Deep Gladness

“Be joyful in the Lord, all you lands; serve the Lord with gladness and come before his presence with a song.”  Psalm 100:1

Grace and peace to you on this Thanksgiving weekend. My prayer for you is that no matter what road you are walking this season, deep gladness is your companion.

Tomorrow we will chant Psalm 100 in worship. Known as Jubilate, Latin for “be joyful,” this psalm is one of two invitatory psalms prayed at the start of Morning Prayer.  Beginning the day with a note of joy is not intended to cancel our grief. It’s not meant to admonish us from expressing anger or frustration at the struggles this life presents. God in fact seeks to know all of us, just as we are.

Psalm 100 invites us to give thanks to God for the new day regardless of our condition. Each day brings the gift of sunlight, breath, and hope. God has made us and we are God’s people. Today is a new day. What a gift! Gratitude is the seed of deep gladness, a joy that holds us fast.

It is with deep gladness that we gathered two weeks ago at our In-Gathering Sunday. We offered ourselves, our commitments, and our dreams for St. Peter’s to God. You can read those dreams here, and add more here. These dreams will help the vestry identify goals for 2024 so that we might reach toward God’s preferred future for St. Peter’s together.

The vision that we are casting is rooted in a commitment to sharing God’s light and love with the world – both within the St. Peter’s community and in Northern Virginia. It is a statement of your faithfulness to God and God’s abiding love for you and all creation. It is rooted in deep gladness. I am grateful for St. Peter’s and hopeful for our future together.