The picture above is a mosaic. This type of art takes tiny broken unevenly shaped pieces, these come together to create a beautiful picture. This image of a mosaic is great metaphor for the church. We bring the pieces of our life to church: sometimes they feel tiny or jagged or cheerfully colorful or we are trying to make sense/ make meaning of the pieces.
My class this week has helped me realize this. But also that we rarely ask you to lean into these broken and amazing pieces of life we bring. Think about our congregation on Sunday. Statistics say that someone in the congregation is dealing with alcoholism or addiction, someone is dealing with abuse, someone is dealing with ethical issues at work, someone is dealing with broken family relationships, someone is celebrating an anniversary, someone is facing medical news she would rather not have heard, someone is struggling to find a new job or celebrating graduation. And that just half the pews!
We bring these pieces and I believe firmly that the church needs to find ways for us to name those pieces and to name that we worship God who is found in the broken pieces and beautiful mosaics of our life.
The sacred truth about scripture is it meets us where we are, with what we bring. But in order for that encounter to help us and nourish our faith, we need to open our lives.
This is just scratching the surface of the thoughts roaming around my mind, but I challenge you this Sunday when you walk into worship to be thinking about (even write down on tiny pieces of paper) the events, encounters, and experiences you are bringing with you. How through worship do we help you and us as a faith community begin to piece the pieces together? Of course in one hour you and we may not complete this work, but in many ways that is what liturgy (the work of the people) is all about.
May the traces of God's grace be found in the mosaic and in the pieces of your life today and throughout this week.
Blessings and peace!
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