Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Where are we?

Every so often I get really frustrated.  At myself.  At others in the Church.  I have to keep asking myself, "Where are we?"  

I love the story of the Prodigal Son.  So much good stuff there.  So familiar, yet in each reading and retelling you can find new meaning.  My question today is, "Where are we?"  Have you noticed how frequently people in the Church will say something to the effect of, "So and so is relevant today because...."???  To me that seems like we are standing the door and hollering down the road to the children passing by deciding whether or not to turn to the Father.  Have you noticed that the father in the story of Luke 15 takes off down the road?  Picture it - the father, with robes flapping as he sprints (likely for the first time in a long time) after his son.  He goes to where he is, not where he wants him to be or where is comfortable for him, the father.


I have to keep reminding myself, and sometimes in love the larger Church community, that we can't expect the kids we want to reach to all come when we say, "We and our Tradition and our Faith is relevant to you because..."  Rather, we need to look and say, "Hey, so this is where you are, I get it.  I love you.  Let me walk with you Home."

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