Pax et Bonum
The online worship resource for St. James Parish
The online worship resource for St. James Parish
What the world could be is my good dream and my agony.
Wendell Berry
Gracious and Austere God,
Grant us, we pray, the will to declare ourselves
Hearers,
Bearers,
And Dreamers,
Of your life-giving word.
Amen.
Fredrica Harris Thompsett
The Confession of St. Peter
Today is the feast day of the Confession of St. Peter. Jesus asked Peter and his friends, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter's confession became the foundation of the Church: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus answered: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church." (Matthew 16: 13-18). Some would wonder how Simon the goof-up came to be Petra, the enormous boulder, but so it is with God God takes great pleasure in turning goof-ups into heroes Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Rahab, Jacob, Mary Magdelene….the list goes on and on. It is not our behavior that causes God to look and see what we might become. It is our hearts. Peter understood, at least fractionally, who Jesus was. Peter was utterly dedicated to being a disciple, in spite of taking crazy risks (walking on water) and having low periods many of us can only imagine (denying Christ). Somehow Jesus saw in Peter the leader he was destined to be. Upon this Rock the man Peter, and/or perhaps the Confession itself, the Church was built.
Today is the feast day of the Confession of St. Peter. Jesus asked Peter and his friends, "Who do you say that I am?" Peter's confession became the foundation of the Church: "You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus answered: You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church." (Matthew 16: 13-18). Some would wonder how Simon the goof-up came to be Petra, the enormous boulder, but so it is with God God takes great pleasure in turning goof-ups into heroes Abraham, Moses, Gideon, Rahab, Jacob, Mary Magdelene….the list goes on and on. It is not our behavior that causes God to look and see what we might become. It is our hearts. Peter understood, at least fractionally, who Jesus was. Peter was utterly dedicated to being a disciple, in spite of taking crazy risks (walking on water) and having low periods many of us can only imagine (denying Christ). Somehow Jesus saw in Peter the leader he was destined to be. Upon this Rock the man Peter, and/or perhaps the Confession itself, the Church was built.
The following comes from Lesser Feasts and Fasts: "Though the New Testament makes no mention of it, the tradition connecting Peter with Rome is early and vitually certain. According to a legend based on that tradition, Peter fled from Rome during the persecution under Nero. On the Appian Way, he met Christ, and asked him 'Domine, quo vadis?' ('Lord, where are you going?') The Lord answered, 'I am coming to be crucified again.' Peter thereupon retraced his steps, and was shortly thereafter crucifed, head downwards. 'I am not worthy to be crucified as my Lord was,' he is supposed to have said."
Peter reminds us that it is not our perfection that God seeks: it is our humanity, which holds within it a spark of desire for God, and a great ability to seek the good. God takes the clay we offer, and shapes us into his vessel. Our life is spent upon the potter's wheel, as God continues to form us, a little here, a little there, into God's image. All it requires is willingness, which Peter had in abundance.
Lord, I am Not Worthy
Lord, I am not worthy
Lord, I am not worthy!
But I have come under your roof, Lord,
So that you will come under mine!
I hold in my hand your body
So that you will ever hold mine
As I believe you broken,
May I will to be broken too!
A reasonable, living, and holy gift,
A breaking for birth of the new
Wholeness I sought and clamoredf or
In ignorance, panic, and pride.
But you requred fracture so
"Lord, I am not worthy
That you should come under my roof
But speak the word only
And my soul shall be healed and whole."
Mona C. Hull
Bunions
O God, how I would skip to meet you,
But life is long,
And flesh is weak,
And I have bunions
On my toes.
Jean Dalby Clift
Debra's Midweek Meditation
"The word of the Lord came to Jonah a second time, saying, "Get up, go to Nineveh, that great city, and proclaim to it the message that I tell you." So Jonah set out and went to Nineveh, according to the word of the Lord."
Jonah 3:1-3
Most of us are familiar with the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. He is called to do a job for God. He doesn't want to do it. He runs away. The running away is worse than the job would have been, so he returns. Finally, reluctantly, and with very little enthusiasm, Jonah does what he has been asked to do. Our Gracious God uses what He has to hand.
I'm sure this story is familiar to most of us. We procrastinate, we turn aside from the call that we know will change our lives. We are afraid.
But our God is persistent. Like a parent who wants the best for his child, God continues to offer the way of peace and the way of holiness.
All we have to do is turn--and then turn again--until our lives resemble a spiral of turning toward God.
We live in a world of spirals-shells and flowers, trees, cloud formations, and even our DNA.
Surely, this natural shape tells us something about the spiritual life, as well.
The pilgrim path with God is not a straight line, rather a labyrinth of coming to center and going away again--of sensing the right direction and then suddenly feeling confused.
God knows that our vision of the way forward is limited.
God meets us when we step onto the path.
Like Jonah even our faltering attempts are met by God's graciousness and power.
Blessings,
Debra
Daily Morning Prayer:
http://www.episcopalchurchingarrettcounty.org/morning_prayer.htm
This Week at St. James
Saturday: 9:00 Daughters of the King in the Parish Library
9:00 Social Ministries in the Choir Room
Sunday: 10:15 Children's Eucharist in the Susan Tucker Moore Room
11:45 Confirmation class in the Activity Rooms
11:45 Inquirer's Class in the Parish Library
11:45 Youth group and Men's Community meeting
Tuesday: SJA Board of Trustees meeting
Wednesday: 8:30 am Healing Liturgy in the Meditation Chapel
Upcoming Events: Men's retreat, Jan 27& 28th in Rock Hall
SJA Student Council Cabaret, Jan. 27
The Rev. Mary Davisson, Seafarer's Center, Feb. 5
Prayers, Etc.
This week we pray for the repose of the soul of Ben Griswold. The Griswolds will have a private interment this week, and a later memorial service, the time to be announced, at St. James.
For those on our Prayer List:
Ellie Anna Nancy Tony Joel Arabella
Mark Rudolph Tamara Dave MLI Owen Kent Jeffrey Brittany Bill Jason David Debbie Sue Fred W. Mac W. Lieb & Carlyn Josh & Lovisah
Our seminarian Laura and her husband Lyle
For those who are deployed and their families
How I Live and Why
Because I know
That Spirit matters
ItSelf lavishly
Into the Universe
I am committed
To packing
A lot of living
Into a little life.
Some call this ecstacy,
I call it love.
Love's favorite
Word is Thanks.
Alla Renee Bozarth
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Jonah 3:1-3
Most of us are familiar with the story of Jonah, the reluctant prophet. He is called to do a job for God. He doesn't want to do it. He runs away. The running away is worse than the job would have been, so he returns. Finally, reluctantly, and with very little enthusiasm, Jonah does what he has been asked to do. Our Gracious God uses what He has to hand.
I'm sure this story is familiar to most of us. We procrastinate, we turn aside from the call that we know will change our lives. We are afraid.
But our God is persistent. Like a parent who wants the best for his child, God continues to offer the way of peace and the way of holiness.
All we have to do is turn--and then turn again--until our lives resemble a spiral of turning toward God.
We live in a world of spirals-shells and flowers, trees, cloud formations, and even our DNA.
Surely, this natural shape tells us something about the spiritual life, as well.
The pilgrim path with God is not a straight line, rather a labyrinth of coming to center and going away again--of sensing the right direction and then suddenly feeling confused.
God knows that our vision of the way forward is limited.
God meets us when we step onto the path.
Like Jonah even our faltering attempts are met by God's graciousness and power.
Blessings,
Debra
Daily Morning Prayer:
http://www.episcopalchurchingarrettcounty.org/morning_prayer.htm
This Week at St. James
Saturday: 9:00 Daughters of the King in the Parish Library
9:00 Social Ministries in the Choir Room
Sunday: 10:15 Children's Eucharist in the Susan Tucker Moore Room
11:45 Confirmation class in the Activity Rooms
11:45 Inquirer's Class in the Parish Library
11:45 Youth group and Men's Community meeting
Tuesday: SJA Board of Trustees meeting
Wednesday: 8:30 am Healing Liturgy in the Meditation Chapel
Upcoming Events: Men's retreat, Jan 27& 28th in Rock Hall
SJA Student Council Cabaret, Jan. 27
The Rev. Mary Davisson, Seafarer's Center, Feb. 5
Prayers, Etc.
This week we pray for the repose of the soul of Ben Griswold. The Griswolds will have a private interment this week, and a later memorial service, the time to be announced, at St. James.
For those on our Prayer List:
Ellie Anna Nancy Tony Joel Arabella
Mark Rudolph Tamara Dave MLI Owen Kent Jeffrey Brittany Bill Jason David Debbie Sue Fred W. Mac W. Lieb & Carlyn Josh & Lovisah
Our seminarian Laura and her husband Lyle
For those who are deployed and their families
How I Live and Why
Because I know
That Spirit matters
ItSelf lavishly
Into the Universe
I am committed
To packing
A lot of living
Into a little life.
Some call this ecstacy,
I call it love.
Love's favorite
Word is Thanks.
Alla Renee Bozarth
<- Back to Parish News