"We have longed to taste the resurrection... the insurrection of life... We have longed to welcome its thunders and quakes, and to echo its great gifts. We want to test the resurrection in our bones. We want to see if we might live in hope instead of in the ... twilight thicket of cultural despair in which ... many are lost." - Daniel Berrigan, priest and radical peace activist.
This really has been resonating deep in that place where deep calls to deep. It pulsates life from within, from a source beyond me and desires to gush, spill and pour into the world around me. It is the insurrection of life...the uprising of life. A couple of weeks ago on a wet cold Friday evening, I shared this story during our circle time in the parking lot behind the Capitol Six Theater. And, after wards we prayed before heading out onto the inner city streets. Unknowingly to me there was a young man in our circle who was moved to tears. I had an opportunity to talk and pray with him under one of the light standards in the parking lot. I asked him what was going on in his life, and what we could pray for. He brought his life down to one word, he was " lost."
There was something beautifully profound that made him recognize his " lostness ". It had nothing to do with me, my words or prayer. It had do with the resurrection.
For the longest time, I saw the resurrection as something historical, a one time event in the life of Jesus. I failed to see the resurrection as a Kingdom reality, something profoundly real in the life of a faith community. This young man between the sobbing and tears could only say that he has never seen or experienced anything like this before in his life. " What is this?", he kept saying to me. " What is this?"
As faith communities we need to have hunger to taste the reality of the resurrection " now ", for out the the resurrection comes the inauguration, the revelation and the building of the Kingdom Jesus imagined, and lived in.
There is nothing special about the parking lot behind the Capitol Six Theater. What is special was that a few people took likely what they thought was a mustard seed of faith and planted it. They nurtured it, cultivated, prayed and loved and it grew. There was a vow of commitment, of faithfulness, that despite cold, rain, wind they would be there. The same time, same day, week after week, year after year.
There was a profound evolution of borders and boundaries being erased. What was once "us " and " them " became a community of friends. It became an anticipation and expectation of watching, and looking for the arrival of friends. It was hugs, it was conversations and prayer. It was the worry of wondering about someone if they failed to show up on Friday.
It was a circle of friends, holding hands, it was faces, it was eyes and smiles. It was improvisation of a God talk, a few minute sermon that sparked imagination. It was communion with the street community distributing the sacraments. It was the parable of the feast, the servant with invitations in hand going to the back allies, the gutters, skid row hotels, anywhere and everywhere so his Fathers table would be full.
It was hot chocolate, peanut butter and jam sandwiches, baked goods, cookies, fruit, socks, mitts, toques, blankets, sleeping bags, shoes, under-ware, clothing. It was, I was naked and you clothed me, I was hungry and you fed me. It was whatever you do for the least of these you do for me.
" What is this ", the young man kept saying to me." I've never seen anything like this." I really believe it was the reality of the resurrection, the " now " presence of Jesus risen in the midst of a community living out radical scandalous faith. He caught a glimpse of the Kingdom now. He saw people acting as co-creators in the revelation and building of Jesus' Kingdom. He saw a place with out borders, boundaries...a place where people aren't reduced to labels and stereotypes. He saw radical hospitality, grace, and mercy. In his " lostness " he felt the loneliness and separation of the prodigal son. But, more, he saw God in that parking lot with open arms welcoming him home. My son which was once lost, is now found.
For me CARTS has become a wild and crazy church. We long to feel the resurrection in our bones.We long for the Kingdom. We long, and welcome its thunder and quakes, and to echo its great gifts. The Kingdom coming into being can seem messy and chaotic. But as someone once said, at the Rainbow Kitchen...even in chaos there is beauty yet to be recognized, if we have the eyes to see and the ears to hear.
I think faith communities really need to challenge themselves, and ask, " Do we just believe in the resurrection, or are we living and practicing the resurrection." " And do we expect to see the Kingdom with out a resurrection reality."
