“My friends, we are called to live without fear . . .”

…that is how I began my dismissal/invitation to the peace at the closing Eucharist for Vocare 18.

My friends, we are called to live without fear: our Creator has made us holy, has always protected us, and loves us as a mother. As we leave this place, may we seek and serve Christ in all we meet, and may the peace of the Lord be always with you.

This is a modification to a previous modification of a prayer sourced to St. Clare of Assisi found in Enriching Our Worship 1.

This past weekend, for the eighth time I packed up my car and drove to Camp McDowell to serve as staff at a Vocare weekend. And this weekend, for at least the third time, I was invited to give the Reconciliation Talk. It is preacher’s choice when it comes to text, so I chose the raising of Lazarus (John 11:17-44). (See below for audio)

Vocare is one of my absolute favorite things to do. And as long as I am invited, I will pack up the car to head to camp in February/March. Sometimes it feels like on the last day of the weekend, that little bits of me are carried off by pilgrims and staff. Usually, there is a lump in my throat as the last song is sung. But as I head home, I know that all those pieces will be brought back together again –reconfigured into a something new–the next year.