Lent 5b - Conclusion

Every two weeks a number of Lutheran pastors from Fort Worth, TX meet at Calvary for what our Director of Youth and Family Ministry, Janelle, calls a “pastor party.” We call it a pericope study which doesn’t sound as much fun as a party but then youth directors tend to be more fun than pastors. There are times when our pastor pericope party isn’t about a party or a pericope study as this past Wednesday when after some open and honest sharing of pain and sorrow and hope for healing we “circled up” to pray for one another. You probably think we do that all the time but pastors often live in isolation, partly because people put pastors on pedestals and partly because we pretend to like the view from on high. The truth is we are just like the people we pastor and need prayer and comfort as much as, well... the people we pastor. In “the days that are surely coming” pastor and people both “know the Lord” making hearts and minds holy. The honest confession of the psalm – against you only have I sinned – creates in parishioners and pastors a clean heart.  In Hebrews Jesus is designated a priest forever and while pastors might occupy a priestly position thank God it’s not the same thing. And seeing Jesus doesn’t happen any more clearly then when after sharing what is really going on in our lives a pastor party becomes a prayer party.