mensaje del obispo Olmstead trata sobre lo que nosotros, como cristianos, podemos hacer cuando vemos división en nuestro mundo, en nuestras comunidades y en nuestras familias. En lugar de empañarnos, gritar y pisar fuerte, sugiere que hagamos estas tres cosas:
"Primero: Escuche: el Señor nos enseña en Proverbios (17:27)," El sabio dice muy poco, y el que tiene entendimiento, permanece tranquilo ". Tú y yo estamos llamados a ser testigos de nuestro misericordioso Salvador, que murió en la Cruz para vencer el pecado y la división. Solo podemos ser testigos fieles escuchando atentamente a Jesús y a aquellos a quienes Él nos da para amar. Discutiendo y hablando sobre uno otro no puede dar buenos frutos Al esforzarnos por hablar la verdad con amor, debemos encarnar la misericordia y la bondad de Dios.
En segundo lugar: Ore - A menudo, pensamos erróneamente que podemos resolver las dificultades o convencer a las personas para que tomen mejores decisiones sin depender de la gracia de Dios. Recordemos la sabiduría del Salmo 121, "Nuestra ayuda viene del Señor, que hizo los cielos y la tierra". San Agustín nos dice: "Debemos orar como si todo dependiera de Dios". Cuando llevamos nuestras preocupaciones al Señor, nos unimos con Aquel que es (Jn 14, 6) “el camino, la verdad y la vida”. San Juan Pablo II dijo: "En la oración, te vuelves uno con la fuente de nuestra verdadera luz: Jesús mismo".
En tercer lugar: comience con su familia. Nuestra misión en Cristo comienza en la familia, unidad básica de la Iglesia y la sociedad. Invito a todos los hogares católicos a considerar estas preguntas:
¿Dónde está Jesús en tu familia? ¿Dónde está Él en sus relaciones? ¿Has invitado al Señor a ser parte de cada momento del día a día, especialmente en los días difíciles? Si no ha hablado con uno o dos miembros de la familia en un tiempo, llámelos, verifique cómo están y pregúnteles cómo están. Asegúreles de su amor y del Señor de Jesús. Si es un padre con niños pequeños, tómese un descanso del trabajo u otra actividad durante el día para pasar tiempo con ellos. Pregúnteles cómo va la vida, con qué están luchando y cómo puede ayudar. No se avergüence de decirles: "Te amo" y "Jesús también te ama".
¡Estoy con el obispo Tom! No creo que podamos equivocarnos al escuchar a Jesús y a aquellos que Él nos da para amar, al elevar nuestras preocupaciones en oración al Señor y al asegurar a otras personas nuestro amor y el amor de Dios por ellos. El mensaje del obispo Olmstead trata sobre lo que nosotros, como cristianos, podemos hacer cuando vemos división en nuestro mundo, en nuestras comunidades y en nuestras familias. En lugar de empañarnos, gritar y pisar fuerte, sugiere que hagamos estas tres cosas:
"Primero: Escuche: el Señor nos enseña en Proverbios (17:27)," El sabio dice muy poco, y el que tiene entendimiento, permanece tranquilo ". Tú y yo estamos llamados a ser testigos de nuestro misericordioso Salvador, que murió en la Cruz para vencer el pecado y la división. Solo podemos ser testigos fieles escuchando atentamente a Jesús y a aquellos a quienes Él nos da para amar. Discutiendo y hablando sobre uno otro no puede dar buenos frutos Al esforzarnos por hablar la verdad con amor, debemos encarnar la misericordia y la bondad de Dios.
En segundo lugar: Ore - A menudo, pensamos erróneamente que podemos resolver las dificultades o convencer a las personas para que tomen mejores decisiones sin depender de la gracia de Dios. Recordemos la sabiduría del Salmo 121, "Nuestra ayuda viene del Señor, que hizo los cielos y la tierra". San Agustín nos dice: "Debemos orar como si todo dependiera de Dios". Cuando llevamos nuestras preocupaciones al Señor, nos unimos con Aquel que es (Jn 14, 6) “el camino, la verdad y la vida”. San Juan Pablo II dijo: "En la oración, te vuelves uno con la fuente de nuestra verdadera luz: Jesús mismo".
En tercer lugar: comience con su familia. Nuestra misión en Cristo comienza en la familia, unidad básica de la Iglesia y la sociedad. Invito a todos los hogares católicos a considerar estas preguntas:
¿Dónde está Jesús en tu familia? ¿Dónde está Él en sus relaciones? ¿Has invitado al Señor a ser parte de cada momento del día a día, especialmente en los días difíciles? Si no ha hablado con uno o dos miembros de la familia en un tiempo, llámelos, verifique cómo están y pregúnteles cómo están. Asegúreles de su amor y del Señor de Jesús. Si es un padre con niños pequeños, tómese un descanso del trabajo u otra actividad durante el día para pasar tiempo con ellos. Pregúnteles cómo va la vida, con qué están luchando y cómo puede ayudar. No se avergüence de decirles: "Te amo" y "Jesús también te ama".
¡Estoy con el obispo Tom! No creo que podamos equivocarnos al escuchar a Jesús y a aquellos que Él nos da para amar, al elevar nuestras preocupaciones en oración al Señor y al asegurar a otras personas nuestro amor y el amor de Dios por ellos.
El mensaje del obispo Olmstead trata sobre lo que nosotros, como cristianos, podemos hacer cuando vemos división en nuestro mundo, en nuestras comunidades y en nuestras familias. En lugar de empañarnos, gritar y pisar fuerte, sugiere que hagamos estas tres cosas:
"Primero: Escuche: el Señor nos enseña en Proverbios (17:27)," El sabio dice muy poco, y el que tiene entendimiento, permanece tranquilo ". Tú y yo estamos llamados a ser testigos de nuestro misericordioso Salvador, que murió en la Cruz para vencer el pecado y la división. Solo podemos ser testigos fieles escuchando atentamente a Jesús y a aquellos a quienes Él nos da para amar. Discutiendo y hablando sobre uno otro no puede dar buenos frutos Al esforzarnos por hablar la verdad con amor, debemos encarnar la misericordia y la bondad de Dios.
En segundo lugar: Ore - A menudo, pensamos erróneamente que podemos resolver las dificultades o convencer a las personas para que tomen mejores decisiones sin depender de la gracia de Dios. Recordemos la sabiduría del Salmo 121, "Nuestra ayuda viene del Señor, que hizo los cielos y la tierra". San Agustín nos dice: "Debemos orar como si todo dependiera de Dios". Cuando llevamos nuestras preocupaciones al Señor, nos unimos con Aquel que es (Jn 14, 6) “el camino, la verdad y la vida”. San Juan Pablo II dijo: "En la oración, te vuelves uno con la fuente de nuestra verdadera luz: Jesús mismo".
En tercer lugar: comience con su familia. Nuestra misión en Cristo comienza en la familia, unidad básica de la Iglesia y la sociedad. Invito a todos los hogares católicos a considerar estas preguntas:
¿Dónde está Jesús en tu familia? ¿Dónde está Él en sus relaciones? ¿Has invitado al Señor a ser parte de cada momento del día a día, especialmente en los días difíciles? Si no ha hablado con uno o dos miembros de la familia en un tiempo, llámelos, verifique cómo están y pregúnteles cómo están. Asegúreles de su amor y del Señor de Jesús. Si es un padre con niños pequeños, tómese un descanso del trabajo u otra actividad durante el día para pasar tiempo con ellos. Pregúnteles cómo va la vida, con qué están luchando y cómo puede ayudar. No se avergüence de decirles: "Te amo" y "Jesús también te ama".
¡Estoy con el obispo Tom! No creo que podamos equivocarnos al escuchar a Jesús y a aquellos que Él nos da para amar, al elevar nuestras preocupaciones en oración al Señor y al asegurar a otras personas nuestro amor y el amor de Dios por ellos.
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Dear Christie,
A story was aired on NPR’s “Kid Logic” of a very young boy on his first airplane flight. Soon after takeoff he turned to his mother and asked, “When do we start getting smaller?” Up to then, his experience of airplanes in flight was watching them shrink as they disappeared into the sky. The little boy had not yet developed what psychologists call “object permanence,” i.e., an airplane disappearing into the sky is the same size it was on the runway.
Navigating life faithfully during the Coronavirus epidemic may be a huge challenge for you. Your experience of God may seem to be receding. Where do you look for the stability and permanence you need to navigate life not only in the best of times but in the worst of times? Here are several suggestions. - Discover good news. Open the New Testament and do some detective reading. What assurances, provisions, comforts, strengths are we promised in the face of loss? You won’t have to read very far before you find good news amidst the bad news. So much of the New Testament is written in the face of suffering and death. Jesus assures us that he is with us always, even to the end: the end of life, but before that, the end of each sorry day. Jesus is God Emmanuel, God with us: God’s presence, and power, and provision.
Saint Paul’s writings are chock full of his own testimony about God’s strength filling the vacuum of our own weakness. Saint Paul even makes a list of everything he could possibly imagine that might give us pause to wonder whether God is with us. “Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? …For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, [nor Coronavirus], nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”Romans 8:35-39
Find some verses in the Scriptures that speak to you now. Write the Scripture on a Post-it note and stick it to your bathroom mirror, or write it on an index card and carry it in your pocket or use it as a bookmark.
- Claim a hero. Read about a person whom you revere or with whom you can identify, someone who conquered adversity. Whether you read a substantial biography or scan online, find one or more persons whose personal qualities, whose life practices, whose decisive tacks speak to you. We have an innate need for heroes. Claim an identification with someone whose experience of life enlarged and was strengthened through the crucible of suffering.
- Write a prayer. Awaken to the new day with a prayer that acknowledges God’s presence, and names both your awareness of need and your experience of gratitude. Make this your morning offering. Bring before God your own needs and those whom you carry in your heart and encounter along the way. You might want to use a Collect from The Book of Common Prayer or some other source. Adapt it so that the prayer is yours.
Br. Curtis Almquist, SSJE
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Ampliando su perspectiva Querida Christie, En "Kid Logic" de NPR se transmitió una historia de un niño muy joven en su primer vuelo en avión. Poco después del despegue, se volvió hacia su madre y le preguntó: "¿Cuándo empezamos a hacernos más pequeños?" Hasta ese momento, su experiencia con los aviones en vuelo los estaba viendo encogerse mientras desaparecían en el cielo. El niño aún no había desarrollado lo que los psicólogos llaman "permanencia del objeto", es decir, un avión que desaparece en el cielo tiene el mismo tamaño que en la pista. Navegar fielmente por la vida durante la epidemia de coronavirus puede ser un gran desafío para usted. Puede parecer que su experiencia de Dios se está alejando. ¿Dónde busca la estabilidad y la permanencia que necesita para navegar la vida no solo en el mejor de los tiempos, sino en el peor de los tiempos? Aquí hay varias sugerencias. • Descubra buenas noticias. Abra el Nuevo Testamento y lea un poco de detective. ¿Qué garantías, provisiones, comodidades, fortalezas se nos prometen frente a la pérdida? No tendrá que leer mucho antes de encontrar buenas noticias en medio de malas noticias. Gran parte del Nuevo Testamento está escrito frente al sufrimiento y la muerte. Jesús nos asegura que está con nosotros siempre, incluso hasta el final: el final de la vida, pero antes, el final de cada día lamentable. Jesús es Dios Emmanuel, Dios con nosotros: la presencia, el poder y la provisión de Dios. Los escritos de San Pablo están repletos de su propio testimonio sobre la fuerza de Dios que llena el vacío de nuestra propia debilidad. San Pablo incluso hace una lista de todo lo que posiblemente podría imaginar que podría hacernos pensar en si Dios está con nosotros. “¿Quién nos separará del amor de Cristo? ¿Habrá sufrimiento, angustia, persecución, hambre, desnudez, peligro o espada? ... Porque estoy convencido de que ni la muerte, ni la vida, ni los ángeles, ni los gobernantes, ni lo presente, ni lo por venir, ni poderes, ni altura, ni profundidad, [ni Coronavirus], ni ninguna otra cosa en toda la creación, será capaz de separarnos del amor de Dios en Cristo Jesús Señor nuestro. ”Romanos 8: 35-39 Encuentra algunos versículos en las Escrituras que te hablen ahora. Escriba la Escritura en una nota adhesiva y péguela en el espejo del baño, o escríbala en una tarjeta y llévela en el bolsillo o utilícela como marcador de libros. • Reclama un héroe. Lea acerca de una persona a la que venera o con quien puede identificarse, alguien que conquistó la adversidad. Ya sea que lea una biografía sustancial o escanee en línea, encuentre una o más personas cuyas cualidades personales, cuyas prácticas de vida, cuyas tácticas decisivas le hablen. Tenemos una necesidad innata de héroes. Reclame una identificación con alguien cuya experiencia de vida se amplió y se fortaleció a través del crisol del sufrimiento. • Escribe una oración. Despierte al nuevo día con una oración que reconozca la presencia de Dios y mencione tanto su conciencia de la necesidad como su experiencia de gratitud. Haga de esta su ofrenda matutina. Lleva ante Dios tus propias necesidades y las que llevas en tu corazón y encuentras en el camino. Es posible que desee utilizar una colección del Libro de oración común o alguna otra fuente. Adáptelo para que la oración sea suya. Br. Curtis Almquist, SSJE
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