Search
-
July 1, 2021We have a joke in Catholic parishes that gravity is especially strong in church buildings; anything you put down in a church sacristy or storage room or meeting room will undoubtedly not move from that spot for a very long time! As hard as it is to de-clutter at home, it’s especially hard in churches, because whoever donated that thing, or placed that item just there, or left this behind when they moved to another parish, left an emotional attachment with that item.
But reading the Old Testament lately, it strikes me that the first Tabernacle, the one built to house the ark of the covenant, described and designed by God, was essentially a tent. It was no temple of stone and brick; it was meant to be moved. God said, “make me a sanctuary, so that I may dwell among [my people].” (Ex. 25:8) The point of building this tabernacle was so God could be with God’s people; to be embedded with them.
I love being in churches, and especially love our two churches, but I can’t help but be struck by the wisdom of being a Church that is ready and able to move when needed, or (especially) when God calls us to new places.
If this year has taught us anything as a Church, it’s that our buildings, as beautiful and beloved as they are, are not the point. Our church buildings will always be beautiful and solid and substantial, but our Church needs to be mobile, agile, and ready to move wherever and however God calls us to move.
I think that learning will be so important as we turn a new corner this month (moving indoors for Masses, and planning ahead for singing to return to Mass and all the inevitable changes that this year will continue to bring) and continue to turn corners; listening to God’s call to “go and make disciples.”
