The parable of the mustard seed might not mean what you think it means...

We are in a culture that values productivity. Maybe even productivity over persons. We often identify ourselves with what we do. What if we challenged that a bit and spent some Sabbath inviting God to show us within ourselves the beloved child of God that God sees. What if Sabbath was more than a cessation of the daily grind, but the kind of pause on the things that keep us from paying attention to God's presence. The kinds of things that distract us from the pain we feel. Because when we feel that pain and then let God be present with us in that pain, we start to understand even more God's love for us.

The bible says there's a time for peace and a time for war. We pray against the latter to be sure. And when I pray, I also pray that in the future, we have enough strong and courageous men and women who will step into the arena, risking their lives, willing to give their last full measure for the country.

"The Bible say God created the world beautiful. But in the time that I was in my world, my time, the region that I grew up, it wasn't beautiful. I didn't see the beauty of what God had created, how the world was beautiful at the time when I was young. That beauty did not even enter into my mind because there was a fear. Fear of not knowing if you're going to live tomorrow, war happening. But, today, I'm living in a beautiful city. I'm in a paradise."

As we return to Jesus by night and then ask that question, how do we get there? How do we get born again, or how do we get an opportunity to inherit the kingdom of our father?

"The miracle of Pentecost wasn't that everyone was speaking different languages and no one could understand anything. The miracle of Pentecost was understanding. The miracle of Pentecost was these people, these very, very different people from all over the known world, who'd come to Jerusalem at that time, understood each other."

Two of St. Peter's graduating seniors reflect on growing up in this community, and what a positive impact that's had on their lives. Congratulations to all the seniors on their graduation!

The church has an important witness to bear when it comes to friendship to showing the world this gift that Jesus first offered us. And now that we are called to share with others, especially the lonely. And so many people are lonely. So many people need a friend. The friends who pray, "May you see God's life on the path ahead when the road you walk is dark. May you always hear, even in your hour of sorrow, the gentle singing of the lark when times are hard. May hardness never turn your heart to stone. May you always remember when the shadows fall, you do not walk alone."