Author: revpaulcalkin

From Divine Reverberations: 

It’s Always Cloudy Except for When You Look Into the Past

Been looking forward to the future,

but my eyesight is going bad.

And this crystal ball…

Is always cloudy except for…

When you look into the past.

-Fall Out Boy, “Thnks fr th Mmrs”

I started these Divine Reverberations reflections a year and a half ago because I wanted to start paying attention to the reverberations of God’s work in my life. That is, I often feel the absence of God, the lack of divine speaking, and I wanted to be more attentive to the ways I might be missing what God is saying.

One thing I’ve learned from this effort is that God’s normal way of communicating is not in the present. We may be misled by the biblical stories at this point, thinking that God just showed up anytime to anyone and gave a crystal clear word. But the prophets and the patriarchs/matriarchs of the Bible were the exceptions to the rule. God didn’t show up and speak to anyone at anytime. 

In fact, the Bible’s editors, who lived hundreds (if not thousands) of years after the events of the Bible, compiled these stories for people who had not experienced God’s speaking. They did not intend to establish an expectation that God would speak to anyone; they intended to communicate that God spoke in the past, or that past events reveal something about the character of God. It is unlikely God will speak to us in the present in some unmediated way, but God has spoken, moved, acted in the past, and therein we learn wisdom for our present situation. In other words, the crystal ball is always cloudy except for when it looks into the past. 

God’s will and presence in my life are often only discernable in retrospect.

Ironically, though, this retrospect-understanding, requires much more attentiveness to the present. Being present in this moment enables me to look back with more clarity when this moment is in the past. 

I have never objectively experienced God in the present moment. But I can look back at the scope and trajectory of my life and see the fingerprints of God all over things. I can see the goodness of God in Israel’s story, in the traditions of the church, in my own traumatic childhood, in my conversion as a teenager, in my marriage, in getting fired, in the loss of my parents, and in the happen-chances of life. The crystal ball is always cloudy except for when it looks into the past. The past seems to be the most prominent way God speaks to us in the present.

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From one of my favorite authors / poets Jessica Kantrowitz ( @jfkantrowitz)(@jessicafaithkantrowitz@threads.net). 

This is from her book entitled Good Morning, Friends: Gentle Suggestions for the Start of Your Day.

Good morning, friends.

Sometimes there’s an obvious next right thing, and sometimes you have to search for it, 

and sometimes, frankly, there aren’t any great choices, and you just have to pick something 

and move forward.  

Sometimes you just have to survive for now 

so you can thrive later. 

Peace Be With You. – Paul

We in Oklahoma City, along with much of our state and surrounding regions, have received a great deal of rain in the last few days.  And there is more in our forecasts.  

So we pray for all who have been in areas of flooding.  We give thanks for all who help to keep infrastructures going, thanks for all who respond with help.  

In our yard, the birds are absolutely relishing the rain.  Those things we have planted are getting more than enough water in these moments.  

Today, I ask you to be grateful for times when the rain comes to visit us, even if it comes with thunder and lightning, or even more water than we wish. If you know of folks who are struggling as a result of the rain, help them as you can.  If you see workers who are getting things back to normal, say a prayer for them.  If you see unsheltered folks at the intersections, consider buying a few sandwiches and giving them away.  

And be grateful.  As much as you can possibly be!

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From thetinyjoyproject:

There’s a tree in your neighborhood that’s older than your worries. 

There’s a star above your head that hasn’t missed a single night. 

You’re surrounded by things that know how to stay.

-@thetinyjoyproject

Peace Be With You. – Paul

“I believe that appreciation is a holy thing–that when we look for what’s best in a person we happen to be with at the moment, we’re doing what God does all the time. 

So in loving and appreciating our neighbor, we’re participating in something sacred.”

-Mister Rogers

Peace Be With You. – Paul

Here are the Prayers Of The People 

from Mayfair Heights Worship – April 27, 2025.

Prayers Of The People 

We pray for peace. 

Peace for ourselves, peace between nations.

Peace in the midst of struggle, peace in the midst of strong emotions.

Peace.

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer. 

We pray for all communities of faith this morning, 

That in our meetings, in our discernments, 

We will find new ways to respond to those in need. 

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer. 

We pray for all in leadership of our governments, 

that they may always seek, always work for, stability, equality, mercy.

We pray for all who are losing jobs, who are not sure where to turn.

We pray for all who are fearful for their own welfare in these moments.  

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer. 

We pray for all whose self-interests cloud their judgements and actions,

We pray for all who work to preserve this creation,

To make choices that look forward to the future.

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer. 

Lead us in ways of peace, even when we are reluctant.

Lead us in ways of grace, even when we don’t feel graceful.

Lead us in serving, even when we are not quite sure what to do.

God, in your mercy,

Hear our prayer. Amen.

Peace Be With You. – Paul

Excerpt from Laudato Si by Pope Francis:

“God of love, show us our place in this world

as channels of your love

for all the creatures of this earth, 

for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.

Seize us with your power and light,

help us to protect all life,

to prepare for a better future,

for the coming of your Kingdom

of justice, peace, love and beauty.

Praise be to you! Amen.”

From On Care For Our Common Home

Peace Be With You. – Paul

From the poet John Roedel

I used to think that achieving inner peace 

would make my heart look like a calm lake

I thought being in 

harmony meant: 

no ripples

no waves

no lapping shores

~ just still water

it turns out that

serenity isn’t the absence

of movement

in fact 

~ it’s quite 

the opposite

because the more 

peace I feel

the more my heart 

churns and bubbles

like a lake boiling as a ribbon of lava breaks through the bedrock under

the water

I don’t think we were created

out of nothingness to come

here just to let our hearts become

an unmoving body of cold water

covered in standing algae 

I think the Great Love placed

a fire in us so that our lives will

be a natural spring of swirling 

hot healing water that never

looks the same way twice

the war machine thinks

it is the only thing that can

move and lumber

~ and that’s simply not true

peace is the most disturbing

force in the universe

peace is the tide that washes

away the ancient seaweed of 

division that builds upon our shores

peace is anything but still

it’s a tsunami that can terraform 

rock fortresses into open-air chapels

my love,

I’m starting to realize

that the less my heart moves

~ the heavier it gets

~ the more dust it collects

~ the less kindness I feel 

but when I let my heart

constantly stir

like a cotton candy machine

~the lighter and 

sweeter it becomes

empathy is an act of chaos

it takes the narcissistic 

scripts we have been given 

and rewrites them into 

a handwritten gospel 

of understanding 

peacefulness is 

anything but still

~ it is pure motion 

peace is the ripple

that starts in the center of my heart

and rushes out through the faucets 

of my eyes, hands and tongue 

out into the world

my love, 

ripples

are remarkable 

because

we aren’t here 

to be stagnant 

we are here to make a splash

~ john roedel

art: Ryann Carey Paintings

Peace Be With You. – Paul

— WORD FOR THE DAY —I don’t know any other way to move through darkness, but to put one foot ahead of the other and listen for the exact sound of our footsteps. If we have to drop to our knees sometimes and press the palms of our hands against the duff and damp of the Earth, then that is what we will do.

KATHLEEN DEAN MOORE – via grateful.org

Peace Be With You. – Paul

Prayers Of The People from Easter Sunday,

April 20, 2025

Prayers Of The People:

God of patience, love, and grace,

God of the rising sun, of hope, of empty tombs, 

We are grateful.

For those who went to take care of the things of death,

And yet found life, we give thanks!

For those who could not quite believe it,

Yet shared good news, we give thanks! 

For those who had to think a bit before responding,

We give thanks!

God of love,

Hear our prayer.

God of the hopeful and the distressed,

Help us to breathe words of hope into our bodies,

To believe that your love is greater than any destruction,

To believe your love in the midst of suffering and distress.

God of love,

Hear our prayer.

When we look into empty tombs and are still skeptical,

Stand with us.

When we perceive there is good news,

Help us believe it!

When we seek to convince ourselves and others,

Rest with us.

God of love,

Hear our prayer.

When we believe our own doubts more than your love,

Nudge us.

When we nourish ourselves on the cheap food of negativity,

Kindle our love for ourselves and for others.

When we are only focused on ourselves,

Send others to remind us that we are not the only people in this world.

And when we feel the nudge to help someone, 

Help us act on that love and care for another.

God of love, 

Hear our prayer. Amen. 

Peace Be With You. – Paul

https://videopress.com/v/0dgR5Qse?resizeToParent=true&cover=true&preloadContent=metadata&useAverageColor=true