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“To guide our feet unto the way of peace.” The Gospel According to St. Luke Iona is many things, not the least of which is a place of peace. It is a long journey to get there. Geographically this small island on the northwest coast of Scotland is quite isolated. Most will embark from Glasgow,…

“I have just three things to teach:  Simplicity, patience and compassion.  These three are the greatest treasures.” Lao Tsu “I waited patiently for the Lord; And God reached down to me and heard my cry.” Psalm 40:1 Today we move on to the them of patience which St. Paul mentions as the fourth gift of…

“Peace I give to you, My peace I leave with you”  Jesus “Iona is a place of peace” What is deep peace?  How would you define it?  Where have you experienced deep peace?  What was it like?  Where were you at? Certainly each of us can recall one time or place where we have been…

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; The courage to change the things I can; And the wisdom to know the difference.” You recognize those words of The Serenity Prayer.  Attributed to Reinhold Niebuhr, it has become the mantra of the many who have found sobriety through AA.  It speaks…

“He shall come down like rain upon the mown grass; as showers that water the earth. In his days shall the righteous flourish, and an abundance of peace as long as the moon endures.”  Psalm 72 Not being at peace is soul sickening.  Think for a moment what it feels like to not be at…

“The fruit of the Spirit is . . . Peace.” Galatians 5:22 “Peace I give to you, My peace I leave with you.”  Jesus of Nazareth “All God wants of man is a peaceful heart.” Meister Eckhardt Yesterday was the twentieth anniversary of 9-11.  There have been many results which we continue to live with,…

“The third day there was a wedding at Cana in Galilee . . .” John 2:1 “The Mighty Three, my protection be, encircle me.  You are around my life, my love, my home.  Encircle me O sacred three, the Mighty Thee.”  (Traditional Celtic Wedding blessing spoken by the bride and the groom) A wedding celebration! …

“Restore to me the joy of your salvation.”  Psalm 51 “Therefore you have grief now; but I will see you again, and your heart will rejoice, and no one is going to take your joy away from you.”  Jesus in John 16:22 Joy thieves.  Entities that threaten to steal our joy.  You know what I’m…

“The women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy . . .” Matt. 28:8 “Happiness turns up more or less where you’d expect it to—Joy, on the other hand, is as notoriously unpredictable as the one who bequeaths it.”  Frederick Buechner Just as the Spirit is unpredictable, so too are the gifts…

“They rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” Matthew 2:10 “Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places.”  Sarah Young It’s not Christmas.  I know.  But I love Christmas for the joy it brings.  This Christmas joy is captured in the response of the Magi to the sighting of the star and coming into…