Writing

Devotional Reflection, Friday, June 12. 2026 Proper 5, the week of the third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading; 6:1My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness. Take care that you yourselves are not tempted. 2Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. You will find the full text

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, June 11, 2026 Proper 5, the week of the third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 16Live by the Spirit, I say, and do not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17For what the flesh desires is opposed to the Spirit, and what the Spirit desires is opposed to the flesh. . . .the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23gentleness, and

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, June 12, 2024 Proper 5, the week of the third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 11 Again I saw that under the sun the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to the intelligent, nor favour to the skillful; but time and chance happen to them all. 12For no one can anticipate the time of disaster. Like fish taken in a cruel ne

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, June 9, 2026 Proper 5, the week of the third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 29 After Jesus had left that place, he passed along the Sea of Galilee, and he went up the mountain, where he sat down. 30Great crowds came to him, bringing with them the lame, the maimed, the blind, the mute, and many others. They put them at his feet, and he cured them, 31so that the crowd was a

Devotional Reflection, Monday, June 8, 2026 Proper 5, the week of the third Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 19 My little children, for whom I am again in the pain of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20I wish I were present with you now and could change my tone, for I am perplexed about you. You will find the full text of today’s epistle reading at the end of this reflection. Daily Office Lection

Devotional Reflection, Friday, June 5, 2026 Proper 4, the week of the second Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 28Peter answered him, ‘Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.’ 29He said, ‘Come.’ So Peter got out of the boat, started walking on the water, and came toward Jesus. 30But when he noticed the strong wind, he became frightened, and beginning to sink, he cried out, ‘Lord,

Devotional Reflection,Thursday, June 4, 2026 Proper 4, the week of the Second Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 14When he went ashore, he saw a great crowd; and he had compassion for them and cured their sick. 15When it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, ‘This is a deserted place, and the hour is now late; send the crowds away so that they may go into the villages and buy food for them

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, June 3, 2026 Proper 4, the week of the second Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Old Testament reading: 3For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: 2a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; 3a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; 4a time to weep, and a ti

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, June 2, 2026 Proper 4, the week of the second Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key verses for reflection from today’s epistle reading: 2Then after fourteen years I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, taking Titus along with me. 2I went up in response to a revelation. Then I laid before them (though only in a private meeting with the acknowledged leaders) the gospel that I proclaim among the Gentiles, in order to mak

Devotional Reflection, Monday, June 1, 2026 Proper 4, the week of the second Sunday after Pentecost The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 47 ‘Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a net that was thrown into the sea and caught fish of every kind; 48when it was full, they drew it ashore, sat down, and put the good into baskets but threw out the bad. 49So it will be at the end of the age. The angels will come out and separate the

Devotional Reflection, Friday, May 29, 2026 Proper 3, The week of Trinity Sunday The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 31 He put before them another parable: `The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that someone took and sowed in his field; 32it is the smallest of all the seeds, but when it has grown it is the greatest of shrubs and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the air come and make nests in its branches.' 33 He

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, May 28, 2026 The week of Pentecost Sunday (Proper 3) The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 968) AM Psalm 37:1-18; PM Psalm 37:19-42 Prov. 21:30-22:6; 1 Tim. 4:1-16; Matt. 13:24-30 Today we celebrate the Feast of Mechtild of Magdeburg. (See below.) Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 13:24-30 24 He put before them another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven may be compared to someone who sowed good seed in his fi

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, May 27, 2026 Wednesday of the week of Pentecost Sunday (Proper 3) The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel 43 ‘When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it wanders through waterless regions looking for a resting-place, but it finds none. 44Then it says, “I will return to my house from which I came.” When it comes, it finds it empty, swept, and put in order. 45Then it goes and brings along seven o

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, May 26, 2026 The Week of Pentecost Sunday (Proper 3) The Rev. David W Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to him, ‘Teacher, we wish to see a sign from you.’ 39But he answered them, ‘An evil and adulterous generation asks for a sign, but no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah You will find the full text of today’s Gospel reading at the end

Daily Office Devotional, Monday, May 25, 2026 The Week of Pentecost (Proper 3) The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 22 Then they brought to him a demoniac who was blind and mute; and he cured him, so that the one who had been mute could speak and see. 23All the crowds were amazed and said, ‘Can this be the Son of David?’ 24But when the Pharisees heard it, they said, ‘It is only by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons, that thi

Devotional Reflection, Friday, May 22, 2026 The week of the seventh Sunday in Easter The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 16No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old cloak, for the patch pulls away from the cloak, and a worse tear is made. 17Neither is new wine put into old wineskins; otherwise, the skins burst, and the wine is spilled, and the skins are destroyed; but new wine is put into fresh wineskins, and so both

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, May 21, 2026 The week of the seventh Sunday in Easter The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s epistle reading: 21For surely you have heard about him and were taught in him, as truth is in Jesus. 22You were taught to put away your former way of life, your old self, corrupt and deluded by its lusts, 23and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24and to clothe yourselves with the new self, created according to

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, May 20, 2026 The week of the seventh Sunday in Easter The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s epistle reading: 7 But each of us was given grace according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8Therefore it is said, ‘When he ascended on high he made captivity itself a captive; he gave gifts to his people.’ 9(When it says, ‘He ascended’, what does it mean but that he had also descended* into the lower parts of t

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, May 19, 2026 The week of the seventh Sunday after Easter The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 18 Now when Jesus saw great crowds around him, he gave orders to go over to the other side. 19A scribe then approached and said, ‘Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go.’ 20And Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head.’ Y

Devotional Reflection, Monday, May 18, 2026 The week of the seventh Sunday of Easter The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 10When Jesus heard him, he was amazed and said to those who followed him, ‘Truly I tell you, in no one* in Israel have I found such faith. 11I tell you, many will come from east and west and will eat with Abraham and Isaac and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven, 12while the heirs of the kingdom will be thrown