Grace Church Van Vorst

an Episcopal Congregation

 

  • Welcome

  • Worship

  • Activities & Groups

  • Upcoming Events

  • Cathedral Arts

  • Connect

  • Rev. Laurie's Blog

  • More

    • Welcome

    • Worship

    • Activities & Groups

    • Upcoming Events

    • Cathedral Arts

    • Connect

    • Rev. Laurie's Blog

    • More...

      • Facebook App Icon
      • Twitter App Icon

      Grace Church Van Vorst  |  39 Erie Street  |  Jersey City, NJ 07302

      Phone: 201-659-2211

      Reverend Laurie's Blog - 11/15/2019

      November 15, 2019

      Rev. Laurie's Blog - 10/25/2019

      October 19, 2019

      Reverend Laurie's Blog - 10/11/2019

      October 11, 2019

      Reverend Laurie's Blog - 8/23/2019

      August 23, 2019

      Rev. Laurie's Blog - 08/16/2019

      August 20, 2019

      Rev. Laurie's Blog Post - 08/09/2019

      August 9, 2019

      Rev. Laurie's Blog - 08/02/2019

      August 2, 2019

      Reverend Laurie's Blog - 07/26/2019

      July 26, 2019

      Reverend Laurie's Blog - 07/19/2019

      July 19, 2019

      Reverend Laurie's Blog - 07/05/2019

      July 5, 2019

      Please reload

      Recent Posts

      I'm busy working on my blog posts. Watch this space!

      Please reload

      Featured Posts

      "Like Water On A Stone" - 02/02/2018

      February 5, 2018

       

      There’s a bronze statue of John the Baptist by Rodin in one of the hallways of the Philadelphia Art Museum that mesmerized my little brother as a child. By instinct he reached out to touch it. He was so entranced he didn’t hear the words “Step back” when the security guard spoke and his eager hand almost made contact with John’s, which seemed perfectly poised to hold it.

      John the Baptist’s security guard has to be vigilant to make sure that Rodin’s statue doesn’t wind up like the one of Saint Peter in Rome. This six hundred year old bronze piece sits in a marble chair perched on a pillar holding the keys to heaven in one hand and blessing all who enter his Basilica with the other. Both of dear Peter’s feet are nearly worn away by perhaps billions of pilgrims from hundreds of centuries reaching out to touch and even kiss them. The tenderness of this gesture reminds me of Pygmalion kissing his marble statue and finding her lips suddenly warm with life. If any bronze rendering could be brought to life from love, Peter’s worn away toes attest it would be his.

      Why do we have this deep need to touch beautiful and astonishing things? St. Peter has literally rubbed off a little on everyone who touched him; is that what we’re hoping for? When I reached out to touch the ring in a giant sequoia stump that roughly marked the year when Columbus landed at Hispaniola, or when you traced the stone engraved name of someone killed on September 11th at the memorial fountain, were we trying to find a bridge to cross over eons and tragedy? And that time my two year son toddled off through the parking lot to grab a low hanging full moon, was it because his eyes stirred a longing in him only touch could fill? And even now when you think of it, wouldn’t it be wonderful to kiss the face of the moon?

      Jesus knew all about our sometimes desperate need to touch especially those things that can’t be touched, perhaps love itself being chief among them. Aware that words, no matter how wise or beautiful, would not be enough, just before his arrest and execution, Jesus put wine and bread into our hungry hands and said, “This is me with you until the very end.”

      I think learning about Jesus starts in your body with an open palmed confession of need. The bread placed in your hand is ordinary and nothing much, but it will feed you and make you hungry at the same time. And when you come back and then back again, like water on a stone, the bread, the cup and the presence of people with that same need will start reshaping you.
      And eventually, some of Jesus rubs off.
       
       
      Your sister in Christ
       

      Rev. Laurie 

      Please reload

      Follow Us

      I'm busy working on my blog posts. Watch this space!

      Please reload

      Search By Tags

      November 2019 (1)

      October 2019 (2)

      August 2019 (4)

      July 2019 (3)

      June 2019 (2)

      September 2018 (1)

      August 2018 (4)

      July 2018 (2)

      June 2018 (4)

      May 2018 (3)

      April 2018 (4)

      March 2018 (4)

      February 2018 (4)

      January 2018 (4)

      December 2017 (5)

      November 2017 (2)

      October 2017 (3)

      September 2017 (4)

      August 2017 (4)

      July 2017 (5)

      June 2017 (3)

      May 2017 (5)

      April 2017 (3)

      March 2017 (4)

      February 2017 (4)

      January 2017 (4)