Sunday, April 12, 2015

Sunday, April 12^th 2015

1 Peter 2:2-10

               The laying of a cornerstone is a moment of great solemnity. Crowds gather. Dignitaries are present. It is a significant moment.

               There was a moment when I was responsible for such an event. It was a wonderful day. The crowds gathered, the dignitaries were present. It was a truly significant project in the fulfillment of the hopes and dreams of a number of people who had been working on this project for quite some time. The Bishop who was laying the cornerstone drew near and read the inscription. He smiled, looked at me and told me his correct middle name! (Not the initial which had been carved in stone !) He suggested that it would be easier for him, at that stage to be re – baptized than to have the stone re – chiseled ! It was a cornerstone I would have loved to reject !

               The fact of the matter is, that once a cornerstone has been set in place, that it has a function and purpose. There is not only the outward and visible stories of history and the story behind the project which are chiseled into the stone facing. There certainly was a purpose for the cornerstone being that upon which the building could rest. The cornerstone carried the weight of the building and provided security to the structure.

               That image of Jesus as the cornerstone of our lives, which St. Peter creates for us in his Epistle, may be a tad difficult for us to comprehend when we consider how the field of architecture has changed over time. Yet the reality is, that the presence of Jesus in our lives, is , in fact, the cornerstone upon which we build our lives.

               The identity of a building is often to be found carved into the stone of the cornerstone. So too, in our lives, our identity becomes graven into our stone surface through the establishment of our Baptismal Covenant. St. Peter states clearly that,” Once you were not a people, now you are God’s people.” It is that identity upon which we depend.

               As we celebrate the Season of Easter, we celebrate our identity as followers of the Risen Jesus. It is an identity which sets us apart from others. His risen presence is the cornerstone upon which we build our lives.

- The Reverend Canon Christopher Pratt

Rector