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| Living stones |
Rabbi,
it is good that we are here!
When Jesus appointed the twelve apostles he named their
responsibilities: He
appointed twelve (whom he also named apostles) that they might be with him and he might send them forth
to preach.
So Peter has got it right
so far. He is with Jesus there on the mountain
top, where he belongs. If 90% of success is showing up, he is indeed a
successful man. Often remaining where we should be is the
greatest challenge for us. There are so many suggestions saying if we were
truly good people we would be somewhere else.
In his first letter saint Peter wrote,
Come to him, a living stone, rejected by human beings
but chosen and precious in the sight of God, and, like living stones, let
yourselves be built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood to
offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Something I’ve
noticed about rocks is they don’t move very much. Put a rock in your garden and
it will stay there an awful long time. In fact it never will move until
somebody moves it. Or perhaps a glacier will sweep along during the next ice
age -- I’ve heard the next ice age is already overdue -- and dislodge your
garden stone.
The church is made of
these living stones, which Jesus builds
into a spiritual house. We are just as reliable as the stones and bricks in
your church. And when people need the church they know where to find us.
The word edifice is
based on the Latin word for building, as is the word edify. When we edify
people they are built up in faith. How do we do that?
It’s usually not with
the razzle dazzle of a thundering cloud on a mountaintop. It’s more often by
being there: in church every Sunday, at work every Monday; at home for the
children; on the telephone for the family; available wherever we are expected
to be.
More than once I’ve
found myself in a position where I was ready, willing and incompetent. Unfortunately
the abler person had absconded. Oh, well! I did the best I could and
the Lord made up the difference.
As Abraham said more than once to His God, “Here I am!”
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I love to write. This blog helps me to meditate on the Word of God, and I hope to make some contribution to our contemplations of God's Mighty Works.
Ordinarily, I write these reflections two or three weeks in advance of their publication. I do not intend to comment on current events.
I understand many people prefer gender-neutral references to "God." I don't disagree with them but find that language impersonal, unappealing and tasteless. When I refer to "God" I think of the One whom Jesus called "Abba" and "Father", and I would not attempt to improve on Jesus' language.
You're welcome to add a thought or raise a question.