What God Calls Clean

In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, ‘Cornelius.’ He stared at him in terror and said, ‘What is it, Lord?’ He answered, ‘Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.’ When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa.

About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. Then he heard a voice saying, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’ But Peter said, ‘By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.’ The voice said to him again, a second time, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’ This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven. Acts 10:1-16

What God Calls Clean - An Anthem for Wednesday

I felt I didn't measure up
not good enough for this calling
none like me stood in front
and I was afraid of rejection.

God has called us clean
despite what the world might say
God has opened wide the doors
and love is the rule we live by.

The road was hard and lonely
by the dreams remains and lead
by night and day I learned
and opened up my heart.

God has called us clean
despite what the world might say
God has opened wide the doors
and love is the rule we live by.

Those around me were different from me
forgiven and loved all the same
I would turn away and reject them
for fear of being excluded too.

God has called us clean
despite what the world might say
God has opened wide the doors
and love is the rule we live by.

Our humanity can make us fearful
but God has set us free
to live with love and compassion
welcoming strangers as companions.

God has called us clean
despite what the world might say
God has opened wide the doors
and love is the rule we live by.