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Is prayer valuable? In some sense it feels like a waste of time. Not productive time and feels like its very passive. Someone who is a lot holier than I have said when asked, is it a waste of time to spend it praying at the beginning of the day, or would your time be better spent doing other things?

We all know the story of the sisters, Martha and Mary, and Jesus’ visit with them. It is one of the most familiar in the Gospels, and only Luke relates it. Mary will forever be remembered as the one who missed the point.

The parable of the Good Samaritan. Two stories come to mind that relate men are about dealing with this parable. As the story goes there was a Bible study group meeting in the church and they heard the sound of a car accident outside. They considered what they were discussing in Bible study was so important, but they didn’t want to be interrupted. The irony is what they were discussing was the parable of the Good Samaritan.

In some versions of this passage the number is 72 instead of 70. This according to Hebrew scholars is the number of descendants of Noah from the Ark. So, this means all the world is involved in this mission and ministry. A universal implication. And some sense of metaphor in this as well.

Jesus at various times calls on his followers, those listening to him to follow him. Today we hear about two people Jesus says to follow him, but they have a reason not to. He tells them not to look back, one says let me bury my father first and the other says let me go and say goodbye to my family.

June is National Indigenous Awareness Month. June signals the end of spring and the beginning of summer. June is called Ode’imini Giizis in the Anishinaabe language, meaning ‘Strawberry Moon.’ This morning we are celebrating the National Indigenous Day of Prayer, the Sunday before National Indigenous Peoples Day on June 21st.

Joseph G. Donders tells a story like this; some days ago I read a story about a man who was so alone and lonely that nobody ever shook his hands, patted his shoulders, gave him a friendly push in the ribs, hugged, or even touched him.

The Holy Spirit abides in each of us. In my mind at least there are two aspects to this concept of abiding. That we recognize and acknowledge that spirit of God is within and around each of us. This is one aspect of what I’ve been saying around the summary of the law the two commandments. Not so much worrying about loving God as receiving the love of God. And so, opening our hearts and spirits to receive the spirit abiding in and around us.

I don’t know if I was the only one, but when I was growing up and approaching adulthood chronologically, I was under the impression and looking for some sort of switch that would occur in me it would turn me from teenager without any responsibility into a responsible adult.