This mornign we celebrated the Transfiguration. And we were blessed to do so through the preching of the Right Rev. David Giuliano, Moderator of the UCCan.
In reflecting on the story David saw it in a new way for me. Rather than Peter wanting to build tents so they could all stay in that moment of transcendent glory. Maybe PEter wanted to build tents so that Peter always had a place to go and find that transcendent glory. AS DAvid noted, the tents were for Jesus, Elijah, and Moses -- Peter wasn't offering to bunk with "Mo".
David suggested that maybe that is what the church has done. HAve we built dwelling places for GOd, not to keep us in the space, but to keep GOd in a place? HAve we tried to tame and limit God and access to GOd?
I agree with David. I think we have. ANd in doing that I think we have lost lots. BUt God hasn't lost as much. AFter all GOd is not tamed. God just then may act through ways other than the church. THen the church has to figure out how to catch up.
It brough to mind a phrase often repeated in the Narnia books. Aslan (who is obviously the Christ in Lewis' story) is not a tame lion.
Amen Gord ... I see a deep connection between the last three postings here ... Holiness will not be hemmed in by anyone - EVER.
ReplyDeleteGod will guide the Church where it needs to be - ALWAYS.
Our human constructions in the name of criteria, convention, and quota will ultimately fail ...
All of this - including David's sermon point us in the direction of pondering - WHAT IF WE'RE WRONG???
The Spirit will guide us to a resurrection... the challenge in this moment is to be open to the dying we MUST first experience ... congregations, ideals, mindsets,... all of it WILL be wiped away ...and YOU my friend are one of the very very few who gets it ...
Keep preaching it you heretic ... oh, and welcome to the club - it's about time you jumped in this row boat - I can only hope the UCC will treat you better than they treated me ...
blessings brother,
The real problem with keeping God in the place we build is we have to hang around that place ourselves, away from life, in order to be sure God stays in God's place.
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