On our minds in winter: When is summer? In the northern hemisphere, many consider Memorial Day weekend the unofficial start. Meteorologists start summer on June 1. And then of course, there is the traditional start: Summer Solstice, which lands on June 21 this year. And, because of their long winters, New Englanders hold out for July 4.
Whenever it starts for you, summer is a lovely time. When winter finally ends, we feel an uplift in spirit. Joy swells the heart. A kind of collective amnesia overtakes, clouding the harsher memories of winter.
Deep in the bleak days of winter, instead of dwelling on momentary difficulties, we look ahead. Our thoughts turn to the spring to come, the green grass, blooming flowers, and the planting of gardens. We think of the warm days of summer and the coming (though still far distant) harvest.
We have hope.
We know that every inch—every foot in some places—of snow piled upon the ground over the long winter is actually a storehouse. It’s water, just waiting for warmer weather to release it. Water that brings life to the land, the plants, the animals, and all of us humans who could not survive without it.
In this week’s Romans passage, the apostle Paul talks about a "hope that does not disappoint," one that has more substance than a mere wish. It's a confidence that good is coming, is on its way, will certainly arrive, may already be present in some other form. Paul asserts that enduring our sufferings will grow our character, the kind of character that can rest in the belief that our faith is not misplaced.
It’s our storehouse of hope. And it will see us through the winters of our lives.
_________________________
PHOTO: Steve Orr
BONUS MATERIAL:
Astronomical Summer: This is the summer most of us have heard about. In the northern hemisphere, it starts at the Summer Solstice, usually June 20 or 21, sometimes called the longest day. This occurs when the northern half of the Earth is tilted toward the sun and the southern half is tilted away from the sun. The National Weather Service has a great illustration at:
https://www.weather.gov/cle/seasons
Meteorological Summer: You might hear this term on your local weather report. It refers to what Meteorologists consider the hottest three months of the year: June, July, and August. It starts on June 1. This one-pager from NOAA compares Astronomical seasons and Meteorological seasons:
https://www.ncei.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astronomical-seasons
_________________________
We, too, have that hope that does not disappoint. Join us Friday morning for DaySpring’s Lectionary Breakfast on Zoom* or in Waco at Our Breakfast Place. We meet at 8:00 for an hour that feeds us, physically and spiritually, and from which we draw hope for the days ahead.
We are expecting weather. So, dress appropriately.
Blessings,
Steve
*Zoom link (Zoom allows you to mute the camera and the microphone if you don’t wish to be seen or heard.)
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89947678414
SCRIPTURES FOR SUNDAY AND THE COMING WEEK
Find them here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/texts/?y=17134&z=p&d=60
Print them from here:
https://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu/wp-content/uploads/pdfs/Ax_Proper6.pdf
Genesis 18:1-15, (21:1-7)
Psalm 116:1-2, 12-19
Exodus 19:2-8a
Psalm 100
Romans 5:1-8
Matthew 9:35-10:8, (9-23)
Proper 6 (11) Third Sunday After Pentecost (June 14, 2026)
No comments:
Post a Comment