FRIDAY, January 15

John 2:1-12. His mother said, "Do whatever he tells you."

Jesus told us to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves. That is the foundation of all he taught, all he desired. Do we do as he says?

It is so hard some days. There go the people who will have nothing to do with us, because we believe in Jesus. There are the soldiers we have learned to fear, because they hate us. There are the militias, the bandits, who want only to disrupt, to steal, to beat, to kill. How do we love them? How do we do what Jesus explicitly tells us we have to do when we live in fear, when hatred pervades so much of our lives, when violence is done to us, when we do violence in return?

So often, we do not want to listen, for to love someone we hate means that we have to let go of anger and victimhood. If we hold onto all the hurts we have endured, if we focus on what someone else has done to us, we stop listening to Jesus.

Yet, this is Jesus' command to us: Love God, love one another.

Help us, Lord, to listen, and to do whatever you tell us.

PRAY for the Diocese of Alaska (Province VIII, USA)

Ps 16, 17 * 22; Genesis 6:1-8; Hebrews 3:12-19

View the daily Lectionary Readings at Satucket.com.
Or view the Bible passages at Biblegateway.com.

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author and missionary

Jan 15, 2010 at 9:23 am

Written by Lauren Stanley,

One of the hardest parts about all this tragedy in Haiti is that we here in the United States cannot confirm information. We hear someone is alive, try to check the source, and then find out that report is second- or even third- or fourth-hand. And that what someone says is not always true.

So I ask you prayers, your continued prayers, for all who are hurting, all who are wondering, all who are suffering, all who lack water and food and medical care and shelter, all who do not know how long this nightmare will long.

And know that the prayers you already have sent are sustaining me as well.

Blessings and peace,

Lauren

Prayers from St. Andrew's, Roswell, NM.

Jan 15, 2010 at 12:17 pm

Written by Lynne Hooper,

Thank you for your work in Haiti, overwhelming though it may be. May the prayers reaching God for you from St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Roswell, NM, help you remain steadfast in your faith and give you energy to help the multitude in need. Thank you also for your recent meditations in "Forward Day by Day" God bless you and all who are working so valiantly and for the people of Haiti!

...

Jan 15, 2010 at 12:44 pm

Written by CDL,

Amen to the post from Lynne, and please add to that the prayers and thanks sent from Columbia SC. I pray often for all those in Haiti.

...

Jan 15, 2010 at 10:39 pm

Written by Robert Lebby,

In some ways, except for prayer and sending a few dollars to help, I otherwise feel so impotent to do anything of substance to help. I guess I can only do what I can do. God can do infinitely more, and will, if we just ask.

author and missionary

Jan 16, 2010 at 1:16 am

Written by Lauren Stanley,

Do NOT lose hope, do NOT feel impotent. Jesus tells us that first we pray, and that is the most important thing. Second is to pay attention -- do NOT forget the people of Haiti, for this tragedy will continue for many, many years. And remember that WHATEVER you can give helps ... because we put it all together, and even if we each just give a little, together, we give a lot.
Be strong for your brothers and sisters in Haiti. We are counting on YOU to get us through this ... with and by the grace of God Almighty.

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