For more commentary on this week's readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page, which
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Century.

Two of Merlyn's daughters,
members of our church, asked me to visit their mom as the end of her five-month
battle with cancer drew near. Merlyn was 72, and her life had not been easy.
She was widowed at 43 and raised her four children by herself.

When I came to see her, she was
alone, lying in bed by the window in the back room of the house. One of her
daughters introduced me and left. I read some verses from Isaiah 43 to Merlyn: