Today’s readings bring us to two holy places: first to the wilderness, where Moses turns aside before a bush that burns but is not consumed; and then to the road with Jesus, where the disciples must learn that following the Messiah means taking up a cross. Between those two places, Paul gives us the shape of faithful living: genuine love, patience in suffering, hospitality, humility, peace, and forgiveness.
Moses is not looking for greatness when God calls him. He is tending sheep in the wilderness, far from power, far from Egypt, far from the life he once knew. Yet in that ordinary work, he notices something strange. He turns aside. That small act of attention becomes the doorway to his calling. God’s first word to Moses is not a command to rush forward, but an invitation to reverence: “Take off your sandals.” Before Moses is sent to Pharaoh, before he is given words to speak, before he becomes a leader, he is taught to recognise holy ground. The God who calls him is not distant from human pain. God says, “I have seen,” “I have heard,” “I know,” and “I have come down.” The suffering of God’s people is not invisible to God.
When Moses asks God’s name, he receives a mystery: “I AM WHO I AM.” God will not be reduced to a slogan, a tool, or a possession. But God does give Moses something strong enough to stand on: “I will be with you.” That is the deeper answer to Moses’ fear. Moses asks, “Who am I?” God answers, in effect, “You are the one I am sending, and you will not go alone.” That promise is still at the heart of faith. We may feel unprepared, uncertain, or too ordinary for the work before us. But the call of God is not grounded in our confidence. It is grounded in God’s presence.
In Matthew’s Gospel, Peter struggles with the way of Jesus. He can confess that Jesus is the Messiah, but he cannot accept that the Messiah’s path leads through suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. Jesus’ rebuke is sharp because Peter is tempting him toward a glory without sacrifice, a kingdom without the cross. Then Jesus speaks to every disciple: “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.” This is not a call to seek suffering for its own sake. It is a call to surrender the false self that clings to control, status, resentment, and fear. It is a call to live in the way of Jesus: trusting God, loving neighbours, forgiving enemies, and choosing faithfulness over self-preservation.
Love That Looks Like the Cross
Romans 12 shows us what cross-shaped life looks like in daily practice. “Let love be genuine.” “Hate what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” “Rejoice in hope, be patient in suffering, persevere in prayer.” “Contribute to the needs of the saints; extend hospitality to strangers.” “Bless those who persecute you.” “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.”
This is not sentimental love. It is disciplined, courageous, costly love. It is the love of people who have stood on holy ground and heard God say, “I have seen the suffering of my people.”
It is the love of people who follow Jesus not only with words, but with their bodies, choices, money, homes, time, and forgiveness.
So where is the holy ground beneath our feet? It may be in the quiet place where we finally stop and listen. It may be in the cry of someone we would rather not hear.
It may be in a hard conversation, a family burden, a community need, or a call to forgive.
Holy ground is not always marked by flames. Sometimes it is marked by the presence of God in the ordinary, calling us to turn aside and pay attention.
And when we ask, “Who am I to do this?” God’s answer remains: “I will be with you.” When we resist the way of the cross, Jesus calls us back. When evil seems too strong, Paul reminds us that the Christian response is not revenge, despair, or withdrawal, but persistent goodness.
The God of the burning bush still sees, hears, knows, and comes down. The Christ who walks toward the cross still calls, “Follow me.” The Spirit still forms in us love that is genuine, patient, humble, and brave. May we turn aside. May we take off our sandals. May we take up our cross. And may we discover that the ground beneath us is holy because God is with us.
In conclusion, a nod to our past.
Built on the Rock
When Jesus says, “Peter, you are the rock on which I will build my church,” he is not praising Peter because Peter is perfect. Peter is bold, yes, but he is also impulsive. He has faith, but he also is afraid. Yet Jesus sees what Peter can become when his life is held by God’s grace. This is good news for us. Christ builds his church not with flawless people, but with faithful people who are willing to confess him, follow him, and keep returning to him.
The strength of the church is not found in human perfection, but in the living Christ who calls, forgives, and sends his people. Peter’s name reminds us that God can make something firm out of what feels fragile. A hesitant word of faith can become a foundation. A small act of courage can become a witness. A community of ordinary believers can become a sign of God’s kingdom.
So let us stand on the sure foundation of Christ. Let us offer him our faith, even when it feels small. And let us trust that he is still building his church through ordinary people made strong by his grace through the Anglican Communion 492 years young. Let us continue the hope that Jesus had in Peter when he said; ‘Peter you are a rock on which I will build my Church.’
Prayer
Holy God, open our eyes to your presence in ordinary places. Give us courage to hear your call, humility to follow your way, and love that overcomes evil with good. Send us in the name of Jesus Christ, who calls us to take up our cross and find true life in him. Amen.