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, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah. Matthew 16:13-20
The land we inhabit is beautiful, verdant and abundant. We have been so blessed and yet we have carelessly destroyed so much of our land and tried to reform it for our pleasure. We try to grow grass in the desert, we force ourselves into places we don't belong and overpopulate and overprice the shorelines. We know that Jesus called Peter the rock and promised to build his church on his faithfulness. Peter's words were holy and heartfelt, and it was there the church was planted and there the church still thrive. We must see the sacredness and holy around us, care for it and then, the church and all of us will thrive again.
A Sunday Litany
Loving Creator, you planted us in the garden
a wide and vast island of valleys and hills
we are blessed with so much beauty and joy
we forget how fragile all of life can become.
Precious Lord, help us to be like Peter, with rock solid faith.
We are distracted by glitter and cheap promises
we think wealth and land will bring us joy
yet the rocks and the trees sing your praises
even as we ignore them and tear them down.
Precious Lord, help us to be like Peter, with rock solid faith.
When man made disaster strike we cry out
calling for you to mend the problems we cause
you are with us even when the storms are ours
and promise to hold us through the stormy blast.
Precious Lord, help us to be like Peter, with rock solid faith.
Make us see the great beauty given us
and help us to honor it like our fertile mother.
Precious Lord, help us to be like Peter, with rock solid faith.
Help us to mend the hoops we have broken
give us the faith to restore and renew together.
Precious Lord, help us to be like Peter, with rock solid faith.
You are all our beginnings and our endings
help us to see your love imprinted here.
Precious Lord, help us to be like Peter, with rock solid faith. Amen.
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