5th Sunday of Easter (Year A)
Acts 6:1-7 | Psalm 32(33):1-2,4-5,18-19 | 1 Peter 2:4-9 | John 14:1-12
The Lord is the living stone, rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him; set yourselves close to him so that you too, the holy priesthood that offers the spiritual sacrifices which Jesus Christ has made acceptable to God, may be living stones making a spiritual house. (1 Peter 2:4-5)
It bears remembering that a church is not just a building of concrete and glass.
It bears remembering that a church without an active faith community…is just a building.
It bears remembering that we are the church.
We are the walls made of living stone, building with each other an edifice to the glory of God, with Christ as the keystone.
We gather together, bonding tightly against the assailing winds of worldly temptation, moving together against the earthquakes of secular assaults, always linked in one faith, one baptism, one God who is Father of us all.
We may live independently in this world, each journeying through life as best we can, choosing different directions that could change at any time.
But when we come together as a church, all these I‘s are subsumed in an all-encompassing WE, one voice hailing the great I AM.
✞ ✞ ✞ ✞ ✞
My parish is currently going through a rocky period, as we all try to adjust to our “new management”. When “Wait, you want us to do what? WHY?!?!” becomes a distressingly familiar anthem, it can be hard to remember our place in God’s plan.
We are living stones.
We gather around Christ.
We form one church.
Let us build a house where prophets speak,
and words are strong and true,
where all God’s children dare to seek
to dream God’s reign anew.
Here the cross shall stand as witness
and as symbol of God’s grace;
here as one we claim the faith of Jesus.
All are welcome, all are welcome,
all are welcome in this place.
https://youtu.be/Sba9cHv9TG8?t=76
Amen.