| Acts 4 The priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon Peter and John proclaiming the Gospel, and they are annoyed; they are so annoyed they put the two men in jail. The next day the disciples are brought before Annas and Caiaphas and John and Alexander and all who were of the high-priestly family. The aristocracy is rattled. The leadership of the nation feels itself under threat. Their authority has been offered oblique challenge. The more heavy-handed a nation’s leadership, the more surely threat is felt to be near-to-hand. Power exercised without buy-in from those governed can be quickly lost. Authoritarians and autocrats have always known this. The coterie around Kim Jung-un of North Korea, who may well be dead, feel this keenly. Nations closer to hand are nervous. Alexander and John and Caiaphas and Annas are an insecure bunch. They aren’t about to sit on their hands while the peasantry proclaims a king…even if that king is not-of-this-world. Never mind that a disabled man has just been restored to health. The health of the people is not the first concern of this leadership. Their first concern is the retention and exercise of power: “By what authority do you do these things?” they angrily rail. Peter and John, uneducated and common men, are bold and steadfast. The leadership perceives a crack in its populist base. “What shall we do? A notable sign has been performed through these men. We can’t deny it.” They would have denied if that might have worked. They would have lied through their teeth with straight faces and seared conscience. It mattered not a whit to this particular set that good work was being done, only that someone else was getting the credit. They act to suppress these threatening commoners; but conviction has been located, and the preaching continues. When faced with adversity, human beings often draw nearer to one another physically and spiritually. This is what occurs among the first followers of Christ when Peter and John are released from custody. As the national leadership pressures the apostles, the community of Faith closes ranks. They consolidate their assets and sell lands and support one another and there was not a needy person among them. The most challenging feature of COVID-19 is that our natural instinct to physically draw near to one another is frustrated by the necessary social-distancing mitigating the spread of illness. For those of Christian conviction, for whom community is a theological principal and the life-blood of faith-practice, this is particularly depressing. How do we support one another when forced apart? Not so well as we might like, but with prayers and conviction and shared strength. There are three parish ZOOM groups operating, one for support hosted by Madre O’Malia, a Thursday study group on the Epistle to the Philippians hosted by the Rector, and, fresh to the table, a knitting group hosted by Quinlan and Jonathan Brown. Should you wish to be involved in any of these ZOOM groups, send an e-mail to the host. You may find the e-mails for these hosts listed in the online parish directory, in your hard copy of the parish directory, or by e-mailing me at StPaulsRectorSMA@gmail.com Christians have always prayed for those in positions of authority, even those for whom we have harbored no affection. I ask your prayers for those in authority among the nations of the world, for this nation of Mexico offering many of us warm hospitality, and particularly for the nations of your origin, that God might sow wisdom leading more and more to comity and health. Meantime, consolidate. Resist the venal. Carry on proclaiming the Good News of Jesus. Grace and peace, Canon George F. Woodward III For Local Government “Almighty God our heavenly Father, send down upon those who hold office in San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, Mexico, Canada, the United States of America, Great Britain, the members of the European Union, and such others in our hearts, that the spirit of wisdom, charity, and justice may prevail, and that with steadfast purpose they may faithful serve in their offices to promote the well-being of all people; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.” BCP page 822 |
| St. Paul’s Anglican Church Calzada del Cardo, 6 Centro 37700, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico 415.121.3424 www.StPaulSMA.com |