What I'm pondering today

Something came up twice today in conversation I had with two different people - "We need structure."

The first was with a college student exploring the possibility of a call to priestly ministry.  The second was with a priest who works with youth in the Mercer County Juvenile Detention Center.  Both spoke of the importance of structure in a world that gives chaos, and both spoke of this structure as something the church can give.  Indeed, that it might be our particular charism (gift) as Anglicans and Episcopalians to give.

I'm wondering if the shape and structure of our liturgy, our daily rhythms of prayer, our weekly rhythms of feasts, and our seasonal rhythms of fast and celebration are needed more now than ever before.   As Anglicans, I wonder if our particular approach to these rhythms is particularly rich and helpful because we use them to help us engage with the world rather than flee the world.  Thus, we can encounter the redeeming work of Christ amid the chaos around us, rather than having to abandon the chaos for the (supposed) safety and calm of "let's keep to ourselves" that some other traditions offer.

I also wonder if the rigid rules and life-codes of conservative evangelicals and fundamentalists aren't a different way of answering the same hunger for order (since they don't have liturgy).  Personally, I'll take liturgy over that any day of the week!  But, the younger amongst us are more conservative . . . .  It's  point to ponder.

It also makes me question a bit more deeply the profound chaos that our national and international church structures are in - and they are in totally dysfunctional chaos.  I have no doubt of that.  The question is whether this is a chaos we have to stop or leave behind, or if this is a chaos that we can't control but out of which God will create a new and more fruit-yielding future.

God spoke to Job out of the whirlwind.  Jesus stilled the storm that scared the disciples [insert earthy expletive]. Ultimately, I am convinced that the church's mission and the church's grace is to be the island of calm in the midst of the storm.  It's not our mission to abandon the storm, nor is it our power to subdue the storm, but we are to be Christ in the midst of the storm out of which God will speak.

It's the old Kipling Poem, "If," that my stepfather gave me for graduation -

"If you can keep your wits about you while all around you are losing theirs, then you have become  man, my son."

(Apologies for the sexist language, but the point's the same.)

The only way I can keep my wits and be calm in the midst of the storm is to strengthen my rootedness in  Christ.  So, it's Tuesday, it's almost 6, and therefore I'm off to centering prayer . . .

Dirk+

Comments

[susan]

oh yes, totally agree with the "liturgy provides structure to help cope with chaos" idea! The structure of the morning prayer and compline services have helped me through (literal) floods and loads of family chaos. Though sometimes I wish I could spontaneously pray myself through...it's the prayer books structures that get me there.