October 1st, 2006 Sunday Service

David's liturgy was a focus today with additional pieces he recently wrote, his Kyrie and his Gospel Acclamation. Both are strong compositions.

To me the lift of the melody for the line "Lord have mercy" pairs with the descend of "Christ have mercy", the first raises our voice to God and the descent reflects the comfort found in Christ. It breaks into two parts and there is a strong sense of beauty and reverence as the parts weave together.

There was another focus. Today Pastor Dayle connected with her preaching on the Gospel and the Old Testament reading that were linked thematically and drew a modern lesson. Both were about people of God Getting jealous because they can’t control the spirit and draw the nice neat lines defining who is right and who is wrong. She quoted Richard Jensen, who has had a long and distinguished career in ministry as a preacher and teacher:

Whenever you want to draw lines in order to mark who is outside the kingdom and who is inside, always remember: JESUS IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE LINE! Jesus is always with the outsiders!"

It is an extraordinary statement that reveals a power and dynamic that is at the heart of Christianity.

I just finished reading an article by Mary Gordon that appeared in Portland (a magazine published by the University of Portland which specializes in spiritual writing). In Appetite for the Absolute Gordon expressed her concern that the 9/11 attack was an act committed in the name of God. She went further to question whether she had intentionally repressed, ignored or minimized that the forces of religion have been linked, throughout history and up to the present moment, with the forces not only of repression but violence.

The impulse towards self-sacrifice is a major component of Christianity. Gordon speaks of her feelings of the holiness of martyrdom she knew as a child and states that, while this is not offered as an excuse, she cannot say, like others do to her, that she finds the 9/11 act incomprehensible. She understands the idea of a living body being less important than the homage due to the Lord of all because of the history and experience of her religious life.

When I reconnected with church many of my friends were worried and fearful. I think Mary Gordon’s article distills the reasons for the worry and the fear. There is irrationality in faith. Who can predict how God will move us? Any moment there is the possibility that we see with Abraham sacrificing Isaac because God told him to do it.

For me, what Pastor Dayle quoted is a map for the way out of violence, fear and retribution.

The sermon also focused on Mark 9: 50

Salt is good, but if the salt has lost its saltiness, with what will you season it? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with one another.

Pastor Dayle and Mary Gordon’s article were salt to me. Both the sermon and the article were bold and individual. I'm open to more ways of understanding after experiencing and meditating on each and also inspired to do something new and true to myself.