The door opens and
they drift in over time. Some bring much, some bring nothing, some bring home
cooked , some bring frozen, some come late. All is acceptable and appreciated
and there is always an abundance.
Some come expectant,
some come ready to give, some walk in hesitant and others not sure. Some are
completely oblivious to what is going on at any time and some create warmth and
love wherever they go. All is acceptable and appreciated and there is always
abundance.
It is the smile across
the table, the comfort of a hug, it is sometimes the conversations and then
sometimes simply the silence. It is listening to natter that is important for
someone to voice, and then other times a pointed conversation that guides and
challenges. It is knowing that whatever you bring to this safe place, there
will be above all, acceptance, grace and love.
There are teens who cancel
other opportunities to choose to be there. There are singles who find family
when we are together. There are grandparents who love to be with the energy of
youth and young people who love to make the elderly laugh. Where the widow is
not only embraced, but highly valued and cared for. Where men truly listen and
speak into the young men’s lives about things that matter. Where the woman
teach us by the way they live out their lives with grace and humility, in the
simple things of being fantastic cooks to the complexity of life’s pressing
issues. They don’t all huddle together in their own age groupings, for they
long to connect with everyone. There are no devices at the table, just the
desire to engage, eat and share their week together.
It is simply a Sunday
afternoon in my house. I love to open my house to the faith community I belong
to and sit back and watch God enter as we commune with Him and each other. It
is our act of worship and prayer. There was no formality, no official words… but
God was there. He was glorified and we were all uplifted by being together. He
brought peace, filled our tummies and souls and we are stronger by being
together.
“Whatever you do in a
state of love, communion, connection and union with God and others is prayer.”
(R Rohr)
It is a prayer beyond
2 dimensional words. It is 4 or 5 dimensional. I could not manufacture this,
nor could I create this, plan or organise it. The only thing I am asked to do
is to open the door of my house. The only thing we are asked to do is to walk
through the door, bringing what we have, big, small or nothing at all, but
simply come. It is when we come, He meets us.
It has been said “Ït
takes a village to raise a child”. I agree! But who decides what the village
looks like? To be honest if the church doesn’t don’t take the question of “who
decides what the village looks like?” seriously, then we can’t complain when
someone else does. So, when 50,000 young people are leaving the church per
year, when are we going to consider what the village must look like? Well, I
know what type of village I want to be a part of and this Sunday was a
reflection of what it means to live in a village that reflects His love. It is
a village I have seen raise my children. There is nothing flash about it, it
will never make the news, or probably draw thousands, but it will draw those
who want to, to live deeply together and in Him.
My greatest and only
sadness of that day was those who did not come, those who cannot come, those
who will not come, those who are too busy to come, those who don’t accept His
invitation to commune and pray together. My prayer is for us in this faith community,
that we never take for granted what He continues to bless us with and that we
never hide it and conceal it, for He calls us to share this love wherever we go.
We are simply called to “open the doors” and “open the eyes of our heart”,
acknowledge and thank Him for our time together, which gives us strength to be
His light in a world that longs for acceptance, love and grace.
For
where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.” (Matthew
18:20)
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