Psalm 4 Psalm 4 (NRSV): (with gender inclusive language) 1 Answer me when I call, O God of my right!     You gave me room when I was in distress.     Be gracious to me, and hear my prayer. 2 How long, you people, shall my honor suffer shame?     How long will you love vain words and seek after lies? 3 But know that God has set apart the faithful;     God hears when I call. 4 When you are disturbed, do not sin;     ponder it on your beds, and be silent. 5 Offer right sacrifices,     and put your trust in God. 6 There are many who say ..read more

John 18:28-19:6 John 18:28-32 (NRSV): 28 Then they took Jesus from Caiaphas to Pilate’s headquarters. It was early in the morning. They themselves did not enter the headquarters, so as to avoid ritual defilement and to be able to eat the Passover. 29 So Pilate went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” 30 They answered, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” 31 Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.” The Jews replied, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” 32 (This was to fulf ..read more

John 12:1-8 John 12:1-8 (NRSV): 1 Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany, the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 2 There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him. 3 Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard, anointed Jesus’s feet, and wiped them with her hair. The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said, 5 “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and the money given to the poor?” 6 (He said t ..read more

John 2:13-22 John 2:13-22 (NRSV): 13 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves and the money changers seated at their tables. 15 Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, with the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume ..read more

Mark 9:2-9 Mark 9:2-9 (NRSV): The Transfiguration 2 Six days later, Jesus took with him Peter and James and John and led them up a high mountain apart, by themselves. And he was transfigured before them, 3 and his clothes became dazzling bright, such as no one on earth could brighten them. 4 And there appeared to them Elijah with Moses, who were talking with Jesus. 5 Then Peter said to Jesus, “Rabbi, it is good for us to be here; let us set up three tents: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” 6 He did not know what to say, for they were terrified. 7 Then a cloud overshadowed them ..read more

Luke 10:30-37 Nat Light (part of the CFC family) brought us a modern take on the story of the Good Samaritan. Nat has experienced a spiritual journey that could be described as 'moving from having all the answers to wondering about the questions.' He is learning to be a better listener and sit peacefully in uncertainty. When not at work, he can be found either contemplating home improvement or actually doing it. He is a lifelong resident of western Washington and as such is relatively unbothered by rain. Luke 10:30-37 (NRSV): 30 Jesus replied, “A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jeric ..read more

Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 (NRSV): 1 “Beware of practicing your righteousness before others in order to be seen by them, for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 “So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 “And when ..read more

Hebrews 2:14-18 Hebrews 2:14-18 (NRSV): 14 Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. 16 For it is clear that he did not come to help angels but the descendants of Abraham. 17 Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement fo ..read more

Mark 1:21-28 Mark 1:21-28 (NRSV): 21 They went to Capernaum, and when the Sabbath came, he entered the synagogue and taught. 22 They were astounded at his teaching, for he taught them as one having authority and not as the scribes. 23 Just then there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit, 24 and he cried out, “What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are, the Holy One of God.” 25 But Jesus rebuked him, saying, “Be quiet and come out of him!” 26 And the unclean spirit, convulsing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him ..read more

Genesis 6:5-9:16 Johan Maurer is a dual member of Camas Friends Church and Moscow Friends Meeting in Russia. He is a retired Quaker denominational administrator, including seven years as administrator of Right Sharing of World Resources. He and Judy are recorded ministers in Sierra-Cascades Yearly Meeting of Friends. Johan posts essays weekly at blog.canyoubelieve.me. Genesis 6 (The Message): 5-7 God saw that human evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil—evil, evil, evil from morning to night. God was sorry that [God] had made the human race in the first place; it broke [Go ..read more