A rainbow of rocks

       I strongly suspect that there will be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Of course I am judging myself here so it is possible that there may be some great aha moments at the pearly gates when we discover who is actually in ( all of us? ) and who actually is out ( none of us? ) What am speaking about? In this passage we read about the rejected stone ( Jesus ). Jesus was all about not rejecting anyone. Whether it was a sinner, a gentile, an officer from the occupying army or anyone looked down on as 'less than'. Jesus was there without judgment. In fact, the only time that I recall Jesus speaking about judgment was with the woman found in the act of adultery. Jesus spoke to the would be stone throwers and said: “He that is without sin among you, let him cast the first stone at her.” ( John 8:7 ) By the way, where was the man caught in that act of adultery? I always wondered why he seemed to have escaped judgment, by I digress.

A rainbow of rocks

       If we look at Jesus as the cornerstone, then we can certainly see as the passage says, that we are all living stones.  Have you ever noticed the variety of stones laying about? All different shapes, sizes, colours. A veritable rainbow of rocks.

        The point is that salvation is not found in the differences of rocks or the differences in us. Salvation is not found in the judgment of rocks or people either. At this point it might be wise to re-read the passage from today.  We are 'living stones' , we are 'precious' , we are all to be a 'holy priesthood'. 

        One of the many joys of Baptizing when I was graced to do so,  was reminding the faithful that we are all baptized "Priest, prophet and king".  We are all destined to wholeness and holiness. Our diversion to our heavenly inheritance is when we judge others and minimize others to try and somehow make ourselves look holier by comparison. This is tragically wrong. This kind of judgment is folly of highest order and not consistent with the message of love and inclusion that Jesus lived or preached.

             For diversity, inclusion and all the pebbles of the world, we pray.

1 Peter 2:2-10

Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you mgrow into salvation— if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Come to him, a living stone, though rejected by mortals yet chosen and precious in God’s sight, and like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in scripture:
‘See, I am laying in Zion a stone,
   a cornerstone chosen and precious;
and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.’ 
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the very head of the corner’, 
and
‘A stone that makes them stumble,
   and a rock that makes them fall.’
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 
Once you were not a people,
   but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,
   but now you have received mercy.