THE TERMS

"His Terms or Ours?"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 6:35-44, 51-66.
"After this many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked
with Him" (John 6:66). 

Lenten Devotion- The crowds want Jesus to be their King so He can
provide for their daily lives. Jesus has so much more He wants to
give them. He shows this by talking about the manna God gave the
Israelites in the wilderness. Sure, the manna sustained them day by
day. However, it eventually failed them, and every one of them finally
died. Jesus wants to give something far greater than manna. He
wants to give us Himself -- the true Bread from heaven that allows a
person to eat and live forever.

That was more than the crowds were willing to accept. They were
offended when He said His flesh was that bread. Jesus knew they
were upset. Yet rather than backing off, He turned up the heat and
pushed even harder, "Truly, truly I say to you, unless you eat the
flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you.
" Many in the crowds rejected His terms, turned away and stopped
following Him.

What do you think Jesus did? Do you picture Him running after them,
calling them back? Not the King of Israel, He stands firm as the
multitudes walk away into the darkness. In time even more will
abandon Him. Soon He will hang alone on the cross in the darkness,
but He will stand firm to the end to save us.

Every human who encounters the King of kings through the Gospel
reaches this fork in the road. Repent and believe in Jesus and you
will live with Him in heaven forever. Turn away in unbelief and you will
die forever.

THE PRAYER:

 Holy Lord, empower me to set aside my hesitation and follow You
in faith. Amen.

SHORT SIGHTED

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 6:22-27.
"Jesus answered them, 'Truly, truly, I say to you, you are seeking
Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of
the loaves'" (John 6:26).  

Lenten Devotion- After the festival Jesus returned north to Galilee.
He spent a whole day preaching and then fed the huge crowd with
five loaves and two fish. That night after He sent them away, He
walked across the Sea of Galilee. Gathering again the next day,
the crowds walked around the lake to find Him.

At first those people sound like genuine followers of Jesus. But
our Lord knows better. They aren't really there for Him; they are
there for themselves. They want Jesus to be their king -- but only
on their terms. They aren't concerned with their deep eternal needs
like He is; they only want what Jesus can give them in the present.

We can be just as near-sighted as they. We are consumed with
today's needs and desires, but we don't see the more significant
eternal gifts Christ comes to bring. So we ask Him to help us
through our needs and problems, but we don't give a single thought
to His Kingdom and the part He would have us play in that Kingdom.

That is why coming to Christ in worship is so vital. Each week in
church He shows us the bigger picture -- the unending punishment
we deserve for our selfish, disobedient lives, as well as the
forgiveness and eternal future He gives us through His life, death and
resurrection. Yes, He knows and cares about all our earthly needs
and will provide for each of them just as He has provided for our
eternal needs.

THE PRAYER:

 Lord Jesus, when I get too wrapped up in this life and my daily needs,
lift my eyes to see the glorious future You have won for all of us by
Your life, death and resurrection. Amen.

FIGHT

"Just Asking for a Fight"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 5:1-24.
"This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him,
because not only was He breaking the Sabbath, but He was
even calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with
God" (John 5:18). 

Lenten Devotion- Jesus left Jerusalem when things got pretty
tense, but now with a Jewish festival at hand, He heads right
back down toward the temple again. And He turns the heat
back up by healing an invalid on the Sabbath.

Jesus' enemies protest to this breaking of their Sabbath rules.
His perfectly natural answer totally enrages them. He says,
"My Father is working until now, and I am working." Instead
of seeing the Light, they stand in the darkness protesting that
Jesus is making Himself equal to God. But protest as loud as
they will, Jesus knows who He is and refuses to back down.

The darkness of their thinking is amazing. They would have
kept a man trapped in his paralyzed body to keep their
Sabbath rules. Thankfully, Jesus saw it differently. And He
sees it differently for you and me too. He sees us trapped and
helpless in our sins. And just as Jesus stood up for a paralyzed
man and set him free on the Sabbath, so will He stand up to
any and all opposition to set us free -- even though it cost Him
His life on the cross.

In the coming days we will see Jesus turn up the noise even
louder and see His enemies respond with more hatred. But we
will also see Him sacrifice Himself for them. Hanging from the
cross He will answer their taunts with a plea: "Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they are doing. ..."
(Luke 23:34a).

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, You suffered and died to set me free. Fill me and
all Your children with joy and courage to share Your great story
of sacrifice and dedication to everyone. Amen.

PROVE IT

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 4:46-54.
(Jesus said) "Unless you see signs and wonders you will not
believe" (John 4:48). 

Lenten Devotion- When Jesus' enemies in Jerusalem learned
He was becoming more popular than John the Baptist, He left
and returned to Galilee in the north. Huge crowds gather, but
Jesus knows their faith is shallow and superficial. When an
important official comes to ask the Lord to heal his dying son,
Jesus challenges the entire crowd: "Unless you see signs and
wonders you will not believe."

How deep is your faith? Can you take Him at His word, or do
you insist on more? If you listen closely you almost pick up a
tone of defiance in Jesus' voice ... or is it sorrow? He wants
them to believe, but they must believe on His terms, not theirs.

The official knew only one thing really mattered: his son was
dying and only Jesus could save him. So he begged Jesus to
come down and heal him. But Jesus didn't go. Instead, He
sent the father away with a promise: "Go; your son will live.
" Would you be able to trust Jesus and go?

The official did. He accepted Jesus' words and on the way
home he learned his faith had been well founded: his son was
healed.

We don't need to see miraculous signs to believe in Jesus
as our Savior. God uses old familiar words to give us faith;
He uses water and His Word to wash away our sins, and
He joins His body and blood to simple bread and wine to
forgive us all our sins.

Don't stay on the outside waiting to see some miracle in
your life before you'll follow Jesus. Learn a lesson from the
official above: the stakes are life and death, heaven and hell.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, give me faith to trust Your words and promises
through every circumstance in my life. Amen.

DARKNESS OR LIGHT

By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read  John 3:19-21.
TEXT: "This is the judgment: the light has come into
the world, and people loved the darkness rather than
the light because their deeds were evil" (John 3:19). 

Lenten Devotion- Before Jesus sends Nicodemus on
his way, He leaves him one last warning. "This is the
judgment: the light has come into the world, and
people loved the darkness rather than the light
because their deeds were evil. For everyone who does
wicked things hates the light and does not come to
the light, lest his works should be exposed."

Will Nicodemus admit he is drowning in his sins and
only Jesus can set him free? He came to Jesus at
night under the cover of darkness so no one could see.
Is he willing and ready to step out into the light and
receive the forgiveness Jesus came to bring?

Coming to Christ isn't easy for us either. We want to
impress each other. Why would any of us want to open
up and let our brothers and sisters in faith see the dark
secrets we keep hidden away inside? Like Nicodemus
there is a Pharisee hidden deep inside every one of us
too.

We take pride in going to church regularly, putting our
money in the offering plate and holding offices in our
local congregation. But Christ knows us inside and out.
He knows our pride, our stubbornness and our
judgmental heart. Jesus' call to Nicodemus goes out to
each of us -- no matter who we are. Are you willing to
come to Christ Jesus in His Church? Are you willing to
look to the crucified and risen Savior, to confess your
need and follow Him?

THE PRAYER:

"Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was
shed for me, And that Thou bidd'st me come to Thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come!" Amen.

LIFTED

"Lifted to Save"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer
February 23, 2015


Read John 3:9-18. TEXT:
 "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the
Son of Man be lifted up" (John 3:14).    

Lenten Devotion-  rNicodemus is just not getting it. He's not a
bad guy; why can't he earn his way to heaven? Patiently, Jesus
reminds the teacher of a time when Israel grumbled in the
wilderness and God sent poisonous serpents. After thousands
died, the survivors begged Moses to ask God to remove the
serpents. Surprisingly, God answered No! The serpents would
stay, and they would keep biting people. But Moses was to lift
a bronze serpent on a pole.

Imagine you were bitten. All you had to do was look at the
bronze serpent on the pole, trust God's promise and you would
live. Jesus told Nicodemus, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in
the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that
whoever believes in Him may have eternal life."

Just like Nicodemus, you and I are infected with the deadly
poison of the serpent who bit our first parents in the Garden of
Eden. There is no way to save ourselves from our poisonous
sinful nature. So God sent His only-begotten Son to save us.

When Jesus was lifted up on the cross He paid for our sins by
being punished in our place. Only when we look at Jesus and
trust the Father's promise to forgive us for Jesus' sake can we
be saved from the venom of death within us.

Nicodemus had a clear choice! Just like the ancient Israelites
bitten by the serpents and just like you and me today, he
could look to Jesus the Light of the world in faith and live or
walk away into the darkness and die.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, turn my eyes to Your cross, that I may believe
and live. Amen.

IN THE DARK

"A Visit in the Dark"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer


Read John 3:1-8. TEXT: "Nicodemus said to Him,
'How can these things be?'" (John 3:9).  

Lenten Devotion- Jesus made powerful enemies when He
cleansed the temple. But He also impressed some leaders
with His boldness and His miracles. In chapter three a
prominent leader comes to the Light, but fear of his
colleagues leads him to come to Jesus under the cover of
darkness.

Being a Pharisee, Nicodemus thinks his good life will win
him heaven. Jesus immediately challenges this false hope.
"Truly, truly I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot
see the Kingdom of God." Answering Nicodemus' confused
reply Jesus explains He is talking about baptism. But
Nicodemus still finds it difficult to accept these words.

You and I might find it difficult also. Like Nicodemus we have
so many good qualities going for us, especially when
compared to others we can point out. We work hard to provide
for our families. We try to be good citizens. We try to treat our
neighbors well.

But Jesus is clear and unbending, "That which is born of the
flesh is flesh." It can never be anything but flesh. You and I
can try as hard as we want, but we are and always will be
sinners. And saying, "I'm only human" is no excuse either.
Jesus was truly human, yet He was without sin.

That is why our Lord commanded His Church to baptize sinners.
Through the power of God's Word in that water Jesus takes our
sins and guilt upon Himself and suffers and dies in our place. He
fills us with His Holy Spirit and makes us children of God. Just
as Jesus rose again on the third day, He will raise us to live with
Him in paradise forever.

THE PRAYER:

Jesus, bring me out of the darkness of my self-righteousness to
the light of Your forgiveness and peace. Amen.

THE LIGHT BLAZES

"The Light Blazes in Fury"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 2:13-22. TEXT: "Making a whip of cords, He drove them
all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen ..." (John 2:15a). 

Lenten Devotion- you picture Jesus as a meek, gentle man you
might be surprised at what He does here in the temple. But you
shouldn't be -- the thicker the darkness, the brighter the Light
must shine. Our Savior knows animals must be sold for sacrifice,
and foreign currency needs to be exchanged for temple currency.
But His problem is where this is all taking place.

This trading is being done in the Court of the Gentiles, i.e. in the
back of the church. The Jewish worshipers aren't bothered, they
can move up front closer to the temple. But what infuriates Jesus
is the way the Gentile believers are being forced to worship and
pray in all this noise and commotion.

When Jesus shouts "Take these things away; do not make My
Father's house a house of trade," the Jewish authorities are filled
with a dark rage of their own. The darkness tries to overcome the
Light as they demand Jesus perform a miracle proving His
authority to cleanse the temple.

Jesus will provide that sign in His coming death and resurrection.
On the cross His enemies will destroy His body -- the true temple
and dwelling place of God. But on the third day Jesus will raise it
to life again.

Today the darkness still challenges Jesus. When we gather at the
Lord's house to worship, pray and receive Christ's gifts in Word and
Sacrament, the darkness fills our minds with all sorts of trade and
business concerns, as well as other worries, fears and distractions.
But the light shines in the darkness and draws our thoughts back
to our Savior.

THE PRAYER:

Lord, cleanse my heart and mind that I may hear Your words of
grace and forgiveness. Amen.

RASH JUDGEMENT

"The Darkness of Rash Judgment"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer

Read John 1:43-51. TEXT: "Can anything good come out
of Nazareth? ..." (John 1:46a).

Lenten Devotion- As we near the end of John's first chapter,
Jesus is gathering His twelve disciples. Even here we see
the battle rage between light and darkness -- in this case
it's the darkness of a preconceived notion. Before he ever
met Jesus, Nathanael arrogantly asks, "Can anything good
come out of Nazareth?"

That's what the darkness in us does. We sit as judge of
everyone and everything around us, jumping to conclusions
about people without knowing their whole story. And it's just
too bad for the person who doesn't fit into our nice neat
categories -- whether it's that nerdy kid at school who
doesn't dress like we do or that estranged family member,
quirky neighbor or congregation full of hypocrites. We even
do the same with God. We judge His holiness and
faithfulness by the circumstances of our lives. We don't
give God the right to be God.

Philip is wise. He doesn't try to argue away Nathanael's
prejudice. He gives his friend a simple invitation: "Come and
see." He is confident Jesus will shatter Nathanael's false
judgment, and Jesus doesn't disappoint him.

Lent is the time to humble ourselves and to come to Jesus
and admit our rash judgments. Jesus does something we
would never expect: He shines His grace, power and love as
He suffers from the darkness of human rejection, flogging
and a cross. Yet in that brutality, suffering and death Jesus
won our salvation. He gathers us together in congregations
around His Word and Sacraments to shatter our
preconceived notions and empower us to accept one
another and work together to show His love to all those
around us.

THE PRAYER:

Lord Jesus, forgive me for judging by appearances. Open my
heart to see You as You are and to share Your Name
everywhere I go. Amen.

HE TAKES AWAY

"He Takes Away the Sin of the World"
By Rev. Wayne Palmer
February 19, 2015


Read John 1:19-34. TEXT: "The next day John saw Jesus coming
toward him and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world!'" (John 1:29).

Lenten Devotion-  The teacher walks into the classroom and finds 
a broken vase. She's not sure who broke it, but she has a pretty
good idea. She singles out the one child who always gets into
trouble -- the scapegoat -- and though it's completely unfair, off he
goes to face the principal in place of the child who is truly guilty.

The word "scapegoat" comes to us from the Old Testament Day
of Atonement, the day God forgave the nation's sins. God
commanded His people to bring a goat to His altar. The priest laid
his hand on its head confessing the sins of the people of Israel.
The scapegoat took the punishment for their sins as it was led out
into the wilderness.

Here in the middle of John's first chapter, John the Baptist points
at Jesus and calls out, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world!" John looks past Jesus' Baptism to Good
Friday when He will suffer the full wrath and punishment for our
sins. When we receive the assurance of God's forgiveness in
Jesus' body and blood in Holy Communion, we repeat John's words,
"Lamb of God, You take away the sin of the world; have mercy on
us; grant us peace."

As we follow Jesus through this season of Lent, we will see how
brightly God's Light shines in our dark world.

THE PRAYER:

Lord God, turn my eyes to my Savior this Lenten season that I may
say with John the Baptist, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes
away the sins of the world" -- and my sins. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

ENTERING LENT

Scripture:

Giving to the Needy
6 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
2 “So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (NIV)
Prayer
5 “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 6 But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (NIV)

Reflection:

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. This season of the church is meant to mirror Christ's forty days in the desert prior to the start of his public ministry, and traditionally it is a time of abstention when we ponder what it means to "die to self." How fitting that our reading strikes at the heart of one of the most ubiquitous forms of self preservation:  praise seeking.
The problem with seeking praise is that it keeps alive the lie that lasting validation and worth can be found in the good graces of other people.  In truth, real worth and genuine validation can only be found in the grace of God.  When we give to others and when we pray to God, we embody the reality that our God gave to us and that we need God to live.  It is not about a curtain call we can take for ourselves, but instead about how we can point to God, giving glory to the One who gives grace to us.

Prayer:

Jesus, walk with me into this Lenten season, carrying me from a death to self into a life for you.  Amen
(The Covenant Home Alter, Josh Danielson author)

SACRIFICE

Scripture:
Psalm 50:  1-6
A psalm of Asaph. 1 The Mighty One, God, the Lord, speaks and summons the earth from the rising of the sun to where it sets. 2 From Zion, perfect in beauty, God shines forth. 3 Our God comes and will not be silent; a fire devours before him, and around him a tempest rages. 4 He summons the heavens above, and the earth, that he may judge his people: 5 “Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice.” 6 And the heavens proclaim his righteousness, for he is a God of justice.
Reflection:
Gather to me my faithful one, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice" (v.5)  In the context of a psalm in which the author employs some very imposing langurage about the mighty one, God the Lord, this tender invitation is a beautiful reminder that we are dearly loved children of  the Almighty.
Upon that foundation- God's love- we are in a covenant with God that the psalmist says was made "by sacrifice."  When we are gathered to God, when we live as his faithful ones, necessarily that will entail sacrifice.  The season of Lent starts tomorrow, and it is appropriate to reflect on the proper place of sacrifice in our relationship with God as his people, his children.
As is true with many worthy pursuits, sacrifice is difficult, but it is good. the hope that we can hold onto, even when sacrifice is hard, is that our covenant is made with one who is righteous.
Prayer:
Loving God please prepare our hearts for the season of Lent.  Gather us to you as your faithful ones, and show us the way of sacrifice.  Amen
(The Covenant Home Alter, author Josh Danielson)

NOT SO EASY

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever
believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16

About five years ago, I attended a pastor's retirement party.
There were songs and speeches and the sharing of special stories.
There were presents, plaques and presentations. It was a beautiful
day. At the end of the day I said to the pastor, "You know, they really
love you. You must love them all."

He replied, "Most of them -- most of the time." Then he added,
"It's not always easy to love everybody."
I asked him to share and, with a bit of a twinkle in his eye, he told
me about the time he and his wife had gone to the hospital to see
one of the members of his church: a mother who had just given birth.
Before they popped into mom's room, they took a look at the baby.
Having looked, the pastor turned to his wife and whispered, "That's
the ugliest baby I've ever seen."

The minister thought 34 years of marriage would give him the right
to say that kind of thing to his wife. "After all," he reasoned, "it's not
our baby. I would never say anything like that about our baby. Not
out loud, anyway."
The pastor confessed he had reasoned wrongly. Yes, his wife had
been with him through thick and thin, in good times and bad, happy
times and sad, but she was not going to accept the ugly baby
comment. With fire in her eyes, and steel in her voice, the wife said,
"Every baby is beautiful. Every baby is perfect."
The pastor didn't argue. He did proceed to see the baby's mom.

She asked, "Did you stop and see my baby?" That was easy. Yes,
they had. The second question was harder. Momma asked, "Isn't
my baby the most beautiful thing you ever did see?"
The pastor told me, "You know, they say when you are about to
die your life passes, in an instant, before your eyes. I don't know if
that is true, but I do know, in that split second I saw my entire future
pass before my eyes. My honesty was weighed in the scale against
having a happy wife and home."

The happy home won out.

The minister said, "Every baby is beautiful. Every baby is perfect.
" Everybody breathed a sigh of relief, including the preacher who said,
"It's not always easy to love everybody."

On Valentine's Day we remember the Lord tells the truth: there is not
a soul in this world who, on his own, can be good. As far as lovable is
concerned, none of us, with the possible exception of Will Rogers,
likes everybody -- except for the Lord.

He who had been sinned against, who had been insulted by
humankind's disobedience, sent His Son into this world to rescue
humanity. Understand, Jesus didn't come for just the best of us; He
came for all of us. That's because, as the passage says, "God so
loved the world" -- not a piece of it or part of it, but all of it.

THE PRAYER:
Dear Lord, I give thanks that Jesus has given Himself so I might be
saved. Now may I, who have been rescued by Your love, reflect that
love into the lives of those around me. This I ask in Jesus' Name.
Amen.

(Pastor Klaus, Lutheran Hour Ministries)

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest
of these is love.”   1 Corinthians 13:13

HAPPY VALENTINES!!!   

EYE FOR AN EYE

Verse

"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and
a tooth for a tooth.' But I say to you: Do not resist an
evildoer. But if anyone strikes you on the right
cheek, turn the other also; and if anyone wants to sue
you and take your coat, give your cloak as well."
Matthew 5:38-40

Voice

That is our vocation: to convert the enemy into a guest
and to create the free and fearless space where
brotherhood and sisterhood can be formed and
fully experienced.
Henri J.M. Nouwen


Prayer

Forgive, O Lord, what we have been
Direct what we are,
And order what we shall be,
For thy mercy's sake. Amen.
1000 World Prayers

(Sojourners)

WHY DO YOU PERMIT THIS?

Verse:

[God] raises up the poor from the dust;
[God] lifts the needy from the ash heap,
to make them sit with princes and inherit
a seat of honor. For the pillars of the earth
are the Lord’s, and on them [God] has set
the world. 1 Samuel 2:8

Voice:

Christian faith does not cut us off from the
world but immerses us in it; the church is
not a fortress set apart from the city. The
church follows Jesus, who lived, worked,
struggled, and died in the midst of a city, in
the polis.
Archbishop Oscar Romero

Prayer:

O God, to those who have hunger give bread:
And to those who have bread give the hunger
for justice. Amen.
Latin American Prayer
(Soujourners)

"On the street I saw a girl
cold and shivering in a thin
dress, with little hope of a
decent meal.  I became angry
and said to God:  'Why did
you permit this?  Why don't
you do something about it?'
For awhile God said nothing.
That night He replied quite
suddenly:  'I certainly did
something about it.
I MADE YOU' "

"CHRISTIANS" DO SOMETHING
ABOUT IT!

GOD IS IN THE DARKNESS

Moses said to the people, “Do not be afraid. God has
come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with
you to keep you from sinning.”
The people remained at a distance, while Moses
approached the thick darkness where God was. —
Exodus 20:20–21

What is our reaction to all this darkness? How do we react
to the fear, the confusion, the sheer terror of not knowing
how things are going to turn out? Do we keep our distance
from God? Or do we get closer to Him?

Many people are tempted to keep their distance. Going
through dark periods can make us feel abandoned or
rejected by God. But Moses teaches us an amazing lesson
in these verses — God is in the darkness! Dark times are
not the time to turn away from God – they are precisely the
moment to draw closer to Him.

In Psalm 91:15, God said, “I will be with him in trouble.”
God is with us in our most troubling times. It’s up to us to
grab hold of Him and let Him carry us through.

When God created the world, first there was darkness and
then there was light. First there was night, and then there
was day. If you find yourself in a dark period right now, don’t
be afraid. Do as Moses did and keep walking forward in faith.
If you persevere, in that dark place is precisely where you will
find God – and then there will be light.

With prayers for shalom, peace,
Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein

HOW IS IT THAT YOU ARE RICH

Verse

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift,
is from above.  James 1:17

Voice

Tell me then, how is that you are rich? ... The root and
origin of it must have been injustice. Why? Because
God in the beginning did not make one person rich and
another poor. He left the earth free to all alike.
John Chrysostom

Prayer

Lord, keep us from speaking of love while hoarding the
gifts you have given us. Make us full of discontent as
long as there are brothers and sisters living and dying
in hunger. Amen.
Common Prayer

I HAVE A QUESTION

How many more people need to die, how many more
children deprived of a father or mother, before our
conflicts are settled and people can live in peace and
security, while devoting their energy to building better
lives?


How many roads must a man walk down
Before you call him a man?
Yes, 'n' how many seas must a white dove sail
Before she sleeps in the sand?
Yes, 'n' how many times must the cannon balls fly
Before they're forever banned?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

How many times must a man look up
Before he can see the sky?
Yes, 'n' how many ears must one man have
Before he can hear people cry?
Yes, 'n' how many deaths will it take till he knows
That too many people have died?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

How many years can a mountain exist
Before it's washed to the sea?
Yes, 'n' how many years can some people exist
Before they're allowed to be free?

Yes, 'n' how many times can a man turn his head
Pretending he just doesn't see?

The answer, my friend, is blowin' in the wind
The answer is blowin' in the wind

DO YOU HAVE THE ANSWER?