| First
Reading | Psalm | Epistle | Gospel |
| Isaiah
51:-1-6 | 138 | Romans
12:1-8 | Matthew
16:13-20 |
Seems
to be a whole lot of “rocks” in the readings this morning. And finding
them in the lections takes me off on a memory trip to Adirondacks from which I
recently returned having missed last year. This
year I felt strong enough to return to the campsite that I have occupied for a
number of years, forty two years as a matter of fact; and to climb a rock lugging
all my equipment; set up camp and to enjoy a week in the wilderness. This rock
looks out over the pond and a better view of the pond itself could not be had.
The pond is really a small lake, it is remote, only accessible by water, and there
are five campsites on it. Mine is the southernmost one, the first one that you
come to as you enter the pond. It is on a high rock.
For
a number of years, the last twenty as a matter of fact, since I have been ordained;
I have invited friends who were there and anybody that I happened to know about
to come on Sunday morning to the “Rock” where we would celebrate the
Eucharist. Our stained glass window was the water of the pond sometimes dancing
in a gentle breeze, always glinting the sun in many, many different facets. There
were fourteen of us this year. That is a big crowd for the pond. And the people
who came were of all sorts of conditions of faith and backgrounds. We had a Methodist,
a Unitarian, we had a few dyed in the wool Episcopalians; but we gathered to give
thanks. And that is exactly what the Eucharist is. Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving
for the presence of God amongst us, here in this wonderful place and on that rock.
Wherever two or three, four or five, six or seven, fourteen or how many are gathered
together, the good Book tells us, there is where God is, in their presence. One
does not always need the background of a beautiful pond or a stained glass window
or wonderful music to appreciate the presence of the Creator and to be humbled
in that presence, by graciousness that is given us by the Divinity.
This
indeed is a Rock. Isaiah speaks of seeking God and to “Look to the Rock from
which you were hewn”. Jesus recognized Peter’s confession of Him as
the Son of God and says “You are the Rock and on this Rock I will build my
Church”. The Church is the body of Christ and the Church is made up of those
who worship no matter what their background or what they bring. There are many
gifts brought. We hear that in the Epistle this morning. And these gifts working
together make up and build up the Church of God, the rock of our salvation. Jesus
asks his disciples “But who do you say that I am?" Peter make his confession
He speaks on the behalf of other the disciples. He speaks on behalf of us. To
recognize the worship and to glorify the presence of God amongst us. To stand
on the rock that is the church. The rock that holds us up and brings us together
in the knowledge of that presence.
We
looked out from our rock over of the pond, the water dancing in the sunlight.
We saw the beauty of creation, we saw eagles flying over, and we recognized that
God was good and we were humbled by the graciousness of that divinity.
Amen.
