Naming Home

He went up the mountain and called to him those whom he wanted, and they came to him. And he appointed twelve, whom he also named apostles,* to be with him, and to be sent out to proclaim the message, and to have authority to cast out demons. So he appointed the twelve:* Simon (to whom he gave the name Peter); James son of Zebedee and John the brother of James (to whom he gave the name Boanerges, that is, Sons of Thunder); and Andrew, and Philip, and Bartholomew, and Matthew, and Thomas, and James son of Alphaeus, and Thaddaeus, and Simon the Cananaean, 19and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him. Ten he went home. Mark 3:13-19

Each of us has a group of people,or a special place, or maybe even a time of year that pronounces home for us. That place where we go when the hard work of the day is done. The people we go to who know our name and have seen everything stupid we have ever done and love us still. That place where the lighting is right and there is comfort for the weary soul. "Where every body knows your name and they're always glad you came." The old song from the opening of the TV show Cheers nailed perfectly that sense of home.

Jesus calls his disciples, names them one by one, and gives them tasks to do for the work of ministry. He is at home with them, full of comfort and support. He can go home because they have provided home for him and his ministry. Everything isn't perfect, but everything is finally just right for the moment.

As General Convention winds down and we reflect collectively on what we have done, there is a great joy in many as they think of going home. Has a home been created for outsiders and others? Is the ministry empowered and are people known by name? Only time can tell what out home, the Episcopal Church, will look like. I pray there is room for everyone at home, that home expands and not retracts as life get complicated.

Dear God,
we all want to go home, the exhaustion overwhelms us
the work has worn us down and the days have been too long for us all.
We came to do mission and be renewed for ministry
and we ask that all of our efforts not be in vain.

Bless our work, however broken and human we might be.
Bless the gifts we have to offer,
however small and misshapen they may seem.

Take our humble human struggles and make them a blessing
for our church and the world.

And may your light shine through us,
Gracious savior who died so we might live; Amen.