A Thought on Romans and 1 Peter

Today is the feast of St. Fabian, a pope and St. Sebastian, both martyrs. Perhaps a good coincidence for an inauguration!

Romans 14:17-18:

For the kingdom of God is not food and drink but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. The one who thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and has human approval.

From the Little Chapter in Morning Prayer, these two verses seem rather surprisingly apt as an invitation to meditation on the events of this morning. Mr. Bush's real service cannot be to party, or tribe, or nation, but must be to the persons of the sisters and brothers of Jesus.

What is required of Mr. Bush is required of each of us as well in an equal measure.

Now that you have purified your souls by your obedience to the truth so that you have genuine mutual love, love one another deeply from the heart. You have been born anew, not of perishable but of imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God.

This passage from 1 Peter 1:22-23, taken from Vespers this evening may provide good advise as we look to our futures.