Sacramental Living

Around 5 years or so ago, when I was serving as a youth pastor, I used to throw around a personal motto or mantra: lex orandi, lex credendi.  The Latin means “the rule of prayer, is the rule of belief.”  My paraphrase became: “the way you worship is the way you live.”

Worship used to be all-encompassing.  Not that I always worshiped, but I certainly did my best to direct all attention to the One who is greater.  That’s what I taught (and hopefully) modeled for my teens.  That in actions, thoughts, and words, God would be recognized and we would be humble.

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“More and more, the desire grows in me simply to walk around, greet people, enter their homes, sit on their doorsteps, play ball, throw water, and be known as someone who wants to live with them. It is a privilege to have the time to practice this simple ministry of presence. Still, it is not as simple as it seems. My own desire to be useful, to do something significant, or to be part of some impressive project is so strong that soon my time is taken up by meetings, conferences, study groups, and workshops that prevent me from walking the streets. It is difficult not to have plans, not to organize people around an urgent cause, and not to feel that you are working directly for social progress. But I wonder more and more if the first thing shouldn’t be to know people by name, to eat and drink with them, to listen to their stories and tell your own, and to let them know with words, handshakes, and hugs that you do not simply like them, but truly love them.”

- Henri Nouwen

“Because we have food,” said Eliot, my three-year old.

Just prior he had said, “We are the church.”

“Why?” I asked.

“Because we have food.”

My wife and I just stared at each other and smiled.  After a moment pregnant with meaning, awe, wonder, I said to Heather, “Something profound was just going on there.”

She nodded in agreement.

Somehow, Eliot is getting it … even at 3 years old.

We are always stressing to him the difference between the church building and the church.  He knows when we gather for worship it is at the church building.  And he is recognizing that the church is people.  More than that, the church is people with relationships who gather around a meal to talk and listen, share stories, and share nourishing resources.

I know he’s not talking about a “potluck” because he just hasn’t experienced many of those.  And when he does, it’s usually outside the church building, in a picnic pavilion.

Wisdom from a child … it’s pretty cool.  Of course, Jesus did say that we must become like them … like Eliot … to experience the kingdom of God.

Today around our family lunch table, we experienced the reality of God’s kingdom, presence, and reality breaking into the ordinary.  The pedestrian meal became a sublime feast.  We experienced communion.  We are the church.

SO TELL ME SOMETHING:
How are children around you showing you Jesus?

——

Brian Niece
www.brianniece.com
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