At the risk of having the governor of California call me a “girlie-man,” I’ll admit it. I love “The Sound of Music.” There’s a lot to like about it including the children, the music and Julie Andrews. At the beginning of the film we hear Maria’s struggle to do the will of God. She believes the convent is the way God has chosen for her while the wise abbess is quick to inform her, “This is not a place for those who are running from their problems” (at least that’s the way I remember the words…it’s been a while). In order for her to discover what God has planned Maria must venture out into the world. Perhaps the same is true for us today. We dare not look at the church as a safe hiding place. Though Jesus offers rest to the weary (Matthew 11:28) we must remember that we are called to press on in the race that has been set out for us (see Phil. 3:12-16 and Hebrews 12:1; these are good texts for the upcoming Olympic season).
This afternoon I spent some time reading Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer (okay so you’re thinking, “is he ever going to finish that book?” answer: maybe not for a long time). The opening paragraph to the chapter “The Day Alone” says,
Many people seek fellowship because they are afraid to be alone. Because they cannot stand loneliness, they are driven to seek the company of other people. There are Christians, too, who cannot endure being alone, who have had some bad experience with themselves, who hope they will gain some help in association with others. They are generally disappointed. Then they blame the fellowship for what is really their own fault. The Christian community is not a spiritual sanatorium. The person who comes into a fellowship because he is running away from himself is misusing it for the sake of diversion, no matter how spiritual this diversion may appear. He is really not seeking community at all, but only distraction which will allow him to forget his loneliness for a brief time, the very alienation that creates the deadly isolation of man. The disintegration of communication and all genuine experience, and finally resignation and spiritual death are the results of such attempts to find a cure. (76-77)
These words made me think about the way I experience loneliness. Bonhoeffer writes, “Let him who cannot be alone beware of community. Let him who is not in community beware of being alone.” (77) Life together is not a substitute for loneliness but the practice of solitude and silence can actually enhance the experience of community. It’s true in my life (sometimes more, sometimes less). What about you?
[Note: Bonhoeffer wrote in a time prior to the widespread awareness of (and insistence upon) inclusive language. Please read his use of the masculine pronoun as representing men and women (and "girlie men," eh). I'd rather not tinker with Bonhoeffer's words lest we miss his ideas.]
I just published the photo album that Robert Blatman took last Sunday. I think the picture in this post is one of the best. It represents what we are becoming: a nurturing community, a place where friends are together, a loving environment for children. I like the soft focus on the faces and on the outside world. We gather in worship to focus on God and as we do, we learn to see ourselves and the world around us with greater clarity. I’d love to know what you see in this picture. Do you see who we are becoming and the gift God has given to us in the form of this new community? Enjoy!
