Upside down living...

This morning Fr. Richard Rohr spoke of St. Paul's ideas about the church - and they resonate with me profoundly. Rather than "do" church as an "add-on" commitment to an already full life - or even something we go to - Rohr says that Paul lived as one who was always "in church - in the Spirit - in the Jesus life and went out into the world." Interesting shift, yes? We are those who are always IN church and go OUT into the world.

Such is the wisdom of the Holy Spirit - the upside blessing of the Jesus life - that is foolishness or worse to those addicted to the status quo. Peterson adds this:

The opposite of foolishness in Scripture is wise. Wise refers to skill in living. It does not mean, primarily, the person who knows the right answer to things, but one who has developed the right responses (relationships) to persons and to God. The wise understand how the world really works; know about patience and love, listening and grace, adoration and beauty; know that other people are awesome creatures to be respected and befriended, especially the ones that I cannot get anything out of; know that the earth is a marvelously intricate gift to be cared for and enjoyed; know that God is an ever-present center, a never-diminishing reality; an all-encompassing love; and know that there is no living being that does not reach out gladly and responsively to God and the kingdom community in which God has placed us. What's more, the wise know that there is only one cure for the fool: prayer that is as passionate for the salvation healing of others as it is for myself!

As I was driving home from an early morning tea and conversation time with a beloved colleague, I heard the Eagles signing, "Take It Easy" and wondered if the second chorus might be a prayer for our church as the Spirit confronts us: We may lose or we may win, but we will never be here again; so open up, I'm climbing in - and take it easy! To be wise in the upside down Jesus life is to open up and let the Spirit in.

To be a fool, however, is to stay addicted to the death and distractions of the status quo, yes Makes me think of another old Eagle's song, "Desperado" - a tune we're going to try and rework into a jazz thing for our next gig - because it is beautiful and poignant and oh so true...