| This 'source of life' continues to bring us back to the life we have as a body - in the flesh and in the midst of all things. Today I will suggest that this is not only talk of sabbath, but, for me, talk of the body as the body of Christ. According to Israel's exilic traditions, the holy place of God's silent presence is no longer the space of the Holy of Holies in the temple in Jerusalem. It is now found in time, in the time of the holy rhythm of the sabbath days. God lives in time, and interrupts the plans and purposes of human labor through his resting presence. I would like to suggest that this rhythm is the beat of the Christ as the image of God present in the world. A whole existence that brings all things into the form of the Reign of God. In that sense, all days become sabbath days - days when we rest in God alone. This is how the ethics of everyday become transformed or transfigured into something that is not the ways of the world but the way of the fullness of our humanity. Though I like the image of the day of rest, I all the more like the image of the life of rest. It is not earned - it is a gift - it is a life handed to us in which God is for us before we even step off into the day. It is with that frame put around the day that we become a part of the image or picture of God's Reign - all of us and all of time. My other thought about this kind of holy rhythm is one in which we let go of the notion of 'holy land' that has become idolatrous. All that we see in that land that is called holy is the great display of all that is not holy. It is a land of destruction and brokenness and no sense of forgiveness - that is, no sense of 'God with us.' Wouldn't it be a sign of amazing grace in action if the followers of Jesus let go of the need to act like land owners gripping onto things so tightly we forget about the life we have been handed? Connection: Holy rhythm. Be for us, O God, the way that we sway and move through this day so that the world around us will be wooed into dancing to the tune of your shalom. Make our time into your time and your place and your will. Amen. |
No comments:
Post a Comment