Edina Hall

Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

When I went to my step-mother-in-law’s house for holidays, she covered the counter clutter with a tea towel. She called it her “holiday cleaning” and said, “Isn’t a lumpy tea towel from Ireland better than seeing old mail?” She wasn’t wrong.

In today’s reading we hear Peter writing to elect resident aliens scattered throughout northern Asia Minor. He knew what it was like to be and apostle—persecuted, beaten and jailed for his faith and was writing a letter of encouragement to the Christian communities.

One of the little passages is this: “Love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Taken with the rest of the paragraph, he is advising the early community to be patient with each other. Be merciful with each other. Give grace to each other. Forgive each other. And love each other through it all.

Don’t sweat the small stuff.

Good advice for a community, except when the “sins” become too numerous or aren’t small. This phrase, taken out of context, can be weaponized, allowing someone to pile on more sins against another with the expectation that love will cover the wrong. Cover the pain.

So, how does one find a way out? How does the “cover-er” and the “cover-ee” well… recover?

My thoughts immediately went to the Rite of Reconciliation (BCP, pg. 447-452). It has been a while since I last read it but was reminded that its main scope is more of a personal confession and absolution of the singular penitent with God – not necessarily the plural penitent (a group), but it is a good start. I did see the temptation to leapfrog over sorting the lumpy stuff and head straight for restoration and reconciliation. But, in the middle among the small, italicized print, IS the work of contrition and change (“Here the Priest may offer counsel, direction, and comfort.”)

Our community, like many others, is stretched by different backgrounds, ages, and experiences, and I know Peter’s letter speaks to us as loudly as it did when it was first written. I am sure that there are a multitude of little sins we have scattered that have been covered by love, grace, patience, and forgiveness with and for each other. But if there are too many or too large, consider exploring the Rite of Reconciliation.

—Edina