My March newsletter article...
“Our soul is so completely one-ed to God by His own goodness, that there can be absolutely nothing at all separating God and soul.”
- Chapter 46, “A Lesson of Love” by Julian of Norwich
In her first talk to us during our Lenten series, Mother Hilary of the Order of Julian of Norwich talked to us about Julian’s reflection on the relationship between God and humanity. For Julian, God is intimately close to every one of us. We are made in the image of God, the second person of the holy Trinity became one of us, and in the Holy Spirit we are constantly brought back into communion. It is only a “Dream of Separateness” (as Thomas Merton put it) that keeps us unaware of our constant connection. Likewise, we are connected one to another through our common humanity in Christ. This is a fact of being. There is nothing we can do about it. Not even sin can separate us completely from the love of God.
As we travel through the season of Lent, it is a time to reflect on what the role of the church is, and our role within her. It seems like all to often, the term “church” in America means another place to do things. In a city I lived in, there is a large mega-church with four balconies, its’ own health club, bookstore, and even a pizza franchise to feed the huge youth group. It offered a bewildering array of programs every night, including it’s own internal baseball and soccer leagues. It is a place to do things – a one-stop shop for all of your needs spiritual and physical.
As Episcopalians, we are often critical of such churches, but usually with at least a little bit of envy. If only we could be that large! The temptation is there to rush about, implementing programs and desperately trying to compete with other churches or with secular groups. It’s common to hear youth leaders bemoaning how hard it is to compete with sports, scouts, band, etc.. But if we take the page from Julian seriously, is that what we should be about? Should we even enter that competition?
The task before us as Christians is not one that can be accomplished by solely “doing.” We cannot add to our relationship with God - it is already there in its fullness waiting to be accepted. The task of the church is calling to remembrance that relationship. The church does not create Christians, it simply calls us to remember the relationship to Christ that already exists.
If we take this seriously, it changes how we operate as a church. Programs must be evaluated not on the basis of how much they do, but how well they call us to remembrance. Likewise, as we walk through Lent, it is a time for us to look at our lives. What helps us remember our value to God? What keeps us from remembering? When we do charitable works, is it because it’s the “right thing to do” or because when we do it, we remember that those we help are also beloved of our Father?
This Lenten season, take some time, as Mother Hilary put it, to simply sit and let Jesus love you. Remember that you are of infinite worth to God, and let your life fall into line behind that truth.
David+
I call these mega-churches "country club churches" because their "one-stop shop" character allows members avoid rubbing elbows with anyone who might be uncomfortably different. Although our Episcopal churches are generally small and usually messy, most of us believe in welcoming even the strangest stranger.
Posted by: Susan Fiore, AOJN | March 04, 2009 at 09:04 PM