| Acts 1: 12 – 26 We are a story telling species. Narratives are how we make sense of our own lives, the family and communities we inhabit, and of our place in the vast universe. The same night on which human beings discovered fire, I’d be willing to wager there were campfire stories. A circle of warmth, a gathering of friends, bellies full of roasted rabbit, and star-fields above. They told stories of the day’s hunt and pointed index fingers toward the sky to trace patterns perceived among the stars. I spent a lot of time camping as a kid. I was a Boy Scout, and, when I was thirteen and fourteen, worked on the rifle-range at Camp Lazarus, living in a tent during summer months. Merit badge work, hikes, canoe trips, fishing, rudimentary propane stoves…these all translated into a great many campfires. When we weren’t being ribald teenage boys, we mused over the day, the forest and its imagined inhabitants, the grand sky, the meaning of it all. After the disciples…quite a few more than twelve…had been instructed by the two men in white to quit gazing up into the clouds, they left Olivet for Jerusalem where the gathered with Jesus’ brothers, his mother, other women, and several additional companions. Even as they continued in joy to wonder at the apparitions of their Lord, they were full of grief and anger at Judas, a beloved companion who betrayed Jesus and all of them, and then made himself a suicide. How to make sense of that? They looked to the Book of Psalms, as we still do today. Peter takes charge, perhaps wrong-headedly. Peter determines that, since there had been twelve core disciples, and one of them was now commemorated at Hakeldama, the Field of Blood, they needed to fill out the ranks. Candidates had to be chosen from among those who had been following Jesus throughout his ministry. Pentecost had not yet come, and the nascent Church is already making Canon Law. They come up with two names: Joseph called Barsabbas also known as Justus; and Matthias. They pray and roll the dice; literally. It’s Matthias! God said so through the dice! They elect Matthias! We never hear his name mentioned again. Some while later, God rounds out the corps of key disciples without seeking Peter’s counsel, knocking Saul off his horse on the road to Damascus, changing his name to Paul. Peter won’t always get along with Paul, as we shall soon see. Peter would rather God had anointed Matthias. What stories are you telling yourself these days? I’ve seen articles pronouncing COVID-19 to be the judgment of God visited upon humanity for its wickedness. That’s a bad story. There are a variety of articles, endless streams of articles, about the origin of this virus, and the management and mismanagement of this virus. Some think we ought to roll the dice and hope for herd immunity. All these musings will percolate for some while, and, with any luck, good post-Enlightenment-fact-based folk that we pretend ourselves to be, a credible and instructive narrative will emerge. In the mean while there is a spiritual narrative to be woven. We are not presently able to gather together around the Altar as though it were a great fire-ring. Perhaps we remind each other of how important this has been to us, and how important it shall be once more. Our future narrative will include a story of the months in which we could not gather together, and of the deep gratitude that was ours in reunion. Our story will be of how we did not rush the Spirit, looking for a Matthias to fill the absence in this time where we feel betrayed by circumstance and bureaucracies. We’ll tell tales of the ways we managed to use technologies to connect to one another, and how ultimately unsatisfying that proved to be. We’ll recall how God made this time of challenge a time when we awoke to the circumstance of those among whom we live, and to our yearning for the Body of Christ in which we have been set, and how we prayed, not for dice to roll and lots to cast, but for grace and patience. Dominus vobiscum, The Reverend Canon George F. Woodward III For the Future of the Human Race “O God our heavenly Father, you have blessed us and given us dominion over all the earth: Increase our reverence before the mystery of life; and give us new insight into your purposes for the human race, and new wisdom and determination in making provision for its future in accordance with your will; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” BCP page 828 For the Aged “Look with mercy, O God our Father, on all whose increasing years bring them weakness, distress, or isolation. provide for them homes of dignity and peace; give them understanding helpers, and the willingness to accept help; and, as their strength diminishes, increase their faith and their assurance of your love. This we ask in the Name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen” BCP page 830 For Quiet Confidence “O God of peace, who has taught us that in returning and rest we shall be saved, in quietness and in confidence shall be our strength: By the might of your Spirit life us, we pray, to your presence, where we may be still and know that you are God; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” BCP page 83 |
| St. Paul’s Anglican Church Calzada del Cardo, 6 Centro 37700, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 415.121.3424 www.StPaulSMA.com |