Lectionary Readings for August 25. Isaiah 587:9b-14, Psalm
103:1-8, Heb 12: 18-29, Luke 13:10-17
Donita Wiebe-Neufeld
These readings are a call to proper worship. While they don't
prescribe elements or order of service, they are descriptive of the intended
character of the community of faith.
When I was a child, there were certain unwritten, very firm ideas
of what was proper for Sunday worship. Men wore suits (or at least shirts with
ties), women wore dresses. The idea that one wore their "Sunday best"applied
to more than clothes. It was also for language, habits, and topics of
conversation,during worship. The intention was worthy, to show respect for God
and the church, but it could easily lead to feelings of falseness and a
"dress-up" righteousness, a Sunday faith. When what is
"proper" becomes too much of a focus, it can make gatherings into
places where poor people feel embarrassed about their thrift store look, or
where people with problems (relationship, addiction, etc...) feel unwelcome.
While it is important to be respectful of each other and God in our clothing
choices, behaviour, etc...I am happy to see jeans and shorts mixed in with the
suits and dresses on Sundays. It's good to see people caring for each other in
their hurt and shame and/or talking openly about difficult issues. We still,
however, easily get stuck in our "proper" ways of doing things and
occasionally we need to be challenged.
Isaiah challenges what we think is proper.in worship. He is
disgusted with acts of humility and religious practice that are all about
looks. He calls for action. The whole point of worship, according to this piece
of scripture, it that it results in feeding the hungry, doing what is just, and
caring for the poor. Everything else is secondary.
I can't help but think of the disagreements that divide churches,
and wonder if we are too caught up with what is "proper". I heard a
report on CBC, an interview with a Catholic priest who has long supported and
campaigned for women to become priests. He was defrocked for his improper
views. Many other priests have told him they share his view, but they do not
speak up for fear of punishment. I wonder about drawn out discussions on
theological topics and Biblical interpretations. While I think these are
important and relevant discussions to have, the reality is that our
"forever" discussions mean we may put off the doing of justice and
the showing of compassion. If we are so terribly concerned about getting things
right and righteous before we act, we may never act at all.
Maybe it's time to be a little improper, to be radically welcoming
and inclusive in our worship. In Luke 13, Jesus heals a crippled woman on the
Sabbath. It is completely improper-after all, he could have waited a day till
the Sabbath was over. She had been crippled for 18 years, what's one more day?
But Jesus was making a point. The Sabbath is about justice, about being set
free. Jesus didn't say that one more day was okay-he said it's been too long
already. The entire crowd is said to have rejoiced at what Jesus was doing.
That would include those leaders who had originally chastised Jesus.
Is it possible for churches to live respectfully in some
disagreement with each other, while still working together on the many things
where we have agreement? Can we let these scriptures challenge us to make our
worship more present and practical and real on Sunday mornings and all
week long?
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