We continue with pieces from “Holy People” by Gordon Lathrop.
This assembly (the people gathered for worship), constituted by God’s holy voice going out to the nations, discovers that the central content of that voice is the word of God’s mercy to the ungodly in Christ. This holy gathering is consecrated by that washing in the cross which does away with ritual purity. This convocation of the holy ones eats that meal which is for the hungry, turning its participants toward their neighbors. So the Christian people do borrow that language of the Sinai assembly, hearing God say: “You have seen…how I bore you on the eagles’ wings and brought you to myself (Exodus 19:4). Only they understand the “eagles’ wings” to be the Holy Spirit enlivening the meeting around the word and sacrament of Jesus Christ. And they understand that astonishing intimacy with God, God’s powerful election of this people, to be an election not to go away with God but to practice this assembly in each place and bear witness and act in loving service in the world.
God’s mercy to the ungodly in Christ! We are not about an internal “mutual admiration and we-sure-are-good society” in which we throw stones at anyone who does not fit into our perception of the way we would like things to be. We embody and announce mercy to those who, if we could vote on it, would not qualify for a word of mercy or loving-kindness. I really don’t know how else to say that…but we can and we must. The prevailing wind of this day…and every day that has been and all that will come blowing through our lives will not be a wind of mercy. Only the Holy Spirit encourages and empowers us to breathe a word and life filled with the love of the merciful Lord of All.
Connection: How is it that we are so afraid of mercy?!? How is it that we love gossip and speculation rather than good, honest dialogue in which the Lord of Love is present within our conversations? Well, today is always a day to hear again that voice going out to the nations…even to us.
Lord God by your mercy you establish the Reign of your Beloved, Jesus. Count us as ambassadors of your love and support us by your Spirit of truthfulness and hope. Amen.
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