St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer: Friday – Daughters of the King, Brotherhood of St. Andrew, Marthas, worship volunteers (acolytes, ushers and greeters, chalice bearers) and all over volunteer groups who work so tirelessly and joyfully for the Kingdom of God and the Body of Christ at St. Paul’s.

  I arose with the sun this morning, a beautiful view from my hotel window here in Salt Lake City. It’s a pretty town, clean and HOT. Once the sun goes down it is wonderful in the early evening, low humidity DOES make a difference.

The gospel reading appointed for today includes these words from Jesus to Peter (Luke 22:31-32):

31’Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, 32but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.’ 

This is the well known passage where Peter swears he will follow Jesus no matter what may happen, and Jesus tells Peter he will deny Jesus three times before the cock crows. But in reflecting on this passage this morning, I was struck by the tenderness in Jesus’ words. “I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”

Jesus knew failure was coming for Peter. And he didn’t leave Peter with failure as the final answer. “When you have turned back”, he says. Not “if”. “When”. When you have turned back I need you, Peter, to be the strength, the ROCK as it were. Failure did not remove Peter from leadership or from evangelism or mission or service. Much was expected, still. Strengthen your brothers. And so he does. 

I don’t know about you but I am greatly encouraged by these words.

St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer: Thursday – The people of Bondeau, Haiti, especially Pere Phanord, the school teachers and medical clinic volunteers, for our Cursillo community.

The Mission St. Clare app and website begin today’s Morning Prayer with a familiar song: Morning has Broken

On this my birthday, I appreciated these words:

Ours is the sunlight! Ours is the morning

born of the one light Eden saw play!

Praise with elation, praise every morning,

God’s recreation, of the new day!

Great reminders as we pray and read the scriptures together, and for me as I begin another trip around the sun. I am a little melancholy today, missing my family but getting to see lots of old friends here at General Convention.

May you remember ours is the sunlight and ours the morning. Praise God’s re-creation of the new day.

St. Paul’s Cycle of Prayer: Wednesday – Paul’s Place after school program and the St. Paul’s Day School

The Feast of the Nativity of John the Baptist

(this post was written 6/24 but I didn’t realize it was not published)

I found a seat at the gate of my connecting flight in the Atlanta airport, waiting to wing out to Salt Lake City and General Convention. I had time, so I pulled out my phone and used the Mission St. Clare app to say Morning Prayer.

They include this prayer at the end of today’s office:

Almighty and eternal God, 

so draw our hearts to you, 

so guide our minds, 

so fill our imaginations, 

so control our wills, 

that we may be wholly yours, 

utterly dedicated unto you; 

and then use us, we pray you, as you will, 

and always to your glory and the welfare of your people; 

through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Isn’t this just what the Baptizer did? He knew he must decrease so Christ could increase. He didn’t want the spotlight or the accolades or the credit. He wanted to make a way for Jesus. A good lesson for all pastors (looking at you, TV preachers with way better hair than me!).

May we all do the same