"As We Are One"

Dear Cathedral Family,

This Sunday following Ascension Day draws us closer to the Day of Pentecost and the coming of the Holy Spirit. Our Gospel this week brings us Jesus’ final prayer on earth, what is called his “High Priestly Prayer.” Jesus prays for the ultimate fulfillment of his mission—to give eternal life to all those the Father has given him. By this Jesus means knowing God and knowing Jesus Christ. Jesus also prays for his disciples, the ones who have received him, asking God to protect them “so that they may be one, as we are one.”

This prayer speaks directly to us now, as we attempt to live our faith in a world that may confuse and frustrate us. Our commitment to our baptismal promises, renewed together last Sunday, means that knowing Jesus Christ and following him is our guiding principle in living. Jesus’ prayer that we “all may be one” means that we must seek and serve Christ in all persons and respect the dignity of every human being. This is a daily challenge that requires each of us to pray daily for grace and discernment, especially in a world which attempts to guide our thoughts and actions in ways that may not align with our core identity as followers of Jesus.

As the Day of Pentecost falls this year on Memorial Day weekend, you may find yourself someplace in God’s creation other than Christ Church in downtown Mobile. Wherever you are, please pray for your own openness to receive the Holy Spirit, for the empowering of our community through the Spirit, and for our witness to the world in the power of the Spirit.

Please be on the lookout for more information coming in the weeks ahead concerning our summer schedule here at Christ Church Cathedral, both in our programs and ministries and in the repair-focused construction in our spaces. Walk in love and abide in peace.

Faithfully,

Beverly+