Pax et Bonum

The Online worship resource for St. James Parish

February 4, 2009

No prayer of adoration
Will ever soar higher than the simple cry,
"I love you, God."
---John Donne---
The prayer life does not consist
Of perpetual repetition of petitions.
The prayer life consists of life
That is always upward
And onward
And Godward.
--G.. Campbell Morgan--

The Faith of Cornelius

Today is the feast day of Cornelius the Centurion. His story is told in Acts, chapter ten. It is a story, not only about Cornelius’ own faith, but it also tells the story of the apostle Peter’s own understanding of how his faith in Christ would change the world.

The stage is set at the beginning of the chapter, when we discover that Cornelius, a Roman Centurion living in Caesarea, is a God fearer who gives liberally and prays to the One God (the God of the Jews) daily.

Cornelius hears God speak to him that he should send for Peter, who would tell him all he needed to know about his faith.

Meanwhile, Peter had a very strange vision, in which God shows him a sheet lowered down from Heaven, which held all manner of unclean animals. Peter hears the words, "Arise, Peter, kill and eat."

Through the vision, God prepares Peter for his encounter with Cornelius; for had he encountered him before, he would have considered Cornelius himself, as a Gentile, as unclean, and would not have talked to him.

Peter’s faith has been enlarged, as God has shown him that the truth of the Gospel is not for the Jews alone.

Cornelius and his entire household hear the good news – the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, and his entire household is baptized.

Cornelius is symbolic of the fact that God’s saving Grace was never meant for one particular group or another. God’s grace, mercy, and love is extended to all who will believe. There are no longer clean and unclean animals or persons; there are no longer privileged groups. As Paul said, "there is neither Jew, nor Greek, slave or free, male or female; for we are all one in Christ Jesus." Thanks be to God!

O God,
By your Spirit you called Cornelius the Centurion
To be the first Christian among the Gentiles:
Grant to your church such a ready will to go where you send
And to do what you command,
That under your guidance it may welcome
All who turn to you in love and faith,
And proclaim the Gospel to all nations;
Through Jesus Christ our Lord,
Who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
One God, for ever and ever. AMEN
--Collect for Cornelius the Centurion--

With Wings

Those who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength, they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

A few nights ago Charlie and I watched a program on the 2,000-mile migration of the monarch butterfly. An incredible story of transformation and persistence. As the Monarchs move from Canada down to Mexico they utilize the thermal air currents along the way to soar through the air while resting.

Thermals form as a response to the contours of earth and temperature variations. The interaction of earth and sky make the warm air rise so that winged creatures of all kinds can simply open their wings and be carried aloft.

It occurred to me that this is a metaphor for the life of prayer. The migration of the heart, which moves through all shapes of spiritual and emotional terrain, would benefit from a prayer that made use of the resting places naturally provided by the Spirit. There is a time to work at prayer and worship. And there is a time to rest.

Imagine sitting down for prayer and breathing deeply the warm thermal currents of a prayer that began when God first breathed in Creation.

Then imagine opening the wings of your heart and being carried aloft-

Soaring, in fact on the wings of faith.

Open to the prayer that is circling all around you.
Spread your wings and fly.

Blessings,
Debra

Daily Morning Prayer

Daily Morning Prayer

This Week at St. James

Prayers Etc.

For those on our prayer list:

All through this day, O Lord,
By the power of thy quickening Spirit,
Let me touch the lives of others for good,
Whether through the word I speak,
The prayer I speak,
Or the life I live.
---Ancient Collect---

In Closing:

O Lord, God, from whom we come,
In whom we are enfolded,
To whom we shall return:
Bring us in our pilgrimage through life;
With the power of the Father protecting,
With the love of Jesus indwelling,
And the light of the Spirit guiding,
Until we come to our ending,
In life and love eternal.
---Peter Nott---

Pax et Bonum,
Loree+

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