Writing

Devotional Reflection, Friday, December 26, 2025 Week of the Fourth Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s epistle reading: 59While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. You will find the full text of today’s epistle reading at the end of this reflection. The Feast of

Daily Office Devotional, Thursday, December 25, 2025 Christmas Day The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key verses from today’s Gospel reading: 3:31The one who comes from above is above all; the one who is of the earth belongs to the earth and speaks about earthly things. The one who comes from heaven is above all. . . . 35The Father loves the Son and has placed all things in his hands. You will find the full text of today’s Gospel at the end of this reflection. Daily Office Lect

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday December 24, 2025 The Week of the Fourth Sunday in Advent Christmas Eve The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key Verses from today’s Gospel reading: 46  And Mary *  said,‘My soul magnifies the Lord, 47    and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 48  for he has looked with favour on the lowliness of his servant.   Surely, from now on all generations will call me blessed; 49  for the Mighty One has done great things for me,   and holy is his name.

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, December 23, 2025 The week of the fourth Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th,D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 34Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, since I am a virgin?’* 35The angel said to her, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born* will be holy; he will be called Son of God. . . . 34Mary said to the angel, ‘How can this be, s

Devotional Reflection, Monday, December 22, 2025 The week of the fourth Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 11Then there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was terrified; and fear overwhelmed him. 13But the angel said to him, ‘Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and

Devotional Reflection, Friday, December 19, 2025 The week of the third Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 24Then the one who had received the one talent also came forward, saying, “Master, I knew that you were a harsh man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not scatter seed; 25so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.” You will find the ful

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, December 18,  2025 The week of the third Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D . Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 25:1‘Then the kingdom of heaven will be like this. Ten bridesmaids took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. 2Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. 3When the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them; 4but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. 5As the bridegroom was del

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, December 17, 2025 The week of the third Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection in today’s reading: 8 And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and inside. Day and night without ceasing they sing, ‘Holy, holy, holy, the Lord God the Almighty, who was and is and is to come.’ You will find the full text of today’s epistle reading at the end of this reflection. Da

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, December 16, 2025 The week of the third Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 8For thus said the LORD of hosts (after his glory sent me) regarding the nations that plundered you: Truly, one who touches you touches the apple of my eye. You will find the full text of today’s Zechariah reading at the end of this reflection. Daily Office Lectionary Readings , ( BCP , 939) AM Psalm 45; PM

Devotional Reflection, Monday, December 15, 2025 The week of the third Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 15‘So when you see the desolating sacrilege standing in the holy place, as was spoken of by the prophet Daniel (let the reader understand), 16then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; 17the one on the housetop must not go down to take what is in the house; 18the one in the field must not turn back to ge

Devotional Reflection, Friday, December 12, 2025 The week of the second Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 37‘Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often have I desired to gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you were not willing! 38See, your house is left to you, desolate. 39For I tell you, you will not see me agai

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, December 11, 2025 The week of the second Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins,Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 25‘Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean. You will find the full text of today’s Gospel re

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, December 10, 2025 The week of the second Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 2‘The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat; 3therefore, do whatever they teach you and follow it; but do not do as they do, for they do not practice what they teach. . . . 5They do all their deeds to be seen by others; for they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long. You will find th

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, December 9, 2025 The week of the second Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading: 36`Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?' 37He said to him, `"You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind." 38This is the greatest and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." 40On these

Devotional Reflection, Monday, December 8, 2025 The week of the second Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 23 The same day some Sadducees came to him, saying there is no resurrection; and they asked him a question, saying, Other ancient authorities read who say that there is no resurrection 24`Teacher, Moses said, "If a man dies childless, his brother shall marry the widow, and raise up children for his bro

Daily Office Devotional, Friday, December 5, 2025 The week of the first Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 22:1Once more Jesus spoke to them in parables, saying: 2`The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding banquet for his son. 3He sent his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding banquet, but they would not come. . . . . 8Then he said to his slaves, "The wedding is

Devotional Reflection, Thursday, December 4, 2025 The week of the first Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 33 ‘Listen to another parable. There was a landowner who planted a vineyard, put a fence around it, dug a wine press in it, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenants and went to another country. 34When the harvest time had come, he sent his slaves to the tenants to collect his produce. 35B

Devotional Reflection, Wednesday, December 3, 2025 The week of the first Sunday in Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 28 ‘What do you think? A man had two sons; he went to the first and said, “Son, go and work in the vineyard today.” 29He answered, “I will not”; but later he changed his mind and went. 30The father went to the second and said the same; and he answered, “I go, sir”; but he did not go. 31Which of the t

Devotional Reflection, Tuesday, December 2, 2025 The week of the first Sunday of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Key phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading: 12 Then Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who were selling and buying in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13He said to them, ‘It is written, “My house shall be called a house of prayer”; but you are making it a den of robbers

Devotional Reflection, Monday, December 1, 2025 Monday of the first week of Advent The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D. Phrases for reflection from today’s Gospel reading 4This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, 5‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’. . . 7they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. 8A very