WAITING

Chapter 3
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So let's start this week with a disclaimer: I've never been a fan of waiting. For anything. And so because God has such a well-developed sense of humor, I've ended up working in the church. Go figure.

AND ... I love how Nora invites us to consider waiting not "prelude to" but "part of" the sacramental circle that calls us to the table and sends us out into the world. It's another one of those "both/and" things -- like this quote from page 28:

The language of the altar is old, much older than us. And it's also new, being made you and and the people around you.

Amen.

Another part I loved about this chapter was her admission (on page 29): "I am not a light traveler."

Ironically, I was working on this reflection on the plane yesterday -- a flight from L.A. to Chicago for the Episcopal Urban Caucus that was delayed because there was more "carry-on luggage" than there was room for.

And so as I sat in 15F watching one traveler after another trying to cram "one more thing" in the already full overhead compartments, I wondered if it wasn't kind of a metaphor for what it looks like to God as we try to in cram "one more thing" into our already full schedule, agenda, closet, suitcase, briefcase, or hard-drive.

A Lent or two ago we used the image of "UNpacking for the Lenten Journey" -- and I liked that image a lot ... although, like Nora, I fear I took the "admire rather than emulate" approach. Much easier to take on than to let go.

Other notes on Chapter 3:

I appreciated her take on (and her "taking on"!) the Sodom & Gomorrah story from Genesis -- and the way she artfully wove it together with the Gospel challenge to Empire. Another both/and moment:

Jesus' "kingdom of God" may not be a far-off heaven, but may instead be an alternative to the kingdom of Rome, an alternative to the monetary, social, moral, and legal economy of the Roman Empire and the religious authorities who collaborated with it. An alternative to waste and corruption and greed. Jesus promises us the kingdom of heaven: more compassion, more love, more justice, more courage, more surprise.

And here -- finally -- is my favorite image:

" ... the power of subversive inspiration."

Where can we, do we and might we use that power of subversive inspiration to help bring on earth that kingdom of heaven we pray for every time we gather for the Sacred Meal? And -- as Nora asks -- what did we do last week to find the kingdom of heaven in our midst ... and to help others find it?

My "podium notes" from Chapters 1 & 2

We've been watching a lot of Winter Olympics at my house, so since I've been thinking in terms of "gold, silver and bronze" all week, I'll continue the theme and note the bits that rose to the "get out the yellow highlighter 'podium'" for me in the first two chapters of "The Sacred Meal:"

We mistake middle-class conventions or church rules or traditions for the secret code that unlocks the kingdom.

The stories that Jesus tells were more often than not about people who broke the religious rules, not simply for the sake of breaking them, but for something bigger, more important, more life-giving ...

Jesus himself broke the rules by healing on the Sabbath, eating with those who were unclean, and resisting the power of the Roman Empire until he got himself into real trouble. [pg. 17-18]

I was raised by rule keepers. And like lots of other things, communion had lots of rules -- most of which I didn't understand when I was little and didn't necessarily make sense when I was not so little.

Understanding Jesus as a rule breaker rather than a rule maker was the beginning of not only the story but the person of Jesus becoming not only real but relevant to me. And that didn't happen for me until I was a thirty-something altar guild member mother-of-two second soprano in the church choir. And it happened when I lucked/chanced/graced upon the book The Dream of God by Verna Dozier.

So this particular part of Nora Gallagher's narrative struck a deep chord with me -- and I loved how she connected the practice of communion to the practice of justice. I appreciated how she drew the connection between our receiving the body of Christ as individuals at the communion rail and our becoming the Body of Christ as the church God dreamed we would be. And it reminded me how grateful I am that I was challenged to challenge my earliest "rule keeping" paradigm ... even though it wasn't always easy!

So how about for you? Any gold, silver or bronze "podium moments" in these first couple of chapters?

Week One: Introduction, Chapters 1 & 2

Lent again.

Another 40 day opportunity to reflect, explore, connect and contemplate as we choose to place ourselves in the ancient continuum of the Lenten Journey. In our 21st century way, we tread in the footsteps of generations of pilgrims before us who have claimed this season of Lent as their own. And I'm trying to imagine what they would make of something called a "blog" -- much less an "online Lenten Study Group" -- facilitated by a woman priest -- from a place called All Saints Church in Pasadena -- where whoever you are and wherever you find yourself on the journey of faith there is a place for you.

There's a lot about the church we live and move and have our being in that those ancient pilgrims wouldn't recognize. But one thing they would -- the bread and wine made holy in the ancient practice of Holy Communion ... of The Sacred Meal.

The words might be different. The person behind the altar might be confusing. But the core elements that make up the act of blessing, breaking and sharing the bread and the wine -- those they would know. That they would recognize. And so that ancient practice both links us to those ancient pilgrims who are our spiritual ancestors and calls us into God's future as we partake of the bread and wine made holy.

And that's what we're here to explore together this Lent through the lens of Nora Gallagher's book "The Sacred Meal."

So as we begin, I want to start with a confession. (What with it being Lent and all.) I'm not quite sure how this will work or where it will go.

I've never tried to facilitate a discussion like this in a format like this. And so one of the Lenten disciplines I'm taking on this year is putting my control needs in a little purple box right along with the "J" on my Myers-Briggs profile (that's the part of me that likes lists, outcomes, quantifiables and products) and "trying on" being open to how this will evolve and unfold.

I've broken the book down into what I think are manageable "chunks" for the next weeks. (Listed on the sidebar to the right.) I plan to post a summary/reflection piece each Wednesday for the week ahead. And then I thought I'd post up during the week a few quotes from the book that struck a chord with me and why ... hoping you will do the same.

So to start today -- this Ash Wednesday -- I thought I'd start the way I would if we were sitting in a circle of chairs in a Sunday School classroom -- or around a table in a parish hall or meeting room. And that would be to ask you to begin (in the comment space below) by telling us who you are. And then to share an early -- or earliest -- memory of the Sacred Meal ... of Holy Communion ... of The Eucharist.

Welcome! Let's get started ...

Setting the Table for "The Sacred Meal"

Welcome to "The Sacred Meal" -- an online Lenten book study group.

As noted in the description of this site, "The Sacred Meal" is a book that connects the three foundational values of All Saints Church -- Spirituality, Community and Peace & Justice -- through history, theology and story telling. I think it provides the perfect jumping off place to explore "the meaning behind the meal" of Holy Communion. And since I'm a fan of Nora Gallagher, Lent and the Eucharist I'm excited about the chance to put all three together in this Lenten book study blog.

While it is certainly not mandatory that you register as a follower of this blog (over on the right column) it would be great to know you're following along, even if you don't make comments. I hope, however, that "The Sacred Meal" will stimulate your questions and comments as well as inform your Lenten journey.

So ... time to "set the table" for "The Sacred Table:"

Get the Book (either from your local bookstore or order online at the link on the right)

Stay Tuned: On Ash Wednesday (February 17) I'll post the first in a series of "soup starters" for our discussion and reflection -- covering the Introduction and first two chapters of "The Sacred Table."

Keep Coming Back as we journey together through the 40 days of Lent to Easter.

Questions? Ask them in the comment section below (if you're asking someone else may be wondering, too!) or email me.

"The sacred meal that is part of our faith does more than connect us to the holy. It connects us to each other." -- Nora Gallagher

And so, I hope, will this Lenten journey we'll take together.