SUNDAY, August 15 12 Pentecost

Hebrews 11:29—12:2. Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses...

My mother died at the age of ninety-five. After her death I was told that I had thirty days to clear out her apartment. It was agonizing. A whole part of my life seemed to be disappearing as her belongings left.

On the last day, I decided to return to the apartment for one last look at the empty space. Just as I turned to leave, my eye caught a piece of paper on the floor beside the place where her bed had been. I reached to pick it up and discovered much to my astonishment that it was a beautifully printed prayer card which she had treasured, with the words of the Lord’s Prayer.

I stood there in disbelief. And suddenly it was clear. I became aware that she was with me and would always be. She was part of the cloud of witnesses of whom the author of Hebrews speaks. She had witnessed to the substance of love, which is endless and eternal. The church without this dimension of heavenly witness is really not the church. That prayer card now sits on my desk to remind me always of that fact. (2004)

PRAY for The Church of South India (United) and the Diocese of South Kerala

Ps 80:1-2, 8-18 and Isaiah 5:1-7 –OR– Ps 82 and Jeremiah 23:23-29; Luke 12:49-56

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

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