Peter has just proclaimed Jesus’ true identity: he is the Messiah!

And Jesus has just proclaimed that Peter is the foundational rock of the Church.

Immediately following these pronouncements,
Jesus begins to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem,
               undergo great suffering at the hands of the Temple leaders,
                                   be killed,
      and then be raised on the third day.

To which Peter objects….

It was a cold and windy day in the rural hills of Scotland,
so I zipped up my down jacket over my wool sweater,
      and I tightened the scarf around my neck.

 Some other students and I had gathered for a retreat,
and as a part of the program,
we were sent out to bring back a sign of the kingdom of God….

“Have mercy on me, Lord!”

 Today’s Gospel story begins like so many others:
someone comes to Jesus asking for help and healing….

I remember as a child,
perhaps late elementary school age,
  an advertisement for these little floatation devices that you could strap on to the bottom of your feet –
            kind of like the floaties children put on their arms
when learning to swim….

As some of you know,
            Ray and I are trying to get rid of as much grass as possible
      and plant non-invasive native plants to serve as pollinators
and support our ecosystem….

Back in my younger years,
I used to have visions of a beautifully manicured lawn…
                the kind I saw printed in full color in gardening magazines… the kind that invites bare feet…
     the kind that is soft and gentle and cool on the skin
with nary a prickle or biting ant….

“To what will I compare this generation?”

Jesus asked that question thousands of years ago….
I am guessing that every generation asks the same question!

 To what will I, or we, compare this generation….?

Practice

              pure  

                        presence….

As I was reading the texts for today, two things stood out for me:

            “do not be afraid” and

                        “resurrection….”

The accounting of names is always important.

 Names are the ways that we identify ourselves….
and one another.

 “What names are you considering?” we ask new parents when he hear of a pregnancy.

 The lack of names is also important…..

The Pharisees asked Jesus’ disciples,          
  “Why does your teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?”

The Pharisees didn’t understand….

Today is the only Sunday in the church year devoted to a church doctrine.

 I could ramble on for 10 or 15 minutes, trying to get at something that took well over a century to hammer out in our Creed, but this morning I really want to address this question:

What difference does belief in a Trinitarian God make in our lives?

“Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” (Acts 1:6b)

 The apostles wanted to know.

 They had hoped that Jesus would restore the kingdom,
but their hopes were dashed when he was crucified….

This morning we find Paul on his 2nd missionary journey,

            having gained some new followers of Jesus

      and having gained some folks who want to kill him….

This morning our texts talk about sheep, shepherds, and abundant life.

 While all the readings are connected, I want to focus on Psalm 23…

On this third Sunday of Easter, Easter Day is probably becoming a vague memory to many of us.

We have since…

watched the successful landing of the Integrity capsule of the Artemis II mission, paid our taxes, made visits to doctors’ offices, and wondered if we’ll have one more final freeze so that we can plant!…

Back in my younger years,
            I would ride my bike to work.

 In the mornings,
I enjoyed the pre-dawn darkness.

 There were few cars on the roads,
           and the streetlights were still glowing in the dark….

“After the sabbath,
         as the first day of the week was dawning,
                Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.”

 Friday had been horrific….

 “Hope frees us to live in the present, with the deep trust that God will never leave us.” (Henri Nouwen)

 What words of faith and comfort that Henri Nouwen gives us….

We find Jesus this morning,

having just ducked out of the temple,

 narrowly escaping a stoning by some angry Jews

      who have taken offense at his claim to be the Son of Man….