DON'T KNOW MUCH ABOUT [church] HISTORY
(a brief Lectionary reflection by Steve Orr)
This week I passed a coworker in the hallway who had a smudge in the middle of his brow; a sizable dirty patch right smack in the center of his forehead. I actually got as far as thinking about bringing it to his attention when I remembered: oh yes, Ash Wednesday.
While I know, intellectually, about such things, I didn't grow up with much of a church calendar. In fact, I was grown before I actually heard someone say the words, "church calendar." I was raised to believe in Jesus, but our church calendar took a break somewhere along about the death of the Apostle Paul, and didn't start up again until sometime in the late 19th century. As odd as that may sound to many of you, I never even questioned it.
We weren't sequestered from the world, but none of the adults in my life connected such dates as Easter and Christmas to an official calendar of the "church year" (another term I have only recently begun to hear). Most of my understanding of these things came after I was married and had become a father. Before then, Advent was a word vaguely connected to the Christmas season somehow; Epiphany meant something like the kind of discovery that leads to shouting "Eureka!"; I thought Lent was something that your mother brushed off your clothes. I was a grandfather before I learned that the 12 days of Christmas START on Christmas Day!
In case you're feeling sorry for my having grown up in a life absent from such knowledge; don't. The simplicity of our beliefs fostered a life wonderfully absent of complication, and led to a faith uncluttered; neither of which I would ever trade. In my life, Ordinary time was just that, peacefully ordinary.
Yes, I know all of these things serve a purpose, that people who practice them draw spiritual strength and comfort from them, that having a church calendar helps people focus their belief in positive ways. However, and I cant stress this enough, while many find them useful, none of them are required.
And that's my point: in the priorities of our spiritual journey, such things must come lower. They must support the main parts of our journey or they become simply a palliative distraction. Am I advocating doing away with them? Of course not. If they serve you on your journey, as they do for many, then practice and observe them. All I ask is that you place the following, and their like, higher on your list.
"But he's already made it plain how to live, what to do, what God is looking for in men and women. It's quite simple: Do what is fair and just to your neighbor, be compassionate and loyal in your love, And don't take yourself too seriously-take God seriously." (Micah 6:8 MSG)
"Religion that pleases God the Father must be pure and spotless. You must help needy orphans and widows and not let this world make you evil." (James 1:27 CEV)
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:36-40 NIV84)
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READINGS FOR THE COMING WEEK
First Sunday in Lent (February 26, 2012)
Genesis 9:8-17
Psalm 25:1-10
1 Peter 3:18-22
Mark 1:9-15
