“Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape.”
That little saying was given to me by Lois and is taped to my laptop. It serves to remind me to keep my inner control freak, my inner “everything has to be just right” freak, in check. And now that I’ve started a yoga practice, it makes me giggle a little. Too bad the Pharisees didn’t have little saying like this; it may have made things a little easier for them. Perhaps they wouldn’t have gotten so bent out of shape about hand washing rituals. So what’s really going on here in this gospel lesson from Mark (7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23)? At first glance, it seems that this gospel is about Jesus admonishing the Pharisees about their need for ritual cleanliness. And that’s true…that’s part of what’s going on here. But that’s not all. Jesus is also addressing a much bigger issue of hypocrisy. The word “hypocrisy” means “pretending”. To be a hypocrite is to negate authentic living. For religious hypocrites, it means distorting sacred teachings in order to elevate one’s self or one’s beliefs. And in doing so, these distorted teachings become a form of idolatry, oppression, and gate-keeping. So for Jesus and the Pharisees, Jesus isn’t addressing the issue of hand washing so much as he’s addressing the fact that the people have lost sight of God by holding on to human constructions and traditions. In other words, the Pharisees had gotten so wrapped up in “doing it right” that they’d lost sight of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. Instead of understanding the importance of community and welcome into the Kingdom of God, they had become focused on ways to keep others out. Earlier I said that to be a hypocrite is to negate authentic living. So let’s unpack that phrase “authentic living”. Authentic living is another way of describing being in right relationship with God, ourselves, and others. I would go so far as to include the earth as well. It’s about being in balance with God, the world around us, and ourselves, and acting with integrity. When we are out of balance, not in right relationship, or negating authentic living, then we are in a state of sin. I don’t often talk about sin…it’s a residual effect of having grown up in an oppressive tradition that loves to focus on people’s sinful nature…but sin is something we all struggle with. Theologian Robert Cummings Neville says that the human condition of sin puts us at odds with our intended relationship with God, the world, ourselves and our neighbors. To be in right relationship is to avoid harming others, to be faithful, and to act with integrity. So how do we achieve this right relationship, this balance, this authentic living? Well, first, we have to recognize that it isn’t something to be achieved, but rather something to journey towards. As imperfect beings, the reality is we’ll never get it right all the time. So that should take some of the pressure off! But in our journey, we can embrace the ideals of spiritual practices that renew our relationship with God, ourselves, and others. In the Christian tradition, these spiritual practices are: tithing, charitable giving, service to others, hospitality, public worship, private prayer, and forgiveness. In yoga practice, these spiritual practices are called the “yamas” and the “niyamas” or codes for living: nonviolence, commitment to the truth, not stealing, connecting to the Diving, absence of greed, contentment, self-discipline and introspection (ok, so now I’m just showing off what I learned while I was away at school). My point is this…whether you take on the traditional spiritual practices of the Christian tradition, or combine them with the yamas and niyamas, it’s all about being in relationship with God, ourselves, others, and the world around us. If we get so wrapped up in “getting it right”—whether that’s who’s dressed right, who gives the most in their pledge, or who makes the best goodies for coffee hour—we lose sight of what we’re really called to do—to be children of God, brothers and sisters, who practice kindness, compassion and forgiveness. So before we come forward for communion, to share in the abundance of God’s graciousness, I think we have to examine our conscience and our hearts…what do we need to do be in right relationship with God, the world, ourselves and others? Are we flexible enough not to be bent out of shape, or are we stuck on getting it right?
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AuthorI don't know what the future of the church is, but I know that we will continue to be a place of sanctuary and hope, working towards healing in the world. Archives
October 2017
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