Clergy Notes — St. James’ Day, Sunday July 24 2022

It is hard to believe it has been a year since we celebrated last year’s patronal feast with Solemn Evensong & Benediction, at a time when we were only beginning to return to in-person activities after a long pandemic lockdown. It seems very right and fitting that we should again mark this special feast with the return to another communal worship practice — the common cup.

I recall sensing as a child — though I could not understand why — that sharing the common cup with the people we worshipped alongside made us belong together. It felt very sacred and holy. When I first trained to administer the chalice as a lay Eucharistic Assistant, I had that sense again, that I was treading on holy ground. And once again, as we return to this beautiful mystery together, I am filled anew with the sense of being in a very holy and “thin” place.

Today as I sat in the Lady Chapel pondering this, I thought about all we had been through together in this past year as a community. I gave thanks for the privilege of sitting and breathing; of being able to sing together; of being joined together with members near and far; for the beauty of our church and the blessing that Zoom has been in gathering us when being in person has not been possible.

I gave thanks for the example of St. James the Great, affectionately nicknamed one of “the Sons of Thunder” by Jesus. Sometimes a little boisterous, perhaps speaking or acting a little recklessly, James was nevertheless faithful and loyal, bound together in love and friendship with our Lord — both at the Last Supper as well as in the Garden of his sorrow.

Let us ask Blessed St. James to pray for us, that the Lord might continue to bind us together in love, friendship and service; keeping us steadfast in faith, and united in the communion we share.

Mother Amanda