Bishop Eric Menees
“O almighty God, who by thy Son Jesus Christ didst give to
thy Apostle Saint Peter many excellent gifts, and commandest him earnestly to
feed thy flock; Make, we beseech thee, all Bishops and Pastors diligently to
preach thy holy Word, and the people obediently to follow the same, that they
may receive the crown of everlasting glory; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen.”
The above collect, from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer,
commemorates the Feast of St. Peter (later changed to the Feast of Saints Peter
& Paul), which was celebrated yesterday, June 29th.
Of the apostles, Saint Peter is my favorite, in that he is
so easy to identify with. How many times does Peter blurt out what is on his
heart and mind, and end up by putting his foot in his mouth?! (“Let us build
three booths! Mt. 17:4; “Lord I am prepared to go to prison with you and to
death.” Lk. 22:33) I can relate with
that sort of thing, as I do so on a regular basis – just ask my staff!
At the same time, St. Peter speaks from his soul as well; and
when he doe, we hear him echoing the Holy Spirit. Remember in the fifth chapter
of Luke, when Jesus calls the first disciples? Peter, James, and John were
fishing all night with some others, but caught nothing. Jesus comes to them and
tells them to go out fishing again. For reasons that can only be attributed to
divine prompting, they set out and cast their nets again, this time hauling in
a catch so great, they can hardly lift it into the boat. Peter responds:
“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” (Luke 5:8) When we come into
the presence of the Lord, we recognize in his brilliance our own dimness; or
said another way, his righteousness and our sinfulness!
Likewise, as we were reminded a couple of weeks ago in the
ninth chapter of Luke, when Jesus asks the disciples: “Who do the crowds say
that I am?” And they answered, “John the Baptist. But others say, Elijah, and
others, that one of the prophets of old has risen.” Then he said to them, “But
who do you say that I am?” And Peter answered, “The Christ of God.” (Luke
9:18-20) Peter hears and acknowledges the speculation of the crowds, but
answers faithfully and truly – THE CHRIST OF GOD!
My prayer for the Diocese of San Joaquin and for all
Christians, is that we will all follow the example of St. Peter and step out in
faith, recognizing both our need for forgiveness, and the only one who is able
to grant that forgiveness - the Christ of God!
My prayer for my brother bishops and fellow clergy is that
we might be filled with the boldness of St. Peter, exhibiting a missionary zeal
and an apostle's heart for seeking the lost and alone with the saving message
of Jesus Christ that we call The Good News!
I pray you all a very blessed week!
Catechism Questions: 305-308
305. Is your anger always sinful, or can it be just?
Anger can be just if I am motivated not by fear, pride, or
revenge, but purely by love for God’s honor and my neighbor’s well-being. More
often than not, however, human anger is sinful. (Ephesians 4:26-27)
306. What other actions may be considered forms of murder?
Suicide, abortion, genocide, infanticide, and euthanasia are
forms of murder. Related sins include abuse, abandonment, recklessness, and
hatred or derision.
307. Is it always wrong to harm or kill another?
There are rare times when the claims of justice, mercy, and
life itself may require doing harm or even bringing death to others. It is the
particular task of government to do this in society. (Romans 13:1-4)
308. How else can you cause life to flourish?
As a witness to the Gospel, I can love God and my neighbor
by refraining from selfish anger, insults, and cursing, by defending the
helpless and unborn, by rescuing those who damage themselves, and by helping
others to prosper. (Matthew 5:38-48; 9:35-38; Luke 23:34; Acts 10:34-42;
Ephesians 4:25-32; 5:1-2)
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