In the words of St. Peter, “Come to him, a living stone.” Now seriously, have you ever seen a living stone? A stone that breathes the breath of life? A rock that goes to the movies? A stone that can’t wait for baseball to begin this year? Have you ever seen a rock move from one place to another on its own initiative? Have you ever seen a stone practice social distancing from other stones because the other stone had too many weeds and moss growing on them? Have you ever seen a stone avoid hugs and handshakes? Yet, there’s St. Peter in today’s 2nd reading on the 5th Sunday of the 2020 Easter season saying, “Beloved; Come to him, a living stone.” I didn’t know living stones could be hims and hers. But according to St. Peter in his letter, they can be. Of course, the lead Apostle refers to one particular Person, the him being Jesus. He’s the living stone. The immovable rock. The foundation of our faith. The building that does not crumble under the weight of the world’s sin, or virus. He’s the lone structure who stands tall in the midst of adversity. Peter takes the image of a stone, a rock, an inanimate piece of earth, and brings it alive. He places breath into an object that doesn’t breathe. Although interestingly, Hindus believe that every part of creation, stones included, is a living entity, by virtue of the fact it’s part of creation. Peter has a little Hindu in him. He takes the most grounded, immovable object, a big rock like a mountain, adds the breath of life to that mountain, and says, “Here is your God. Here is your Savior. Here is your Redeemer and Victor.” In all the living Earth, both animate and inanimate, Peter could not have used a more effective visual for the One who called us out of darkness into his wonderful light. What’s even more amazing about the living stone is that it speaks. The only language we ever hear from rocks is the language of water crashing against it at the ocean, or, runaway rocks rolling down a mountainside speaking the language, “You better get out of my way or I’m going to flatten you.” That’s typical stone language. The inanimate object making noise. The living stone speaks a less aggressive, more comforting type of language. The waves of death that used to crash against this stone have been done away with, bringing forth the peace of eternal life. The language of the living stone that Peter says, “Come to him,” is the language of reassurance we presently need to hear and trust. It’s the language where the Living Stone himself speaks, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God – my Father, have faith also in me, his Son.” What sort of faith is this Living Stone calling for? Certainly, there are many types of faith we can live, even though some of them are dead. We can have faith in other people, which can be a good thing when their hearts are not troubled and they possess total trust in God. Just a recommendation on my part connected to having faith in people; don’t place any faith in anyone who has no faith in God their Creator, or, is not a God-fearing person. Pray for them but put no faith in them that they will somehow make your life better. Because they won’t. Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing. The faith the Living Stone is calling for is an undying faith in the holy truth that he has conquered the world, to use religious language. We’re at a time when appearances are that the world is being conquered by a Pandemic that appears every hundred years or so. We’re rightfully concerned about the final tallies here; how many will be affected and how many will Jesus welcome home. Especially the elderly who are most affected by this virus. It isn’t NYC or New York state most effected. It’s the elderly in their homes and nursing homes. The most beautiful people in the world who all have an incredible life story to tell when they arrive in the presence of the Living Stone. Where they say, “Lord, don’t send me back there. I love this home much better.” That’s the faith he calls us to. One that carries into eternal life. “Do not let your hearts be troubled … I am going to prepare a place for you … In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” It’s not like heaven is Treasure Valley in Leicester; 3 small cabins in the forest. Where you have to fight for a spot. Heaven not musical chairs where, when the music of this world stops, you have to dive for a chair or get tossed out of the game. “In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places.” This tells us that Jesus anticipates an infinite amount of good faith, faith in him, from countless amounts of people over history, if many dwelling places have been prepared. No musical chairs in the Upper Chamber. That’s a stupid game anyway. I never liked it. From the 2nd reading to today’s Gospel we have very timely readings for us. From Peter to Jesus. The Apostle in his words leading to the Master, the Living Stone. The immoveable 2nd Person on the Trinity who breathes life. Like a flower needs to breathe air and soak in the sunlight. Jesus breathes life itself. He was there when God breathed life into Adam. The same Adam who fell, with a little help from his wife. The second Adam, Christ, breathes into us who have faith the life that never falls or dies. That’s the Living Stone about whom Peter writes, “Come to him.” Come to him, keep coming to him, and don’t stop coming to him. Most especially now.