[From the original version]

 Enter the joyous story of the call to Mary to become the mother of Jesus, her visit to Elizabeth, and her song. Be with Mary in the morning, as her prayer is bathed in the light of The Annunciation. Travel with her during the hours of the morning, till you reach Elizabeth at midday, reading the account of The Visitation around noon. Stay with these holy women until evening, concluding with hearing Mary sing The Magnificat. For ages this has been the song for Evening Prayer in the Catholic and Anglican traditions. This first of three songs in Luke’s infancy narrative has a parallel in the song of Hannah (1 Samuel 2:1–10) who rejoices at the birth of Samuel.

This is the season of miracle birthings … including your miraculous rebirth in Jesus.

Luke 1:26–56

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Fridays are dedicated to the Gospels.
In Advent through Epiphany this year we read Luke chapters 1 to 8.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

[From the original version]

When we pick up a lamp or small appliance, we need to gather up the cord so that we do not trip. In New Testament times, people wore long clothes that hung down by the feet. To move quickly, they would gather the lower part of their clothing and tie it to the waist so that they would not fall. This is the meaning in “prepare” your minds.

What are the loose and hanging ends of your thoughts and attitudes? Do they tend to trip you? Gather them. Tie them up, away from your spiritual feet that need to move freely and joyfully through the power of the Word of God today. Be specific; jot down what you discover.

Verses 18–21 gather the whole Gospel into a small space. Tie these verses about your mind as you walk in the light of these truths. When the Evil One seeks to trip you, you’ll be able to see clearly where you are going.

1 Peter 1:13–25

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Thursdays are dedicated to the letters of Paul, other letters,
the Book of Acts, and the Book of Revelation.
In the seasons of Advent through Epiphany this year,
we read the letters of Peter.

For all the Firestarters in the original version, I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these Firestarters with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information.

Tap here for a video meditation on Psalm 96.

[From the version for families with children]

We humans are the only ones that get into bad moods.  The rest of creation perfectly expresses the joy in being created.  One of the ways of getting out of a bad mood is to be aware of what’s outside yourself: the physical world and all that’s in it. 

Yet in the verses 11 and 12 of the psalm, the word “Let” us used five times when the sacred writer tells us to let the earth be glad.  Hmm…so it seems that in some way, creation waits for us to do this—to get out of our bad moods to allow the creatures of God to be who they are!  Maybe this is part of what it means when God put Adam in charge of all the animals.  It was Adam’s and our job, not to subdue animals and have them serve us, but rather to be the one that sets them free to be themselves and to add praises to God for them.  

Today’s psalm invites you to become a composer: Sing a new song to the Lord.  You might begin to hum or sing in a spontaneous way, just as do the birds and the sound of the wind in the trees.  In this way, we become with all the animals of the forest who are like our sisters and brothers!

 Psalm 96

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We follow a reading of the Psalms in numerical order.

For all the Firestarters I recommend the ebook.  You will have the entire program of well over a thousand of these introductions with you on your phone or tablet. Check the menu options at the site for more information