We will be playing with some material from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.
…even in the most idealized of those old descriptions (of an assembly), the hope was by no means always realized. Ordinary, quarrelsome, nonexemplary, needy, sinful people met and still meet. But Christian faith finds God active in the meeting, finds in the very fact of meeting a deep ground for thanksgiving. Against the spirit of the age, Christians still gather together, and that simple face remains symbolically powerful.
Of course the hope is not realized…that would be the end. And yet, we live as though the end is known and therefore you could say that we are pulled into that end and the experience of the end now…Christ is victorious and we gather to be with all who trust in that reality that will be and is already. Sure we are sinner…less than the best…uncultured…out of place…even the best of the bunch, and yet, when we gather as one – one body – we are invited into the character of God’s Reign. The world may fight over every issue that can make its way into the dynamics of our culture or our political agenda, but we will gather around the font and we will take the meal and we will keep reminding ourselves of the promise of what is not yet…and yet…it is indeed, breaking in even as we walk across the parking lot into the building in which we sing praises to our God.
Connection: Today may or may not be better then yesterday…but today is still a time to face the world as it is – and that can be a pretty sad and broken place – and not let it rule us. The Holy Spirit’s power for life is and will be with you.
Breathe upon us, Gracious God, just as you did when there was nothing at all. For sometimes, we do not see anything of worth around us and we do not feel as though we are worth much at all. Keep breathing upon us so that we may be refreshed and revived to trust in your love for us…a love that never ends. Amen.
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