Friday, July 3, 2026

Discern Direction and Doubt

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Feast of Saint Thomas, Apostle, exhort us to exercise our human talents and testing to contemplate the Way and Action that strengthens our faith, hope and love.

Discerning Direction


The Reading from the Letter of Paul to the Ephesians proclaims we are One in Christ.


* [2:1122] The Gentiles lacked Israel’s messianic expectation, lacked the various covenants God made with Israel, lacked hope of salvation and knowledge of the true God (Eph 2:1112); but through Christ all these religious barriers between Jew and Gentile have been transcended (Eph 2:1314) by the abolition of the Mosaic covenant-law (Eph 2:15) for the sake of uniting Jew and Gentile into a single religious community (Eph 2:1516), imbued with the same holy Spirit and worshiping the same Father (Eph 2:18). The Gentiles are now included in God’s household (Eph 2:19) as it arises upon the foundation of apostles assisted by those endowed with the prophetic gift (Eph 3:5), the preachers of Christ (Eph 2:20; cf. 1 Cor 12:28). With Christ as the capstone (Eph 2:20; cf. Is 28:16; Mt 21:42), they are being built into the holy temple of God’s people where the divine presence dwells (Eph 2:2122). (Ephesians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.) (Ephesians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB, n.d.)


Psalm 117 calls on the nations to acknowledge God’s supremacy.


* [Psalm 117] This shortest of hymns calls on the nations to acknowledge God’s supremacy. The supremacy of Israel’s God has been demonstrated to them by the people’s secure existence, which is owed entirely to God’s gracious fidelity. (Psalms, PSALM 117 | USCCB, n.d.)


In the Gospel of John, Jesus appears to Thomas.


* [20:1929] The appearances to the disciples, without or with Thomas (cf. Jn 11:16; 14:5), have rough parallels in the other gospels only for Jn 20:1923; cf. Lk 24:3639; Mk 16:1418.

* [20:28] My Lord and my God: this forms a literary inclusion with the first verse of the gospel: “and the Word was God.”

* [20:29] This verse is a beatitude on future generations; faith, not sight, matters. (John, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB, n.d.)


Mike Cherney comments that much of what we know about the universe comes from realities we cannot directly observe. We infer the existence of quarks, black holes, and dark matter from their effects. Evidence points beyond itself to a deeper reality; we also are willing to revise our understanding as we learn more.


 I feel that faith may work in a somewhat analogous way. It is not belief without reason; it is trust grounded in signs, testimony, experience, and encounter. I feel that faith too can be dynamic.


The reading from Ephesians reminds us that we are “members of the household of God,” built upon the foundation of the apostles. Thomas, despite his “doubts”, is one of those foundation stones. Indeed, he is often credited as being the first great missionary to the East. My sense is that the Church does not rest upon people who never questioned. It rests upon ordinary men and women whose lives were transformed by their encounter with Christ.

 


We live in a culture that often imagines faith and reason to be adversaries. Yet Thomas shows us that honest questions can become pathways to a deeper knowledge. I have a sense that doubt is not the opposite of faith, rather indifference is. The opposite of faith may be closing ourselves to the possibility that truth may be greater than our current understanding.

 


On this feast day, my prayer focuses on the insights we might gain from Thomas the Apostle.



Dear Lord,

I feel drawn to bring both my mind and my heart to You. 

Help me to grow in and through my search for answers. 

Guide me in a sincere quest for understanding in the laboratory, in the classroom, and in the depths of prayer. 

Help me discover, as Thomas did, how the search itself leads me to You. (Cherney, 2026)



Don Schwager quotes Touching the wounds of Christ and healing the wounds of our unbelief, by Gregory the Great (540-604 AD)


"It was not an accident that that particular disciple was not present. The divine mercy ordained that a doubting disciple should, by feeling in his Master the wounds of the flesh, heal in us the wounds of unbelief. The unbelief of Thomas is more profitable to our faith than the belief of the other disciples. For the touch by which he is brought to believe confirms our minds in belief, beyond all question." (excerpt from FORTY GOSPEL HOMILIES 26) (Cherney, 2026)



The Word Among Us Meditation on John 20:24-29 comments that as we celebrate St. Thomas’ feast day today, let’s consider this famous Gospel scene in light of our own faith in the risen Lord. We know that faith is a gift from God. But it also requires a response on our part: we must “not be unbelieving, but believe” (John 20:27). We have to decide that we will believe, even when we don’t have the evidence of Jesus’ resurrection that Thomas did—and sometimes even when we still have doubts.


Thomas’ initial skepticism didn’t prevent him from becoming a saint. In the same way, your doubts can be the gateway to greater faith. Whenever you are struggling, make the decision to believe, and then be patient. Just as he did with Thomas, the risen Lord will reveal himself to you!


“Jesus, even when I am filled with doubts, I trust in you!” (Meditation on John 20:24-29, n.d.)


Friar Jude Winkler comments that the Letter to the Ephesians speaks about  both Jews and Gentiles as part of the household of God, the foundation of the Church. When Jesus rose on Easter, Thomas had not seen the Risen Jesus. He wants proof and Jesus appears to him a week later. The risen Jesus appears still bearing the wounds for us. Ironically, “Doubting Thomas” gives the greatest expression of faith in the Gospel.  The path from doubt to a stronger faith, like Thomas, is based on what disciples saw and experienced. Friar Jude reminds us that Jesus has blessed those that can trust what they have not physically experienced.



Father Richard Rohr, OFM, comments that for the theologian Diana L. Hayes, the question “Who am I?” is a central question for people of faith.


We are all our brothers’ and sisters’ keeper. God has placed upon all of us the responsibility of following in God’s own footsteps, of loving all people as God loves us, of seeking their greater good rather than our own individual success. We can only do this by letting go of the “isms” that continue to plague humanity—negativisms based on race, ethnicity, gender, class, sexual orientation, and religious creed. We must begin to remove the blinders we have placed on ourselves that restrict our vision, blinding us to the light of God shining through the face of all God’s people. We must come together as one, seeking to build a community of the faithful that rejects a narrow, dualistic perception of life.


“Who do you, God, say that we are?” We are your children, lost and wandering in a confusing and confused world, but never abandoned, never forsaken, never alone. We are your chosen ones, given knowledge of life and death, and the ability through your grace to use that knowledge to choose life in all of its diversity and to transform this world into your reign. This is our challenge for the coming century and perhaps for the new millennium. May we continue to be blessed with the wisdom and love of God in order to reclaim our full life in the Spirit and be transformed. (Rohr, n.d.)


We seek the guidance of the Spirit as we reach out to touch people and places where we seek to understand our role in being disciples who live and love in Jesus Way.



References

Cherney, M. (2026, July 3). Daily Reflection July 3, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved July 3, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-3-2026 

Ephesians, CHAPTER 2 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 3, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/ephesians/2

John, CHAPTER 20 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 3, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/20

Meditation on John 20:24-29. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 3, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/07/03/1607294/ 

Psalms, PSALM 117 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 3, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/117

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Who Do You Say That We Are? Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 3, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/who-do-you-say-that-we-are/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Do Not Be Faithless - but Believing. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 3, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 


Thursday, July 2, 2026

Gifted and Anointed for Service

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today challenge us to contemplate our blessings and our surrender to the call to serve others with our talents and skills.

Healing for Life


The Reading from the Prophet Amos presents his strong reaction to Amaziah’s attempt to classify him as a “prophet-for-hire”.


* [7:14] I am not a prophet: Amos reacts strongly to Amaziah’s attempt to classify him as a “prophet-for-hire” who “earns [his] bread” by giving oracles in exchange for payment (cf. 1 Sm 9:310; Mi 3:5). To disassociate himself from this kind of “professional” prophet, Amos rejects outright the title of nabi’ (“prophet”). By profession he is a herdsman/sheepbreeder and a dresser of sycamore trees, but God’s call has commissioned him to prophesy to Israel. (Amos, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB, n.d.)


Psalm 19 declares the creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law.


* [Psalm 19] The heavenly elements of the world, now beautifully arranged, bespeak the power and wisdom of their creator (Ps 19:27). The creator’s wisdom is available to human beings in the law (Ps 19:811), toward which the psalmist prays to be open (Ps 19:1214). The themes of light and speech unify the poem. (Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB, n.d.)


In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus presents the Healing of a Paralytic.


* [9:1] His own town: Capernaum; see Mt 4:13.

* [9:3] Scribes: see note on Mk 2:6. Matthew omits the reason given in the Marcan story for the charge of blasphemy: “Who but God alone can forgive sins?” (Mk 2:7).

* [9:6] It is not clear whether But that you may know…to forgive sins is intended to be a continuation of the words of Jesus or a parenthetical comment of the evangelist to those who would hear or read this gospel. In any case, Matthew here follows the Marcan text.

* [9:8] Who had given such authority to human beings: a significant difference from Mk 2:12 (“They…glorified God, saying, ‘We have never seen anything like this’”). Matthew’s extension to human beings of the authority to forgive sins points to the belief that such authority was being claimed by Matthew’s church. (Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB, n.d.)


Eileen Wirth comments on a visit to a brilliant friend suffering from severe dementia. She delights in simple things like the flowers in her garden and the tang of my homemade lemon bars. As we slow down to her pace, we absorb her sense of wonder at things like a smiling child. She heals all of us in a way.


Still meditating on today’s gospel, I left Connie’s house determined to stop missing the miracles I’ve been too busy to notice, like the one I experienced that weekend at a Methodist church pantry program food distribution that St. John’s supports.   


To me the miracle wasn’t that our churches had collected and distributed food but that we volunteers were hit hard by Jesus’ admonitions to welcome the stranger and feed the hungry.  We even talked about this. The experience connected us with our refugee brothers and sisters whom we don’t often encounter in daily life and brought the gospel to life. 

 


Heading back to my comfortable home, I thought about how we all need healing whether we are suffering physically like the paralytic or spiritually like the authorities. We need to let the small miracles of goodness that we experience in daily life transform us. So I’m going to try to notice and live the healing miracles happening all around me. (Wirth, 2026)



Don Schwager quotes “Healing of soul and body,” by Hilary of Poitiers (315-367 AD).


"Now in the narrative of the paralytic a number of people are brought forward for healing. Jesus' words of healing are worthy of reflection. The paralytic is not told, 'Be healed.' He is not told, 'Rise and walk.' But he is told, 'Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven you.' The paralytic is a descendant of the original man, Adam. In one person, Christ, all the sins of Adam are forgiven. In this case the person to be healed is brought forward by ministering angels. In this case, too, he is called a son, because he is God's first work. The sins of his soul are forgiven him, and pardon of the first transgression is granted. We do not believe the paralytic committed any sin [that resulted in his illness], especially since the Lord said elsewhere that blindness from birth had not been contracted from someone's sin or that of his parents" [John 9:1-3]. (excerpt from commentary ON MATTHEW 8.5) (Schwager, n.d.)



The Word Among Us Meditation on Amos 7:10-17 comments that no one grows in holiness if they are surrounded by people who only affirm them. We all need people in our lives who are willing to help us see our blind spots and challenge us when necessary.


The better response is to examine your heart to see if there is any truth to what you’ve heard. Ask the Lord for the grace to correct any area in your life where you may be falling short of his will. And then trust that he will show you the way forward. Remember: God never convicts us of sin without also giving us a sense of hope and a willingness to make amends. If you follow this conviction, repent of any sin you see, and decide to make a change, he will honor your humility and sincerity of heart.


“Jesus, help me to be open to those who will speak a truth that can set me free!” (Meditation on Amos 7:10-17, n.d.)


Friar Jude Winkler comments that Amos actually came from Judah but preached in the northern kingdom with a region with unstable leaders who could be overthrown by words from a prophet. When Amos is told to be quiet, he declares himself not a prophet and not a member of the community of prophets. What is he saying as a herdsman and dresser of sycamore trees he would split the fruit as a poor man. When called by the Lord, Amos curses the priest for attempting to keep him from speaking.  Amos' language is that of one who speaks like a farmer. In the Gospel of Matthew, when Jesus heals a Paralytic, the first words out of Jesus’ mouth are that the sins of the Paralytic are forgiven, as Jesus heals the greater hurt first. The Pharisees are scandalized because forgiving sins is the exclusive prerogative of GOD. Friar Jude comments that Jesus heals and the people are struck with awe which is the proper response of those willing to see and anger to those who refuse to see what He is doing.





Father Richard Rohr, OFM, writes about the transformative power of accepting our own belovedness. The lives of saints and mystics never point to themselves, but always and forever beyond themselves to the One who chooses them, uses them, and loves them. They become models for us. [1]


To allow ourselves to be God’s beloved is to be God’s beloved. To allow ourselves to be chosen is to be chosen. To allow ourselves to be blessed is to be blessed. It is so hard to accept being accepted, especially from God. It takes a certain kind of humility to surrender to it, and even more to persist in believing it. Any persons used by God know this to be true: God chooses and then uses whom God chooses, and their usability comes from their willingness to allow themselves to be chosen in the first place. What a paradox!  


God’s love is constant and irrevocable; our part is to be open to it and let it transform us. There is absolutely nothing we can do to make God love us more than God already does, and there is absolutely nothing we can do to make God love us less. We are stuck with it! The only difference is between those who allow it and those who don’t. They are both equally and objectively the beloved, but one just enjoys it and draws ever-new life from that realization. [2] (Rohr, n.d.)


We implore the Spirit to alert us to the gifts with which we are blessed and inspire us to join Jesus and apply our time and talent to work producing fruit in the vineyard of the Lord.



References

Amos, CHAPTER 7 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Reflections. Retrieved July 2, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/amos/7?10 

Matthew, CHAPTER 9 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Bible Readings, Audio and Video Every Morning | USCCB. Retrieved July 2, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/9?1 

Meditation on Amos 7:10-17. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 2, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/07/01/1606059/ 

Psalms, PSALM 19 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 2, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/19

Rohr, R. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Loved to Love Others. Retrieved July 2, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/loved-to-love-others/ 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Take Heart - Your Sins Are Forgiven. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 2, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/ 

Wirth, E. (2026, July 2). Daily Reflection July 2, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved July 2, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-2-2026 


Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Called to Be A Great Nation

 The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today, Canada Day, resonate with themes of the question of what makes a great nation.

Faith and A Great Nation


The Reading from the Prophet Amos contains a double appeal to “seek” the Lord .


* [5:117] These verses form a chiastic section beginning and ending with a lament over Israel (vv. 2, 1617) and containing a double appeal to “seek” the Lord (vv. 4, 14). This editorial arrangement gives the whole section a negative cast, in effect nullifying the only hopeful verse in Amos (v. 15). Israel is as good as dead.

* [5:2127] The prophet does not condemn cultic activity as such but rather the people’s attempt to offer worship with hands unclean from oppression of their fellow Israelites (cf. Ps 15:25; 24:34). But worship from those who disregard justice and righteousness (v. 24) is never acceptable to the God of Israel. Through the Sinai covenant the love of God and the love of neighbor are inextricably bound together. (Amos, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB, n.d.)


Psalm 50 presents what is required of the faithful and rebukes the hypocritical worshiper


* [Psalm 50] A covenant lawsuit stating that the sacrifice God really wants is the sacrifice of praise accompanied by genuine obedience (cf. Mi 6:18). It begins with a theophany and the summoning of the court (Ps 50:16). Then in direct address God explains what is required of the faithful (Ps 50:715), rebukes the hypocritical worshiper (Ps 50:1621), and concludes with a threat and a promise (Ps 50:2223; cf. Is 1:1920). (Psalms, PSALM 50 | USCCB, n.d.)


In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus heals the Gadarene Demoniacs.


* [8:28] Gadarenes: this is the reading of Codex Vaticanus, supported by other important textual witnesses. The original reading of Codex Sinaiticus was Gazarenes, later changed to Gergesenes, and a few versions have Gerasenes. Each of these readings points to a different territory connected, respectively, with the cities Gadara, Gergesa, and Gerasa (modern Jerash). There is the same confusion of readings in the parallel texts, Mk 5:1 and Lk 8:26; there the best reading seems to be “Gerasenes,” whereas “Gadarenes” is probably the original reading in Matthew. The town of Gadara was about five miles southeast of the Sea of Galilee, and Josephus (Life 9:42) refers to it as possessing territory that lay on that sea. Two demoniacs: Mark (5:120) has one.

* [8:29] What have you to do with us?: see note on Jn 2:4. Before the appointed time: the notion that evil spirits were allowed by God to afflict human beings until the time of the final judgment is found in Enoch 16:1 and Jubilees 10:7–10.

* [8:30] The tending of pigs, animals considered unclean by Mosaic law (Lv 11:67), indicates that the population was Gentile. (Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB, n.d.)


Jeanne Schuler of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, notes that as the United States celebrates her nation’s founding, what appears exceptional is entwined with injustice. 

 

We are a remarkable nation settled by immigrants and dedicated to freedom.  We are a nation that enslaved Africans to grow prosperous and decimated native people by taking their land.  Our achievements fill us with pride; what underlies the hoopla unsettles us.  Both matter.  Like our ancestors, we cannot be complacent.  There is work to be done.

In the gospel, two persons are ravaged by destructive spirits.  Their rage and violence make travel near the tombs dangerous.  How do we determine what is good?  Jesus shows mercy to both the men and spirits.  He heals those afflicted with madness and heeds the pleas of the spirits to enter the swine.  Pigs were seen by Jewish people as unclean.  The townspeople, however, view the herd’s demise differently. (Schuler, 2026)



Don Schwager quotes “Christ is triumphant over the forces of demons,” by Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD)


"[Jesus] said to them, 'Go!' The foul-smelling animals are delivered up, not at the will of the demons but to show how savage the demons can become against humans. They ardently seek to destroy and dispossess all that is, acts, moves and lives. They seek the death of people. The ancient enmity of deep-rooted wrath and malice is in store for the human race. Demons do not give up easily unless they are forcibly overcome. They are doing the harm they are ordered to do. Therefore the foul-smelling animals are delivered up that it may be made clear to the demons that they have permission to enter the swine but not to enter humans. It is by our vices that we empower them to do harm. Similarly, by our power of faith we tread on the necks of demons. They become subject to us under Christ who is triumphant." (excerpt from SERMONS 16.8)


[Peter Chrysologus (400-450 AD) was a renowned preacher and bishop of Ravena in the 5th century] (Schwager, n.d.)



The Word Among Us Meditation on Amos 5:14-15, 21-24 comments that God is calling us to “seek good.” He is calling us to actively look for ways we can build up our loved ones and relieve other people’s suffering.


So take the time to listen to a friend who is struggling, and offer to pray with them. Invite a coworker out for coffee, and let them sense how valuable they are to the Lord. Show up with some groceries at the door of a neighbor with financial troubles—or invite them over for dinner.


Seek good! Love the Lord and love your neighbor! It’s the most joy-filled, fulfilling life you’ll ever know!


“Lord, help me to seek and do good to others.” (Meditation on Amos 5:14-15, 21-24, n.d.)


Friar Jude Winkler comments that the reading from Amos proclaims conversion for the people from evil to good. Amos proclaims that  God is sick of hypocritical worship and going through motions without change for the poor of the country who live in great contrast to the rich. Amos warns that we can’t bribe God. The healing of the demoniacs in Matthew 28 is a parallel to the account in Mark even though there are two demonics in two different events. The demonics were living in a location where the Jews thought was unclean. The “Son of God” is a true recognition from the demonics possessed by spiritual creatures who knew Jesus' divinity.  Swine was raised by non Jews who drowned themselves because the demons caused them to flee Jesus. Friar Jude comments that they beg Jesus to leave the neighbourhood and are frightened by the potential for loss of their herds.





The reflection from the Centre for Contemplation and Action, founded by Father Richard Rohr, OFM, today begins with two quotes.


I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you, and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse; and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.

—Genesis 12:1–4


For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

—John 3:16


Brian McLaren reflects on how God’s promise to Abraham in Genesis 12:1–4 softened the exclusive way his evangelical tradition has sometimes interpreted John 3:16. McLaren summarizes the way that John 3:16 has often been taught, and contrasts it with the biblical message of blessing, which is always to love and bless others.


That is the way many people [have been] taught John 3:16. All you have to do is raise your hand, say yes to the privileges promised to those who are chosen, and you will be pronounced as a “born again Christian,” which means you would have a free ticket to safety, security, and enjoyment in heaven for yourself and yourself alone, forever.


But that is not what Genesis 12 or John 3:16 are actually about, contrary to a very popular belief. God chooses Abram, not for elite and exclusive privilege for his descendants alone, but for deep responsibility and service for all the nations of the world. God chooses Abram not to the exclusion of others, but to the benefit and blessing of others. As Lesslie Newbigin said, you can’t claim God’s blessings for yourself, your race, your culture, or your religion, and leave out and “in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”…


God’s desire, Jesus says, is not to condemn everyone or anyone, but to save everyone. In other words, divine blessing is not exclusive; it is instrumental. We are not blessed to the exclusion of others; we are blessed to be a blessing to others, so that through us, others can be included in the generous circle of divine blessing. (McLaren, n.d.)


We invoke the Holy Spirit as we contemplate the characteristics of the people of a great nation who reject hypocritical worship and injustice. People of great nations free injured people from demons and put into action God's blessing for all the people of the world.



References

Amos, CHAPTER 5 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/amos/5

Matthew, CHAPTER 8 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/8?28 

McLaren, B. (n.d.). Daily Meditations — Center for Action and Contemplation. Center for Action and Contemplation. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/jesus-came-for-everyone/ 

Meditation on Amos 5:14-15, 21-24. (n.d.). Word Among Us. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://wau.org/meditations/2026/07/01/1606059/ 

Psalms, PSALM 50 | USCCB. (n.d.). Daily Readings. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/50

Schuler, J. (2026, July 1). Daily Reflection July 1, 2026 | Creighton Online Ministries. Creighton Online Ministries. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/daily-reflections/daily-reflection-july-1-2026 

Schwager, D. (n.d.). Jesus Frees Those Who Are Bound Up. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved July 1, 2026, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/