Worship at Ingleside

We hadn't been to Chapel at Ingleside in a few weeks because we'd been in New Hampshire. So this week we made it. Olive is about the same. The Chaplin noted that when she visited the hospital this week she visited 8 different residents who're hospitalized. That's as long a list as I've ever heard her mention. Thank goodness Olive was not one of those! We were thankful Olive got through our vacation with out a trip of her own to Sibley.

The lectionary was Isaiah 1:1, 10-20; Luke 12:32-40

It's included here: http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/CPentecost/cProper14.htm

I liked the first part from Isaiah -

1:11 What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices? says the LORD; I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams and the fat of fed beasts; I do not delight in the blood of bulls, or of lambs, or of goats.
1:12 When you come to appear before me, who asked this from your hand? Trample my courts no more;
1:13 bringing offerings is futile; incense is an abomination to me. New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation-- I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity......
1:17 learn to do good; seek justice, rescue the oppressed, defend the orphan, plead for the widow.

Then onto Luke -

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. ³⁵“Be dressed for action and have your lamps lit; ³⁶be like those who are waiting for their master to return from the wedding banquet, so that they may open the door for him as soon as he comes and knocks. ³⁷Blessed are those slaves whom the master finds alert when he comes.You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.”

The scene around the temple where the faithful were bringing their sacrifices has to have been a disaster. First you had tourists -changing money, lost, tired- and the merchants. I liken it to my evening commute in the summer when I contend with hoards of tourists at the subway station, all tired and trying to figure out where they're going and how to buy fare to do so.

Then the killing of the sacrifices. I suppose they fed the temple staff? But still, how can this have been a holy or spiritual occasion with all the commerce and death? Can you hear the vendors? "Best birds here, show your faith with a bigger one."

Then Luke shows us a better way. He says, "be ready, be alert." Like Jack Ryan or Jack Bauer - when the President calls you, your passport, and your bag are ready to be dispatched. Like some schmaltzy commercial - Life happens when we aren't expecting it. For all our sacrifices and incense the big stuff doesn't usually shout out a lot of warning, it just happens to us.

I'm sure some pre-event training is in order. It's the middle of the night, not the evening rush hour when we'll be called upon.