The Followers of Jesus as holy places. If you have any comments - adebelak@redeemerluth.com . The Followers of Jesus as holy places. This one may seem odd - so give me a week to try to make some sense here. This last Sunday we heard the story from John's gospel that speaks of Jesus' movement through the Temple and disrupting the business as usual in the running of the Temple. We heard the language he used about 'this Temple being torn down' and in three days he will raise it up. The Holy Place of the Temple will be done and gone. This is not simply because in John's day the Temple had been destroyed for years by the Roman occupying forces. To me it means much more. The business of the Temple is not needed any more. There is no more need for a holy place in which people will have to gather to do their 'God' stuff - no longer do folks have to 'do this' in order to 'get that.' That system is done the whole system and its Holy Place. The Followers of Jesus as holy places takes the loving relationship God initiates and makes that the fullness of life for the people. With Jesus, the whole system gets shaken down and we are left with God's beloved as the point of contact - the experience - the unveiling of life that is holy and alive. Therefore, and I'll say more about this later, the holy places of God are the lives of the people around us that includes us. How will that change how we view things in our lives? For me, worship becomes more of a celebration of the life we share as we move into the week. We take this holy place - this life - this love - this graciousness - this forgiveness with us - as us. And in addition, we have in front of us other images - manifestations - of the holiness available in others. O God of love and new life, be with us as we make daily pilgrimages into the unfolding holiness of this day that breaks open in, with, and under every place - every people. Amen. |
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