At church on Sunday the chancel did not have the customary floral arrangements that usually adorn the pulpit and lectern. So, during the announcements before worship, congregants were reminded to sign up to bring flowers for worship in the coming weeks. As the announcements continued a man pranced (yes pranced) down the aisle holding a bunch of slightly wilted white lilies. He was a bit disheveled. His clothes had seen more than a few days since being washed. Yet, the shoes on his sockless feet were conspicuously clean.
He stood before the pulpit and gently placed the flowers in the baptismal font that stood beside it, where they could drink and be refreshed. He then headed back down the aisle – strutting his stuff and extending the Peace of Christ with a large grin and occasional fist bump to those who acknowledged him.
After church, when asked, the associate explained that he was homeless, and struggling with addiction. He had been attending services regularly for several years and they were hoping that he would finally be admitted into a housing program in the coming month.
Commentaries propose that the God of human form is the way the Divine reveals themself to their creation. In other words – God breaks into our world in human form.
In the stories of these holy encounters, those in the presence of the anthropomorphized Divine often do not recognize that presence at first, – like the angels that visit Abraham, Balaam and his talking donkey, Samson’s mom, Manoah, or Jesus’ loved one who mistakes the resurrected Christ for a gardener. These folks are surprised and awestruck when they become aware that they are in the presence of the Divine.
I believe that I saw God’s presence in the messenger delivering wilted flowers to be refreshed and renewed in the baptismal font. I believe that I may have even fist-bumped the Divine as he pranced back to his seat, passing the peace with a big grin on his face.
Perhaps, being in seminary does this to a person.
Maybe it’s like when you purchase a certain make and model of car, and as you’re driving, all of a sudden you notice that same make and model of car on the road everywhere you go. And, you think to yourself – “wow, I had no idea that there were so many of these cars on the road.”
Maybe it’s the spectacles that Calvin describes as scripture.
Maybe this is what is revealed when we live in the world in a Christo-centric way.
Maybe this is what happens when you wear Christ tinted glasses, as you’re driving down life’s highway in your ‘Christmobile.’ You start to see a lot more of the Christ in the world.
When you start reading and contemplating how the Divine is revealed in (and to) the world, all of a sudden you start to see God’s presence prancing down the aisle with a handful of slightly wilted lilies.
And, if you’re lucky, you might just get a chance to fist pump the Divine.