ECCLESIOLOGICAL ETCHINGS
July 5, 2022
I’m going to date myself, but how many of you remember the “Calgon, take me away” commercial? When work was crazy and the kids were screaming and the dishes were piling up, you screamed, “Calgon, take me away.” And of course, the individual in the commercial was swept away to a luxurious spa-like bathroom with a bathtub that could seat twelve. And of course, this wonderful bath treatment seemed to quiet the boss, entertain the kids and get the dishes into the dishwasher. Or at least, it provided an escape. Was Jesus into finding a little escape here and there? Did he ever want to cry out, “Calgon, take me away”? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I know he needed to pull away when things got intense. We read in Luke 5, “News of Jesus spread even more and huge crowds gathered to listen and to be healed from their illnesses. But Jesus would withdraw to deserted places for prayer.” Notice that it is a plural, “deserted places,” with the emphasis on placeS. It was for the purpose of prayer, but it was more than just going through the actions. For Jesus, and I think for us, prayer can be a place and experience where renewal occurs. It’s not necessarily an escape, but a pause from whatever it is that drains us. And in that pause, we spend some intentional time with God, who is the Source of love and life. When we pause long enough to acknowledge the divine presence, we are able to breathe what is life-giving. Make sure you find a little time.
Meet me, God of Immeasurable Grace. Help me make some space where I can just be with you for a few moments, a few moments to breathe in what my soul yearns for. Amen.
