Yesterday was my first Sunday at St. John's Cathedral in Jacksonville, Florida. It was incredible! The church was built in the early 1900's after a second devastating fire wiped out most of the city. Rennovated in the 80's, the altar is far out with the choir behind. The pulpit is stone and beautiful. Stained glass windows frame the beautiful sanctuary where I preached my very first sermon fifteen years ago. People came from all over to celebrate All Saints Sunday and the 175th anniversary of this place. They had to bring in chairs to accomodate the crowd. And once the choir began to sing the Introit, I knew that I was in heaven.
I felt God's peace once I saw the faces of the people. They were so kind and attentive. We baptized three babies, one of who screamed almost the entire time! We read aloud the names of our loved ones who died, giving thanks for their continued presence in our lives as saints. And I distributed communion to many incredible folks.
One of the most beautiful parts of the Cathedral is its diversity. A homeless man will kneel down next to a wealthy woman and together they will hold out their hands for the Body of Christ. The disabled come in wheelchairs, the old and the young, African-American, Indian, Asian and Caucasion-all together glorify God.
I was overcome with gratefulness. It was a wonderful day.
I arrived home that afternoon, tired but happy. As the boys played in the front yard, I met my new neighbors and learned that another miracle had occurred.
We live next to Ken and Barbara. They have one grandchild, Ryan, whose mother is battling stage four lung cancer. Because of her rigorous treatment and the exhaustion that it produces, Kim often lets Ryan stay with his grandparents.
Ryan's grandmother, Barbara, said a very specific prayer to God a few months ago, when she saw that her next-door neighbor was going to rent his house. Barbara asked God to find a five-year-old boy to move in next door, for Ryan is an only child and he needs a friend.
And what does God give Ryan? Not one but three boys! A loud and active pile of boys! And Max just turned five. He is two months younger than Ryan.
How great are the works of the Lord! As if it were not enough to welcome us to this beautiful Cathedral, God even called Max here for a reason.
