The Eleventh Sunday after Trinity – Reflection by Canon Leslie

The Gospel reading for this Sunday is Matthew’s narrative of Jesus’ game-changing conversation with Peter. The conversation began when Jesus puts Peter on the spot by asking him directly just what he has experienced living alongside Jesus, just how he has interpreted that experience, and who he thinks Jesus really is. Listen carefully and you may be hearing Jesus ask you the same question. But you may need to be brave to hear that question.
 
The conversation continues when Peter puts two and two together and comes up with the right answer. ‘You are the Messiah’, says Peter, with his hand on his heart. Think deeply and you may be wanting to make that confession of faith your very own. But you may need to be brave to give that answer.
 
The conversation continues when Jesus affirms Peter’s faith, when Jesus gives his blessing to Peter, and when Jesus commissions Peter to stand firm, to stand as firm as a rock. Open your heart fully and you may just be willing to accept the same commission, and the same new name Petros, The Rock.
 
To prepare for this Sunday’s service I invited those of you who want to do some thinking beforehand to focus on the image of rock. In today’s picture from his book Water, Teddy Horsley looks up to the great rocks by the coastline.
 
Next week the image to help us prepare for participation in the Sunday service, whether offline in the Cathedral or online at home, is suffering, when the Gospel reading is about Jesus warning his disciples of his own forthcoming suffering and crucifixion. You can find out more about that theme here: https://www.prayerforliverpool.org/prayer-resources.html. We would really appreciate you letting us know how you are using these materials. Please send us your ideas and photos of the things you may create; email them to Nelson.Pike@liverpoolcathedral.org.uk.

If you’d like to learn more about Teddy Horsley and his writings, visit his website: https://teddyhorsley.org/, or his page on the website of St. Mary’s Centre: http://www.st-marys-centre.org.uk/resources/TeddyHorsley.html.
 
We warmly invite you to join us in worship online here:
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Teddy Horsley sends his Sunday greetings to all.
 
Canon Leslie
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