The Forward Day by Day Archives
We've published links to the last few weeks' Forward Day by Day Meditations below. You can search for past meditations (from June 2012 and later), and filter them by keyword if you wish, using the search form.
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MONDAY, August 15
[Saint Mary the Virgin]What would it take to welcome Christ as joyfully as Mary did? How do we follow Mary’s path? Her life was not easy, as she would ultimately see her son crucified on the cross. Yet, here she rejoices in being chosen by God as the mother of the one who changed her life, our lives, forever.....SUNDAY, August 14
[10 Pentecost/Jonathan Myrick Daniels]Years ago, we visited out-of-town friends and heard an inexperienced preacher tackle this very verse. Afterward, the congregation, restless and uncomfortable, left hurriedly. At home, our husbands walked outside with the children, and my friend and I talked about the gospel while making lunch. What ....SATURDAY, August 13
[Jeremy Taylor]My mother taught me many rules about how to be safe in the city. Look both ways before crossing the street. Avoid eye contact with strangers. Keep your hand on your wallet. These rules became so ingrained that they seemed like normal behavior.When the Jews chastised the m....
FRIDAY, August 12
[Florence Nightingale]When our friend’s wife developed Alzheimer’s, he devoted his life to making hers seem normal. He dressed her in her favorite clothing and brought her to church. He cooked her favorite meals and watched over her night and day. Caring for her gave him the comfort of showing his love.....
THURSDAY, August 11
[Clare of Assisi]When Jesus told the disciples he had food they knew nothing about, they were confused. Traveling constantly as they did, they must have been hungry all hours of the day. Had Jesus been hiding a sandwich? A pocket full of grapes? If so, why didn’t he share?While the disc....
WEDNESDAY, August 10
[Laurence of Rome]Whenever I take a nearby shortcut, I pass a man in torn jeans sitting on the curb. He holds a sign that says, “I am hungry.” I have given him sandwiches, directions to the soup kitchen, and dollar bills. Rain or shine, he is there.Perhaps he is a veteran who has seen ....
TUESDAY, August 9
[Edith Stein]Years ago, I was privileged to join a research seminar taught by a well-known scholar. Although he had written numerous books and articles, what mattered to him was not his own prestige but rather sharing knowledge and encouraging us to become scholars in our own right. Another participant invited m....- “How can these things be?” That is a question we might have asked in Bible study class. Our leader, a knowledgeable and understanding priest, welcomed questions, both foolish and wise. We were like Nicodemus, sitting in the presence of spirit and knowledge, daring to say what we felt.....
SUNDAY, August 7
[9 Pentecost/John Mason Neale]“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit.” That’s good advice, I thought, as I got ready for a festive dinner. We had a grand feast—appetizers, salads, and entrées, all followed by a flaming dessert. Once home, I reached for a magazine to relax before bed.T....
SATURDAY, August 6
[The Transfiguration]Today, as we celebrate the Transfiguration, I think about the disciples. They followed Jesus up the mountain, expecting a quiet time of prayer. As ever, God turns their expectations upside down.There on the mountain, they see Jesus for who he is. They are so astonished th....
- What embarrassment for the host—to have the wine run out during a crowded wedding celebration! In Jesus’s day, you couldn’t just hop in a car and drive to the store. Mary, his mother, who knows who Jesus really is, turns to him for help. And he transforms water into wine.
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- Come with me into my garden in the early morning, where the birds sing and the spiders weave their webs. Pause near the azalea bush where the old shed stood and listen to something small and furry rustling in the underbrush. It’s hard to go inside and begin the day’s work after that.<....
WEDNESDAY, August 3
[Joanna, Mary, and Salome]“Come and see!” That’s what an artist colleague says when someone asks what she is painting. “Come and see the glowing sunshine, the rippling water that inspired me.” Come and see the artwork itself. It’s paint, yes, but it’s also an experience of a new perspective. Seeing my friend’....- “Who am I?” I ask myself as I sign into a website. Too often, I have to rummage through my list of identifications and passwords so that I can order groceries, read an online book, or board an airplane. Sometimes my ID has expired, and I’m not sure who I really am!
T....
MONDAY, August 1
[Joseph of Arimathea]One of my favorite memories is visiting Carlsbad Caverns. We walked through beautiful rock formations until we reached an area so dark that we literally could see nothing. We fell silent. It was as if life itself had vanished. Then the guide turned on his lantern, and all was well. The crystals spar....SUNDAY, July 31
[8 Pentecost/Ignatius of Loyola]Ecclesiastes is a challenging book; this week is the only time we read it in Sunday worship. Yet perhaps strangely, it’s one of my favorites. It makes sacred space for our ambivalence and disillusionment—the kind of feelings we might be ashamed to bring to God in prayer is right there on the pag....SATURDAY, July 30
[William Wilberforce]The conclusion of Matthew’s Gospel is often called the Great Commission. That it is a commission, and not a command, is a key distinction. With a command, it’s all on you to figure it out, to fail or succeed, and to handle whatever may come.But this sending is differe....
FRIDAY, July 29
[Mary and Martha of Bethany]Every time we have a big family supper, the same thing happens. When it’s time to eat, the food is on the table, and everyone is sitting down. But my mother will stay on her feet, walking around the kitchen and scanning the counters, wondering aloud, “Are we missing anything?” “Yes,” we al....THURSDAY, July 28
[Johann Sebastian Bach]How striking that between the Great Commission, the Ascension, and Pentecost is this more personal interlude among the disciples. They wonder: who will pick up the work Judas left behind? And between the lines, I read another question: how does any community heal after a profound betrayal of trust?<....WEDNESDAY, July 27
[William Reed Huntington]How our readings get put together by the lectionary is a bit of a mystery sometimes. Today you’ll read Matthew’s gut-wrenching account of Jesus’s final moments on the cross, together with the slightly slapstick murder of Eglon as well as Christ’s ascension to heaven. Perhaps you are as tickl....
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