We continue with pieces from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.
So here are the practices of holiness: Establish the meeting. Make it memorable, intense. Strengthen the leadership. Heighten the sense of participation. Exercise its symbols beautifully. Enliven the communal voice. Yet, because of Jesus Christ at the heart of this meeting, because of the enfolding of the assembly in the flowing life of the triune God, discover how the inevitable sense of boundary such a meeting always creates – the “we-ness” of the participating group – is subverted.
It is subverted because this type of “we-ness” is usually limited to the definition of who is already a part of the meeting. The holiness of the assembly creates no boundaries that exclude. You could say that if the assembly does do that, it must take another look at that which is at the center of its meeting. For, as the Christ is center – at the very heart – the body will begin to reflect the brilliance of Christ’s presence and no one is outside that life-giving, loving presence. We can work on any part of our life of holiness within the community. We can get this right…time that right…raise enough money to purchase this or that…and yet, the shape of our holiness is always a gift from the one we call Lord. Jesus will always provide us with, a sub-version of what is essential and enough to gather in the whole of creation.
Connection: When there is an open chair at a table sometimes we will take from Jewish tradition and say it is a chair for Elijah – when he returns. For us, we leave the door open to our assembly at worship. Not just the door at the entrance of the building…the door to our hearts. In that way, anyone who comes will find a place of welcome…a home…a people into which they are welcome as brother and sister followers of Jesus.
Open our hearts, O God of all holiness, and enliven our expressions of love so that we too may give our lives for the sake of others and be not afraid to see your glorious body renewed by the presence of you within those who are not quite like “we” would want the world to be. Praise to you, most precious gift of life. Amen.
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