Are You the One?

I was privileged to share in the Eucharist yesterday in the Episcopal Divinity School Chapel. We were commemorating Absalom Jones, the first African-American ordained in the Episcopal Church,  and the preacher was the Rev. Viola Morris Buchanan, pastor of Bethel AME Church in Lynn, Massachusetts. At the heart of her message was the challenge to take our place in the work of advancing God's mission in the world. Each Christian needs to be able to say, "Yes!" to the question, "Are you the one?" It is not a matter of sinful pride to "claim the high calling angels cannot share." It is our baptismal calling, both a privilege and a responsibility.

I can imagine that God could have chosen to advance the missio Dei without our participation. But the witness of the Scriptures is that God has chosen to want - perhaps even need - our sharing in the mission. My reading of the Bible has led me to the conviction that God desires to be God in  relationship with us, and even, only in relationship with us. 

So, when we sense that we are being called to some new participation in God's mission, when the question is, "Are you the one or should we look for another?" I pray that our answer will be, "Yes! Send me!"