Built on the Rock

Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ. Matthew 16:13-20

Built on the Rock

The moon is full a round shimmering
ball of reflected light the tides
ache to overrun the streets these nights
their waters pouring over every living thing
high tide throwing huge waves at us
we scrambled to the rocks and pray.

The cold water grabbed at our feet
rising up to swallow us whole
the night is dark and our cries
silenced by the roaring seas
the usual screaming seagulls silenced
their alarms asleep in the troubled night.

We are on the rocks the world turns
change is surrounding us and we fear
we are being as to learn to swim
to jump into the turbulent waters
fighting current and riptides
we tremble as we know we must dive
taking the water rather than death.

We float and roll in the sea
we are tossed but found panting
on the shore surrounded by angels
smiling as the sunrise greets us
and this new day, we are naked
vulnerable but alive.

The gates of hell nor the angry tides
nor storms injury and pain
will prevail against love.

We are swaddled in the arms
dried in the light and freed
from the darkness today.