Countdown to Sabbatical: Sunday

Today we celebrated St. Mary's Sunday with worship, a fabulous feast, prayers, renewal of baptismal vows, mission stories, blessing of students, school staff, and backpacks, a children's sermon, and of course, cake.

It was my last Sunday in the parish until the Feast of the Epiphany. Being with these folk I've loved for over fourteen years, I am truly thankful that I am saying goodbye for four months and not forever, as their rector, that is, as it would have been had I been elected Bishop Suffragan in June.

The reading from the Rule of St. Benedict, Chapter 67, which was the assigned reading yesterday, is especially pertinent:

Let the sisters who are sent on a journey commend themselves to the prayers of all the sisters [and brothers] and of the Abbot; and always at the last prayer of the Work of God let a commemoration be made of all absent sisters [and brethren, too].

I feel truly commended.