Mother-in-Law
Mother-in-Law
Her name…
Oh, right—she was not given one!
Her son-in-law—Peter.
This woman, so we are told
was ill.
She was healed.
This woman rose from
her bed—
She did not ask, “Please, let me follow you.”
She did not run for the Rabbi and shout out, “Look at me, I have been made well…
look, look, look.”
Instead, she did what came naturally…
She served.
Peter was given the ‘keys’ to the Church. (it has been said)
Perhaps an extra set should have
been made for this nameless
mother-in-law—A Woman.
Imagine what the Church might
look like…
I trust ALL would be welcomed.
There would be no need to express
who or what runs the place.
People would run in and out—
a fresh plate of cookies just
out of the oven would be the incense spilling into the
neighborhoods
—church would begin when two or
three were gathered
—when those who held grudges finally embraced
—when someone without a shirt
discovered one on the clothes line…
just the right size
—when someone homeless found shelter
and heard the words, ‘Welcome home.’
—when someone hungry
arrived just when bread came
out of the oven and was asked to ‘break’ it for each
person present.
Let us build a church
NOT a structure.
Let us be a ‘body’
visibly held together by
hands that bless
hearts broken enough
to forgive
spirits that sing
and dance
to the glory
of what is
endlessly created
and about which
we are invited ‘into’ every day…
Can I hear an
Alleluia?
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia, indeed, my dear Sandy! I just love this! As I was reading, images were dancing in my head of “people running in and out” grabbing a cookie, a shirt, where whatever is needed, is given and whoever enters is welcomed at the table.
It’s not so difficult, you know? Jesus certainly didn’t make it difficult; why do we? Let us pray that Sophia Wisdom inspires and enlightens (and lightens) those whose minds are clouded and whose hearts are burdened by the “stuff” of ignorance and sexism. What would Jesus do? NOT this!
Amen…