Convention was stunning... in so many ways. I*m sure I*ll write more about that later. But this was the Gospel passage at Convention Eucharist this morning. We are all used to thinking of Peter as an impetuous doofus, yet he figures up front in the Gospels. He denies Jesus three times (at least), and has to reassure Jesus three times that he will feed Jesus*sheep. What is it with threes? I often need to hear things a few times before they sink in. And then there are my three seizures, carefully spaced nine months apart, so maybe finally I*ll get the message, some message to pay attention. One didn*t do it. Two didn*t do it. I have learned so much the third time around. Maybe just maybe God works in threes.
I wonder if God
Works in threes.
Saying something once
Just doesn*t
Seem to do it
For any of us.
Face it
We*re all
Like Peter.
Even those of us
Who don*t leap
Out of boats.
Peter,
do you love me?
(Of
course, I do)
Feed
my sheep.
Peter,
do you love me?
(Yes
Lord, you know I do)
Feed
my lambs.
Peter,
do you love me?
(Yes,
yes, yes)
See
those sheep over there?
Feed
them!
Threes.
Three denials
Three questions
God three but really
One.
Most often it takes me
Three times
To hear
What God might be saying.
Once I get something set
In my head,
I need to hear
No
No
No
Before I believe
I might possibly
Be wrong.
I wonder if God works in threes.
I wonder if somehow we are set
For threes.
