“Every day we will be reminded that life is too much for us to navigate alone, that we are powerless or at least not powerful enough to navigate the day alone. And God will greet us with a reminder from our past, to give us the clarity of trust we need for now. Or God will greet us with a visitation from the future, the paradoxical gift of faith. It’s all present, it’s all presence to God. Jesus assures us, ‘I am with you always’: past, present, future.” Br. Curtis Almquist turns our eyes to those cousins – faith and trust – for proof of God's presence with us in every time.

Romans 6: 3 – 11Psalm 114Matthew 28: 1 – 10 I’m sure that we all know someone like this. Maybe it’s even yourself. We all know someone who isn’t very good at telling jokes. Sometimes that’s about timing. Maybe their timing is off. Perhaps they don’t have a sense of irony, and take everything…

from an ancient homily for Holy Saturday – 2nd century Something strange is happening—there is a great silence on earth today, a great silence and stillness.  The whole earth keeps silence because the King is asleep.  The earth trembled and is still because God has fallen asleep in the flesh and he has raised up all who have…

Good Friday Book of Common Prayer – pp. 277-280 Dear People of God: Our heavenly Father sent his Son into the world, not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved; that all who believe in him might be delivered from the power of sin and death, and become heirs…

“Today we must pray our lives and offer up to Jesus our isolation, grief, anxiety, and helplessness. We must hear Jesus admonition: 'Come to me all who labor and are heavy burdened and I will give you rest.' We must acknowledge that our death to self is a process and we will have many opportunities to follow Jesus' example, an example that passes through the gate of Good Friday.” During a Holy Week when there is so much to mourn, Br. Jim Woodrum explores what is "good" about Good Friday.

Good Friday John 18:1-19:37 Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with his disciples. So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police…

“For many people all over the world, it is night, and we are all overwhelmed by a sense of uncertainty; of loneliness; of isolation; of fear, as the world is plunged into darkness. Yet for Jesus, the answer to the darkness of Maundy Thursday is not fear, but love.” This fear-filled Holy Week, Br. James Koester encourages us to see that, as the world is plunged into darkness, Jesus stands among us, inviting us not to fear, but to love.

“As humans, we lament. In this Holy and particular week, lament is our prayer. Be stark and boldly real naming your pain, fear, protest, and questions. Write them out, speak, draw, or act them out. Let yourself weep and groan. At the same time, remember and trust that you are being heard.” Br. Luke Ditewig reminds us that God hears every cry and grieves with us.

“Psalm 71, appointed for today, speaks to a calamity. Psalm 71 is both a diagnosis and a prescription for those who suffer.” Br. Curtis Almquist walks us through Psalm 71, powerful words for all of us today, as we live in the fear of death and the hope of resurrection.